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  • SCU Home
  • The Office of Institutional and Academic Insights (IAI)

The Office of Institutional and Academic Insights (IAI)

  • IAI
  • Student Achievement
  • Institutional Data
  • Assessment
  • Data Collection Cycles
  • IAI Data Vitals and Briefs
  • Accreditation
  • Resources
  • Compliance and Consumer Information

IAI

Who We Are

The Office of Institutional and Academic Insights’ (IAI) mission is to assist SCU offices and programs turn their operational data into strategic insights and enable the University to “Go Beyond.” To this end, we work with academic programs to identify and assess their Learning objectives and make meaning of them in the broader context of student demographic and performance data.

IAI provides information to leadership in areas of planning, decision-making and is committed to promoting equity by monitoring performance gaps based on demographic factors or matters of prior preparation.


What We Do
Our primary functions are to:

  • Provide timely and accurate data to university stakeholders.
  • Construct, assemble, and communicate measures of institutional effectiveness and KPIs.
  • Guide interdepartmental collaboration to promote improved business processes and data integrity.
  • Support academic program assessment and program review.


Institutional and Academic Insights Staff
Kris Krishnan, EdD
AVP Institutional and Academic Insights
kriskrishnan@scuhs.edu

Eric Ditwiler, PhD
Director of Institutional Research, Academic Computing, and Reporting
ericditwiler@scuhs.edu

Melody Rensberger
Director of Assessment
melodyrensberger@scuhs.edu


Student Achievement

Student Achievement

The truest measure of student success is how well students are prepared to accomplish their personal and professional goals. However, this is not easy to quantify. SCU conducts alumni surveys to get this information and it is customary for institutions of higher education to use graduation and retention rates as proxies for post-graduation student achievement. Since SCU is a professional school, many of its programs prepare students for fields in which they must pass a professional licensure exam. Professional schools consider pass rates as well as graduation and retention rates.

A group photo of the Doctor of Chiropractic program graduates of the SCU Class of 2021

Retention Rates

Retention can mean several things. In our KPIs we use it to mean the percent of students enrolled in one term who either graduate or re-enroll in the next term. If it is the very next term, we call this term to term retention. We also measure and report year to year retention each fall.

Retention can also mean the percent of students in a starting cohort who return for the second term. This is what we mean by ‘retention’ in a student success context.

Retention Rates

Graduation Rates

We adhere to the standard of reporting graduation rates at the advertised normal completion time of the program (100%) and again at one and a half times the normal completion time. Our program lengths are measured in terms and many of them are an odd number of terms long. In this case, we round up to get the 150% mark. For example, for a three-term program, we report the percentage of the original cohort who graduated in three terms and the percentage who graduate within five terms.

Graduation Rates

Licensure Pass Rates

Southern California University of Health Sciences Licensure Pass Rates by Program Compiled by the Office of IAI January 2023

Program Pass Rate
Doctor of Chiropractic (NBCE) (Four-year rolling average 2018-2021) 86%
Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine Programs (NCCAOM) 100%
Master of Science in Medical Science (Tiber Comprehensive Exam) 100%
Master of Science: Physician Assistant (PANCE) 91%
Ayurvedic Practitioner Certificate (NAMACB) 88%

Doctor of Chiropractic1
Successful Completion of NBCE Licensing Exams by 6 Months After Graduation

Calendar Year (Last 4 years) Number of Graduates Number of Graduates Passing All Parts of licensing exams* or are licensed to practice chiropractic, within six (6) months post-graduation Percentage of Graduates Passing All Parts of licensing exams* or are licensed to practice chiropractic, within six (6) months post-graduation
2018 124 101 81%
2019 96 88 92%
2020 81 70 86%
2021 120 101 84%
Total 421 360 86%
*NBCE Parts I, II, III, and IV

DAcCHM Licensure and National Examinations

NCCAOM Pass Rate2 (2017 to 2022) 100%
CAB Pass Rate (2018-2022) 88%

Physician Assistant National Certifying Examination3

Grad Year Group Candidates who took PANCE Exam Attempts Exams Passed Program Exam Pass Rate National Pass Rate % who ultimately passed
2019 All Takers 35 38 35 92% 91% 100%
1st Time 35 35 32 91% 93% 100%
2020 All Takers 46 51 45 88% 91% 98%
1st Time 46 46 42 91% 93% 98%
2021 All Takers 49 66 46 70% 91% 94%
1st Time 49 49 33 67% 93% 94%

SCU Ayurveda Practitioner Students

NAMACB Pass Rate (2022 Jan- 2022 Dec)4 85%


1 CCE pass rates will be updated annually by August 1. Display format prescribed by CCE policy 56.
2 NCCAOM – pass rates will be updated annually, by April.
3 PANCE scores; NCCPA publishes prior year national averages once a year in January.
4 NAMA results for Ayurveda Practitioner available twice a year; January and July.


Institutional Data

Institutional Data

SCU utilizes Microsoft Power BI to create a visually appealing representation of data related to student enrollment, retention, and graduation that can easily be disaggregated by demographic characteristics.
SCU Information
SCU Dashboards

SCU dashboards are designed to track metrics related to the progress of the university’s strategic goals. They serve as a central location for university users to access up-to-date information and make faster, smarter, data-driven decisions. The dashboards are designed to respond to SCU’s need for more immediate access to student and faculty data in a user-friendly, transparent, and contextual format. For an example of a Power BI Dashboard, click here. Power BI dashboards are available by SCU Login only.

View Power BI Dashboards


Facts at a Glance
The SCU Fast Facts provide users with concise information on a range of university statistics from enrollment to diversity in a easy to read to format.
Facts at a Glance



Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
2022 KPI

The SCU Board of Regents has adopted a set of University “Key Performance Indicators” or KPIs. These are the data that they are focusing on in their big-picture view of the strategic position of the University.
The current list consists of:

  • New enrollments in Degree and Certificate Programs
  • Accelerated Sciences Course Completions
  • Retention
  • Accreditation Management
  • Financial Performance
  • Licensure Pass Rate
  • Student Satisfaction (Fall Only)
  • Employee Engagement (Spring Only)
  • Employee and Student Satisfaction with Technology Support and Infrastructure

View Archived KPIs

Employee engagement and Student Satisfaction are reported using “Net Promoter Scores” or NPS – a method published in a Harvard Business Review article that asks raters to say how likely they are to recommend the product or service to a friend on a ten-point scale. They then create a ratio of the number responding with a 9 or 10 divided by the number responding 1 through 6. Responses of 7 or 8 are not considered. The resulting fraction is the Net Promoter Score.
Employee and student satisfaction is reported using the Customer Satisfaction or CSAT score. This is simply the fraction of respondents who indicated a 4 or a 5 on a five-point Likert scale–e.g. agree and strongly agree.


Enrollment Reports

The SCU enrollment report provides a detailed roll forward of the actual, forecasted, and budgeted student counts used to prepare each month’s financial reporting package.

Understanding the Enrollment Report

2020: August

2021: August

2022: August  |  October  |  November |  December

2023: January | February |  March |  April |  May |  June


Data Governance
The Data Governance Council was created in the Fall of 2020 to keep the University’s increasingly complex ecosystem of Software as a Service (SaaS) platforms communicating effectively



Document Retention Policy



IPEDS Reports
All institutions receiving federal funds are required to participate in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System or IPEDS. Institutions are required to complete surveys about enrollments, graduations, financial aid, human resources, and financial resources periodically throughout the year. While it may seem onerous during completion, the upside is that the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) offers a rich menu of data that can be used for SCU to compare itself with other institutions.

IPEDS Reports

Assessment

Assessment

Assessment at SCU is a continual, collaborative process between faculty members, the Office of Institutional and Academic Insights (IAI) and the Assessment and Learning Council (ALC). This collaboration promotes a culture of assessment which supports and verifies student achievement. The process also generates documentation for accrediting bodies that the educational content is effective and provides a cycle of continual curriculum improvement.

Click to enlarge


The University requires that each program assesses at least two PLOs per year on a rotating basis. Results from the annual Assessment Report Rubrics, along with feedback from the faculty retreat will close the loop on the assessment of student learning. The faculty discuss and analyze results, conclusions are drawn based on program analysis and implemented for the following academic year. The culmination of these findings and actions are reported in the annual Program Assessment Report (PAR) and submitted to IAI and the ALC.

Academic Program Assessment


Co-Curricular Assessment
Many programs and offices across SCU regularly engage students in learning outside of the classroom, from student clubs to Student Services events, to IPE week. The Office of Student Services and IAI are systematically collecting assessment data to provide information on student learning outcomes. We have developed a student learning outcomes assessment planning template that mirrors the process of curricular assessment, while being tailored to the co-curricular experiences at SCU. Co-Curricular Outcomes reflect the University Learning Outcomes of Professionalism and Integrative Healthcare, and the SCU Value of Inclusivity.

Summer 2022 Co-Curricular Programming Summary

Co-Curricular Assessment

Assessment Software

Weave

Weave is an assessment and accreditation software that allows for the process of assessment to be collaborative, transparent, and easily customizable for different academic programs and departments. At SCU, we are in the process of migrating past assessment plans and reports to Weave, to have an easily accessible and complete assessment repository.
Access Weave Here

ExamSoft

ExamSoft is dedicated to providing program, faculty, and exam-takers with a secure, digital assessment platform that produces actionable data for improved outcomes.
Access Examsoft

Canvas

Canvas LMS is built to make teaching and learning easier for faculty and students. Canvas LMS provides course materials, communication tools, participation, grades, data, and insights.
Access Canvas

Assessment and Learning Council

University Learning Outcomes

Graduates in all programs will be assessed on the following University Learning Outcomes:

  • Critical Thinking: The graduate will analyze and integrate information and apply it as appropriate to their field of study.
  • Evidence-Informed Knowledge: The graduate will utilize health science knowledge and critically appraise and apply scholarly literature as appropriate to their field of study.
  • Communication: The graduate will effectively engage using appropriate professional verbal, non-verbal, and written communication.
  • Professionalism: The graduate will demonstrate leadership, integrity, respect, and self-reflection while employing ethical and legal standards in professional and community interactions.
  • Integrative Healthcare: The graduate will apply their training in complex, interdisciplinary contexts to improve community health and patient outcomes.

Additionally, graduates in Clinical programs will be assessed on the following University Learning Outcomes:

  • Professional Therapies: The graduate will perform professional therapeutic skills in a competent and caring manner.
  • Outcomes-Focused Practice: The graduate will successfully develop and implement a health care management plan utilizing appropriate professional methodologies and quality care to achieve best patient/client outcomes.

Program Learning Outcomes

Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences (BSHS)

  • Biological Science Knowledge: Graduates will apply knowledge of the principles and processes of the basic sciences and scientific methods.
  • Integrative Health Knowledge: Graduates will analyze health issues and policies based on an integrated interdisciplinary approach.
  • Information Literacy: Graduates will understand technology’s impact on information-gathering and fact-finding and be able to use technology to assess scientific and technical literature.
  • Quantitative Reasoning: Graduates will apply basic logic, mathematical reasoning, and statistical analysis to problem solving.
  • Critical Thinking: Graduates will engage in critical thinking, reflection, and problem solving through evidence-based practice.
  • Communication Effectiveness: Graduates will professionally construct and express their ideas, thoughts, and concepts through written and verbal communication.
  • Professionalism: Graduates will demonstrate professional ethics, lifelong learning, self-awareness and academic integrity.
  • Cultural and Social Understanding: Graduates will demonstrate cultural competence by recognizing the cultural beliefs, values, health equity, and health practices of diverse populations to improve health access and outcomes.



Ayurvedic Wellness Education (AYW)

  • Foundational knowledge: The graduate will understand and develop the foundational principles of Ayurvedic medicine and biological science.
  • Assessment of doshas, dhatus, malas, and agni: The graduate will determine body and mind constitution and assess the imbalances in doshas, dhatus, malas, and agni based on Ayurvedic principles.
  • Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: The graduate will apply Ayurvedic principles to recommend the Ayurvedic lifestyle, herbs, nutrition, therapies, and yoga required to promote health and prevent disease.
  • Professionalism and Communication: The graduate will exhibit professionalism and communicate with an awareness of ethical practice.



Ayurvedic Practitioner (AYP)

  • Ayurvedic Assessment and Diagnosis: The graduate will apply Ayurvedic principles to accurately assess and diagnose patient conditions.
  • Ayurvedic Management Plan: The graduate will apply Ayurvedic principles to create a management plan including lifestyle, herbs, nutrition, therapies, and yoga required to promote health and manage disease.
  • Evidence-informed Practice: The graduate will apply and appraise historical and scientific evidence into clinical practice.
  • Professionalism and Communication: The graduate will exhibit professionalism and communicate with an awareness of ethical practice.



Master of Science in Medical Science (MSMS)

  • Medical Knowledge: Describe the normal structure and function of the body and of each of its major organ systems, as well as the molecular, biochemical, and cellular mechanisms that are important in maintaining the body’s homeostasis.
  • Medical Knowledge: Explain the genetic, developmental, metabolic, toxic, microbiologic, autoimmune, neoplastic, degenerative, and traumatic causes of disease states and their pathogenesis.
  • Medical Knowledge: Identify epidemiological and other factors that place individuals at risk for disease or injury, select appropriate tests for detecting risks, and determine preventive strategies for responding appropriately.
  • Medical Knowledge: Interpret commonly used diagnostic studies and formulate appropriate management strategies in the care for virtual patients with common conditions.
  • Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Demonstrate effective oral and written communication skills when working with a team.
  • Professionalism: Recognize ethical and legal dilemmas in biomedicine science and demonstrate commitment to ethical principles.



Master of Science in Human Genetics and Genomics (MSHGG)

  • Classical Genetics Knowledge: Graduates will state key concepts in human development, Mendelian inheritance, population genetics, molecular cell biology, genetics, genomics, and the relationship between genotype and phenotype in both health and disease.
  • Fundamental Technology Knowledge: Graduates will explain the theory and practice of basic and advanced molecular genomic technologies.
  • Modern Genomics Knowledge: Graduates will demonstrate a thorough understanding of genome structure, function, annotation, sequence analysis, and clinical manifestations of genetic aberrations.
  • Information Literacy: Graduates will apply technology for information gathering and be able to assess scientific literature and genetic test results.
  • Analytical and Critical Thinking Skills: Graduates will engage in critical thinking, reflection, and problem solving in relation to current issues in genomics.
  • Communication Effectiveness: Graduates will professionally construct and express their ideas, thoughts, and concepts through written and verbal communication.
  • Bioethics: Graduates will demonstrate the ability to critically analyze and apply ethical considerations to complex issues and dilemmas in genomics research and clinical practice.



Master of Science: Physician Assistant Program (MSPA)

  • Medical Knowledge: Analyze and integrate foundational information in basic sciences, pathophysiology, and pharmacotherapeutics and apply it to patient-centered quality care.
  • Patient Care: Develop and implement age-appropriate assessment, evaluation, and management, utilizing clinical and technical skills to demonstrate competent, efficient patient-centered care, including health promotion and disease prevention.
  • Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Demonstrate interpersonal communication through verbal, nonverbal, and written skills and effectively engage with patients, patients’ families, colleagues, and other interdisciplinary team members.
  • Professionalism: Demonstrate professional behaviors, ethical values, respect, compassion, empathy, trust, integrity, and self-reflection in all patient care, community interactions, and the business of healthcare.
  • Evidence-Based Learning: Utilize and engage in critical analysis of one’s own practice experience, scientific literature, and other information sources, develop clinical reasoning and problem-solving abilities, and apply to patient-centered health management plans.
  • Integrative Healthcare: Demonstrate collaboration with other professionals as an effective member of an interdisciplinary healthcare team to improve patient outcomes including community health and disease prevention.



Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Herbal Medicine (DAcCHM)

  • Oriental Medicine Diagnosis: Graduates will synthesize etiology and clinical manifestations to construct Oriental Medicine differential diagnoses.
  • Acupuncture and Moxibustion: Therapies Graduates will prescribe and formulate acupuncture, moxibustion, and related Oriental Medicine therapies.
  • Herbal Therapy: Graduates will plan and prescribe herbal formulas and modifications.
  • Biomedical Diagnosis: Graduates will synthesize pathogenesis and clinical manifestations to construct Western Medicine differential diagnoses.
  • Evidence-based Practice: Graduates will synthesize and apply historical and scientific evidence in clinical practice.
  • Business and Clinical: Practice Graduates will assess business principles to develop a clinical practice.
  • Communication: Graduates will effectively communicate verbally, non-verbally, and in written form.
  • Professionalism: Graduates will demonstrate leadership, integrity, and respect for all, and actively engage in ethical, moral, and legal standards of the profession.
  • Inter-professional Collaboration: Graduates will collaborate with appropriate professionals to plan and manage patient-centered care.



Doctor of Chiropractic (DC)
The Doctor of Chiropractic PLOs mirror the CCE Metacompetencies

  • Assessment and Diagnosis: The graduate will be able to utilize appropriate clinical reasoning skills to accurately assess and diagnose patient conditions.
  • Management Plan: The graduate will be able to develop, implement, and monitor a comprehensive patient care plan.
  • Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: The graduate will be able to apply epidemiological principles to promote health and prevent disease.
  • Communication and Record Keeping: The graduate will be able to communicate professionally.
  • Professional Ethics and Jurisprudence: The graduate will be able to exhibit legal and ethical behavior as a health care professional.
  • Information and Technology Literacy: The graduate will be able to locate, evaluate, and integrate research with other evidence to manage health-related issues.
  • Chiropractic Manipulation: The graduate will be able to deliver appropriate, safe, and effective chiropractic manipulation.
  • Inter-professional Collaboration: The graduate will have the skills to coordinate and collaborate with other healthcare professionals as a member of an inter-professional healthcare team to plan and manage patient-centered care.



Doctor of Occupational Therapy

  • Evidence-Based Knowledge: Critically apply the latest research and knowledge bases that support occupational therapy practice and contribute to the growth and dissemination of research inclusive of in-depth knowledge applied in the doctoral capstone project and experience.
  • Therapeutic Use of Occupations: Articulate and apply therapeutic use of occupations with individuals, groups or populations for the purpose of participation in roles and situations in home, school, workplace, community, and other settings.
  • Client-Centered Care: Develop and implement client-centered care that is inclusive of cultural values, beliefs and needs and considers occupational justice and health equity.
  • Lifestyle Health + Occupational Performance Outcomes: Articulate and apply occupational therapy theory and evidence-based evaluations and interventions to achieve expected outcomes as related to occupation and lifestyle health.
  • Occupational Therapy Process: Plan and apply evidence-based occupational therapy interventions to address the physical, functional cognitive, psychosocial, sensory, and other aspects of performance in a variety of contexts and environments to support engagement in everyday life activities as related to occupation, well-being, and quality of life, as informed by the Occupational Therapy Practice Framework (OTPF).
  • Leadership: Demonstrate leadership skills employing therapeutic use of self and science driven evidence in all practice areas and settings inclusive of: a direct care provider, consultant, educator, manager, researcher, and advocate for the profession and the consumer.
  • Ethical Reasoning: Uphold the ethical standards, values, and attitudes of the occupational therapy profession in all.
  • Collaboration and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): Collaborate with stakeholders to provide evidence-based care and demonstrate health equity, inclusion and diversity across all practice settings.
  • Lifelong Learning: Demonstrate the ability to participate as an active, self-directed learner applying the skills of a life-long learner.

For full program information, view the catalog.


Data Collection Cycles

Data Collection Cycles

IAI Master Data Collection Calendar
IAI Master Data Collection Calendar

End of Course Evaluations
SCU currently uses Explorance Blue to conduct End of Course Evaluations.

A common instrument was developed in late 2019 and early 2020 and then each program was invited to add their own program-specific questions.

Current policy is that the window for evaluating opens 80% of the way through the course and ends eight days later. Results are available to instructors after grades are due.

Opening days for all upcoming courses can be viewed by clicking here.

Administrators, instructors, and students can all log in to Blue via SCU’s single sign on by clicking the link below.

Blue Single-Sign-On

Blue creates reports for instructors that compare their results with the average in their program. It also creates aggregate reports for Program Directors and Provosts.

Each summer IAI extracts the previous year’s responses and joins them with information about students and faculty and conducts an in-depth statistical analysis.student evaluation of teaching


Program Review Calendar



IAI Reports



Exit Surveys



IAI Data Vitals and Briefs

Data Vitals

Access Data Vitals with SCU Login

Data Briefs


Accreditation

Accreditation

Southern California University of Health Sciences is accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), 1001 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 402, Alameda, CA 94501. Phone: (510) 748-9001.

Resources

Resources

Institutional Research and Assessment Organizations

Compliance and Consumer Information

Compliance and Consumer Information

The following provides the public, prospective and current students information about SCUHS. This information is provided in compliance with the Higher Education Act of 1965 as amended, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, the Student Right to Know Act, the Jeanne Cleary Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, and the Equity in Athletics Disclosure Act.
Consumer Information


 

Institutional Effectiveness, Institutional Research, common data set, fact book , OIE, IE, IR, OIR

 

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