2006

June 21-23, 2006

@ the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel

State College, PA

Presented by CSHE in partnership with the American College Personnel Association, this three-day workshop is designed to help campus teams develop, implement, and enhance their student affairs assessment programs. Experienced researchers, faculty, scholars, and administrators will use a combination of interactive presentations, small group discussions, and exercises using the two-set CD, Assessment Planning Tool: Ten-Step Matrix in Student Affairs Assessment and Ten-Step Matrix in Student Outcomes Assessment.

This hands-on seminar is designed for you to walk away with practical tools and applications for completing assessment on campus. Nowhere else will you find the knowledge and expertise of student affairs assessment than at this Student Affairs Assessment Seminar.

For questions, contact Jacqueline Skinner,
ACPA Director of Educational Programs and Publications,
at 202-835-2272 or js@acpa.nche.edu

Assessment is a crucial part of a college’s reaccreditation process. Campus funding is connected to it, including both fiscal and human resources. More and more, Student Affairs departments are being asked to report on the effectiveness of programs and services.

The 2006 Student Affairs Assessment Seminar, sponsored by the Center for the Study of Higher Education and the American College Personnel Association will be held from June 21-23, in State College, PA. This three-day seminar designed to help campus teams develop, implement, and enhance their student affairs assessment programs, will accommodate both beginning and advanced audiences. The Seminar is staffed by experienced researchers, faculty, scholars, and administrators who deliver the contents via an interactive combination of expert presentations, small group discussion of focused topics, and hands-on exercises using a CD “Assessment Planning Tool.”

This hands-on seminar is designed for you to walk-away with practical tools and applications for completing assessment on campus.   The presenters are among the founders and leaders of assessment within student affairs.   Nowhere else will you find the knowledge and expertise of student affairs assessment than at this Student Affairs Assessment Seminar.   

A new component added to this year's seminar is a half-day pre-seminar workshop.   This workshop will cover the basic components of assessment and a special hands-on tutorial on the navigation of the CD, Assessment Planning Tool, will be provided as preparation for the Seminar.

In addition, participants will receive both CDs, in advance of the Seminar, as soon as the registration fees are paid in full. This will allow the user to become familiar with the CDs prior to the Seminar.

Assessment Planning Tool CD-ROMs

From the Assessment in Student Affairs: An Applications Manual (Schuh & Upcraft 2001), Dr. Upcraft designed the content of two interactive CD-ROM tutorials geared specifically for student affairs professionals. Each CD-ROM contains a ten-step matrix designed to facilitate the development and enhancement of student affairs assessment plans.

	The Ten-Step Matrix in Student Affairs Assessment is designed to assist users in the development of student affairs assessment studies, such as needs assessments, satisfaction studies, and others.   For more information about the Assessment Planning Tool CDs, please click here.
	The Ten-Step Matrix in Student Outcomes Assessment is designed to assist users in the development of student outcome assessment plans intended to establish relationships between students' experiences and projected outcomes, such as persistence studies, the impact of services or programs, and others. For more information about the Assessment Planning Tool CDs, please click here.

Both CDs will be provided to participants at the seminar. Participants are encouraged to bring their laptop personal computers (PC, not Macintosh) for special hands-on sessions with the CDs. The presenters will elaborate on each "step" as participants walk through the Ten-Step Matrix. Additional seminar faculty will be assigned to each group of participants for personalized attention during these sessions. To ensure the best use of time during these hands-on sessions, participants are encouraged to bring a draft of their assessment plan or assessment ideas that can be incorporated into the Ten-Step Matrix.

ASSESSMENT PLANNING TOOL CD-ROM TOPICS

• Define the problem and purpose of the assessment study
• Determine the sources of information
• Determine the best assessment method (quantitative, qualitative, mixed)
• Develop a data collection plan
• Identify instruments and the rationale for their inclusion
• Identify input or control variables and how they will be gathered
• Identify environmental variables and how they will be gathered
• Determine who should collect the data
• Record and analyze the data
• Determine study implications for policy and practice
• Report the results
  

SEMINAR FEATURES

• A comprehensive resource notebook of materials, ideas, and worksheets to help guide the creation (or revision) of your assessment plan.

• Two CD-ROMs (outlined above) provide a clear, straightforward process for building and implementing educational assessment plans. The reports generated by the CD is a simple text file which can be opened in any word processing or slide show program, then enhanced with graphs, charts, graphics, etc.


• Hands-on experience with the Ten-Step Matrix.


• Individual and small group interaction with seminar faculty.


• Concurrent sessions that will address topics such as strategies for data collection and assessment of underrepresented student populations
  
  
• Consultation with Seminar faculty to address individual institutional assessment issues.

PRE-SEMINAR WORKSHOP TOPICS

• The Basics of Assessment -- When, Why, and How
• APT CD-ROM Navigation

SEMINAR TOPICS

• Assessment Phobia - What to do about it
• Quantitative, Qualitative, and Mixed-Methods Approaches to Assessments
• Using Existing Resources and Instruments
• Strategies, Designs, and Models for Assessment
• Assessing Student Learning Outcomes
• Program Assessment for Continuous Improvements
• Using Assessment Results for Policy, Planning, and Practice

FACULTY

The Assessment Institute faculty is comprised of respected authors, researchers, and practitioners with actual experience in assessment. The following faculty members are affiliated with the Institutes:

Shaun Harper is an Assistant Professor and Research Associate at the Center for the Study of Higher Education. He recently served as the Executive Director of the Doctor of Education Program at the University of Southern California. Currently he teaches courses on race and diversity, college student affairs, and qualitative inquiry. Dr. Harper recently was awarded the 2006 Annuit Coeptis Award given by ACPA.

Ann Groves Lloyd is an Assistant Dean for Assessment and Development in the Division of Student Academic Affairs, College of Letters & Science, t the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Ann also serves as the Director of the Letters & Science and Human Ecology Career Services Office. Ann chairs the Assessment Committee for Student Academic Affairs, and has worked to establish assessment and tracking expectations for the division's 17 units.

Alice Mitchell is an Assistant Professor and Assistant Director in the School of Undergraduate Studies (SUS) at the University of Maryland-University College. Assessment is one of her chief responsibilities within SUS encompassing a wide array of undergraduate academic disciplines. Alice's previous work has included over twenty years' experience in student affairs, but also has included the association environment and state-level K-12 assessment and accountability. Alice has held several ACPA leadership positions, including founding chair of the ACPA Standing Committee on Disability. Alice is the chair of the ACPA Assessment Commission and serves on the Editorial Board of the Journal of College Student Development.

Robert D. Reason is an Assistant Professor and Research Associate at the Center for the Study of Higher Education. In addition, he is the Program Director for the College Student Affairs program at Penn State and coordinates the program curriculum for the Student Affairs Assessment Seminar. Dr. Reason has conducted numerous assessment projects as an internal and external consultant, teaches courses on assessment in student affairs, and presents on the topic.

Patrick T. Terenzini is a Distinguished Professor and Senior Scientist in the Center for the Study of Higher Education and a past president of the Association for the Study of Higher Education. Dr. Terenzini co-authored, with Ernest T. Pascarella, the award winning book, How College Affects Students, in 1991 and recently released How college affects students (Vol. 2): A third decade of research. He has over 25 years of experience in higher education as a teacher, researcher, and administrator.

SEMINAR COORDINATORS

Jacquie Skinner, ACPA Director of Educational Programs and Publications

Suzanne Bienert, Assessment Institute Administrative Director

Robert D. Reason, Assessment Institute Program Director

TEAM PLANNING

Sending a team--a college committee, a specific program team with representatives from the assessment committee, or key areas involved with assessment--will result in a greater impact when you return to your campus. The team, guided by the Assessment Seminar faculty, will create (or revise) a working assessment plan and will return home with a clearer focus and many steps ahead in the process.

If you attend as a single representative, you will take back information for dissemination and discussion on how to plan assessment on your campus and organize your team.

Whether you attend with a team or a single representative, each participant will create an assessment plan specific to their needs, that is ready to be implemented on their campus.

ABOUT THE LOCATION

With rolling mountains, picturesque landscapes, and the charm of small town USA, there is no better place to work and play then the centre region of Pennsylvania.   State College will captivate and relax you. Tree lined streets, interesting storefronts, unique specialty stores, and great restaurants of downtown State College will enhance your experience.  

Three words describe The Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel: warm, welcoming, and comfortable.   Newly renovated and expanded in 2004, The Penn Stater is now the area's largest, most flexible, and technologically sophisticated Conference Center Hotel.   With 300 guest rooms, an indoor pool and fitness center, 38 dedicated meeting rooms, a 10,000 square foot ballroom, plus dozens of extra comforts, The Penn Stater is the destination of choice for everything from a weekend getaway to an international conference.

Room rates range from $93 to $123 per night. Reservations should be made by calling The Penn Stater at 800-233-7505 or 814-863-5000. Mention ACP0620 to receive this special rate.

Interact with colleagues and enjoy your social time.

Included in your registration fee is a networking reception that will be held on Wednesday, June 21nd.    Enjoy hours devours and drinks as you meet and mingle with deans, faculty, and administrators of student affairs programs.   This casual experience will be held outdoors on the beautiful elevated terrace at The Penn Stater.

REGISTRATION

The fee covers the cost of instruction, the CD-ROM set, morning and afternoon refreshment breaks, buffet lunches on Wednesday and Thursday, plus a networking reception on the first day.  

Registration fees are:

Postmarked by May 26: $480 for ACPA members and $590 for non-members

Postmarked after May 26: $530 for ACPA members and $640 for non-members

Discount for team registrations: $10 discount per person for teams of two
Discount for team registrations: $20 discount per person for teams of three or more

Registrations can be paid by check, VISA, MasterCard or American Express. All fees must be prepaid. Purchase orders are not accepted. Refunds will be given for cancellations, received in writing at ACPA by May 27, less a $25 processing fee. After May 27, there are no refunds.  ACPA reserves the right to charge a service fee of $20 for returned checks. A processing fee of $20 per registration will be charged for credit cards declined or to change payment methods after the initial payment is processed. With prior approval, anyone registered but cannot attend may send a substitute. The Seminar may be cancelled or postponed due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the fees will be refunded; however, Penn State University and ACPA will not be responsible for other additional costs, charges or expenses, including cancellation/change charges assessed by airlines and/or travel agencies. The Pre-Seminar begins at 8:30am on June 22. The Seminar begins at 1:30pm on June 22 and ends at 12:00pm on June 24.

ACCESS

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to participate in the Seminar. If you need special accommodations, please contact ACPA at 202-835-2272.

Review of the 2005 Student Affairs Assessment Seminar "Thanks again for putting together such an amazing conference - it was one of my best professional development experiences in 15 years!" Christine Geary Director of Programming & Research Indiana University This was just one of the many positive comments made about the recent 2005 Student Affairs Assessment Seminar, sponsored by the Center for the Study of Higher Education and the American College Personnel Association. Held the week of June 20th 2005 at the Penn Stater Hotel and Conference Center, the three-day seminar attracted 90 participants from all across the U.S., Canada, and even Jamaica. Penn State Faculty Lee Upcraft, Pat Terenzini, and Bob Reason, were joined by Ann Groves-Lloyd (University of Wisconsin at Madison), Alice Mitchell (University of Maryland), and Shaun Harper (University of Southern California - soon to be at Penn State) to deliver the comprehensive curriculum. Both theory and practical application (through the interactive sessions with the Assessment Planning Tool CD-ROM, developed by CSHE) were provided. Assisting the faculty were Lisa Weaver, Alix Felix, Brenda Lutovsky, Jennifer Domagal, and Sam Museus all graduate students in the Penn State Student Affairs Program. Suzanne Bienert served as the Administrative Director and Bob Reason as the Program Director of the very successful Seminar. Dr. Jacquie Skinner, Director of Educational Programs and Publications with ACPA, was another driving force who's efforts ensured a top quality program for ACPA members and non-members alike in the student affairs field. If you missed the conference but are interested in the content, we have a few Resource Notebooks left to sell. They are packed full of assessment information for Student Affairs professionals. The fee for the Resource Notebook is $90 plus $5.00 shipping and handling. Please contact Suzanne at slw8@psu.edu if you are interested in obtaining a copy. In addition, the Assessment Planning Tool CD-ROM set is available through ACPA at: http://www.myacpa.org/pub/pub_othermedia.cfm (delete anything after .cfm if the link doesn't work) Please check the ACPA Web site for the price (the price is less for ACPA members). ASSESSMENT PLANNING TOOL The Ten-Step Matrix in Student Affairs Assessment is designed to assist users in the development of student affairs assessment studies, such as needs assessments, satisfaction studies, and others. The Ten-Step Matrix in Student Outcomes Assessment is designed to assist users in the development of student outcome assessment plans intended to establish relationships between students' experiences and projected outcomes, such as persistence studies, the impact of services or programs, and others.

Background: Assessment Institutes

For over a decade the Center for the Study of Higher Education held the National Center for Post Secondary Teaching, Learning, and Assessment (NCTLA) Assessment Institutes and assisted institutions develop, implement, and enhance their assessment plans. CSHE has changed the focus of the assessment institutes from assessment of general education programs to assessment of student affairs issues. As with the NCTLA Assessment Institutes, participants of the Student Affairs Assessment Seminar will receive a CD-ROM tutorial designed to facilitate the development and enhancement of assessment plans. The Student Affairs CD-ROM set, with two user friendly tutorials, has been designed to facilitate the development and enhancement of student affairs educational assessment plans.