Transcript The Futility of Assessment in Student Affairs

The Futility of Assessment in
Student Affairs
Larry Moneta, Ed.D
Vice President for Student Affairs
Duke University
Student Affairs
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Community development
Student self governance
Development of ethics and integrity
Career direction and purpose
Civic engagement and allocentrism
Management of emotions and impulses
Wellness and health promotion
How can we determine the
added value of any single
aspect or aggregation of
these objectives?
Assessing Quality in Higher Education
by Douglas C. Bennett
Liberal Education, Spring 2001, V.87, No. 2
• Value has many dimensions - measurements
of value added must therefore attend to a
number of different dimensions of value
• Institutions are different - Vary missions
• Effects unfold - Some consequences of a
college education may take years to express
themselves
• Complexity and cost
Other Options for Assessment
• Reputation (U.S. News and World
Report Rankings)
• Expert Assessment (Templeton and
Fiske Guides)
• Self Reports (Peterson’s Guides)
• Processes and Participation (NSSE)
What does it mean to
be a liberally educated
person?
"Only Connect.. . : The Goals of a Liberal
Education:, The American Scholar (Autumn 1998, p. 73-80
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They listen and they hear
They read and they understand
They can talk with anyone
They can write clearly and persuasively
and movingly
• They can solve a wide variety of
puzzles and problems
"Only Connect.. . : The Goals of a Liberal
Education:, The American Scholar (Autumn 1998, p. 73-80
• They respect rigor not so much for its own
sake but as a way of seeking truth
• They practice humility, tolrance and self
criticism
• They understand how to get things done in
the world
• They nurture and empower the people
around them
• They follow E.M. Forster’s injunction from
Howard’s End: “Only Connect..”
So, How do we isolate
Student Affairs and cocurricular value added?
For example, can we:
• Measure contribution to an ability to
nurture and empower people around
them through residence hall community
living?
For example, can we:
• Measure students capacity to talk with
anyone through our diversity and
intercultural initiatives?
For example, can we:
• Measure how students learn to get
things done in the world through their
various leadership opportunities?
Furthermore:
• How do we isolate a purposefullness
value-added of career services as
distinct from academic advising and
personal counseling?
Furthermore:
• How do we isolate the thical and moral
value-added of judicial and disciplinary
efforts from the influences of family,
faculty and friends?
Furthermore:
• How do we isolate the emotional valueadded of gender and sexual orientation
programs from the intimate
experiences, substance
experimentation and biological
processes inherent with the collegiate
experience?
So, what are we to do?
Opportunities
• Standardized Instruments (NSSE, CIRP,
COFHE)
• Develop a culture of evidence
• Clarify goals and objectives
• Dashboard Indicators
University of Minnesota
Student Development OutcomesThe successful University of Minnesota student engages in activities which develop and
demonstrate achievement in several areas.
Responsibility and Accountability･Makes appropriate decisions regarding his/her own behavior･Recognizes and accepts
consequences of actions･Meets agreed upon expectations･Follows through on commitments･Willing to accept responsibility
for personal errors･Takes responsibility for his/her own learning
Independence and Interdependence･Appropriately determines when to act alone and when to work or consult with others
･Demonstrates ability to initiate action and effectively engage others to enhance outcomes･Works with minimum supervision
whether it be alone or within a group･Adapts behavior as appropriate in response to team or organization needs
Goal Orientation･Manages energy and behavior to accomplish specific outcomes･Possesses and maintains sufficient
motivation to achieve goals.･Has an understanding about how to use his/her talents and skills to contribute to the
betterment of society･Demonstrates effective planning and purposeful behavior･Does not allow distractions to prevent timely
completion of tasks･Pushes self, when needed, to accomplish goals
Self Awareness･Maintains and projects optimistic perspective･Expects the best from self and others･Accurately assesses
and articulates (when appropriate) personal strengths and weaknesses･Shows interest in learning about others and their
accomplishments･Demonstrates ability to help others adapt to new situations
Resilience･Able to recover from disappointment or bad experience and continue to work successfully･Able to learn from a
bad experience and recover･Able to work through disappointments (i.e., what caused them, what can be done to avoid
them next time, and what can be done to repair them now)
Appreciation of Differences･Works effectively with others, despite differences; can respectfully discuss differences with
others･Recognizes advantages of moving outside existing ﾒcomfort zoneﾓ･Seeks out others with different backgrounds
and/or perspectives to improve decision making･Appreciates the importance of diversity and conveys this value to others･
Understands and respects the values and beliefs of others
Tolerance of Ambiguity･Demonstrates intellectual and emotional ability to perform in complicated environments and the
absence of standard operating procedures.･Can work under conditions of uncertaintyWe encourage you to modify the list to
match the outcomes you think are most critical. The purpose of this guide is simply to provide another way to think about
what you should accomplish during your time at the University.
http://www.osa.umn.edu/outcomes/index.html
Duke University
The Division of Student Affairs of Duke University facilitates the translation of learning. We
uphold and are integral to the university mission.
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Align our programs and services to optimize Duke’s educational goals as articulated by
“Making a Difference”.
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Increase our communications and partnerships with faculty, academic departments,
interdisciplinary centers, deans and schools.
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In particular, collaborate with the academic community to provide seamless models of
advising and mentoring including academic, personal and career guidance. Take advantage of the
residences where appropriate to deliver advising and mentorship support.
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Support the alignment of the residential experiences to optimize students’ formal and informal
learning.
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The Division of Student Affairs of Duke University shapes and sustains inclusive and
supportive communities committed to each individual’s sense of belonging.
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Review the roles and functions of our identity-based efforts and the development of models of
intervention, support and engagement that reflect the evolving demographics of our campus and the
need for both inter and intra-group support and activities.
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Strengthen our partnerships with the various religious communities at Duke, their ministries as
well as with the Chapel and its interfaith efforts.
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Expand our focus on Duke’s globalization agenda by enhancing support for international
students, expanding efforts to educate US students about international issues and cultures and
creating opportunities for international and domestic students to interact.
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Ensure that no opportunities are limited by socio-economic difference.
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The Division of Student Affairs of Duke University cultivates ethical and engaged citizens dedicated to
serving one's local and global communities.
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Partner with programs that emphasize engagement with the world beyond Duke’s campus boundaries such as
Duke Engage. Collaborate with the Nicholas School and other appropriate schools and centers to promote
environmental literacy and commitment.
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Ensure that processes of accountability for student behavior are fair, consistent and expeditious. Provide
ample opportunity for student participation in these processes.
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Broaden opportunities for students to hear from and interact with people (especially alumni) representing
varied perspectives on local, regional, national and international issues. Refine parent and family programs to
provide appropriate (but not excessive) opportunities for their engagement in the lives of their children.
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Take seriously the role of student self-government, peer and paraprofessional participation and while
providing appropriate advisory functions, provide significant opportunity for student decision making. Expand and
enhance leadership (and followship) development efforts including more immersion experiences (such as the
Beaufort Retreat and Common Ground) as well as broad-based efforts to reach many students.
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The Division of Student Affairs of Duke University advances the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of
university community members.
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Enhance the overall quality of our heath promotion initiatives and partner with faculty who have expertise in
adolescent and post-adolescent development on research and activities that will. In particular, expand our
collaboration with the Duke health system with particular focus on Pediatrics, Psychiatry and Integrative Medicine
(e.g. meditation and other non-traditional forms of health care).
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Develop a new model for student health insurance that will provide adequate coverage to all students at
affordable rates.
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Substantially expand various modes of stress relief and mental health intervention with a focus on peer, paraprofessional and community support models.
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Expand and enhance our partnerships to promote the availability and consumption of more nutritious foods
and to provide effective opportunities for organized sport and exercise.
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The Division of Student Affairs of Duke University channels resources wisely to strengthen our ability to
meet emerging student needs.
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Expand and enhance staff development activities for all levels of divisional employees; Focus
competency development such that staff can do what’s asked of them; Foster an atmosphere of innovation
and creativity among all staff and reward exemplary achievements.
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Advocate and support essential facility improvements particularly for residence halls, student
community spaces (e.g. West Union, Bryan Center and East union) and the Career Center.
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Ensure effective use of technologies that enhance our services but sustain appropriate human
intervention.
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Take optimal opportunity of institutional investment vehicles to ensure proper management of
assigned resources and deploy a restructured development role to ensure stewardship of existing supporters
and the development of new prospects and donors.