Assessment and Research Symposium
Division of Student Affairs
March 27, 2008
1:00 – 4:00 p.m.
Lory Student Center
Grey Rock Room
Keynote presentation:
Rethinking Assessment in Student Affairs
1:00-2:00 p.m., Grey Rock Room, Lory Student Center
Presenter: Marilee J. Bresciani, Ph.D. is Associate Professor of Postsecondary Education
Leadership at San Diego State University, where she coordinates the masters in StudentAffairs/Services in community colleges and higher education, the certificate ininstitutional research, planning, and assessment, and the master’s and doctorate incommunity college leadership. The curriculum at San Diego State University emphasizesstudent learning centeredness, integration of the curricular and co-curricular learningparadigms, and analysis, planning, and responsible practice of leaders in a socially justand global environment.
Dr. Bresciani’s research focuses on the evaluation of student learning and development.
She uses grounded theory to explore how systems and processes contribute to studentlearning centeredness, which includes the study of leaders’ roles in these systems andprocesses.
Dr. Bresciani has held faculty and higher education administration positions for over 20years. In those positions, she has conducted enrollment management research,quantitative and qualitative institutional research, course-embedded assessment, andacademic and administrative program assessment. Previously as Assistant Vice Presidentfor Institutional Assessment at Texas A&M University and as Director of Assessment atNorth Carolina State University, Dr. Bresciani led university-wide initiatives to embedfaculty-driven outcomes-based assessment in the curriculum. She has led reforms inoutcomes-based assessment program review, assessment of general education, qualityenhancement, and assessment of the co-curricular.
Dr. Bresciani has been invited to present and publish her findings on assessment and is aleading author of two books on assessing student learning and outcomes-basedassessment program review. She has edited a book on good practice case studies ingeneral education assessment and is currently at work on identifying good practices inassessment of student learning in student affairs/services. Dr. Bresciani has developedand delivered several courses on assessment of student learning, and serves on theeditorial board of the NASPA Journal. She is a reviewer for the Australian QualityAssurance Agency and is also a managing partner in an international assessment andenrollment management consulting firm.
Dr. Bresciani holds a Ph.D. in Administration, Curriculum, and Instruction from theUniversity of Nebraska and a Masters of Arts in Teaching from Hastings College.
2:10-3:00 p.m.
From Balanced Scorecard to Learning Outcomes: Strategic Assessment for Student Life
Room: 205 LSC
Presenter:
Patti S. Helton, Ph.D., Associate Provost for Student Life, University of Denver
Description:
This session will outline an adapted Balance Scorecard model that the Student Life Division used at the University of Denver for 3 years and then the process we used to “hybrid” to a Student Life Assessment Plan (SLAP) which focuses on Learning Outcomes. We will also discuss how we thread our assessment into our strategic planning.
The National Study of Living Learning Programs: An Overview of Findings for CSU Residential Learning Communities
Room: 208 LSC
Presenters:
Teresa Metzger, Assistant Director, Residence Education, Office of Residence Life
Judi Bryant, Coordinator, Honors Program
Presentation Description:
As the growing trend of learning communities in residence halls have emerged in the landscape of higher education, more evidence on the impact of these programs on student success and learning is needed. To answer this question, in 2004, The National Study of Living Learning Programs (NSLLP) was established to investigate programs across the country. CSU has been a participant in the study since 2004. This session will provide an overview of the purpose, conceptual framework, and methodology of the NSLLP. Furthermore, results and findings will be shared on the positive impact of Residential Learning Communities at CSU.
Residence Life and Assessment: Putting the Pieces Together
Room: 210 LSC
Presenters:
Gardiner Tucker, Director of Residence Life, University of Colorado - Boulder
Paula Bland, Assistant Director of Residence Life, University of Colorado - Boulder
Lakshmi Sangaranarayanan, Area Coordinator for Residence Life, University of Colorado - Boulder
Description:
Applying assessment theory to the workplace is a key principle of effective practice. At the University of Colorado at Boulder (CU), assessment is alive, well, and on the increase. There will be a brief overview about the multiple assessment strategies being utilized in student affairs at CU, followed by the ways Residence Life in particular is applying assessment to advance organizational outcomes. Your questions, viewpoints, and practices will be welcome during the presentation.
Telling the Story: Transforming Assessment Mistakes to Effective Assessment Success
Room: 211 LSC
Presenter:
Lisa A. Miller, M.Div., Doctoral Candidate
Associate Director, University Counseling Center
Director, DAY (Drugs, Alcohol & You) Programs
Description:
This session will use the Back on TRAC (Treatment, Responsibility, and Accountability on Campus) Program at CSU to highlight data as a story telling instrument. The six year journey of tracking more than 350 variables will show how data can not only be used for assessment but program development. The assessment mistakes will be shared to identify tools for future more effective strategies.
Assessing Student Leadership: Research with a Few Unexpected Perks
Room: 214-216 LSC
Presenter:
Alexis Kanda-Olmstead, Assistant Director for Curricular Leadership, Student Leadership, Involvement, and Community Engagement (SLiCE)
Description:
SLiCE has participated in national research studies (e.g., the Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership) as well as created its own assessments utilizing Student Voice and paper surveys. In this presentation, participants will learn about the experience of participating in both types of research (national and in-house), the challenges and benefits of each, and key findings about student leadership. In addition, participants will see how assessment can result in unexpected benefits beyond program development and improvement.
3:10-4:00 p.m.
Taking Evidence Seriously: Capturing the Story through Assessment
Room: 205 LSC
Presenters:
Taé Nosaka, Assistant Director for the Key Communities at the Center for Advising & Student Achievement
Lory Ann Varela, Research Coordinator for the Key Communities at the Center for Advising & Student Achievement
Description:
How do we capture the story to assess our programs? What do we do with the evidence that we gather? This presentation will outline how the Key Communities have gone about assessing the experience of students, faculty, and staff within the program. From using fall and spring program evaluations, focus groups, faculty surveys, and retention and academic performance data, the presenters will share ways in which the information gathered is used for program improvement. Examples of outcome-based assessment, program evaluations, faculty surveys, and focus group questions will be shared. This session is ideal for those who are new to conducting assessment and are looking for a few practical approaches to evaluate their programs.
The Student Services Assessment Institute: Building a Culture of Assessment through Professional Development
Room: 208 LSC
Presenters:
Kim Black, Director of Assessment, and
Stephanie Torrez, Executive Director of Academic Support and Advising, University of Northern Colorado
Program Description:
Student services practitioners increasingly must use assessment for documenting student learning outcomes and program efficacy, yet research suggests a need for improved training on assessment practices among student services professionals. To address this need, we created the Student Services Assessment Institute, a comprehensive, year-long, cohort-based model for delivering professional development on assessment. Our presentation will discuss the development and implementation of the model and present a case study of how it has impacted the Office of Academic Support and Advising. Participants will have an opportunity to discuss possibilities for adapting the model to their campuses.
Moving Toward Division-wide Learning Outcomes: A Case Study
Room: 210 LSC
Presenters:
Beth McCuskey, Executive Director of Residence Life, Dining Services, and the Wyoming Union, University of Wyoming
Lena Edmunds, Substance Abuse Prevention Coordinator, University of Wyoming
Program Description:
Student Affairs divisions have a multitude of approaches to developing and assessing student learning outcomes. The University of Wyoming has taken the approach of creating division-wide learning outcomes, while developing strategies to assess them at the departmental level. This session will discuss the University of Wyoming’s journey in developing learning outcomes. AWARE, UW’s alcohol intervention program, will be discussed as one example of a program that has had an extensive history of assessment and how these assessments are now fitting into the learning outcomes model.
Assessing the Expectations, Concerns and Needs of College Parents and Families
Room: 211 LSC
Presenters:
Jody Donovan, Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs/Director of Parent & Family Programs
Keith Lopez, Coordinator for Orientation and Transition Programs
Kacee Collard, Graduate Assistant for the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs
Description:
Assessment canextend beyond the campus borders to the parents and families of college students. Join us as we share what we learned from a variety of assessments with CSU parents and families. Discover how we used this information to make significant programmatic improvements for serving this important constituency. Finally, engage in discussion about the joys and challenges of working with parents and families of college students!
Turning Assessment Results into Practical Action Steps
Room:214-216 LSC
Presenter:
Kris Folsom, Marketing Director, Lory Student Center
Description:
Survey results can be interesting but then what do you do with them? The Lory Student Center is putting their findings into action. Learn how the annual Educational Benchmarking (EBI) assessment is used to boost staff morale, improve our relationship with students, identify areas for needed improvement and provide focus so that we “keep the main thing the main thing”.
Taking Stock at Mid semester, a partnership between 1st year residents, CASA, Residence Life, and Academic Advisors
Room: Grey Rock Room, LSC
Presenters:
Barb Musslewhite, Assistant Director for Retention, CASA
Amy Robertson, Administrative Assistant III, CASA
Mike Brake, Coordinator, Assessment and Technology, CASA
Theresa Metzger, Assistant Director, Residence Education
Paul Thayer, Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs & Assistant to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs
Description:
Retention of students results when they make good connections and good decisions early enough to impact their long term academic and personal success. The Taking Stock at Mid Semester partnership has facilitated an early alert program using a questionnaire/inventory that collects information from 1st year residents about their transition, concerns, and interest area. That information is shared with staff who can conduct meaningful conversations with the resident, early enough to offer choices to the resident.
Join us as we discuss how it works, what we have discovered, and how technology has been integrated to enhance one- on-one interactions between residents and their Resident Assistant, Residence Director, and/or Academic Advisor