Student Success Initiative Review
As stated in EPCC Procedure AD-4, Student Success Initiatives (SSIs) are “Programs/activities intended to close
achievement gaps or improve overall student outcomes. Initiatives can be either institutionally- or grant-funded, with
a clear purpose and specific intended outcomes.”
In 2024, procedure AD-4 was implemented to guide reviewing the alignment and service ecosystem that our SSIs
facilitate. The review is conducted through the Student Success Core Team in collaboration with SSI leadership and
EPCC administration. Recognizing that EPCC is an initiative-rich institution, and that it can be easy for student
success work to become “siloed,” the review aims to provide an understanding of how our SSIs are connected as they
contribute to our overall pathway design.
The review cycle is three years in length and follows the academic calendar. In year one, all "Entry" SSIs
are reviewed. In year two, all "Progress" SSIs are reviewed. In year three all "Completion" and
"Career/Transfer" are reviewed. Initial SSI reports are due in December and examined during the spring.
A report of overall review findings is compiled and provided to EPCC leadership in the summer. The included SSIs are
provided with individualized feedback and the overall evaluation of our service ecosystem. Spring 2025 was the
inaugural review for EPCC SSIs. There were the three objectives of the review were:
- Provide feedback on the alignment between the purpose/goals of the SSI and the EPCC strategic plan.
- Reflect on the alignment between the collected data and the EPCC strategic outcomes identified.
- Identify the SSI's stability and continuity, including recommendations to scale.
SSI Point of
Contact Directory
Student Learning Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) are an “umbrella term” that includes the study of essential student learning in a
variety of contexts. The office of Student Learning Outcomes is engaged with supporting both Credit and Continuing
Education disciplines as they seek to improve student learning through the analysis of data. We offer regular
professional development and support as faculty engage in their assessment processes. Specific lists of outcomes and
data are available within the EPCC intranet, but are not available on the public facing website.
More details on our team and areas of support are below:
Learning Outcome Assessments
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
CLOs are utilized by disciplines who instruct courses, or course sequences, but do not have program maps. These
include both credit and developmental courses. CLOs are identified in the official course syllabus (Syllabus Part II)
and describe the essential learning within the course, or course sequence.
CLO Point of
Contact Directory
Quality Indicators (QIs)
QIs are utilized by Continuing Education Programs, applying to multiple contexts. These include (but not limited to)
certificates that have been recognized by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Quality Indicators identify
the essential Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities that students will develop within the course/program of study and
are usually identified as required outcomes by external agencies (State agencies, Certification agencies, Federal
agencies, etc.).
QI Point of
Contact Directory
General Education Outcomes (GEOs)
GEOs are determined by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and identified by EPCC as learning outcomes
students should obtain as a result of their general education/core curriculum experiences. These outcomes describe the
foundational and transferrable learning a student acquires as they complete their General Education/Core Curriculum
course work.
GEO Point of
Contact Directory
Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs)
PLOs are utilized by credit programs, adopted by program faculty, and describe the learning students should obtain as
a result of their educational experiences within their completed program of study. Program learning outcomes are
programmatic, including learning that is developed over multiple courses as the student completes a designated program
map.
PLO Point of
Contact Directory
Compass Award
The Assessment Compass is a recognition of outstanding efforts by a Discipline to enhance student learning through
intentional assessment design. Just as a compass empowers the user to navigate, so does assessment work allow us to
understand how to guide our Programs and Disciplines in the direction of improving student learning. Each year the
faculty select outstanding assessment work for recognition. In 2025 this recognition was based on the faculty work
that evidenced a commitment to enhancing student access and demonstrating creativity/risk in seeking improvement in
student learning. The 2025 honorees were Sociology and Music. For more information please visit: News
- EPCC Celebrates The 2025 Compass Awards
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