Administrative and Academic Support Services Assessment

Example

Administrative and Academic Support Services units are required to engage in assessment activities to demonstrate continuous improvement of student success and university functions, whether directly or indirectly. Additionally, assessment provides evidence that each unit is supporting institutional-level strategic planning activities.

Unit Objective

To promote student awareness of academic and student services at the university.

Desired Outcome

How can services and activities of the unit be improved?

The desired program outcome should identify how specific services and activities can be improved for the unit. All outcomes should be specific to the unit, measurable to produce data, attainable for the unit, relevant to the mission of the unit and the university mission, and time-bounded to indicate the timeframe for data collection and analysis.

Example:

Students will be able to demonstrate what they have learned from residence life/hall programs related to academic and student services.

University Goal(s): Goal 1

Assessment Method

What steps will you take to assess the desired outcome? How will you determine mastery has been achieved?

The assessment method explains how the desired outcome will be measured for success. The established assessment method must relate to the desired outcome. Also, there should be at least two ways to measure a single desired outcome. Using multiple measures allows for triangulation of the data to strengthen the validity of your results.

Example:

Assessment Method #1

Students will complete a questionnaire to identify available academic and student services at the university.

Note: Attach the questionnaire as documentation.

Criteria for success

What will be used to determine student success based on the outcome and assessment method?

Example:

Eighty-five percent of the students residing in residence halls will receive an average rating of 90 or better when completing the questionnaire.

Results

What did the data say? What are the results of your data collection and analysis? The results can be written with a simple statement by providing the actual results.

Example:

The criteria was not met. The students who completed and returned the questionnaire received an average rating of 75.

Note: Provide documentation of the results. The data should be reported in aggregate form with identifying information redacted.

Use of Results

What action was taken as a result of the data? What was done to improve student learning as a result of your findings?

Example:

Residence hall directors from all of the dorms met and decided that resident assistants will be required to implement more programming for students in the residence halls. The resident assistants will develop a fall and spring schedule of learning activities for their assigned floor to deliver programs about available academic and student services that are available on campus.

Attach the minutes from the meeting as documentation.

Follow-up to Actions Taken

As a result of the actions that were implemented were services improved?

Example:

After adding additional programs for the academic year, this outcome was not met. Resident assistants did implement monthly programming, but many reported low attendance. Prior to the beginning of next semester, residence hall directors and assistants will attend a retreat to develop marketing materials, design programs, and learn to plan residence life events.

Attach documentation of your findings.

Assessment Method #2

Students will complete a satisfaction survey on residence hall programming.

Note: Attach the survey as documentation.

Criteria for success

What will be used to determine student success based on the outcome and assessment method procedures?

Example:

Eighty-five percent of the students who are present at the various programs will express (an average of 4 out of 5 on the Likert scale) that they gained new knowledge from attending residence hall programs.

Results

What did the data say? What are the results of your data collection and analysis? The results can be written with a simple statement by providing the actual results.

Example:

The criteria was met. Ninety percent of students who completed the survey on average expressed that they gained new knowledge from attending resident hall programs.

Note: Provide documentation of the results. The data should be reported in aggregate form with identifying information redacted.

Use of Results

What action was taken as a result of the data? What was done to improve student learning as a result of your findings?

Example:

Since this outcome has been consistently met, residence hall directors will develop a new outcome for the upcoming academic year.

Follow-up to Actions Taken

Was student learning improved as a result of the implemented actions?

Example:

No follow up action is necessary at this time. A new outcome will be developed for the upcoming academic year.

Important Reminder: If it is not documented, then it never happened.