Student Affairs Assessment Professionals Survey

Results and Recommendations

Ted EllingUniversity of North Carolina – Charlottetwelling@uncc.edu

Gavin HenningDartmouth Collegegavin.henning@dartmouth.edu

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Session Goals

• Share with participants the results of a recent survey regarding student affairs assessment including their demographics and the assessment methods they employ in their work

• Discuss implications and recommendations for preparing and supporting full-time student affairs assessment professionals.

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Survey Overview

• Genesis– Both ACPA & NASPA assessment groups interested

• ACPA Commission for Assessment and Evaluation• NASPA SAAER Knowledge Community

• Administration– Survey jointly developed– Multiple populations surveyed (July-Dec. 07)

• 2007 IARC participants (n = 515)• ACPA CSAO’s and Commission members (n = 1000)• NASPA Voting Delegates and SAAER KC members (n = 3000)

– Useable surveys returned (n = 376)• Rate of Return (8.3%)• Significant overlap in roles and organizations

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SA Assessment ProfessionalsWhere they are and are not

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Institutional Size

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Years of Experience

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Level of Responsibility

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Organizational Structure

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Assessment Professionals Profile

• Public 4-year institution with >15,000• Earned doctorate• 6 or more years in higher education• 3-10 years in assessment• <5 years in current position• Coordinate assessment at division level• Housed in central SA or SA assessment office

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Areas of Assessment Practice

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Assessment Practice - Comparison

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Professional Development Needs

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Professional Development Needs We Already Have the Basics

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Professional Development NeedsBasic Presentation on Conceptual Topics

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Professional Development NeedsAdvanced Topics & Forums

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Discussion

• What was most interesting/surprising?• What do these data mean for student affairs

assessment professionals?• How can these professionals be supported?– Institutionally?– From the field?

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Recommendations

• Incorporation of an assessment curriculum or development of assessment programs in graduate preparation programs

• Providing financial resources for professional development

• Develop network for assessment professionals

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Recommendations

• ACPA– ASK Standards– ASK Standards Needs Assessment– Assessment Institute at ACPA annual convention– ACPA Student Affairs Assessment Conference– Commission for Assessment and Evaluation– Published websites of assessment professionals

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Recommendations

• NASPA– Published websites of assessment professionals– Encouraged expanded sessions on most needed skills at

conferences– Developing an Assessment Framework for the

development of curriculum for various professional development opportunities

– Expanded national assessment skills research study of NASPA members May-June 2008

– Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community

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Conclusions

• There is no clear path to being an assessment professional• There are not clear support structures for assessment

professionals• Graduate prep. faculty should explore how they can help

educate students interested in assessment and evaluation• Institutional leadership needs to discover ways to support

these individuals• Individuals need to find ways to support themselves through

individual professional development (workshops, reading, etc.) and utilize resources from NASPA and ACPA

• The ASK Standards, NASPA Curriculum, and results of NASPA survey can provide direction in this professional development

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Wrap Up

• Questions, comments, final thoughts?