(A) The General Assembly has determined that the critical success factors, in priority order, for academic quality in the several institutions of higher learning in this State are as follows:

(1) Mission Focus;

(2) Quality of Faculty;

(3) Classroom Quality;

(4) Institutional Cooperation and Collaboration;

(5) Administrative Efficiency;

(6) Entrance Requirements;

(7) Graduates' Achievements;

(8) User-friendliness of the Institution;

(9) Research Funding.

(B) The General Assembly has determined that whether or not an institution embodies these critical success factors can be measured by the following performance indicators as reflected under the critical success factors below:

(1) Mission Focus

(a) expenditure of funds to achieve institutional mission;

(b) curricula offered to achieve mission;

(c) approval of a mission statement;

(d) adoption of a strategic plan to support the mission statement;

(e) attainment of goals of the strategic plan.

(2) Quality of Faculty

(a) academic and other credentials of professors and instructors;

(b) performance review system for faculty to include student and peer evaluations;

(c) post-tenure review for tenured faculty;

(d) compensation of faculty;

(e) availability of faculty to students outside the classroom;

(f) community and public service activities of faculty for which no extra compensation is paid.

(3) Instructional Quality

(a) class sizes and student/teacher ratios;

(b) number of credit hours taught by faculty;

(c) ratio of full-time faculty as compared to other full-time employees;

(d) accreditation of degree-granting programs;

(e) institutional emphasis on quality teacher education and reform.

(4) Institutional Cooperation and Collaboration

(a) sharing and use of technology, programs, equipment, supplies, and source matter experts within the institution, with other institutions, and with the business community;

(b) cooperation and collaboration with private industry.

(5) Administrative Efficiency

(a) percentage of administrative costs as compared to academic costs;

(b) use of best management practices;

(c) elimination of unjustified duplication of and waste in administrative and academic programs;

(d) amount of general overhead costs.

(6) Entrance Requirements

(a) SAT and ACT scores of student body;

(b) high school class standing, grade point averages, and activities of student body;

(c) post-secondary nonacademic achievements of student body;

(d) priority on enrolling in-state residents.

(7) Graduates' Achievements

(a) graduation rate;

(b) employment rate for graduates;

(c) employer feedback on graduates who were employed or not employed;

(d) scores of graduates on post-undergraduate professional, graduate, or employment-related examinations and certification tests;

(e) number of graduates who continued their education;

(f) credit hours earned of graduates.

(8) User-Friendliness of Institution

(a) transferability of credits to and from the institution;

(b) continuing education programs for graduates and others;

(c) accessibility to the institution of all citizens of the State.

(9) Research Funding

(a) financial support for reform in teacher education;

(b) amount of public and private sector grants.

(C) The commission, when using the critical success factors for the purpose of funding recommendations for institutions of higher learning, is required to use objective, measurable criteria.

(D) Critical success factors developed and used for the purpose of funding recommendations shall be those which are directly related to the missions of the particular type of institution as outlined in Section 59-103-15(B) and not those factors which are not relevant to the success factors of the particular type of institution.

HISTORY: 1996 Act No. 359, Section 4.