cacrep vital statistics and program evaluation report ay 2018-19 · 2020-02-06 · the academic...

University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Education

Master of Education in School Counseling

Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

The Academic Year (AY) 2018-19 includes Summer 2018, Fall 2018, and Spring 2019 semesters.

CACREP Vital Statistics and Program Evaluation Report

AY 2018-19

Submitted by Dr. Valerie Gifford, Program Head

2

APPLICANTS

AY 2018 – 19

Total number of applicants:

Admitted/Enrolled: 25; Denied: 2

Withdrew After Admission: 1

Withdrew Before Admission: 1

Distance Students 8

On Campus Students 21

Urban 28

Rural 1

Female 23

Male 6

Age 22 - 29 10

Age 30 - 39 7

Age 40 - 49 9

Age 50 - 59 3

Age 60 - 69 0

Full Time Not yet

identified Part-Time

School Counseling 10

CMH 19

Dual Program 0

Alaska Native

1

Black or African-

American

1

American Indian

0

Native Hawaiian or

Other Pacific

Islander

1

Asian

1

Unspecified

2

Caucasian

23

Multiple-race

0

Hispanic Ethnicity

0

CURRENT STUDENTS

AY 2018 – 19

Total number of active students: 72

Distance Students 28


Urban 58

Rural 14

Female 65

Male 7

Age 22 - 29 20

Age 30 - 39 24

Age 40 - 49 17

Age 50 - 59 9

Age 60 - 69 2

Full Time 25

Part-Time 47

School Counseling 29

CMH 39

Dual Program 4

Note – Students in the dual program

are counted in the school and CMH

sections of the online CACREP Vital

Statistics Survey.

Alaska Native 1

Black or African-

American

0

American Indian 0

Native Hawaiian or

Other Pacific

Islander

0

Asian 2

Unspecified 5

Caucasian 56

Multiple-race

Alaska

Native/Caucasian

African

American/Caucasian

American

Indian/Caucasian

Pacific

Islander/Caucasian

2

1

3

1

Hispanic Ethnicity 1

GRADUATES

AY 2018 – 19

Total number of graduates: 3

Distance Students 1


Urban 3

Rural 0

Female 3

Male 0

Age 22 - 29 1

Age 30 - 39 1

Age 40 - 49 1

Age 50 - 59 0

Age 60 - 69 0

Full Time 0

Part-Time 3

School Counseling 2

CMH 1

Dual Program 0

Alaska Native

0

Black or African-

American

0

American Indian

0

Native Hawaiian or

Other Pacific Islander

0

Asian

0

Unspecified

0

Caucasian

2

Multiple-race

African

American/Caucasian

1

Hispanic Ethnicity

0

Demographics Demographic information about applicants, current students, and graduates.

3

Summary of findings: The program continues to admit more urban students than rural students. The vast

majority of students admitted continue to be White females. These findings are not surprising given they

are representative of the program applicant pool. The majority of students in the program attend part-time

and complete classes on campus.

Highlights of findings: The demographics of the program's applicant pool and admitted students are not

representative of Alaska's demographics.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: The faculty is reorganizing as a result of one faculty member

retiring and two new faculty members joining the program. The recommendations set forth last year to

increase diversity in the program's students need continued work. Specific efforts need to be made this year

to address the associated recommendations from faculty subcommittees and workgroups.

The graduate student advisor worked with faculty to further develop specific course sequences for part-time

students. In addition, to help students plan a path to graduation, a concerted effort was made by the

graduate student advisor to develop accurate individual graduate study plans for each student.

Faculty members created a structure for students who were completing master’s projects/thesis to meet

routinely as a group with the faculty member. During these meetings, students discussed their research, set

goals, reported on deadlines, and served as accountability partners in completing their projects.

Recommendations: Similar to last year, there is a need to increase the recruitment, retention, and

graduation of rural and diverse students in terms of geography, ethnicity, age, and gender. The faculty

members intend to organize around this need in a deliberate manner by developing a subcommittee tasked

with determining the barriers to people from diverse backgrounds applying to and graduating from the

program. This subcommittee will put forth a plan for addressing these barriers. In addition, the committee

will evaluate the program’s infrastructure, expertise, and readiness to develop an Indigenous cohort model.

Based on this evaluation, the subcommittee will put forth a plan outlining the necessary steps to increase the

program's potential in this area.

The faculty will convene a subcommittee to develop a needs assessment to determine the gaps that exist

between what the program is providing and what is desired by stakeholders.

Faculty members will recruit rural and Alaska Native educators interested in pursuing school counseling. In

addition, faculty members will reach out to the UAF Social Work Department to recruit rural and Alaska

Native students from their rural cohort bachelor’s program.

Graduation Rates

Number of graduates in AY 2018-19 = 3

Program Summer

2018

Fall

2018

Spring

2019

Total

MED Clinical Mental Health Counseling

0 1 1 2

MED School Counseling

1 0 0 1

Exit Data Graduation rates, program completion rates, credentialing examination pass rates.

4

MED in School and Community

0 0 0 0

Program Completion Rates

UAF defines a full-time graduate student as a student taking nine credit hours per semester. For the purpose of this

report, a part-time student is defined as a student taking six credit hours per semester.

M. Ed. in School Counseling (48 credits) Expected Completion Time

• Full-time students = five semesters.

• Part-time students = eight semesters.

M. Ed. in Clinical Mental Health (60 credits) Expected Completion Time

M. Ed in Community Counseling (54 credits) – Students admitted prior to Fall 2016

• Full-time students = six semesters.

• Part-time students = nine semesters.

M. Ed. in Dual Concentration (75-78 credits) Expected Completion Time

• Full-time students = nine semesters.

• Part-time students = thirteen semesters

Completion Rates AY 2018-19

Program Full-Time Student Completion Rate Part-Time Student Completion Rate

MED CMH Counseling

NA 50%


NA 100%

MED Dual Concentration

NA NA

Credentialing Examination Pass Rates for Graduates AY 2018-19

Program Exam Pass Rate Exam Fail Rate

MED CMH Counseling

100% 0%


100% 0%

The UAF Counseling program requires all students to pass a department-prepared, written, comprehensive exam in

order to graduate from the Master of Education in CMH or School Counseling. Since passing the exam is a

requirement for graduation, there is a 100% pass rate for graduates in AY 2018-19

Summary of findings: Similar to the previous year, few students graduated from the program this past

year (3). It has been observed by faculty that many of the program's students experience a loss of

momentum in the program related to the required masters' project/thesis. In addition, the school track

students pursuing K-12 certification are required to complete 4 semesters (1200 hours) of internship.

Another consideration is that the program offers part-time and full-time options and works with students to

accommodate their work schedules, family lives, and other competing considerations. Many of the students

switch back and forth between taking courses full-time and part-time throughout the program based on their

individual needs. The program is not a cohort model due to its commitment to making these

accommodations.

The Counseling Program faculty instituted a standardized exam as the program’s comprehensive exam

beginning AY 2017-2018. Students who matriculated years prior to AY 2017-2108 have the choice to take

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this standardized exam or an essay formatted comprehensive exam, which was developed by the faculty and

used in the past.

Highlights of findings: The program’s graduation rate continues to be substantially less than its

admissions rates. Regarding the comprehensive exam, program faculty identified a need to further develop

the exam process, including: determining how many sections a student must pass in order to pass the exam,

cut-off scores per section of the exam, and procedures for re-testing. In addition, the faculty determined a

need to further develop comprehensive exam policies and procedures that align with its effort to prepare

graduates from diverse backgrounds, specifically Alaska Native graduates, given standardized tests may not

be the modality that best allows students to effectively demonstrate their competency. Update on 2017-18 recommendations: The program has instituted a comprehensive process of reviewing

each student’s progress annually. The students and their advisors complete this review together, which

involves updating their graduate study plan. Through the continuous monitoring of student progress toward

program completion, plans are underway to address the identified areas of concern. Recommendations: The program faculty members voted to make the masters’ project/thesis optional in

years to come. Students will substitute a recommended elective course in place of the project/thesis credits.

It is expected that students will no longer be delayed by the project/thesis with this program change.

Program faculty members are reviewing how other programs and states handle K-12 certification for school

counseling. They are considering options such as reducing the number of hours and semesters required

during the internship series while still having training opportunities with students in elementary, middle, and

high school.

Finally, the program is considering the development of a cohort model for students who desire this format

and find it helpful in terms of program completion. Graduation rates will continue to be monitored.

Faculty will develop and adopt clear policies and procedures for the comprehensive exam which denote cut-

off scores and how those scores were derived. In addition, faculty will develop policies and procedures for

determining what constitutes passing the exam and contingencies for students needing to re-test.

Faculty members will evaluate specific courses to determine if the required workload is too ambitious for a

typical master’s level course, which could be influencing graduation rates. If the workload associated with

specific courses is unmanageable for students, it could be leading students to become part-time, resulting in

an extended time for program completion.

Evaluation of Program Objectives Objective 1

The UAF counseling program will admit high quality, diverse candidates from rural and urban areas

of Alaska.

Admissions scores for applicants to AY 2018-19 Total number of applicants: 25 – mean scores include admitted and denied applicants

The UAF counseling program will admit high quality, diverse candidates from rural and urban areas of

Alaska.

Program Evaluation Data Evaluation of program objectives, survey data, employment statistics.

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Application

piece Criteria for meeting expectations Number of

applicants Mean

Score*

GPA 3.0 or higher 25 3.18

Resume Shows education, work or volunteer experience in counseling or a related field 25 2.88

Letters of

Reference Positively describes applicant’s knowledge, skills, or dispositions related to being a

future helping professional 25 2.96

Statement Well written, error-free, APA format Describes reason for desire to be admitted to program Describes characteristics desirable to be an effective counselor Describes how educational background will assist student in the program Describes how experience relates to earning a counseling degree Clearly states intent for earning the degree

25

3.16

Interview Clearly states why UAF is a good fit. Articulates an interest in counseling and an interest is working in Alaska Describes how educational background will assist student in the program Honestly explains strengths and challenges in being a helper Honestly explains strengths and challenges in being a researcher Has experience working with diverse populations Articulates an approach to multicultural counseling Describes the health care disparity between rural and urban centers in Alaska

24

2.99

*Rating scale 1 – 4

Summary of findings: The majority of individuals admitted to the counseling program are White females.

The two areas of strength in the program's applicant pool include G.P.A. and the written statement.

Highlights of findings: Overall, applicants to the program appear to be scoring well using the program’s

current evaluation tool.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: Last year’s recommendation to continue using the same

admissions rubric was reconsidered in regards to the interview. A new protocol was adopted. Efforts to

recruit diverse applicants need to continue.

Recommendations: The counseling faculty adopted a new applicant interview protocol for the admission

process. This protocol focuses on discerning the applicant’s potential for successful work with diverse

community members and students across Alaska. Questions are structured in a manner that helps the

admission’s committee evaluate the applicant’s professional characteristics. This interview protocol will

continue to be used in the admissions process.

The faculty will review the current admissions process and associated tools to determine if barriers are

being created which limit the program's ability to draw a diverse applicant pool.

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Objective 2 – Knowledge

Students will acquire foundational knowledge of the field of counseling, human development,

counseling theories, professional ethics, career development, assessment and testing, multicultural

counseling, counseling interventions, and group counseling.

Key Assignment Rubric Mean Scores for AY 2018-19

Students will acquire foundational knowledge of the field of counseling, human development, counseling

theories, professional ethics, career development, assessment and testing, multicultural counseling, counseling

interventions, and group counseling.

Content area Class Assignment Number of

students Mean score*

Field of Counseling COUN 615 Foundations of Counseling

Foundations Final Paper 18 3.79

Human Development COUN 628 Child and Adolescent Development COUN 638 Adult Development

Personal Development Paper

Adult Development Case Study

17

9

3.82

3.82

Counseling theories COUN 623 Counseling Theories and

Applications

Theoretical Orientation Paper 24 3.70

Professional ethics COUN 647 Professional Ethics

Ethics Final Paper 28 3.86

Career Development COUN 632 Career Development

Career Development Theory Paper 15 3.80

Assessment and Testing COUN 630 Appraisal

Assessment Instrument Comparison Paper 16 3.54

Multicultural Counseling COUN 660 Multicultural Counseling

Personal Perspective Paper 21 3.99

Counseling interventions COUN 627 Developmental

Interventions COUN 629 Counseling Interventions for

Adults

Intervention Paper and Presentation Case study - Intervention/Treatment Plan

14

14

3.98

3.87

Group counseling COUN 674 Group Counseling

Group Paper 17 3.34


Summary of findings: Overall, scores on the program’s key course assignments which assess content

knowledge in the fields of counseling, human development, counseling theories, professional ethics, career

development, assessment and testing, multicultural counseling, counseling interventions, and group

counseling indicate that the program’s students are meeting or exceeding standards. Typically, the

program's key assignments are completed toward the end of the course each semester, giving students ample

time to be exposed to course material and integrate it into their knowledge base. Similar to years prior,

many of the program's instructors continue to require students to resubmit their key assignments until it

meets or exceeds the standard in order to promote the student's success in knowledge acquisition.

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Highlights of findings: The mean scores for the content areas ranged between 3.34 and 3.99. The

highest scores appear in multicultural counseling and counseling interventions. The lowest scores appear in

group counseling and assessment and testing. These areas with the highest scores are different from the

prior year when the content areas with the highest scores were human development and career development.

Similar to the prior year, assessment and testing was one of the lowest scores; however, during the prior

year, professional ethics was one of the lowest scores instead of group counseling.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: The program head met with new faculty and adjunct faculty

members to ensure the rubrics for each course were discussed and understood. Selected course rubrics

(practicum, pre-practicum, child development, research, and multicultural counseling) were reviewed to

ensure that rubrics aided in the objective assessment of the assignment, standards assessed were correct, and

the rubric descriptors were helpful in scoring.

Recommendations: Efforts in the abovementioned recommendations areas will continue. Specifically,

courses will continue to be selected systematically and their rubrics will be reviewed for accuracy and

utility. New faculty and adjuncts will be oriented to and advised about how to complete the rubrics for the

key assignments associated with the courses being taught. Faculty will continue to develop and articulate

parameters about how the rubrics are used in an effort to increase consistency across courses.

Objective 3 – Skills, Dispositions

Students will develop counseling skills and refine professional characteristics through

coursework and practical experience in the field of counseling.

Counseling Skills – Pre-Practicum/Practicum AY 2018-19

Class Counselor Responds

to Training

Counselor

Synthesizes/Responds

Appropriately

Listening Provides

Comfortable

Environment

Stays With Client

# Mean # Mean # Mean # Mean # Mean

COUN 617P 15 4.0 15 2.56 15 2.52 15 3.28 15 2.80

COUN 634P 2 4.00 2 3.00 2 3.13 2 3.67 2 2.79


Counseling Skills – Field Practicum/Internship AY 2018-19

Class Working in the Counseling

Environment

Counseling Skills and

Process

School Counseling Clinical Mental Health

Counseling

# Mean # Mean # Mean # Mean

COUN 635 13 3.33 13 3.11 4 2.94 9 2.70

COUN 636 5 3.92 5 3.36 2 3.46 3 3.29

COUN 686 3 3.93 3 3.52 2 3.36 1 3.20

COUN 687 1 3.50 1 3.43 0 NA 1 3.50

COUN 688 0 NA 0 NA 0 NA 0 NA

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Dispositions – Professional Characteristic Feedback AY 2018-19

Class Professional Responsibility Professional Competency Professional Maturity Professional Integrity

# Mean # Mean # Mean # Mean

COUN 615 18 3.94 18 NA 18 3.94 18 4.00

COUN 623 24 3.81 24 3.86 24 3.79 24 4.00

COUN 674 17 3.77 17 3.84 17 3.65 17 3.89

COUN 634 3 3.61 3 3.93 3 3.50 3 3.93

COUN 635 13 3.63 13 3.75 13 3.55 13 3.89

COUN 636 5 3.57 5 3.75 5 3.63 5 3.76

COUN 686 3 3.91 3 3.75 3 3.72 3 4.00

COUN 687 1 4.00 1 3.75 1 4.00 1 4.00

COUN 688 0 NA 0 NA 0 NA 0 NA


Summary of findings:

Skills: Consistent with the prior year, student scores on their counseling skills in the practicum courses tend

to be lower than their scores in the internship courses. This finding is expected given that students are being

exposed to the skills and using them for the first time during the practicum courses. Once they are more

familiar with the skills and applications of them, their scores tend to improve.

Dispositions: The program’s Professional Characteristics Feedback Form (PCFF) is the mechanism by

which student dispositions are evaluated. Consistent with the prior year, this evaluation occurs multiple

times throughout the program and the evaluation is tied to specific courses. Some areas of the PCFF are not

applicable to every course and are not part of the overall score, which may be part of the reason students

score higher at the beginning of the program. As the student progress, more areas on the PCFF become

applicable and are scored. It is expected that student scores increase on the PCFF toward the end of the

program due to their growth and development in professional dispositions having occurred. Finally, it is

also expected that student scores will tend to meet or exceed standards on the PCFF, in general, because the

interview process for admissions assesses for those dispositions that are believed to important for a

professional counselor to possess.

Highlights of findings: There are no unexpected findings in this data. The program faculty members

expect counseling skills to be emerging and developing for most of the students in this stage of the program.

Furthermore, scores during the field practicum and internship courses show improvement overall regarding

the development of counseling skills. Finally, student scores on the PCFF are also expected given that more

areas of this evaluation tool become relevant and are assessed in the courses students take during the middle

and later stages of the program. Therefore, students will often score high at the beginning of the program,

experience a dip in their scores mid-program, and receive high scores later in the program.

10

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: Faculty and site supervisor training occurred on the program’s

tools used to evaluate the skills and disposition of students. Confusion is still apparent amongst these

individuals, and the PCFF form seems to create most of the confusion. As a means to monitor student

dispositions, an on-going agenda item has been added to the bi-weekly faculty meetings to address student

concerns. At the end of the spring semester, a full-faculty meeting is dedicated to discussing student

progress and concerns. Faculty members review the PCFF with pre-practicum and practicum students, mid-

semester and end-of-semester, in order to address growing edges in a timely manner. In addition, adjunct

faculty members are contacted mid-semester and queried about any student concerns that may have

manifested in their courses. During the fall semester, students meet with their faculty advisor to review

their scores on key performance indicators, PCFFs, and graduate study plans. Updated graduate study plans

and student progress are reported to the Counseling Program’s graduate student advisor and the UAF

Graduate School. Continued work is needed to revise tools for student counseling skill and disposition

evaluation over the pre-practicum, practicum, field practicum, and internship series.

Recommendations: Review the PCFF with faculty. Make revisions to it. Send it out to adjunct faculty,

current site supervisors, and former site supervisors for feedback. Once a revised PCFF is adopted, review

the counseling skill evaluation tools used in pre-practicum, practicum, field practicum, and internship

courses. Develop a plan for making the necessary revisions. Once fall advising sessions are completed with

each student, the faculty will review this annual process and revise it as necessary.

Objective 4 – Knowledge, Skills, Dispositions in Specialty Areas

Students will acquire knowledge, develop skills, and refine professional characteristics,

through coursework and practical experience related to their selected degree concentration:

Clinical Mental Health Counseling


Students will acquire knowledge, develop skills, and refine professional characteristics in the clinical mental

health counseling degree concentration.

Content area Class Assignment Number of students Mean score

CMH COUN 650 Multicultural

Psychopathology

Final Paper/Case Study 10 3.71

CMH COUN 651 Counseling for Addictions

Conceptualization and Treatment Paper

13 3.72

CMH COUN 666

Family and Couples Counseling

Cultural Family Assessment 12 3.79


School Counseling


Students will acquire knowledge, develop skills, and refine professional characteristics in the school

counseling degree concentration.

Content area Class Assignment Number of students Mean score

11

SCHOOL COUN 646

School Counseling

Comprehensive School Counseling

Plan 4 3.75


Summary of findings: Similar to the prior year, the mean of the students’ scores indicate they are meeting

or exceeding expectations in all specialty areas. Mean scores range between 3.71 and 3.75.

Highlights of findings: Student scores on key assignments in specialty areas indicated they are meeting or

exceeding expectations.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: New texts were adopted for COUN 651, Counseling for

Addictions. The course content was reviewed and the rubric for the key assignment was revised

accordingly. In addition, COUN 646, School Counseling, was reviewed and the associated key assignment

and rubric were updated and aligned with CACREP standards.

Recommendations: The program faculty will begin preparing the school track to move from 54 credits to

60 credits. In doing so, the addictions course will be reviewed for its suitability for the school track students

who are not required to take multicultural psychopathology, which is a pre-requisite for this course. In

addition, the faculty members will explore the development of a subsequent school counseling course that

will build on COUN 646 School Counseling.

Objective 5 - Research

Students will be consumers of research to support their learning and future professional

practice.

Evaluation of Research Project/Thesis AY 2018-19

Students will be consumers of research to support their learning and future professional practice.

Content area Class Assignment Number of

students Mean score

Ability to locate, read, understand, synthesize, and

apply research in their

academic and professional

careers.

COUN 601 Research in Counseling and

Educational Settings

Research Prospectus 5 3.2

COUN 698 Non - Thesis Research Project COUN 699 Thesis

Research Project 3 3.0


Summary of findings: The mean scores on the key assignments for COUN 601 and COUN 698 indicate

that students are meeting expectations. There were no students who completed a master’s thesis, COUN

699.

Highlights of findings: Students appear to be meeting the standard in regards to locating, reading,

understanding, synthesizing, and applying research as assessed through a COUN 601 Research course and

COUN 698 Research Project completion.

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Update on 2017-18 recommendations: Faculty discussions occurred about adding article review

assignments to specific courses to assess student growth and development in this area. In addition,

procedures were put in place to gather key assignment scores for the courses for use in the program’s data

management system, Live Text.

Recommendations: Faculty discussions regarding article review assignments being added to specific

courses need to continue. Depending on the outcome of these discussions, the rubrics associated with the

article reviews will need to be developed and added to the courses, accordingly.

Objective 6 - Employment

Program graduates will be well prepared to begin work as professional Clinical Mental

Health or School Counselors.

Employment 2018-19 Graduates Total Number of Graduates: 3

Employment CMHC Graduates Number Percent

Employed in field, in state 0 NA

Employed in field, out of state 0 NA

Employed out of field, in state 0 NA

Employed out of field, out of state 0 NA

Unknown 0 NA

Not employed, looking for work 1 100%

Employment School Graduates Number Percent


Employed in field, out of state 1 50%

Employed out of field, in state 1 50%


Unknown 0 NA

Not employed, looking for work 0 NA

Employment Dual Track -

School and CMH Graduates

Number Percent


Employed in field, out of state 0 NA

Employed out of field, in state 0 NA


13

Unknown 0 NA


Summary of findings: Similar to last year, the program had a low number of graduates AY 2018-2019.

Three students graduated, with one student graduating from the Clinical Mental Health Track and two

students graduating from the School Track. One of the graduates is currently unemployed and two of the

graduates are employed, with one graduate working in the counseling field in Alaska and one graduate

outside of the field in Alaska. It is important to consider that many of the program’s students work full-time

while completing their degrees. Upon graduation, not all graduates leave their current positions

immediately to pursue employment in the counseling field. This is particularly true for School Counseling

Track graduates who desire to remain in the urban centers of Alaska and may hold teaching positions. It

can take time for school counseling positions to open in the urban centers and some graduates will choose to

continue teaching until a position becomes available. There is a high demand for school and clinical mental

health counselors in Alaska. In fact, there is more demand than qualified people to fill the positions.

Highlights of findings: Two of the program graduates remained in Alaska. One graduate is looking for

employment and one graduate employed in Alaska but not in a counseling position. The third graduate is

employed in the field out-of-state.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: During advising sessions with students, faculty members

intentionally discuss the school, clinical mental health, and dual tracks of the program. In addition, faculty

members actively discuss Ph.D. options with interested students.

Recommendations: As previously mentioned in this report, the faculty members have made programmatic

changes which they believe will increase graduation rates. Advising sessions will continue to promote the

development of accurate graduate study plans that are tailored to the specific needs of each student. During

these advising sessions, program options and continued graduate-level work beyond the counseling program

will be discussed with students as appropriate.

Key Performance Indicators

Key Performance Indicators utilize a sampling of the collected student assessment to show

how CACREP core and specialty standards are met.

Core Area: Professional orientation and ethical practice

KPI: 2.f.1.b the multiple professional roles and functions of counselors across specialty areas and their relationships with human

service and integrated behavioral health care systems, including interagency and inter-organizational collaboration and consultation

# of students Mean score or

Pass rate

Assessment 1 COUN 615: Personal Motivations and Aspirations Paper 18 3.82

Assessment 2 Professional Characteristics Feedback Form (PCFF) (disposition)

PCFF’s are completed in several classes, students may be evaluated

more than one time during the academic year.

# of PCFF’s

completed

98

3.89

Assessment 3 Standardized Comprehensive Exam 1 100%

14

pass rate


Core Area: Social and Cultural Diversity

KPI: 2.f.2.c multicultural counseling competencies


Pass rate

Assessment 1 COUN 660 Personal Perspectives Paper 22 4.0

Assessment 2 COUN 647 Final Ethics Paper 28 3.86




# of PCFF’s

completed

93

3.94

Assessment 4 Site Supervisor’s Evaluation in Internship (skill)

The site supervisor’s evaluation is completed in all field practicum and

internships; students may be evaluated more than one time during the

academic year.

# of evaluations

completed

22

3.86


pass rate


Core Area: Human Growth and Development

KPI: 2.f.3.a theories of individual and family development across the lifespan


Pass rate

Assessment 1 COUN 666 Cultural Family Assessment Paper 12 3.75

Assessment 2 COUN 628 Personal Development Paper 17 3.82

Assessment 3 COUN 638 Case Study Final Paper 9 3.84


pass rate


Core Area: Career Development

KPI: 2.f.4.d approaches for assessing the conditions of the work environment on clients' life experiences

KPI: 2.f.4.f strategies for career development program planning, organization, implementation, administration, and evaluation

Mean score or

Pass rate

# of students 2.f.4.d 2.f.4.f

Assessment 1 COUN 632 Final Paper on Career Development Theory 15 3.77 3.8

15

Assessment 2 COUN 638 Case Study Final Paper 9 3.86 NA

Assessment 3 COUN 646 Comprehensive School Counseling Program 4 NA 3.75


pass rate 100%

pass rate


Core Area: Helping Relationships

KPI: 2.f.5.a theories and models of counseling


Pass rate

Assessment 1 COUN 623 Theoretical Orientation Paper 24 3.67

Assessment 2 COUN 666 Cultural Family Assessment Paper 12 3.83

Assessment 4 Site Supervisor’s Evaluation in Internship (skill) 22 3.28


pass rate


Core Area: Group Work

KPI: 2.f.6.b dynamics associated with group process and development


Pass rate

Assessment 1 COUN 674 Group Paper 17 3.40


pass rate


Core Area: Assessment and Testing

KPI: 2.f.7.m ethical and culturally relevant strategies for selecting, administering, and interpreting assessment and test results


Pass rate

Assessment 1 COUN 630 Measurement Paper 16 3.55

Assessment 2 COUN 647 Final Ethics Paper 28 3.86

Assessment 3 COUN 632 Final Paper on Career Development Theory 15 3.73


pass rate


16

Core Area: Research and Program Evaluation

KPI: 2.f.8.a the importance of research in advancing the counseling profession, including how to critique research to inform

counseling practice


Pass rate

Assessment 1 COUN 601 Student Research Prospectus 5 3.2

Assessment 2 COUN 698/699 Literature Review as part of final project/thesis 3 3.0



pass rate


Core Area: Clinical Mental Health Counseling Specialty

KPI: CMHC 5.C.2.j cultural factors relevant to clinical mental health counseling

# of students Mean score

Assessment 1 COUN 623 Theoretical Orientation Paper 24 3.62

Assessment 2 COUN 647 Professional Ethics Paper 28 3.86





# of PCFF’s

completed

80

3.88

Assessment 5 Site Supervisor’s Evaluation in Internship (skill)

The site supervisor’s evaluation is completed in all internships; students

may be evaluated more than one time during the academic year.

# of evaluations

completed

23

3.19


Core Area: School Counseling Specialty

KPI: SC 5.G.1.e assessments specific to P-12 education

# of students Mean score

Assessment 1 COUN 646 Comprehensive Counseling Program 4 3.75

Assessment 2 COUN 632 Final Paper on Career Development Theory 9 3.61

Assessment 3 COUN 630 Measurement Paper 16 3.60


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Summary of findings: Similar to findings from last year, mean scores on key performance indicates were

used to show how CACREP core and specialty standards were met. According to this data, students are

meeting or exceeding expectations based on the associated key performance indicators.

Highlights of findings: Overall, student mean scores indicate the program’s students are performing well.

Lowest scores occurred on key performance indicators associated with counseling skills in the core area of

the Clinical Mental Health Specialty and the literature review and student prospectus associated with the

core area of Research and Program Evaluation. These areas were followed by Group Counseling and

Assessment and Testing. High scores appear to be associated with the students’ professional characteristics

in the core areas of Professional Orientation and Ethical Practice, Social and Cultural Diversity, and Clinical

Mental Health Specialty.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: CACREP Standard 2.f.5.a was added to the student evaluation

form which is completed by the site supervisor. Results from this addition are included in the data used in

the core area of Helping Relationships. This standard was not added to COUN 651, Addictions. Further

faculty discussion is necessary to decide whether to add this standard to the course. The program head and

graduate student advisor have developed a systematic plan for reviewing key performance indicators

associated with each course. Recommendations will be made to faculty for approval of suggested revisions.

A report has been developed for use with the program's data management system, LiveText. This report

shows where each standard is covered across the curriculum. The results of this report are being cross-

referenced with a matrix that was developed to show where each standard is being addressed in various

courses. Once this process is completed, course syllabi will be modified so that the standards attached to

key performance indicators are unchangeable by course instructors.

The program’s graduate student advisor has been and will continue to be add assignment descriptions and

course rubrics to every course in LiveText to ensure the proper assignments and rubrics (with the correct

standards attached) are being used for student evaluation.

A faculty member has taken the lead in coordinating the comprehensive exam. This faculty member holds

an information meeting each semester and disseminates information about the comprehensive exam and

associated study materials.

Recommendations: Continue reviewing the key performance indicators, CACERP standards, and

assignments associated with each course to ensure accuracy. Make recommendations to faculty based on

this review. Revise course syllabi, key assignments, and rubrics as approved by the faculty members.

Research in Counseling and Educational Settings, COUN 601, will be re-evaluated given that the program

no longer requires students to complete a master's project or thesis. Changes to this course along with

concerted efforts to integrate research article reviews into selected courses will be considered by the faculty.

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Survey Data

Survey of 2018-19 Graduates

Q1. Please rate the level in which the counseling program prepared you in the following core content area

Not at all Somewhat well Adequately well Well Extremely Well Total

Weighted Average

Professional Counseling Orientation and Ethical Practice

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

Social and Cultural Diversity 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 3.5

Human Growth and Development 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Career Development 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Counseling and Helping Relationships

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

Group Counseling and Group Work 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Assessment and Testing 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 0.00% 0 2 4

Research in the Counseling Field 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 2 3.5

Program Evaluation 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 2 3

Q1 COMMENTS Overall I found courses offered by faculty to be more rigorous and more valuable than courses offered by adjunct professors. Particularly, I felt like I missed some depth and opportunities for earlier learning in the theories of counseling course compared to the experiences discussed by classmates who experienced the class with a (full-time faculty member)

Q2. Please rate the following for your experience in the Practicum and Internship experience

Disagree Somewhat Disagree Neutral

Somewhat Agree Agree Total

Weighted Average

Practicum matched well with coursework in the program 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

Practicum matched well with my career goals 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Practicum prepared me to enter my field experience 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

The field placement matched well with coursework in program 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 4

The field placement matched well with my career goals 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 4

Internship prepared me to enter the field after graduation 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

The quality of supervision at field placements was excellent 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 3

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The class sizes in Practicum/Internship were conducive to learning 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

The practicum/internship manual thoroughly explained my responsibilities 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

Q2 COMMENTS I had a terrible internship experience. My site (name removed) did not allow me to work solo with clients, my supervisor did not take my internship seriously, and most of my coworkers at the site were unprofessional. I felt the practicum was incredibly helpful in broadening my understanding and skill set, even if the clinical setting differs from the school counseling setting.

Q3. Please rate the following for general course questions



Weighted Average

The class sizes in content courses are conducive to learning 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

Courses are academically challenging 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Workload across the program courses is appropriate 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 3.5

In general, grading was fair 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 4

In general, course syllabi adequately describe the grading criteria

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

In general, course syllabi adequately describe course objectives

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

In general, course syllabi adequately describe course requirements

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

In general, courses prepared me to work as a clinical mental health counselor

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

In general, courses prepared me to work as a school counselor 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Q3 COMMENTS There was no racial diversity in the faculty teaching the courses and very little (sometimes none) racial diversity among the students.

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Q4. Please rate the following on your overall experience in the program



Weighted Average

The program met my expectations 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 4

The impact of the program on my personal or family life was manageable

50.00% 1 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 2 3

There were opportunities for community networking and involvement

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 2 3.5

Courses were consistent with my employment goals 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

I had access to the educational resources that I needed (e.g., technology, library)

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Course delivery model was conducive to learning 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 2 2.5

I am satisfied overall with the class schedule throughout the program

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

I am satisfied with the overall accessibility of the faculty 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

I am satisfied with the accessibility of the graduate program advisor

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

I am satisfied with the faculty mentoring process 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

I am satisfied with the faculty advising process 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 100.00% 2 2 5

The Counseling Student Handbook was useful as I moved through the program

0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 0.00% 0 2 3.5

Faculty encouraged me to seek out professional endeavors 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 50.00% 1 50.00% 1 2 4.5

Q4 COMMENTS Overall, this program was flexible to and supportive as I navigated personal situations and changes, I appreciated their flexibility and support.

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Q5. Overall, I was satisfied with the program.

Responses

Yes 50.00% 1

No 50.00% 1

Q5 Explain your answer Frequent problems with technology during class that delayed teaching. Internship was impossible to complete while working a job elsewhere. More credits were required for community track then school track, even though we obtained the same degree. More classes equated to more money spent. Very lonely and trying experience to finish this degree as there were no professors and very few students I could relate to on a racial level (I am a person of color), the internship forced me to quit my paying job and I now have a ton of student debt (mostly from my time interning). The regular courses were great, it was the internship and final research paper that ruined the program for me. Internship required too much time and the research project paper was extremely long and frankly, a waste of time. The paper did not enhance my ability to be a better counselor. I feel I gained a tremendous knowledge of counseling both in clinical and school settings, a firm grasp and practice with scholarly writing and writing clinical notes.

Q6. I would recommend this program to other students.

Responses

Yes 50.00% 1

No 50.00% 1

Q6 Explain your answer I would only recommend it if the internship hours were shortened and the research project paper was eliminated. And I have! I do explain that the this is a big Masters and may require more time commitment than a typical M.Ed. degree in curriculum and design or instructional techniques.

Summary of findings: Overall, the graduates' evaluations offer positive feedback. However, constructive

feedback offered in the qualitative responses is of particular importance given the mission of the program.

Specifically, the program's partnerships with internship sites is an area of continued growth along with the

program faculty's ability to support students who identify as being from diverse backgrounds. Research and

program evaluation continue to be rated lower than in many other areas.

Highlights of findings: The graduates noted positive aspects of the program along with growth edges.

Specifically, it appears that one graduate found the program's flexibility to be of great importance. Areas of

growth for the program include bolstering program support for students struggling in internship and

ensuring that site supervisors have the resources to dedicate to an intern. Importantly and previously noted,

the program faculty members are committed to reviewing the program, its internal processes, and

curriculum for barriers that create unnecessary hardships for the students while maintaining a rigorous

training environment.

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Update on 2017-18 recommendations: Program faculty and staff routinely communicate with students

about the CACREP accreditation process and the program's on-going need to collect data from current

students and graduates. Continued work is necessary for the area of assessment and testing. The syllabus

for the appraisal course was reviewed and consideration is being given to incorporating this knowledge base

and skillset into field practicum and internship. Research in Counseling and Educational Settings, (COUN

601) needs to be revised now that a masters’ project/thesis is no longer required. The graduates who

provided feedback did not take their research course through the counseling program. The program’s

faculty continue to work on integrating learning opportunities related to research in designated courses

throughout the curriculum in addition to the program’s research and program evaluation course.

Recommendations: The program faculty members will review the program, its internal processes, and

curriculum for barriers that create unnecessary hardships for students, with consideration given to the

specific needs for students from ethnically diverse backgrounds. Program faculty will continue to

communicate the increased time commitment required for students entering the practicum and fieldwork

portions of the program and its internship series. Student advising will focus on this aspect of the training

so that students can develop plans to meet these requirements. Faculty will continue to monitor assessment

and testing, research, and program evaluation and identify ways that learning opportunities in these areas

can be bolstered in the curriculum, field practicum, and internship courses.

Survey of 2018-19 Site Supervisors

Q1. Practicum/Internship Level (s) of student at your site. Answer Choices Responses

Field Practicum 66.67% 6

Internship I 33.33% 3

Internship II 22.22% 2

Internship III 0.00% 0

Internship IV 0.00% 0

Not sure 11.11% 1

Answered 9

Q3. Did you receive a copy of the Practicum/Internship Manual?

Answer Choices Responses

YES 100.00% 9

NO 0.00% 0

Answered 9

Q4. If yes, was the manual helpful? Answer Choices Responses

YES 100.00% 9

NO 0.00% 0

I did not receive a manual 0.00% 0

Comments 0

Answered 9

Q5. Did you attend a practicum/internship orientation prior to the start of the UAF academic semester?


YES 22.22% 2

NO 22.22% 2

I participated in an individual orientation with the internship coordinator. 44.44% 4

I watched a recorded orientation. 11.11% 1

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Answered 9

Q6. Did you have an initial meeting with your practicum/internship student and the UAF supervisor?


YES 88.89% 8

NO 11.11% 1

Answered 9

Q7. If yes, did this occur within the first two weeks of the UAF academic semester?


YES 88.89% 8

NO 11.11% 1

I did not have an initial meeting with the student and UAF supervisor. 0.00% 0

Answered 9

Q8. If the meeting occurred, did you discuss mutual expectations and responsibilities?


YES 100.00% 9

NO 0.00% 0

I did not have an initial meeting with the student and UAF supervisor. 0.00% 0

Answered 9

Q9. How often did you have contact by phone, by email, or in person with the UAF supervising faculty? weekly 0.00% 0

every two weeks 0.00% 0

once a month 11.11% 1

twice during the semester 66.67% 6

once during the semester 0.00% 0

other (please specify) 22.22% 2

Answered 9 Comments Contact with the UAF supervising faculty occurred as needed. Faculty was very available to address concerns that arose during practicum. About 4 times

Q10. Would you have preferred more contact from the UAF supervisor? YES 11.11% 1

NO 88.89% 8

Please explain. 5

Answered 9

Explain (The Internship Instructor) was helpful and thorough. He provided contact information and an invitation to contact him anytime as needed. The intern was highly responsible and no additional contact was needed other than to establish the plan and review the outcomes. Contact was sufficient

24

Faculty was available as needed and was very helpful. The support level was perfect, with web-based additional supports available. (The Internship Instructor) serves as an excellent source of support and inspires me to be the best supervisor I can be too! Thank you. I felt like there should have more time spent.

Q11. Would you have preferred less contact from the UAF supervisor? YES 0.00% 0

NO 100.00% 9

Please explain 4

Answered 9

Explain Contact was sufficient I feel like it was the appropriate amount of time. Faculty was available as needed.

Q12. Are you interested in attending training sessions, workshops, or summer classes for site supervisors sponsored by the Counseling Program? Yes, if re-certification credit is offered 55.56% 5

Yes, unconditionally 11.11% 1

No 33.33% 3

Answered 9

Comments My schedule varies so I do not have specific days or times. I can adjust my schedule as needed. I would be interested in exploring competency based supervision and reflective supervision and how to use both models. I might be interested in summer training depending on the dates/times and credits available. Thank you! Fall 2019

Q13. What other support could the UAF Counseling Program offer to you as a site supervisor?

I believe it is important for UAF to re-evaluate its practice of not providing any compensation for this position. If what you hope for is quality supervision, it is important to treat those stepping into the role as professionals. I took the job seriously and spent a lot of time mentoring and providing additional resources for my intern. I was happy to do so and the lack of a stipend did not influence my decision to support this particular intern. However, I was surprised to learn that supervising graduate students is now an uncompensated, volunteer position. I had a great student to work with, so no additional support was needed. At this point I do not have specifics. The student that is placed with (placement) is struggling and faculty was very available to help devise methods to address the struggles. Nothing at this time. How about an opportunity to meet other UAF Counseling Program supervisors as a group? Eg., an end of the year celebratory team meeting etc. spot on.

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Q14. Do you have suggestions regarding the practicum/internship process to make it more helpful to you and/or the student?

It would be helpful to ensure that students have a good understanding of the difference between classes and practicum/internship. One of the struggles our student has is understanding that she needs to treat practicum/internship as a job rather than a class and take ownership and responsibility for her growth rather than sitting back and waiting to be told what to do. This has been an excellent experience for myself, the clinic and our clients. I believe it has also been an excellent training field practicum experience for our UAF student. spot on. I was given no time to visit the person I was mentoring. Watching a video and hearing her accounts I felt like she could have used a lot more support if I could have visited her site 2 times during her semester.

Q15. Additional comments or requests? I had an intern from another university and the difference was "chalk and cheese." UAF was organized, detailed, supportive, and ensured high expectations. I'm impressed with UAF! Working with NAME was a pleasure! It is great to know that such excellent individuals are choosing to pursue school counseling. Not at this time. As a site supervisor, I feel fortunate to have gone through the program myself and have some familiarity with the expectations as well as the experience and belief that if I do have questions or concerns, staff will respond promptly.

Thank you so much! We look forward to working with additional UAF students in the year(s) ahead! Student doing practicum or Internship should have a good mentor on site. As far as I know the UAF Supervisor never visited either. I was willing to go but her supervisor always said it was a bad time.

Summary of findings: Overall, it appears site supervisors were pleased with the university’s level of

interaction with them and their intern. It was noted that faculty and staff were available and supportive. It

appears that the site supervisors were given the internship manual and found it to be helpful. In addition, the

internship orientation was completed in a variety of ways such as by watching a video, attending an

orientation meeting, and/or during the initial site visit. The vast majority of initial site visits occurred during

the first two weeks of the semester. The qualitative responses indicate some discontent with students placed

at internship sites where the site supervisor is off-site. The responses state that students need a

supervisor/mentor on site. In addition, discontent was noted about having no way to visit the

supervisee/mentee at the student's site. Other comments suggest that interns need to be confident enough to

take initiative at their field placement sites. One respondent expressed an expectation that the university

consider paying site supervisors. Finally, there was feedback indicating an interest in meeting with other

site supervisors and participating in training opportunities.

Highlights of findings: Feedback from site supervisors is generally positive and indicate that they received

the necessary information to supervise their intern in a timely manner.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: Student evaluation forms completed by the site supervisors were

reviewed. Additional work is needed in this area including a full review of the PCFF. Faculty members

discussed providing continuing education training or professional development opportunities for counseling

professionals in Alaska. Plans are underway to offer school counselor in-service training opportunities for

specific school districts. The faculty members are weighing other options as well but must consider time

and resource availability. Faculty members continue to foster positive relationships with past and present site supervisors. These relationships are a priority for program faculty to maintain given the important role

the program plays in the state’s workforce development plans for education and behavioral health.

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Recommendations: Faculty will review the practice of placing students at sites without the primary

supervisor being on-site, thus relying on telehealth for supervision and case consultation. In addition,

faculty will continue developing plans to offer continuing education or professional development courses

for professional counselors in Alaska. Opportunities for connecting site supervisors with one another will be

explored.

Employer Survey of Graduates from AY 2016-17, 2017-18

Q1. Please rate how well prepared the UAF counseling program graduate, employed at your school or agency, is in the following content areas and professional skills. If you have not had the opportunity to observe this employee on a particular item, please select N/A

Not well prepared

Somewhat well

prepared Prepared Well

prepared Very well prepared N/A Total

Weighted Average

Understanding counselor professional identity 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 20.00% 1 60.00% 3 0.00% 0 5 4.4

Ethical Practice 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 80.00% 4 0.00% 0 5 4.8

Social and Cultural Diversity 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 40.00% 2 40.00% 2 20.00% 1 5 4.5

Human Growth and Development 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 20.00% 1 20.00% 1 40.00% 2 5 4

Career Development 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 40.00% 2 40.00% 2 5 4.67

Counseling and Helping Relationships 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 40.00% 2 60.00% 3 0.00% 0 5 4.6

Group Counseling and Group Work 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 20.00% 1 60.00% 3 0.00% 0 5 4.4

Assessment and Testing 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 20.00% 1 40.00% 2 20.00% 1 5 4.25

Research in the Counseling Field 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 20.00% 1 60.00% 3 5 4.5

Program Evaluation 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 60.00% 3 20.00% 1 5 4.75

Record keeping 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 40.00% 2 40.00% 2 0.00% 0 5 4.2

Collaboration with other service providers 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 40.00% 2 60.00% 3 0.00% 0 5 4.6

Performing the functions of a clinical mental health counselor 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 20.00% 1 20.00% 1 40.00% 2 20.00% 1 5 4.25

Performing the functions of a school counselor 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 0.00% 0 40.00% 2 40.00% 2 20.00% 1 5 4.5

Q2. Would you hire a graduate from the UAF Counseling program again?


Yes, absolutely 60.00% 3

No, definitely not 0.00% 0

Maybe, depends on the applicant 40.00% 2

Explain your answer 1

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Q2 Comments

We have enjoyed a largely successful recruitment history with UAF graduates. They have the foundation to be good counselors. Our staff train them in substance abuse counseling along with the assessment and reporting skills that accompany this specialized outpatient treatment.

Q3. Please provide any additional comments that you feel will help the UAF Counseling program prepare professional school and clinical mental health counselors.

We find it very useful if the graduate has some practical field experience via internships.

Our school counselor from UAF has done a fine job so far this year in her second year. I think the biggest challenge has been helping this individual find balance in what she's doing. Understanding the developmental stages of students is critical and learning when they begin to take advantage of your "service" is important to understand.

In our district, the reality for secondary counselors (7-12th grade) the vast majority of their work is academically focused. While the social-emotional focus of counselors is valuable and important, at the secondary level, counselors are 'academic' counselors. Therefore, coming into our schools, as both interns and employees, they need to understand transcripts, credits, scope and sequence of curriculum, how courses are classified, Alaska Performance Scholarship, NCAA guidelines, Special Education law and how IEP accommodations are a part of ACT, SAT, state testing, etc. These are critical for secondary counselors and very few, if any, are prepared for these types of topics and tasks they are required to know and understand.

Summary of findings: Responses from employers indicate that they found our graduates to be less well-

prepared in human development and record-keeping as these categories received the lowest scores. Even

with those two categories being scored lowest, the mean score indicates they were perceived as well-

prepared. It appears that employers would like the program's graduates to have a clear understanding of how

a client/student's development stage influences how and if they can use the services provided. In addition,

an employer noted the important knowledge and skills necessary for high school counselors to possess when

employed in this setting. Finally, one employer noted the importance of the graduate having practical

experience by way of internships.

Highlights of findings: Feedback from employers indicate that the majority (60%) would hire a UAF

Counseling Program graduate. The other 40% of respondents indicated they would but it would depend on

the applicant.

Update on 2017-18 recommendations: Employer data was not available at the time faculty members were

reviewing annual data and developing recommendations. Once the employer feedback was received, the

annual report was modified to include this data and it was uploaded onto the program’s website.

Consequently, this is the first year the program faculty will have an opportunity to make recommendations

based on employer feedback. Those recommendations are offered below and were developed using

employer feedback about AY 2016-17 & 2017-2018 graduates.

Recommendations: The faculty will review the field practicum/internship courses to ensure that interns

are being prepared to provide services in a developmentally appropriate manner. Furthermore, the program

faculty will review the abovementioned courses and their associated training checklists to ensure that interns

pursuing 6-12 school counseling certification being familiarized with special duties, responsibilities, and

academic counseling knowledge bases required of a high school counselor.

cacrep vital statistics and program evaluation report ay 2018-19 · 2020-02-06 · the academic...

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