Why ROI Matters Now
Community colleges are at the heart of access and affordability for students in higher education. However, leaders are increasingly under pressure to do more with less:
- Budgets are stretched as enrollment varies.
- Boards and lawmakers demand proven student results.
- Teachers and lecturers balance extensive workloads with growing needs for accountability.
For Institutional Effectiveness (IE) and Institutional Research (IR) leaders, showing return on investment (ROI) is more than numbers. It’s demonstrating that every invested dollar translates into improved student success, in all the ways that student outcomes present themselves.
At Watermark, we believe ROI is at its strongest when data is doing the work with you. That’s why our solutions aim to reduce administrative burden, connect insights across the institution, and empower community colleges to make investments in what matters most: their students.
Increasing Faculty Productivity
Community colleges rely on faculty who balance many things beyond their time spent in the classroom. Tracking these contributions by hand consumes hours and creates data gaps that complicate reviews and accreditation prep.
How Watermark helps
Watermark Faculty Success brings faculty activity reporting together so colleges can track faculty impact without endless spreadsheets. The payoff? Cleaner data, easier reporting, and more meaningful conversations about growth.
The results?
- Simplify faculty review
- Showcase faculty achievement
- Efficiently report faculty credentials for accreditation
- More time back for both instructors and administrators to focus on what matters
What your peers say:
“Everybody being able to see dashboards and data — that is so exciting to us because everything becomes very transparent. Faculty can see where they’re at.” – Benjamin V., Southwest Technical College
Strengthening Institutional Planning
IE leaders know how complex program reviews and accreditation self-studies can be, especially when evidence is scattered. Without a clear system, it quickly becomes resource-heavy.
How Watermark helps
Watermark Planning & Self-Study serves as a centralized hub for assessment, program review, and accreditation documentation. By tying outcomes to institutional objectives, community colleges not only meet accreditor obligations but also uncover opportunities to strengthen programs and pathways.
The results?
- Less time spent searching for evidence
- Stronger data to guide decisions
- Smoother accreditation reviews
What your peers say
“I have been using Watermark Planning & Self Study primarily for program review, and it has become an indispensable tool in Rock Valley College’s assessment and continuous improvement efforts. The platform simplifies the entire program review process for me from data collection to feedback to sending off the reports.” —Sonnie G., Rock Valley College
Translating Student Feedback into Action
The student voice is central to demonstrating value at community colleges. Yet collecting and analyzing feedback can be challenging, especially with low response rates or outdated systems.
How Watermark helps:
Watermark Course Evaluations & Surveys automates these processes, integrating seamlessly with LMS platforms and providing real-time insights. Leaders gain actionable feedback to strengthen teaching, enrich the student experience, and improve retention.
The results?
- Higher response rates
- Stronger evidence of teaching effectiveness
- Real-time feedback for meaningful improvement
- More time and resources for strategic planning & decision-making
What your peers say
“Ultimately, this change has saved me at least 60 man hours per year, possibly more, over our previous workflow of printing, mailing, scanning, and analyzing paper course evaluations in all of our courses.” – Andrew D., Director of Institutional Effectiveness & Planning
Community College Mission Fulfillment
For community colleges, ROI isn’t just about financial return. It’s about mission impact: showing that your programs, faculty, and processes lead to stronger outcomes for both students and communities.
Watermark solutions empower IE and IR leaders to connect the dots—turning data into insight, and insight into action. The ultimate goal? Maximizing ROI where it matters most: supporting equitable student success.
To see any of these solutions in action, request a demo today.
