rubric.pdf

HEA 690 Final Project Guidelines and Rubric

Overview
As the final step in your journey toward your Master of Science in Higher Education Administration, you will complete a capstone that integrates the knowledge
and skills you have developed in previous coursework and over the duration of the term by creating a change initiative proposal where you will develop a
hypothetical institution to focus on from a provided list of characteristics that address institution type, type of change, and source of change. The combination of
the three will be the foundation of the hypothetical institution and scenario that you will use for your capstone. With those selections made, you will present a
clear, justifiable case for the institution to approve, support, and fund your change initiative. To do so, you will develop a coherent plan of action that
incorporates relevant tools, technologies, and resources needed to implement the proposed change initiative. In addition, you will identify a change
management strategy and comprehensive communications plan. Finally, as a necessary component of any initiative, you will then outline an evaluation plan for
the change initiative that will help future institutional leaders evaluate success. The second component of this capstone entails the development of a professional
presentation for senior executive review that provides an overview of the initiative and its key components, with the goal of gaining leadership’s support for your
change proposal.

Evaluation of Capstone
This capstone will be assessed somewhat differently than other courses you have taken online at SNHU. There are two separate components that operate
together to comprise the whole capstone experience and are not assessed separately. You will be evaluated on both as a unit in determining whether you have
demonstrated proficiency in each outcome. Your instructor will guide you through this process, keeping a running narrative of your strengths and weaknesses in
relation to the outcomes as you progress through the class. Your work is expected to meet the highest professional standards.

This assessment will evaluate your mastery with respect to the following outcomes:

 Design, develop and implement innovative strategies based on empirically derived data and research to address the challenges facing higher education
which further an institution’s mission, vision, and goals

 Apply empirical research methodologies to evaluate program effectiveness that address underrepresented needs of the increasingly diverse college
student population

 Critically evaluate the historic and social context of higher education for its reciprocity between institutional, local, and national policy

 Utilize compliance, regulatory, and accreditation standards to inform institutional decision making

 Apply strategies for facilitating effective communication, collaboration, and data-based continuous improvement as an administrator across institutional
units

 Apply empirically based financial management skills related to budgeting, resource allocation, and funding to support an institution’s strategic goals

Prompt
You will first develop a change initiative proposal between 16 and 20 pages that provides, at a minimum, an overview of the institution and analysis of need for
change as well a series of plans including an action, evaluation, and communication plan. You will also submit a presentation that should be developed for your
identified target audience.

Capstone Component 1: Change Initiative Proposal
For the first of the two capstone components, you will prepare a proposal that seeks to obtain approval, support, and funding for a change initiative at a
hypothetical institution of higher education that is described by a set of characteristics of your choosing. Importantly, you will also propose how your initiative
will be funded, with a focus on the institution’s budgetary reallocation from existing programs or efforts.

You will base the hypothetical institution on your choice of characteristics from a provided list that address institution type, type of change and intended goal,
and source of change. The combination of the three will be the foundation of the hypothetical institution that you will use for your capstone. You are encouraged
and expected to add additional details and nuances to your selected institution type, type of change and intended goal, and source of change, all in line with your
particular areas of interest and expertise. You will then develop a comprehensive proposal to facilitate innovative change for that hypothetical institution, as the
product of Capstone Component 1.

Institution Type
Institution type presents institutions with differing characteristics based on the Carnegie Classifications. The Carnegie Classification system offers higher
education researchers and policymakers a framework for referencing and grouping roughly comparable institutions. The classifications are time-specific
snapshots of institutional characteristics and activities based on national data. Please consult this website for a definition of each of the characteristics and
categories included in the table below.

Institution Type

Inst. Level &
Control

Instructional Program Enrollment
Profile

Undergraduate
Profile

Size &
Setting

1 4-year or
above
Private not-
for profit

Undergraduate: A&S-
F/NGC

ExU4

FT4/MS/LTI

S4/HR

2 4-year or
above
Public

Graduate:
CompDoc/NMedVet

HU

MFT4/S/HTI

L4/NR

3 4-year or
above
Public

Graduate:
CompDoc/NMedVet

HU

FT4/MS/LTI or

FT4/S/LTI

L4/R

http://carnegieclassifications.iu.edu/descriptions/

4 2-year
Public

Assoc. ExU2

Mix2

L2

5 4-year or
above
Private

Any VHU or HU or
MU

PT4 M4/NR or
L4/NR

6 Your choice – please specify in the Overview of the Institution & Analysis of the Need
for Change section of your Proposal–

Type of Change and Intended Goal

1. Curricular change–to incorporate new technology and accommodate diverse learning styles
2. Administrative change–to improve efficiency, effectiveness, and service to the customer
3. Academic support change–to systemically improve retention and completion rates
4. Academic program change–to connect academic offerings (and graduates) to the needs of the economy
5. Mode of delivery change–to systematically change mode of delivery options for a diverse student audience from traditional bricks and mortar to a

completely asynchronous environment
6. Academic philosophy change–to shift the academic enterprise to a competency-based model
7. Your choice–please specify in the Overview of the Institution & Analysis of Need for Change section of your proposal

Source of Change

1. Internal–an internal group of stakeholders or leaders is requesting change. These might include faculty, administrators, or staff.
2. External–an external group of stakeholders or leaders are requesting change. These might include parents, lawmakers, a governing board, influential

funders, or accrediting bodies, among others.
3. Internal and External—forces are such that the request or need for change are coming from both internal and external forces.

The following sections should be included as a minimum, but you are not limited to this set:

I. Overview of the Institution & Analysis of Need for Change
This section should:

A. Provide an overview of the institution. At a minimum, you should identify its level, control, instructional program, enrollment, undergraduate
profile, size, and setting. Include other information that you feel is necessary to establish a solid foundation for understanding the institution you
have designed.

B. Provide a vision, mission, and goals for the institution you have designed that is in alignment with, and supportive of, the Carnegie Classifications
that you have selected.

C. Describe the need for the change at the institution. At a minimum, you should specify with relevant data, the need that your change initiative
will address within the context of the institution’s mission, vision, and goals. It is also important to discuss the urgency of the change or time
implications, and describe the impact if the change initiative is not undertaken.

II. Action Plan: In this area you should specify what you are proposing to do to address the need for change. This should be a coherent plan of action that

incorporates relevant tools, technologies, and resources in the implementation of the change initiative and ensures continued compliance with legal and
regulatory requirements. At a minimum, provide a clear, detailed work plan and implementation timeline. You may use tables, outlines, or flowcharts as
necessary. You must address the following elements:

A. Specify the goal and at least three specific objectives for your initiative. Guidance on the difference between goals and objectives can be found
here.

B. Describe the steps that will be followed for reaching the goal associated with each objective.
C. Identify the types of resources necessary to implement your proposal (supplies, equipment, collection materials, staffing) and estimated cost.

You should also propose a funding source through reallocation of existing financial resources and articulate the impact of that reallocation on
institutional stakeholders and mission and goals.

D. Briefly outline the roles and duties of key personnel needed to complete these steps and the rationale for including each of these individuals,
teams, committees, consultants, or other personnel.

III. Approach to Change: Describe how you propose to address the change elements of this initiative. At a minimum, you should specify who you see to be

the key stakeholders and change agents, what leadership philosophy on change you propose will guide the change initiative, and in what way this may
influence individual, collaborative, and organizational structures.

IV. Evaluation Plan: This should include a comprehensive description of the initiative’s evaluation plan. Consider including how, and at what interval,

success or failure will be measured, and how the initiative might impact the institution’s stakeholders, including the student population.

V. Communication Plan: This section should describe thorough strategies and approaches to communication as is related to this initiative. At a minimum,
you should discuss the intended key audiences, how the communications will be delivered and at what frequency, and how stakeholder input will be
gathered. You should consider including additional information that you think is necessary to ensure a successful communication of your proposed
change initiative over the long term.

Capstone Component 2: Presentation
After outlining an evaluation plan for the change initiative that will help future institutional leaders evaluate success as your first capstone component, you will
develop your second capstone component—a professional presentation for senior executive review that provides an overview of the initiative and its key
components, with the goal of gaining leadership’s support for your change proposal. Your presentation should both articulate a convincing need for change with
a defined plan to move forward and appeal to the leadership of your hypothetical institution.

During the course of your career, you may be called upon to conduct research and deliver findings in professional settings. No matter how extensive the research
or accurate the conclusions, a weak presentation can undermine your argument. A presentation is a tool to assist in making your case to important stakeholders.
You should envision yourself giving this presentation before the most senior leaders of your institution, including the chancellor/president and his or her most
senior advisors.

https://www.range.co/blog/difference-between-goals-and-objectives

This is your opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the need for change and your recommended solution. You will present an overview of the need
for change and proposed action plan in a well-organized and clear manner. Remember that you are seeking support of the proposal, so delivering a coherent
message in a time-sensitive way is critical.

You should tailor your presentation to your audience, keeping in mind that you are sharing your proposal with the most senior leaders at your institution. This is a
high-stakes presentation! Prioritize explaining higher-level information about the change initiative rather than low-level details in to help communicate a
clear understanding of what your plan is. Build confidence in your audience that your change initiative will positively impact your institution.

Add your voice to your presentation to bring it to life. This is your opportunity to showcase your change initiative proposal and explain how it will benefit your
institution. Keep your content professional, but feel free to add some appropriate panache. You should include either speaker notes with your presentation
(embedded or as an additional Microsoft Word document) or audio narration. While you are welcome to develop your presentation in Microsoft PowerPoint
slides, you may wish to explore the following presentation tools to optimize audience engagement:

Presentation Tools:

 Prezi: Create a dynamic alternative to a PowerPoint presentation.

 pptPlex: An add-on for Microsoft PowerPoint that allows you to zoom in on details in slides, embed slides within others, etc. for a Prezi-like experience.
Download necessary.

 Slideshare: Upload and share presentations online.

 Google Slides: Create slideshows with Google Slides.

 Knovio: Bring “flat” PowerPoint slides to life with your webcam and microphone.

 Using QuickTime Player to Make Audio Recordings on Mac

 A List of 20 Free Tools for Teachers to Create Awesome Presentations and Slideshows

Presentation Resources: You may also find the following resources helpful as you create your presentation:

 10 PowerPoint Presentation Tips: This website offers extensive advice on how to maximize presentation tools to convey your message to your audience.

 Making Better PowerPoint Presentations: This website offers specific guidance on optimizing your PowerPoint presentations.

 How to Present to Senior Executives: This article offers pointers for tailoring your presentation to high-level stakeholders.

Since you will not actually deliver this presentation in person, you must create a self-sustaining presentation, with speaker notes or audio included. The
presentation should adhere to the principles of an effective presentation and all of your sources should be cited properly. There is no minimum or maximum
number of slides required. You should use your best judgment to create a presentation of appropriate length that will convey all of the necessary information
while keeping the attention of your audience.

http://prezi.com/

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=28558

http://www.slideshare.net/

http://www.google.com/slides/about/

Home

https://support.apple.com/guide/quicktime-player/record-audio-qtpf25d6f827/mac

http://www.educatorstechnology.com/2012/05/list-of-20-free-tools-for-teachers-to.html

https://business.tutsplus.com/tutorials/powerpoint-presentation-tips–cms-29886

http://cft.vanderbilt.edu/teaching-guides/technology/making-better-powerpoint-presentations/

https://hbr.org/2012/10/how-to-present-to-senior-execu

Milestones
Milestone One: Overview of Institution and Analysis of Need
In Module Two, you will submit your Overview of Institution and Analysis of Need. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone One Rubric.

Milestone Two: Action Plan
In Module Four, you will submit your Action Plan. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Two Rubric.

Milestone Three: Approach to Change
In Module Five, you will submit your Approach to Change. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Three Rubric.

Milestone Four: Evaluation and Communication Plans
In Module Seven, you will submit your Evaluation and Communication Plans. This milestone will be graded with the Milestone Four Rubric.

Final Submission: Capstone Project
In Module Nine, you will submit your final project. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the critical elements of the final product. It should
reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This submission will be graded with the Final Project Rubric.

Deliverables
Milestone Deliverable Module Due Grading

One Overview of the Institution & Analysis of
Need for Change

Two Graded separately; Milestone One Rubric

Two Action Plan Four Graded separately; Milestone Two Rubric

Three Approach to Change Five Graded separately; Milestone Three Rubric

Four Evaluation and Communication Plans Seven Graded separately; Milestone Four Rubric

Final Submission: Change Initiative Proposal
and Presentation

Nine Graded separately; Final Project Rubric

Final Project Rubric
This rubric will be applied to all components as a whole, and no component will be assessed on its own. The “Possible Indicators of Success” are examples for you
and the instructor of the types of concepts to look for to demonstrate proficiency. They are neither exhaustive nor proscriptive and should be used as guides for
illustrating how your capstone embodies the outcome. All outcomes are weighted equally.

Guidelines for Submission: Your change initiative proposal should be between 16 and 20 pages with format and citations conforming to APA writing conventions.
Your presentation should adhere to the principles of an effective presentation, contain speaker notes, and all of your sources should be cited properly.

HEA-690-01: Design, develop, and implement innovative strategies based on empirically derived data and
research to address the challenges facing higher education which further an institution’s mission, vision, and
goals

Proficient
100%

Not Proficient
0%

Possible Indicators of Success

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to identify and analyze specific challenges facing an institution of higher education within the context of that
institution’s mission, vision, and goals?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to design and develop innovative strategies by identifying goals and objectives that attempt to address challenges
facing an institution of higher education within the context of that institution’s mission, vision, and goals?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to develop a coherent plan of action that is realistically designed to implement the change needs of an institution of
higher education?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to analyze empirically-derived data for identifying specific challenges facing an institution of higher education within
the context of that institution’s mission, vision, and goals?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to articulate a convincing need for a change initiative in to gain the support of institutional leadership?

HEA-690-02: Apply empirical research methodologies to evaluate program effectiveness that address
underrepresented needs of the increasingly diverse college student population

Proficient
100%

Not Proficient
0%

Possible Indicators of Success

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to design a plan for collecting and interpreting data from a variety of appropriate sources in to evaluate the
impact of a change initiative over an appropriate timeframe?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to design valid and reliable data collection techniques to evaluate the effectiveness of a change initiative?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to design valid and reliable data collection techniques that seek to effectively address the impact of a change initiative
on institutional stakeholders, including the underrepresented needs of the increasingly diverse student population?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to potentially implement an evaluation plan that has the potential to, overall, effectively evaluate the effectiveness of a
change initiative over an appropriate timeframe?

HEA-690-03: Critically evaluate the historic and social context of higher education for its reciprocity between
institutional, local, and national policy

Proficient
100%

Not Proficient
0%

Possible Indicators of Success

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to critically analyze current challenges and opportunities facing institutions of higher education within the context of
broader historic and social trends to inform the creation of effective change initiatives?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to apply knowledge of the historic and social context of higher education to current challenges facing institutions of
higher education?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to effectively articulate to institutional leadership the challenges and opportunities facing higher education within the
context of broader historic and social trends?

HEA-690-04: Utilize compliance, regulatory, and accreditation standards to inform institutional decision-
making

Proficient
100%

Not Proficient
0%

Possible Indicators of Success

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to design a Change Initiative action plan that effectively identifies and addresses relevant compliance, regulatory, and
accreditation standards?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to develop evaluation programs that incorporate measurements that adhere to compliance, regulatory, and
accreditation standards?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to create a framework for institutional leaders that effectively addresses relevant compliance, regulatory, and
accreditation standards?

HEA-690-05: Apply strategies for facilitating effective communication, collaboration, and data-based
continuous improvement as an administrator across institutional units

Proficient
100%

Not Proficient
0%

Possible Indicators of Success

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to design change programs that allow for potentially effective collaboration and engagement of key stakeholders across
appropriate institutional units?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to clearly communicate the change initiative, the action plan, and implications to key stakeholders across appropriate
institutional units?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to design change initiatives that facilitate data-based continuous improvement across institutional units?

HEA-690-06: Apply empirically based financial management skills related to budgeting, resource allocation,
and funding to support an institution’s strategic goals

Proficient
100%

Not Proficient
0%

Possible Indicators of Success

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to devise an implementation-worthy budget to fund a proposed change initiative over a specified time frame?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to identify specific funding sources, through reallocation or new resources, of a proposed change initiative, with a cost-
benefit and/or impact analysis?

Does the capstone demonstrate the student’s ability to critically assess and evaluate the overall merit of a potential budgetary allocation as it would support an institution’s
strategic goals?