Category Three examines how the organization works actively to understand student and other stakeholder needs. It examines processes and systems related to:

Student and stakeholder identification
Student and stakeholder requirements
Analysis of student and stakeholder needs
Relationship building with students and stakeholders
Complaint collection, analysis, and resolution
Determining satisfaction of students and stakeholders
Measures
Analysis of results
Improvement efforts

Answer the following questions about Category Three.

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Context for Analysis (C)

3C1
Into what key groups do you subcategorize your students and other stakeholders? How do you define and differentiate these student and other stakeholder groups?

Students are any educational organization’s primary stakeholders, but your organization may see its mission as serving other groups as well. For purposes of Category Three, other stakeholders refers to groups that have a major stake in the organization’s success, such as, for example, parents, alumni, board members, local and regional communities, employers, and legislators. Internal groups (faculty and staff) are addressed in Category Four, Valuing People.

3C2
What are the short-term and long-term requirements and expectations of your student and other stakeholder groups?

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Processes (P)

3P1
How do you identify the changing needs of your student groups? How do you analyze and select a course of action regarding these needs?

Changing needs might address, for example, needs that will impact enrollment in programs and courses, services provided, and facilities required, as appropriate.

3P2
How do you build and maintain a relationship with your students?

3P3
How do you identify the changing needs of your key stakeholder groups? How do you analyze and select a course of action regarding these needs?

Changing needs might address, for example, needs of the communities and region that you serve and needs that will impact students upon entry into internship and service opportunities, the job market, and further educational opportunities, as appropriate.

3P4
How do you build and maintain a relationship with your key stakeholders?

Address both current and prospective stakeholders, as appropriate.

3P5
How do you determine whether new student and stakeholder groups should be addressed within your educational offerings and services?

How you anticipate the future needs of your student and other stakeholder groups and include them in your planning process should be addressed in Category Eight, Planning Continuous Improvement.

3P6
How do you collect complaint information from students and other stakeholders? How do you analyze this feedback both in a formative and summative manner and select a course of action? How do you communicate your actions to students and stakeholders?

3P7
How do you determine student and other stakeholder satisfaction? What measures of student and other stakeholder satisfaction do you collect and analyze regularly?

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Results (R)

3R1
What are your results for student satisfaction with your performance?

Results might include satisfaction with instructional and supporting institutional operations, as driven by the requirements identified in 3C2. Results might include complaint information as well.

3R2
What are your results for the building of relationships with your students?

Results might address, for example, attrition and retention, transfer, loyalty, and overall value ratings.

3R3
What are your results for stakeholder satisfaction with your performance?

Results regarding serving the communities and region that you serve should be addressed in Category Two, Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives.

3R4
What are your results for the building of relationships with your key stakeholders?

Results might address, for example, retention, loyalty, and overall value ratings.

3R5
Regarding 3R1 through 3R4, how do your results compare with the results of other higher education institutions and, if appropriate, organizations outside the education community?

For 3R1 through 3R5, address historical trends and patterns, as appropriate.

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Improvement (I)

3I1
How do you improve your current processes and systems for understanding the needs of your key student and other stakeholder groups?

3I2
With regard to your current results for understanding the needs of your key student and other stakeholder groups, how do you set targets for improvement? What specific improvement priorities are you targeting, and how will they be addressed? How do you communicate your current results and improvement priorities to students, faculty, staff, administrators, and appropriate stakeholders?