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GETTING STARTED WITH ASSESSMENT

Barbara Pennipede

Associate Director of Assessment

Office of Planning, Assessment and ResearchOriginal Presentation 2002

Updated May, 2013 with new Mission statement & Action Plan

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WORKSHOP TOPICS

What is assessment? Why is assessment important to Pace

University? Why assessment in Administrative and

Educational Support Units (AES) Steps in developing an assessment plan for

your unit.

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What is assessment?

ASSESS (V): TO EXAMINE CAREFULLY

“Assessment is the systematic collection, review and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving student learning and development.” ( Marchese 1987)

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The Importance of Assessment to Pace University

To improve the effects of teaching on student learning and development

To examine and enhance institutional effectiveness

To advance the reputation and image of Pace through the quality of its programs

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The Importance of Assessment to Pace University

To attract and retain qualified students To maintain and strengthen its standing

among its competitors To satisfy the requirements of accrediting

agencies

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Statement by the Middle States Commission

An accredited institution is characterized by:

Linkage of outcomes assessment to the institution’s ongoing planning and resource allocation process and to strategic efforts to improve institutional quality.

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Why Assessment in Administrative and Education

Support Units?

To know if we are offering the right services and how well we are providing them

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Reasons Often Cited

Effective linking of AES services to academic programs

Accreditation requirements Continuous quality improvement Institutional effectiveness

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Administrative and Education Support Units

Administrative

Provide services which maintain the institution

Are essential to its operations

No direct impact on instructional programs

Educational Support

May not be primarily instructional or academic

Contributes directly to student learning or instruction

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Underlying Assumptions for Assessment in AES

The primary aim of assessment is the continuous improvement of campus operations, especially as they support and promote the University’s teaching and learning environment

Assessment is to be embedded as part of the normal order of business

Assessment will be a cyclic process and an ongoing unit or programmatic activity.

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Steps for Assessment Process Establish a linkage to the University’s Mission and

Goals Prepare the Unit Mission Statement Formulate Measurable Objectives Identify Activities and Strategies to Achieve

Objectives Identify Unit Means of Assessment and Criteria

for Success Conduct Assessment Activities Document use of Results for Service

Improvements

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The Pace University Mission Statement

“To offer undergraduate and graduate education for a broad range of professions, while providing a strong foundation of liberal learning, thereby giving a highly diverse population of students the opportunity to lift their lives and prospects. Our objective is to create thinking professionals who are highly sought after as innovators and successful leaders, and who will positively impact twenty-first century society.”

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Augmented Pace Action Plan

Advance Academic Programs Build a Culture of Community Create Vibrant, Distinctive, and Collegial Campus

Identities Build a Strong Financial Foundation and an

Efficient Infrastructure Enhance Pace’s Visibility Strengthen & Reinforce the Culture of

Accountability

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Pace Mission Statement Commitments

Offer education in a broad range of professions

Opportunity for highly diverse population of students

Provide a strong foundation of liberal learning

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Pace Mission Statement Commitments continued…

Create thinking professionals who are– Innovators– Successful leaders

Create thinking professionals who will– Positively impact 21st century society

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Characteristics of Unit Mission Statement

Describes the purpose of the unit, services and clients

Is brief in length Provides linkage to and support of

University mission and goals Is understood and accepted by employees

within the unit

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Examples of AES Mission Statements

Library

Office of Multicultural Affairs

Special Events office

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Formulate AES Objectives

Purpose of objectives:

* support the Unit’s mission statement

* provide the linkage to the means of

assessment

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Types of AES Objectives

Process Oriented

Volume of unit activity

Efficiency

Compliance

Outcomes Oriented

Effectiveness

Attitudinal Oriented

Satisfaction

What unit intends to accomplish

What clients are able to do after receiving AES services

How satisfied are clients with AES services

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Formulating Unit Administrative Objectives

Administrative Objectives should be: Linked to the Unit Mission Statement Realistic Limited in number Measurable

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Choosing the Short List of Administrative Objectives

Administrative Objectives initially chosen should be:

Targeted on those areas that can be improved using currently available resources and personnel

Related to the services the unit provides Relatively easy to assess within one cycle Directly under the control of the AES unit

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Identifying the Means of Assessment

“When” will assessment activities take place? Where will we find information that will reflect

accomplishment of our objective? Exactly “How” will the assessment be

accomplished? “How well” should the unit perform on the means

of assessment identified, if the unit is functioning the way it should?

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Common Assessment Activities

Client satisfaction measures Direct counts Results of external evaluation Outcome measures

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Unit Criteria of Success

Identify a reasonable level of service improvement to expect given the resources and personnel of the unit

Set performance levels as reference points or benchmarks

Select a percentage of improvement for its services

Use peer institutions who provide the same service to help identify

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Use of Results for Service Improvement

Changes in organizational structure Changes in process procedures Relations with the constituencies Changes in assessment procedures Changes to comply with regulatory

requirements Internal resource reallocation Justification for additional resources