NC State University Undergraduate Assessment Symposium, 2005

1. AssessmentAssessment
andand
TechnologyTechnology
The development and relationship
of two division wide initiatives
Dr. Carrie Zelna
Director, Student Affairs Research and Assessment
carrie_zelna@ncsu.edu
Dr. Leslie Dare
Director, Distance Education and Technology Services
leslie_dare@ncsu.edu

2. Program Outline
 Description of Responsibilities
– SARA
– DETS
 Partnership
 Projects

3. Introduction
 Student Affairs Research and Assessment
 Distance Education and Technology
Services
 Only two Division wide service department
– Very visible
– Connected to every department in some way
– Represent the Division on University
Committees
– Napoleon Complex

4. Student Affairs Research and Assessment
Distance Education and Technology Services

5. Assessment In Student Affairs:
Movement from Informal to Formal
Data Collection
 Pre- ‘Assessment’ culture
 Undergraduate Affairs partnership
 Full time staff member

6. Prior to the Partnership
 Track utilization
– Arts NC State
– Campus Recreation
 Measure satisfaction
– Student Health Services
– University Dining
 Evaluate classes
– Physical Education
– ROTC
 Assess student learning
– Student Conduct

7. Partnership
 Student Affairs provided funding for a full
time position in Undergraduate Affairs
Assessment
 Undergraduate Affairs Assessment
provided consulting and other resources to
the Division

8. Student Affairs Research and
Assessment
 One full-time staff member
 Two students: data entry and other
administrative support
 Access to support staff

9. Student Affairs Research and
Assessment (SARA)
 Training-Assessment, Strategic Planning, and
Business Continuity
 Provide Resources
 Facilitation of SAAT
 Individual and Group Consultation
 Data Entry and Analysis
 Liaison-SACS, University Director of Assessment
 Omnibus survey for the Division

10. Student Affairs Assessment
Team (SAAT)
 Membership
– Direct reports
– Faculty
 Training
 Responsibilities:
– Examples
– Deadlines and Instructions
– Reviews

11. Training for the Division
 Workshops
– Basic assessment plan development
– Methods-general
– Methods-surveys, interview/focus groups
– Impact information
 Other training
– How to include assessment in the strategic planning
process
– Tracdat

12. Division Accomplishments in
Assessment
 Three versions of assessment plans
 Written feedback to each unit
 One impact report-next due in June 05
 Numerous presentations by Division staff
on unit level assessment at National
conferences

13. Distance Education &
Technology Services (DETS)

14. Before DETS
 SAITAC – Student Affairs Information
Technology Advisory Committee
– SAITEC’s original purpose (early 1990’s)
was to devise a plan to allocate computers in
the Division when that technology became
more available. Over time, the responsibility
for this function was placed back on the
individual units and SAITEC was dissolved in
the late 1990’s.

15. Creating DETS
 2001 – Distance Education Coordinator
position established through DE funding.
 2002 – “DE Coordinator” position
renamed “Director” and unit name of
“DETS” established to reflect the growing
need for technology leadership.

16. Distance Education &
Technology Services (DETS)
 Assist units in meeting the needs of
distance learners
 Provide technology resources
 Individual and group consultation
 Facilitation of DETAG
 Training-Web, Hardware, Software, DE
 Division-wide leadership and planning on
these two fronts

17. Distance Education/Technology
Advisory Group (DETAG)
 Membership
– Direct reports
– DE faculty, technology staff
 Training
– Online training through NASPA/ACPA
– Ongoing training by DETS staff
 Responsibilities
– Various projects and planning

18. Training for the Division
 Use of Technology in Student Affairs
 Division LANTechs - various
 Division Webmasters - various
 Email retention
 Instant Messaging
 PDA

19. Division Accomplishments in
Technology
 Significant web re-designs through standardized
process
 Web Accessibility – new and retrofits
 New technology staff positions created within
units
 “Teaching with Technology” Award
(Larry Brown – Physical Education)
 Funding secured for unit projects through
university grants (LITRE, IDEA)
 Technology presentations at national conferences

20. Partnerships
 Committee memberships
– SAAT
– DETAG
 LITRE
– Steering committee
– Portfolios and Distance Education
– Assessment committee
 Contribution to the Profession Award
 Future Training –LITRE/ETF
 Technology Planning

21. Partnerships Continued
 Online Surveys
– Reviewing (improves quality of surveys)
– Data analysis (improves quality of data)
– Web form creation (improves data collection)
– Web programming (ensures aspects such as
security and authentication)

22. Service Level Agreement
 Started as a checklist for online surveys
 Now serves as a contract
 Makes clear the various responsibilities
of all the parties involved in an online
survey project

23. Special Projects
 “Technology Administration in Student
Affairs” Research Project
 Articles
 Portfolio development

24. Benefits of Partnership
 Share ideas
– How to serve the Division
– Topic specific
 Peer group
 Able to represent each other at campus wide
committee meetings
 Increased visibility of Student Affairs on
campus

25. Ways to Continue to Develop
Initiatives
 Applicable to any college/division
 Encourage collaboration between these
function
• Two hats
• Two full-time
• One full-time that has both responsibilities
 Committee development will assist with the
organization of these initiatives

26. Other SA Divisions with Assessment
and/or Technology Departments
Assessment/Research
 UNC-CH
(http://www.uncc.edu/stuaffair
s/sarlinks.htm)
 UNC-G
 ECU
 Ohio State
 San Diego State
 Florida State
Technology
UNC-CH
UNC-G
UNC-W
Clemson
Penn State
UCLA
Syracuse