A Unique, Challenging, and Highly-Respected Educational Program, Which Trains and Develops

Program Assessment System for SUNY ESF Ranger School Academic Program

1st Draft

A unique, challenging, and highly-respected educational program, which trains and develops leaders in the forestry and natural resources professions.

2nd Draft

A unique, challenging, diverse and highly-respected technical educational program, which trains and develops leaders in the forest resource and surveying professions.

Goals for 2005:

Have the essential influence of the critical components that impact the program.
Annually produce 55 highly motivated, committed graduates who reflect environmental and ______values.
Have an established, effective program assessment system.
Have a well funded, attractive, high quality, relevant, accessible program run by competent, respected staff and faculty.
Become a recognized leader in the continuing education of forest and survey technicians, related professionals and constituencies by providing conferences, workshops, and courses.
Have ten working articulation agreements with four- year programs across different regions of the country.

2nd Draft of Goals for 2005

Have the essential influences of the critical components that impact the program
Annually produce 55 highly motivated, committed graduates who reflect environmental and stewardship values.
Have an established, effective program assessment system
Have a well funded, attractive, high quality, relevant, accessible program that feeds back into teaching and program elements, and vibrant community run by competent, respected staff and faculty.
Become a recognized leader in the continuing education of forest and survey technicians, related professionals and constituencies by providing conferences, workshops, and courses.

Have ten working articulation agreements with four- year programs across different regions of the country. (only have ESF Forestry now)

List of key processes

Assessment process

Organizational process (management) of Performance assignments of process/goals and communication

Professional development

Marketing and Recruiting

Development

Instruction

Description of the key processes

There is an on-going system for formative and summative assessments of instruction, student placement and development, client satisfaction, and goal development.

Planning, assigning responsibilities and resources, and assessing specific goals are delegated to appropriate faculty and staff members.

A dynamic and effective marketing and recruiting program exists that defines the product, the message, the clients and communication plan.

A strong development program exists that builds upon past efforts/processes to diversify participation and meet identified current and future needs.

Annually update each course’s curriculum, its processes and student support services for producing excellent professional skills and ongoing well being that meets the expectations of all clients.

Have in place an annual plan to enhance the quality and quantity of exposure and association with national professionals and modern technology to improve both educational and professional performance.
Provide community leadership to put in place a community development plan, which supports the health of the community and ultimately a positive environment for the faculty and students.

Assessment of current program

Strengths

Currently have outstanding resources with its forest, facilities, faculty, and staff, which includes a quality environmental setting.
Strong commitment and dedication of faculty, staff, current students, SUNY ESF, and alumni to its mission.
Well known regionally and selectively nationally with its employers through past performances, it graduates, and long established history.
Strong job placements of its graduates because its help to recruit new cohorts.

Improvements

Consistent high enrollments to provide the associated resources - Increase outreach to perspective students by building a strong relationship with the regions, high schools, community colleges, workshops, presentations, and general media, and effectively convince prospective students that this is their best choice.
An on campus support system will increase the quality of student life by designing an recreational program, an academic skills support, counseling opportunity,
Develop a relevant and focused message – by soliciting stakeholders and their impression, connecting the key pipelines, and having training of all of how to communicate this message.
Administrative structure by working closely with the current ESF administration to share processes such as planning, management, and assessment.
Improve the quality of life of community members (faculty, staff, and students) by selective facilities, programs, ongoing services, and interfacing with larger communities of ESF and the region

Insights

Current ongoing assessment activities have made it easier to quickly provide areas for improvements. This shows the importance of assessment in practice.
Some of our areas of strengths have room for improvements. We need to leverage the strengths by increasing their strength.
We have 100% buy-in to program assessment. This was a concern earlier and buy-in is happening.
The program is in position to have a significant nationwide impact on all aspects of Natural Resources Management. There are many possible future opportunities associated with this.
After identifying areas for improvements – we could better use current resources to make these improvements before looking for additional resources. Better clarification of performance both current and desired future performance allows for more efficient, timely, and effective allocation of current resources.

2nd Draft of one sentence, goals, and description

A unique, challenging, diverse and highly-respected technical educational program, which trains and develops leaders in the forest resource and surveying professions.

Goals for 2005:

Have the essential influence of the critical components that impact the program.
Annually produce 55 highly motivated, committed graduates who reflect environmental and ______values.
Have an established, effective program assessment system.
Have a well funded, attractive, high quality, relevant, accessible program run by competent, respected staff and faculty.
Become a recognized leader in the continuing education of forest and survey technicians, related professionals and constituencies by providing conferences, workshops, and courses.
Have ten working articulation agreements with four- year programs across different regions of the country.

List of key processes

Assessment process

Organizational process (management) of Performance assignments of process/goals and communication

Professional development

Marketing and Recruiting

Development

Instruction

Description of the key processes

There is an on-going system for formative and summative assessments of instruction, student placement and development, client satisfaction, and goal development.

Planning, Assigning Responsibilities and resources, and assessing specific goals are delegated to appropriate faculty and staff members.

A dynamic and effective marketing and recruiting program exists that defines the product, the message, the clients and communication plan.

A strong development program exists that builds upon past efforts/processes to diversify participation and meet identified current and future needs.

Annually update each course’s curriculum, its processes and student support services for producing excellent professional skills and ongoing well being that meets the expectations of all clients.

Have in place an annual plan to enhance the quality and quantity of exposure and association with national professionals and modern technology to improve both educational and professional performance.

Challenging (Intensive) environment3,2,2,3,1.112
Enriching student life3,1,2
Student oriented approaches3,2,
Strong applied skills3,2,
Diverse curriculum1,3,1
Resource rich environment3
Strong work ethic3,
Well managed forest2,
# & quality of faculty & staff1.1

Well-rounded professionals
Satisfied clients
Competent
Disciplined
Motivated
Independent

A challenging learning and growth environment that provides an intensive and rewarding experience.

Factor 1: Student performance skills(Student Portfolio)

Factor 2:Learning environment in courses(Page 83 in Handbook)

Factor 3:Additional professional activities available

(Number and participation in events)

An extensive and comprehensive set of experts and educators that provide a rich learning and mentoring environment for growth and development

F1:Full-time and adjunct faculty (visiting experts)

(Names, count and contact hours)

F2:Specialties covered(Specialties index – percentage of

all specialties covered)

Extensive (over 400 hours) practical field experience in complex natural resource settings

F1:Number of field hours by category(Student measurement, documented

in student portfolios)

F2:Availability of natural resource settings (Form in Student portfolio)

An enriching student life that enhances the learning process and the development of healthy, social, emotional and physical well being.

F1:Well being of the current enrolled students

F2:Number of student government activities

F3:Documented outside of college activities

F4:Number of critical student support services(National inventory of

available student support services)

Setting the standard:Example - Remedial education support, medical, counseling, career placement, recreation, mentoring, etc. Say there are fifteen. What is our standard by 2005? External to the world we say the standard is 7. Internal we say 10. Internally we struggle to achieve more than we have. Don’t trap ourselves to too high standards.

Student oriented approaches that achieve maximum student success

F1:Availability job placement opportunities

F2:Hours of faculty availability – off hours

F3:Quality of satisfaction of Alumni – (after 5 years)

Diverse curriculum that exceeds national standards and produces highest quality students

F1:Number of natural resource environments with experience

F2:Percentage of graduates placed in their choice of job or college

A forest that produces a learning laboratory by demonstrating positive examples of manipulative impacts.

F1:Quality of Forest Management

Instrument: current best management practices Manual

An environment that provides the appropriate facilities, tools, support, and time that enable students, faculty, and staff, to reasonably achieve their stated goals and performances.

F1:Retention of students

F2:Retention of faculty

F3:Retention of staff

F4:Number of annual applicants

Highly dedicated and motivated professional individuals who constantly exceed efforts and performance expectations through in positive and caring approaches.

F1: Percentage of graduates placed in their choice of job or college

Defining overall success:

Using, say, 100 points. Distribute the points across all nine criteria. Determine what determines a successful standard. Give full points for achieving the standard, give 0 points for failing to achieve the standard. What is overall success? Set that standard as well, previously. Also, set external as well as internal standards, staying at least 95% on the external standards.

Identify accountability for each measure:

Take the goals, line the up the measures with each goal. Who will keep track of each measure? It is more efficient to have the measure being accountable rather than the goal being accountable.

Criteria for a quality program assessment system:

What did you learn in this experience:

Savage – Became aware that team work in team roles functions effectively

-The planning for quality yields produces a strong outcome associated with the plans– equivalent to forest management plans

Perry – It is essential to be an active listener in order to not jump-to-conclusions and

hear all of the facts.

Peer-assessment is insightful.

Hanavan – The system of using groups, subgroups, was a method of quickly getting accomplishments. Varying group size for the task at hand affected speed of accomplishment. Using the group method permitted individual ownership to the process. An outside facilitator/consultant (i.e. Dan Apple) made the entire process go much faster.

Allen – There has been real value to have a recorder documenting the activity as it was done; keeping the pace going has forced us to compromise our opinions to stay on schedule.

Bridgen – Evaluation of performance criteria varied significantly between Dr. Murphy and the Ranger School faculty; corporations use similar goal-setting planning, but often in ignorance of the method

Bentley – ongoing peer assessment was valuable for conducting criteria evaluation

Jack – this was one of the most effective faculty efforts; this methodology has application to many other situation; made significant progress; the external facilitation made a significant effect, keeping people play their roles;

Performance
Criteria / Factor / Instrument / Linked
Goals / External
Standard / Internal
Standard / Person
Accountable / Weight
Desired
Environement / Enrollment/
Graduation / Registrar / Goal 1
Goal 2
Goal 7
Goal 12
Goal 10 / 45 / 55 / Kathie / 22.5
Diverse
Curriculum / Placement / Questionaire / Goal 3
Goal 6
Goal 12 / 85 / 95 / Kathie / 12.5
Learning
Laboratory / Managed Forest / Assessment Instrument
For Management
Plans / Goal 3
Goal 4
Goal 10 / Good / Very Good / New Hire / 10
Desired
Environement / Retention
Of
Students / Registrar / Goal 4 / 85% / 90% / Chris / 10
Learning &
Growth
Environment / Student
Perfor
Skills / Portfolio
Skills Test / Goal 3
Goal 10 / Good / Very good / Jamie / 7.5
Learning &
Growth
Environment / Prof
Exper for
Students / Log of Activities / Goal 3
Goal 4
Goal 9
Goal 8
Goal 10 / 20 / 40 / Mike / 7.5
Professional
Staff / Collective
Expertise / Vitas – summary tool / Goal 5
Goal 9
Goal 8
Goal 10 / Chris / 7.5
Field
Experience / Hours logged / Log by students / Goal 1
Goal 4
Goal 8
Goal 9
Goal 10 / 400 / 600 / Wayne / 7.5
Professional
Staff/Associates / Specialties / Annual report / Goal 5
Goal 10 / 25 / 50 / Forest Chair/Bill Bentley / 5
Student
Oriented / Student Satisfaction Survey (weight heavily the accessibility) / Survey / Goal 3
Goal 5
Goal 6
Goal 7
Goal 10 / Good / Excellent / Kathie/class adviser / 5
Field
Experience / Diversity
Community
Life / Well-being / 2.5
Learning &
Growth
Environment / Learning
Envir
Community
Life / Internal
Activities
Community
Life / Outside
Activities
Community
Life / Support
Services
Student
Oriented / Job
Placement
Student
Oriented / Alumni
Satisfaction
Diverse
Curriculum / Environments
Experienced
Desired
Environement / Retention
Of
Faculty / 2.5
Desired
Environement / Retention
Of
Staff
Professional
Staff / Placement
Total

Assessment of the PAS – September 28, 2001

Strengths

Goals cover the issues that effect the ranger school
Mission statement was strong
Goals set are obtainable
Goals number 3 is a very strong statement
The document is still very relevant
Goal number 5 was very strong
Document did enumerate the program strengths

Improvements

Clarify terminology – Communities, educational program, formative and summative assessment, manipulative impacts, performance criteria
Performance criteria number 1 needs to be rewritten – clarify the synergy between the learning environment and the outcome from the experience
Develop a plan for implementing the changes – (time schedule, activities, resources, and responsibilities)
Broaden the mission statement to incorporate all stakeholders
Mission statement should be more concise with better word usage

The global statement followed by a set of objectives

Consider reviewing the role of research as part of the set of goals
Consider reviewing the role of Community development as part of the goals

Terminology

Authority – The responsibility along with the accoutability

Insights

By taking the time to review the document is now following an ongoing process of program assessment.
These processes, ideas, and vision are still aligned where we want to go and the efforts that need to be implemented.
Decision making on past assessment as shown to be effective (for example – the need for the new building) so with even better designed assessment the future decision making will be even better.
In looking at expanding programs and efforts, need to be conscious of duplicating other efforts such as CE and cooperative externsion.

Current/Ongoing Issues identified by “Table 1:”

Student life – Do we need better “student life” for recruitment or the current students? And, is it a luxury or a necessity?
Community Involvement – should we be involved, and if so how and to what extent? What is the role of the RS in this area…
What is the role of research at the RS?
What weights should be given to public service, research, and community involvement given that our main focus is providing technical educational programs?
RS becoming a 2-year program, moving away from 1+1 program…
Bridge Program in summer – 25 students? Will there be work-study opportunities? Will there be a burn-out effect?
Forest management plan – should RS faculty be responsible and accountable for it, and the implementation of it by 2005???
We’re a “full service campus” being treated as a “department” – this creates ongoing administrative problems/frustrations…