About The President/

As president of Academic Quality Consulting, Inc., Barbara J. Rodriguez has over 20 years of experience in higher education in both Academic and Student Affairs. She has served as a full-time English instructor for twelve years and continues to teach as adjunct faculty. In addition to serving as an administrator in Academic and Student Affairs, Dr. Rodriguez has extensive experience in institutional planning and outcomes-based assessment. She has served as the QEP Lead Evaluator for multiple SACSCOC Onsite Review Committees. As the primary consultant, she has excellent skills in the areas of interpersonal communication, organization, planning, writing, editing, and leadership theory. She holds an undergraduate and graduate degree in English literature and a Doctor of Philosophy in Educational Leadership with a concentration in higher education.

Barbara J. Rodriguez, Ph.D.

Experience

Regional Director of Academic Programs

Regional Director of Academic Programs

Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) (present)

  • Direct ACUE programs at colleges and universities located in the Southeast
  • Plan dynamic faculty development offerings featuring ACUE Courses in Effective Teaching Practices
  • Build collaboration with institutional partners in the joint mission of promoting student success through teaching excellence
  • Consult with colleagues and institutional partners on faculty development initiatives
  • Advise institutions on pedagogical/andragogical issues
  • Serve as academic advisor for institutional partners, managing the ACUE course experience
  • Inform the continuous improvement of all ACUE assessment processes
  • Conduct research focused on impacting student success through teaching excellence
  • Contribute to the ACUE newsletter and ACUE’s Community of Professional Practice
  • Facilitate presentations, including course launches, course experience workshops, course module tours and conference presentations

Associate Vice President, Center for Teaching Excellence & Learning

Associate Vice President, Center for Teaching Excellence & Learning

Broward College

  • Served as the Associate Vice President, supervised a department of 15 full-time personnel
  • Oversaw implementation of the QEP to focus on improving students’ critical thinking skills
  • Developed, directed, and administered comprehensive college-wide organizational and professional development, instructional technology and employee training programs for full and part-time faculty, staff, and administrators
  • Led the faculty initiative focused on the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL)
  • Fostered engagement, innovation, and celebration of teaching and learning through initiatives, such as New Faculty Institute and Adjunct Faculty Institute
  • Oversaw recognition and award programs, such as Scholarly Teaching Award, Classroom Research Award and Professional Technical Staff Award
  • Oversaw employee educational benefit programs
  • Provided oversight for the area of instructional technology that worked directly with faculty to facilitate the development of web-enhanced and blended course development and delivery
  • Developed and executed assessment and evaluation plans to support continuous improvement
  • Oversaw the committee process for college-wide standing committees

District Director, Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

District Director, Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

Broward College

  • Oversaw implementation of the QEP to focus on improving students’ critical thinking skills
  • Set goals and priorities that maximize use of resources available to consistently deliver results
  • Compared work performance and outcomes against standards to achieve improvement in student learning outcomes
  • Designed models of good assessment and planning practice to achieve the QEP goals
  • Demonstrated team building skills, motivate and empower college stakeholders to achieve QEP goals
  • Diagnosed, planned, and managed resource requirements for department, including staffing, budgets, and equipment
  • Fostered partnerships with departments across the college and externally to exchange information and collaborate on projects
  • Identified and coordinated professional development opportunities for stakeholders
  • Coordinated scoring sessions of student artifacts to be used as evidence of student learning
  • Facilitated college-wide meetings to discuss QEP assessment results and developed strategies to use results
  • Developed and executed communication plan to ensure continuous awareness of the QEP to college stakeholders
  • Fostered transparency through developing and maintaining a website for the QEP process, using NILOA’s Transparency Framework

Senior Assessment & Planning Associate

Senior Assessment & Planning Associate

Miami Dade College

  • Served as an integral member of the Office of Learning Outcomes Assessment within the Office of Institutional Effectiveness
  • Designed models of good assessment and planning practice in collaboration with interdisciplinary faculty and administrators
  • Provided consultation to academic and non-academic units on institutional effectiveness planning processes including developing program-level and discipline-level student learning outcomes and designing appropriate tools to measure the attainment of these outcomes
  • Collaborated with faculty from various campuses to develop methods of sustaining good assessment practice within their units and recommending uses of assessment results and findings to improve student learning
  • Coordinated, in collaboration with college training and development office, professional development activities for faculty and staff to enhance their planning, research and assessment skills which will aid them in integrating teaching, learning, and assessment practices to improve student learning
  • Coordinated special projects college-wide and support resource development activities that enhance the college’s efforts to assess and improve student learning
  • Maintained and assisted college-wide units in using comprehensive databases, assessment portals, and files related to assessment, program review, and continuous improvement activities
  • Developed statistical reports and related publications in support of accreditation, learning outcomes assessment and other ongoing efforts of the college to measure its effectiveness
  • Reviewed the assessment plans and reports of the administrative and academic units to ensure that each met the SACSCOC and institutional assessment requirements
  • Analyzed assessment findings and educational research literature to identify implications for institutional effectiveness planning and to support program review for academic, student and administrative areas
  • Facilitated TaskStream Accountability Management System (AMS) training sessions to academic and non-academic units for the annual effectiveness reports
  • Served as co-chair of Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) topic selection team for reaffirmation

Director of Testing

Director of Testing

Miami Dade College—North Campus

  • Supervised and evaluated five full-time staff and eleven part-time staff members
  • Prepared and maintained budget for department’s revenue account
  • Coordinated and implemented the administration of multiple placement, admission, certification and licensing examinations
  • Coordinated all aspects of the Feedback Program (evaluation) which included student, faculty and administrative evaluations
  • Ensured the integrity and confidentiality of the evaluation scanning process
  • Interpreted and disseminated information regarding testing policies and procedures
  • Compiled, prepared, and interpreted data as directed by campus administrators
  • Worked with public and private schools in the service area to ensure a smooth transition for new and prospective students
  • Recommended and implemented college policies, procedures, and guidelines
  • Served as college-wide lead Testing Director and on college-wide committees
  • Resolved student issues and problems
  • Implemented and monitored activities for a grant awarded by College Board

Academic Dean

Academic Dean

Central Carolina Community College

  • Supervised University Transfer, Health Sciences, and Developmental Studies divisions
  • Supervised seven department chairpersons and sixty-three, full-time faculty members
  • Supervised and evaluated department chairpersons, lead instructors, and support personnel
  • Oversaw the recruitment and hiring process of faculty and staff within the division
  • Coordinated budget planning and budget preparation with the Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Vice President of Administrative Services
  • Assumed the responsibility for the quality of instructional programs, including keeping them current with industry, professional, and collegiate standards
  • Sought out and implemented new and/or different programs of instruction based on service area needs and made recommendations to the Vice President of Academic Affairs
  • Made recommendations on personnel matters to the Vice President of Academic Affairs
  • Ensured the proper credentialing of all faculty within the division, according to SACSCOC and college guidelines
  • Coordinated curriculum-specific staff development opportunities and training with appropriate college personnel
  • Worked closely with department chairpersons in the organization and implementation of program advisory committees
  • Established class schedules, office hours, work hours, and teaching assignments as directed by the Vice President of Academic Affairs in conjunction with department chairpersons
  • Worked closely with department chairpersons to develop and implement an effective recruitment, registration, orientation, and student advising/tracking plan
  • Worked with senior institutions to develop bilateral transfer agreements as appropriate
  • Worked with business, industry, and public schools to provide education and training programs and articulated efforts, including Huskins, Learn and Earn, dual enrollment, and early college high school

Department Chairperson

Department Chairperson

Central Carolina Community College

  • Taught 12-13 contact hours per semester of English and Humanities courses: freshman composition, literature, American women’s studies, human values and meaning, professional research and report writing, and oral communications (seated, hybrid, and online formats)
  • Supervised and evaluated 12 full-time faculty and 15-18 adjunct faculty per semester in disciplines of Art, Communication, Drama, English, French, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Religion, and Spanish
  • Recruited credentialed and qualified adjunct faculty
  • Oversaw the Associate in Arts program, which included advising and recruiting students
  • Assisted Curriculum Dean in supervision of departmental budget
  • Served on committees, such as institutional effectiveness and academic policy
  • Planned, conducted, and took minutes for advisory committee meetings
  • Oversaw development of course descriptions and outlines
  • Scheduled courses for spring, summer, and fall semesters
  • Managed the day-to-day operations of the Humanities department
  • Served as the college’s co-director of the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

Humanities Lead Instructor

Humanities Lead Instructor

Central Carolina Community College

  • Taught 15-16 contact hours per semester of English and Humanities courses
  • Taught freshman composition as an online course (using Blackboard)
  • Worked closely with part-time faculty as the liaison for the department chairperson
  • Evaluated part-time faculty with feedback from department chairperson as needed
  • Developed faculty teaching schedules for each semester
  • Advised students enrolled in the Associate in Arts program
  • Served on committees, such as distance education, judicial, and developmental studies committee

English Instructor

English Instructor

Central Carolina Community College

  • Taught 18-20 contact hours per semester of English and Humanities courses
  • Taught freshman composition I and II as cassette and telecourses
  • Advised students enrolled in the Associate in Arts program
  • Served on committees and subcommittees

Publications

Rodriguez, B.J. (2017, September 14). Elevating your educational “hotness”: Achieving teaching excellence. NISOD Innovation Abstracts, 39(19).

Rodriguez, B.J. (2016). Creating comfortable conversations with faculty about using assessment results for improvement. In 2016 AALHE “Assessing What We Value” Conference Proceedings (pp. 94-99).

Rodriguez, B.J. (2015). An examination of the southern association of colleges and schools commission on colleges’ quality enhancement plans at two institutions through the lens of quality improvement (Doctoral dissertation). Available electronically. Google search keywords: Barbara Rodriguez + quality improvement

Rodriguez, B.J. & Frederick, J.M. (2013). Establishing shared learning outcomes and determining priorities for assessment. In M.M. Gardner, K. Kline, & M. Bresciani (Eds.), Assessing student learning in community college student support and academic services. (pp. 39-51). Sterling, VA, Stylus.

Reitenauer, V.L., Rodriguez, B.J., Frederick, J.G., Bebee, C., Gress, M., & Smith, L. (2013). Necessary conditions in a perfect storm: Ensuring faculty ownership in general education. Judgments of quality: Connecting faculty best assessment with student work. (Association for General and Liberal Studies Monograph). Columbus, IN: AGLS Executive Council.

Rodriguez, B.J. (2013). Program Learning Outcomes: Assessment Resource. Miami Dade College. Retrieved from http://www.mdc.edu/main/images/MDC_Assessment_Resource_Manual_tcm6-75213.pdf

Rodriguez, B.J. (2012). Assessment and accreditation: The root of my teaching metamorphosis. Assessment Update. 24(6), 1, 15-16. doi: 10.1002/au.246

Projects

Senior Leadership Retreat. Facilitated the retreat to accomplish identified goals for Harper College, Palatine, IL, July 2020

Strengthening Student Writing. Created content, organized and facilitated a 2-day virtual symposium using Blackboard Collaborate for Miami Dade College, June 2020

Email Etiquette Webinar. Created a just-in-time webinar and post-assessment for Miami Dade College, June 2020

Effective Minute Taking. Facilitated virtual workshops using Blackboard Collaborate for Miami Dade College, May and June 2020

Rubric Development: 2-Part Series. Facilitated workshops on rubrics, constructing rubrics, and revising rubrics for Miami Dade College, January and February 2020

SACSCOC Fifth-Year Interim Report. Provided a comprehensive review and feedback on report components; proofread and edited report for College of The Albermarle, April-July 2019

Competency-based Education. Facilitated workshops as part of Miami Dade College’s Third Annual CBE Intensive for Miami Dade College, May 2019

Charter Planning Meeting. Facilitated a meeting to assist in creating a charter between the college and a local school district for Hennepin Technical College, March 2019

Board of Directors Retreat. Facilitated retreat to assist with strategic plan for Hennepin Technical College Foundation, June 2018

Faculty Development Sessions. Facilitated session on promoting students’ critical thinking skills and a session on designing and implementing effective group learning experiences for Seminole State College, Sanford, FL, May 2018

Focus Groups. Facilitated focus groups at Conference Day for Miami Dade College, March 2018

Strategic Planning Meetings. Facilitated multiple meetings to assist with the strategic planning process for Hennepin Technical College, March 2018

Strategic Planning Meetings. Facilitated multiple meetings to assist with the strategic planning process for Hennepin Technical College, November 2017

Webinar for Scoring Student Artifacts. Created an on-demand webinar to support the Honors College’s assessment process for Miami Dade College, November 2017

Program Learning Outcomes. Facilitated session and compiled resources to assist Honors College faculty in the development and implementation of program learning outcomes for Miami Dade College, October 2017

Strategic Planning Meetings. Facilitated multiple meetings to assist with the strategic planning process for Hennepin Technical College, September 2017

Strategic Planning Retreat. Facilitated the retreat to assist with the strategic planning process for Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park, MN, August 2017

Board of Directors Retreat. Facilitated the retreat to accomplish identified goals for Hennepin Technical College, Brooklyn Park, MN, June 2017

Competency-based Education. Facilitated workshops on scaffolding learning experiences and aligning assessments to competencies for Miami Dade College, Miami, FL, May 2017

Faculty Focus Groups. Designed, facilitated and analyzed data for multiple focus groups for Miami Dade College, Miami, FL, February 2017

Writing to Learn Strategies. Facilitated a workshop for Miami Dade College’s School of Justice. Miami, FL, June 2016

Rubrics. Facilitated a workshop for Miami Dade College’s School of Justice. Miami, FL, May and June 2016

Writing Prompts. Facilitated a workshop for Miami Dade College’s School of Justice. Miami, FL, May and June 2016

Executive Summary Writing Models & Practices. Facilitated a workshop for Miami Dade College. Miami, FL, April 2016

Student Success: Enrollment, Persistence, Completion, & Job Placement. Facilitated a workshop for Hennepin Technical College. Brooklyn Park, MN, September 2015

Fostering Critical Thinking in the Workplace. Facilitated a workshop for Florida Atlantic University’s undergraduate admissions management team. Dania Beach, FL, June 2015

Closing the Loop: Practical Applications for Using Assessment Results to Improve Student Learning. Co-presented at the 2014 IUPUI Assessment Institute, Indianapolis, IN, October 2014

Assessment: Is it about “Closing the Loop” or “Opening the Flood Gates”? A session for Indian River State College’s Professional Enhancement Day, Fort Pierce, FL, February 2014

Showing “the Elephant” the Door: Using Assessment Results. Presented at Indian River State College’s Fall Symposium, Fort Pierce, FL,  August 2013

Learning Outcomes Assessment: A Step-by-Step Approach. Co-presented at the 2012 IUPUI Assessment Institute, Indianapolis, IN, October 2012

Assessment and Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). Co-facilitated a workshop for Central Carolina Community College adjunct faculty, Sanford, NC, August 2008

Assessment Workshop. Co-facilitated a workshop for Halifax Community College faculty, Weldon, NC, May 2008

Assessment Workshop. Co-facilitated a workshop for Halifax Community College faculty, Weldon, NC, March 2008

Presentations

Faculty Success: A Catalyst for Student Success. Presented at the National Community College Hispanic Council’s 23rdAnnual Leadership Symposium, Scottsdale, AZ, 14 September 2019  

Driving Student Success with Faculty as the Agents of Change. Presented at the 98th Annual AACC Convention, Orlando, FL, 15 April 2019

Effective Teaching and Student Success: Embracing Faculty as Our Most Important Resource (20×20 session). Presented at DREAM Conference, Long Beach, CA, 21 February 2019

Improving Student and Faculty Success through Evidence-based Instruction. Presented at the Sunshine State Teaching & Learning Conference, St. Pete Beach, FL, 1 February 2019

Embracing the Role of Faculty in Fostering Students’ Resilience. Presented at the APLU 2018 Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA, 12 November 2018

Effective Teaching and Student Success: Embracing Faculty as our most Important Resources. Presented at the 30thannual Arkansas Community College Conference, Little Rock, AR, 15 October 2018

Creating a Student-focused Culture with Faculty as Change Agents. Presented at DREAM Conference, Nashville, TN, 21 February 2018

Bird by Bird: Creating a Culture of Teaching Excellence. Presented at the NISOD International Conference on Teaching and Leadership Excellence, Austin, TX, 30 May 2017

Rodriguez, B.J., Varela, W., & Cowo, A. (2017, May 23). Bird by Bird: Creating a Culture of Teaching Excellence [Webinar]. In NISOD Webinar Series.

Creating Comfortable Conversations with Faculty about using Assessment Results for Improvement. Presented at the 2016 AALHE Annual Conference, Milwaukee, WI, 6 June 2016 and 7 June 2016 (encore)

To QEP or not to QEP: A Case Study Exploring the Influence of the QEP Process. Presented at the 2015 SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Houston, TX, 7 December 2015

Bringing New Energy to Conversations with Faculty: Using QEP Assessment Results for Improvement. Presented at the 2015 SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Houston, TX, 7 December 2015

A Conversation about the “Quality” in QEP: A Roundtable Discussion. Facilitated at the 2015 SAIR Annual Conference, Savannah, GA, 12 October 2015

To QEP or not to QEP: A Case Study Exploring the Influence of the QEP Process. Presented at the 2015 SAIR Annual Conference, Savannah, GA, 12 October 2015

Fostering Critical Thinking through High Impact Practices. 6th Annual Broward College Latin American Conference. Cusco, Peru, 9 & 10 June 2015

Institutional Enhancement for Critical Thinking: Findings and Experiences based on Action Research. Co-presented at the Second Annual Conference on Decision Making Through Values-Based Critical Thinking, St. Leo, FL, May 15, 2015

Evidencing Student Learning: A Step-by-Step Approach to Analyzing Data and using Findings to Improve Student learning. Co-presented at the 7th Annual Assessment Expo, Owings Mills, MD, 20 March 2015

Engaging Faculty in Conversations around Data and Academic Success. Co-presented at the 2015 Teaching Academic Survival and Success (TASS) Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 17 March 2015

Nobody Puts QEP in a Corner: Staying Relevant after Reaffirmation. Co-presented at SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Nashville, TN, 8 December 2014

Institutional Enhancement for Critical Thinking: A Roundtable Discussion. Co-facilitated at 34th International Conference on Critical Thinking and Educational Reform, Berkeley, CA, 30 July 2014

Student Affairs: Planting the Seed of Critical Thinking for First Time in College Students. Co-presented at 2014 NASPA Assessment and Persistence Conference, San Antonio, TX, 21 June 2014

Cultivating Critical Thinking across the College. Co-presented at the 2014 Teaching Academic Survival and Success (TASS) Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 19 March 2014

Working out the Kinks: Applying the Logic Model to the QEP Assessment Plan. Co-presented at the 14th Annual Texas A&M University Assessment Conference, College Station, TX, 18 February 2014

Showing “the Elephant” the Door: Using Results. Co-presented at the 2013 Florida State Assessment Meeting, Orlando, FL, 20 and 21 June 2013

Transitioning from Good to Great: Assessment Driving the Bus to Completion. Co-presented at the 2013 NASPA Assessment and Persistence Conference, Denver, CO, 27 June 2013

Practice what you Preach: Administrators in the Classroom. Co-presented at the 11th Annual Texas A&M University Assessment Conference, College Station, TX, 21 February 2011

Assessment: Nothing to it, but to do It. Presented at the 2008 Assessing for Excellence Conference, Sanford, NC, 2008

Assessment Isn’t a Four-Letter Word. Presented at the North Carolina Conference of English Instructors Fall 2007 Conference, Boone, NC, 2007

Assessment Isn’t a Four-Letter Word. Presented at the North Carolina Association of Community College Instructional Administrators Fall 2007 Conference, Wilmington, NC, 2007

The Role of the North Carolina Conference of English Instructors (NCCEI). Presented at the 2004 North Carolina Community College Systems Conference, Greensboro, NC, 2004

A Comparison of Teaching a Distance Education Course vs. a Traditional One. Co-presented at the 2001 Two Year College Association (TYCA) Southeast Conference, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 2001

About Academic Quality Consulting/

AQC focuses on community, technical, liberal arts, tribal and women’s colleges and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). AQC is focused on assisting the higher education sector that advocates student access or may not have the resources for an extensive team of researchers, a “full service” teaching and learning center, or student services departments rooted in student development theory.

AQC’s approach parallels a practitioner’s perspective who knows the nuances and challenges of this particular higher education sector and understands the importance of its contributions to society.

The name Academic Quality Consulting speaks for itself in that the company’s focus is to help institutions effectively plan, develop, and implement projects that focus on educational quality and student success. The projects are expected to be diverse and broad in scope from accreditation requirements, such as SACSCOC’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) and HLC’s Academic Quality Improvement Plan (AQIP) pathway, to projects that champion persistence, retention, and completion.

 

Academic Quality Consulting aspires to work with institutions that appreciate the premise that innovation and practicality are not mutually exclusive but can be applied simultaneously without devaluing innovation.