NILIE - National Initiative for Leadership&Institutional Effectiveness

ABOUT THE NATIONAL INITIATIVE FOR
LEADERSHIP AND INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

Philosophy
The National Initiative for Leadership and Institutional Effectiveness (NILIE) assessment program is grounded in theories of collaborative and transformational leadership in which the quality of influence that a leader exerts with followers has a direct impact on the performance of a college’s divisions, department units, teams, and the organization as a whole. We believe that campus climate assessments are valuable indicators of college leaders’ styles and the institution’s overall capacity to fulfill its mission and goals and ensure student success.

In the 21st century, the successful institutions of higher education will be those that are learning new ways of motivating, empowering, and communicating with faculty, staff, administration and students. The high-performing college of tomorrow is the one that begins transformative change today.

Mission
NILIE's mission is to assist institutions in developing strategies that improve student success through collaborative leadership. This is accomplished by conducting research on leadership and institutional effectiveness using specialized surveys directed at assessing faculty/staff/administration and student satisfaction with the college environment. NILIE provides support for institutions that aspire to high performance and sustainability through research, information sharing, and consulting services that enhance leadership development and improve institutional effectiveness.

The Assessment Instruments
NILIE is the sole source of the Personal Assessment of College Environment (PACE) and Student Assessment of College Environment (SACE) surveys. The PACE and SACE surveys are designed to assess satisfaction with the college climate, including identifying the areas of greatest satisfaction and the priorities for change. These surveys have been tested for validity and reliability, are normed on a national database, and are proven as tools for accountability and benchmarking of institutional effectiveness.

The Research Program
Each year, the NILIE program provides a number of graduate assistantships to students in the Adult and Higher Education Department at North Carolina State University. Working under the direction of faculty experts, these graduate assistants are trained in survey techniques, data analysis and report preparation. They work with individual colleges to conduct PACE and SACE assessments and bring their experience and enthusiasm to the survey process. In turn, their studies at the masters and doctoral level are enriched and broadened.