Assessment Plan Development Presentation Outline – Review & Assessment – Division of Student Affairs

Student Affairs Assessment

Assessment Plan Development, Student Affairs Council, January 16, 2003, Lynn Akey and Diane Solinger

...at Minnesota State University, Mankato is to provide information regarding:

an ongoing process aimed at understanding and improving student learning, student development, and the services and programs we provide. It involves:

making our expectations explicit;
setting appropriate criteria and high standards for quality;
systematically gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence to determine how well performance matches those expectations and standards;
answering questions important to departments; and
using the resulting information to document, explain, and improve programs and services. (adapted from Angelo, T. 1995)

To:
- insure high quality programs and services through continual feedback and improvement;
- provide data illustrating the educational value the departments programs and services add to the student learning experience at MSU; and
- develop a base of information and data regarding the departments programs and services to be used as a component of Department Program Review and Institutional NCA Accreditation
each student affairs department will design a five year assessment plan to assess the programs and services offered by the department.

The assessment plan:

Is linked to the institution's mission, goals, and objectives for student learning;
Has a conceptual framework;
Has student affairs staff ownership/responsibility;
Leads to program, departmental, and institutional improvement;
Uses multiple measures;
Is cost-effective;
Does't restrict or inhibit goals of access, equity, and diversity established by the institution;
Provides a timeline for development and implementation that is appropriate and realistic;
Provides for appropriate administration of the assessment.

Establishes educational goals.
Contains clear measurable outcomes.
Selects appropriate instruments, methods and measures.
Plans for the dissemination and use of data for program and service improvement.

Each department determines the outcomes for their programs.
Outcomes are clearly linked to the mission and goals of the department, student affairs and the university.
Outcomes are written in clear, measurable terms.
Outcomes address student knowledge, behavior/skills, and attitudes/dispositions and services offered to students.

Each department determines the assessment instruments and methods used in assessing the outcomes established for their programs and services.
Different assessment methods and instruments may be appropriate for different programs and services, reflecting the diversity of our departments and their outcomes.
What is important is that the instruments and methods used are appropriate for the outcomes being assessed.
Outcomes are assessed by a variety of direct and indirect measures and through a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods.
When possible the assessment should include measures of "value added" such as pre- and post-tests.
When possible, assessment should occur not only at the end of the experience, but also throughout the experience.
Assessment that is conducted considering several stages of the experience may yield valuable information for program and service improvement.

Effective assessment planning and processes include:
- Clear indication of who will collect and analyze data.
- Regular, frequent collection and analysis of data.
- Clarity about who will get reports on findings and how the data collected will be used for program and service improvement.
There should be annual assessment activity and dissemination of findings. Not every outcome has to be assessed every year, but all outcomes must be assessed at least once during the program review cycle (5 years) in order to provide data for that review.

Assessment activity should be focused on the enhancement of student learning and development and the student experience at MSU through the continual improvement of programs and services.
Disseminating data collected is essential in providing staff and the campus community with information useful to the improvement of student learning, programs and services.
Assessment information shall be used by the unit doing the assessment to improve student learning, student development, programs and services. The raw data and findings that result from implementation of an assessment plan will be treated as the sole property of the assessing unit. Electronic submission of reports will be secure, with individuals outside the reporting department having read-only access.
Assessment information may not be used for personnel decisions (except for information provided by the individual), nor for program resource allocation decisions (except for information provided by the unit). Assessment information supplied by individuals or programs may only be for self-comparative purposes and may not disclose information about other individuals or other programs.

Spring 2003: Develop Department Five-Year Assessment Plan (Draft due: April 1, 2003; revised due: May 1, 2003).
July 1, 2003: Implement assessment for year one of the Department Five-Year Assessment Plan.
June 1, 2004: Submit first assessment report as a component of the Department Annual Report.
July 1, 2004: Implement assessment for year two of the Department Five-Year Assessment Plan.
June 1, 2005: Submit assessment report as a component of the Department Annual Report.