Three departments within the Division of Student Life hosted program reviews in the fall 2020 semester. All three external review teams noted the critical importance of proper assessment practices. Note the quotes below found within the recent external review team reports. For more information about the program review process click here.
- “The lesson here is that assessment does not have to be an add-on. It can be integrated into work you already do. Assessment can also be conducted outside of just a survey or focus group: assessment can happen within a simple protocol that you apply…”
- “Think of assessment as more than just collecting evidence for the public. It is also collecting evidence for internally driven improvements. Therefore, if you approach all you do with assessment, you are asking questions that will get at one of two major goals: making the case for the programs and services and/or identifying areas of internal improvement of the programs and services.”
- “Start with the idea that you should never collect data that you do not use for some purpose: improvement, telling a story, determining priorities (including eliminating some events/experiences you have prioritized but have maybe run their course) and helping…have a positive and developmental experience. If you are collecting data and do not use it then stop collecting it.”
- “Designing and implementing assessment strategies that are meaningful, measurable, and manageable require strong commitment to continuous improvement processes, building capacity for assessment, and allocation of sufficient time. It is a shift in focus from being a service provider to a professional educator providing evidence of the outcomes of the work that is being performed. Such strategies should include the collection of information on client needs, utilization, satisfaction and student learning outcomes.”
- “The Review Team recommends that the department continue to explore ways to align the learning outcomes of…programs with the University’s academic and retention goals.”