Student Achievement Assessment Committee

Learning Outcomes:

With five functional areas within the Office of Campus Involvement, we have varied Service and Learning outcomes. Sample forms and reports have been included. Our Office learning outcomes fall broadly into the following categories:

BGSU graduates are critical and constructive thinkers, as shown by proficiency in inquiry, creative problem solving and examining values in decision making:

• Become familiar with University budgeting processes and procedures and actively display financial acumen
• Critically analyze and synthesize available information to creatively problem solve
• Program to meet student needs balanced with individual, organizational, and institutional values

BGSU graduates communicatively effectively, as shown by proficiency in writing and in making presentation:

• Show proficiency in communicating effectively in a variety of formats (i.e. annual reports, program proposals and evaluations, agent/agency relations and presentations).

BGSU graduates engage others trough effective social interaction, as shown by proficiency in participating and leading:

• Discover and refine your personal leadership philosophy
• Understand group dynamics within organizations and the leaders role in empowering people in the organization
• Become actively engaged in campus or community activities

Annual Report

1. Learning (or Service) Outcomes assessed this year:

For the 2003-04 academic year all five functional areas of Campus Involvement-- Leadership, Student Organizations, Major Events, Community Service and Advising of UAO, BGSUrve, Dance Marathon, Homecoming Student Steering Committee and Student Budget Committee collectively measured all of the aforementioned learning outcomes using a variety of measure methods and procedures.

2. Assessment Methods and Procedures:

3. Inferences from Assessments:

Measures conducted were both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Scores on exams and tests, post-event debriefing and discussion, post-event reflections and evaluations, satisfaction surveys, and survey instruments indicate that many students are achieving the stated learning outcomes. Also, qualitative remarks self-reported by students indicate that many are achieving the learning outcomes stated for the various activities. In order to get a true indication of the learning that is taking place, each program and activity would have to be considered individually as the students participants fluctuate depending upon the activity or event.

Community Service
Community Service programs was in a year of transition as we moved from a full-time masters level Coordinator who had been with the University for four years to a Program Coordinator who is an AmeriCorps*VISTA charged with creating sustainable projects during her one year of service. Satisfaction/process evaluations were conducted for each Community Service event to gauge student satisfaction, interest and any learning that took place. Pre-service readings, during service and post-service reflections were also used to enhance student learning and ascertain satisfaction. Similarly a program evaluation document was utilized with BGSUrve student coordinators to gauge their learning in the areas of event planning and social action issues.

Leadership
Leadership programs utilized a variety of instruments to determine the needs of student leaders, to measure student learning and to assess student satisfaction. The results of the Student Leader Survey indicate that most students believe they are much further along in their development and leadership abilities than the average member of their group. However, advisor feedback indicates that most members with the exception of a few highly advanced leaders are at about the same leadership level. In addition to the typical quantitative LeaderShape survey which measures students perceived learning, select students and staff were asked to complete qualitative surveys regarding the 2004 LeaderShape Institute. Students and staff clearly articulated the learning that had occurred as a result of the six-day intensive institute lending credence to the information provided in the quantitative instrument. The survey instruments used in conjunction with the Student Leaders Retreat and Leadership Academy primarily measured satisfaction, but also touched upon learning. Students felt both events achieve the goals of relationship building with students and key administrators, enhancing knowledge of self, understanding group dynamics and building team cohesiveness.

Major Events
Major Events used the 2003-04 academic year to appraise existing events and gather information for future event planning. Three examples of events that were assessed this year include Homecoming, Dance Marathon, and Sibs N Kids Weekend. During the Spring of 2004, the Homecoming Student Steering Committee designed, distributed, and examined the results of a student satisfaction survey. Also, the Coordinator of Major Events worked closely with members of the Dance Marathon Student Steering Committee on evaluating their developmental progress in planning an event of this magnitude. To do this, a pre-test / post-test method was used. Finally, with the assistance of a CSP practicum student, the Coordinator of Major Events conducted an assessment of Sibs N Kids Weekend. Evaluation forms were distributed at various events throughout the event.

Student Organizations
A variety of assessment tools were used with regard to Student Organization Services. Examples of assessments utilized include the SWOT analyses for Organizational Consultation, the Get Involved Survey, Standards of Excellence for Financial Management, the Treasurer’s Exam, feedback evaluations for the Student Organization Workshop series and the Advisor survey. The instruments used by Student Organization services instrument serve a variety of functions. Instruments such as the SWOT analysis, Standards of Excellence and Treasurer’s Exams were developed to help students learn more about their organizations and the University’s financial processes. Feedback evaluations and surveys are designed to learn more about our student groups and the populations that we serve so that Campus Involvement can approve our service and internal processes.

UAO
During the 2003-04 academic year, several forms of assessment were conducted in regards to the effectiveness and efficiency of UAO. Examples of assessments carried out include performance evaluations of professional staff members and graduate assistants, post-event evaluations that examined facilities usage, cost of event, and demographic information on event attendees. At the conclusion of the spring semester, UAO created and distributed approximately 3,000 concert survey forms. These were mailed to on-campus residences, distributed at various campus-dining facilities, and available at several campus offices. Just under 1,000 completed surveys shed light possible artist for future UAO events and will be used to guide future decisions on types of artists to host on campus.


4. Actions Taken/Program Improvements:

Community Service
In the past, BGSUrve was the primary group responsible for Community Service Program. Feedback from students indicated that this responsibility is too great for a group that is developmentally young, lacking in leadership experience and possessing only basic knowledge of BGSU, Wood County and Northwest Ohio. The Community Service Program was recently revamped in order to eliminate the level of responsibility that BGSUrve students have for community service programming.

Student Organizations
Student organization feedback has indicated that students feel bogged down in the minutia of conducting organization business both on and off campus. Student Organization processes and procedures have been simplified significantly. All forms and resources are now available on line. A Student Organization handbook and Advisor Resource Guide have been created so that students and advisors have various processes and procedures at their finger tips.

Leadership
A group of student leaders were convened to give feedback and suggestions for fall Student Leaders retreat. This group of leaders ultimately set the learning outcomes and agenda for the next Student Leaders Retreat. Feedback from the 2004 LeaderShape Institute indicated that they would like to have tools to enhance their communication regarding vision development and implementation. A Blackboard account was recently developed for this purpose. Students can now log on to participate in vision discussions, download pictures and documents, and make announcements without cluttering their e-mail and voicemail. A student planning group is also being formed to plan future LeaderShape reunions/retreats and the Vision Showcase. This group will also recruit and select next year’s LeaderShape class.

Major Events
This Homecoming survey, collected from approximately 1,000 students exposed several possible events the student community would like to see as part of future Homecoming celebrations. All of the students who took the Dance Marathon pre- and post-test showed growth in a variety of areas and expressed a stronger desire to participate in additional charity events. The questions on the form gathered information on customer satisfaction with the weekend’s festivities and also compiled demographic information to better help Major Events plan age-appropriate activities in the future. After the surveys were collected, frequency analysis were conducted on all questions and results are already being used in the planning for Sibs N Kids Weekend 2005.