NEW STUDENT AFFAIRS PROFESSIONALS:I GOT MY DREAM JOB….NOW WHAT??

Erin Bentrim-Tapio

University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Ted Elling

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Diane E. Waryas

College of Southern Nevada

Purpose of Today’s Session

Familiarize participants with a variety of support models and structures for managing assessment work

Discuss existing skills and skills gaps of participants and nationally

Discuss assessment modalities currently utilized in the field and how they may be used

Discuss and begin talking about ways to address concerns and problems of participants in their new role

Network and begin developing relationships with other new assessment professionals

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Please tell us your…

Name

Institution and Title

Specific Interest in this Preconference Workshop

Who are we?3

Why Assessment in Higher Education?

External Pressures Accountability Rising Costs Quality Control Accreditation

Internal Pressures Budgetary Constraints Effectiveness Issues Quality of Programs/Services

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Beyond survival

Improvement of Programs and Services

Smart Decision-Making

Strategic Planning

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Or…..The Motivator for this Preconference Workshop

What was the methodology behind the survey?

Survey Findings from 2007 ACPA-NASPA Assessment Project

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Survey Results: Here We Are!

We represent 48% or 39 of the 82 full time assessment positions housed in Student Affairs

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Institutional Type and Size8

What We Are Responsible For

Other models also exist

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Our Professional Preparation

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Our Years of Experience

Not new to Higher Education but fairly new to Assessment

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Where We Are Located12

Our Professional Organizations

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Our Assessment Methods14

Skill Gaps Summary15

Skills We Already Have16

Skills We’d Like to Learn About in Standard Conference Formats17

Skills That Require More Time Intensive Formats to Acquire

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In groups, discuss your known skills and gaps that you can identify for which you would like help and/or

training

Plan to report back to the group…..

Breakout Discussion19

Identifying Organizational Issues and Structures for Solutions

Short Term Assessment Management Strategies…

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Issue: What’s my Role?

Solution: Management and guidance General advising on assessment issues Consulting on design specifics Design and development of instruments Data collection and analysis Generation of executive summaries, annual

reports on assessment to stakeholders

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Issue: How To Organize the Assessment Program? Solution: No one solution

Director/Coordinator with advisory group Advisory group/Committee for oversight

Collaborate within/across units Collaborate with Academic Affairs, Institutional

Research

Consider appointing a ‘go-to’ person in each unit; appoint staff assessment specialist (liaison) to help develop and implement particular project

Hire students to help!

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Issue: Tackling Resistance to Assessment Solution: Create buy-in, build a Culture of

Assessment Getting buy-in at the top? Help them see value (not punitive) Put assessment in the hands of staff, teach

and empower them to ‘steer their ship’ Showcase individual assessment projects

regularly Get them involved presenting at conferences Other ideas?

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Issue: What Specific Strategies Ease the Task of Management?

Solutions: Many!! Establish a regular assessment planning

and reporting schedule for unit/division and adhere to it; Clearly articulate and publish expectations and helpful information on your website

Use accreditation expectations/guidelines to establish schedule, identify courses of action; consider creating an assessment task force specific to accreditation needs

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Issue: What Specific Strategies Ease the Task of Management?

Streamline data collection process to ease proliferation of surveying (e.g. increase electronic data collection, establish rotating data collection schedule, etc.)

Manage more data (including assessment plans and reports) electronically; Drive sharing, etc.

Create a strategic plan Guided by College and Division plans, create mission

and goals for assessment oversight body Set reasonable expectations and goals Publish plan on website

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Issue: What Specific Strategies Ease the Task of Management?

Increase your staff creatively! Tap individual staff and faculty with specific

skills to help in one area only (e.g. a faculty member contact you can refer others to with questions about rubric design)

Hire undergrads and grad students to help with design, data collection, building matrices, website design and maintenance, other….

Create “reward positions” for those staff interested in assessment and with skills to help liaise with others (and to design, implement or coordinate training, etc.)

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What other management issues can you identify?

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Obtaining Additional Help…

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Internal Support for Assessment Work As discussed, create and utilize

partnerships and structures in your own unit, division, and with Academic Affairs and Institutional Research

Hire student helpers! Don’t overlook talented undergrads with some research or other technical experience; What ‘free’ students can you get to help you?

Faculty and other staff who may not be directly involved with assessment but may have particular skills to lend

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External Support for Assessment Work Join NASPA Assessment Evaluation and

Research KC and take advantage of resources (Assessment Framework)

Utilize ACPA resources for assessment (ASK) Partner with other local institutions on work, to

bring in workshop speakers, etc. Consider bringing in a consultant to help get

you started, move you forward, prepare for accreditation

Consider a company that can provide assistance with comprehensive assessment work remotely

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After this presentation, what other questions remain?What particular things would you like help with?What are your next steps upon returning home?

Prepare to share with the group…

Breakouts:31

FINAL THOUGHTS…

We WELCOME follow up contact from each of you!!!

Good Luck!!!

•Erin Bentrim-Tapio e_bentrim-tapio@uncg.edu

•Ted Elling twelling@uncc.edu

•Diane Waryas diane.waryas@csn.edu