Winona State University

Office of Assessment

1995 NCA Assessment Plan:
Phase Two Activities 1993-1995

 

Phase Two Activities (1993-1995) included the following:

• Development of the Quality Process Model (integrating the Mission, Long Range Plan and quality indicator base).

(Long Range Planning and Assessment Committee)

• Begin data collection on University Quality Indicators.

(Office Of Institutional Research)

• Begin department-level assessment with funding for 33 academic and non academic departments, programs and units to work on developing mission statements, goals, objectives and indicators.

During the 1993-1994 academic year, the Office of Institutional Research in collaboration with a committee of faculty research experts began identifying data bases and developing measuring instruments to collect data on the 250 quality indicators identified in the Quality Assurance and Assessment Plan. To date, data collection sources and instruments have been identified for approximately 200 of 250 university data base indicators.

In the 1994-1995 year, data collection on most of the 200 currently measurable indicators was begun across all segments of the university (faculty, staff and student). The results from this data collection effort are currently being analyzed for the purpose of establishing a baseline for the indicators in the data set.

During this same time period, the Long Range Planning and Assessment Committee continued to refine the Quality Assurance and Assessment indicators with the goals and objectives identified in the revised university mission statement and further articulated in the university's Long Range Plan. The results of this effort have produced a simplified and pared down model of the university assessment model--one that focuses on 'critical indicators.' This new model, while maintaining a system approach, is structurally simpler, better integrated, and easier to follow than the original conceptual model of the Quality Assurance and Assessment Plan. The new Quality Process Model has identified approximately 80 critical indicators of quality drawn from the 250 indicators in the Quality Assurance and Assessment Plan. It is believed that concentrating on a smaller number of critical indicators will help the university focus and refine its assessment efforts as well as aid in the dissemination and interpretation of assessment results. While the university continues to collect and analyze data on all 250 indicators in the original document, special focus and attention will be paid to the sub group of critical indicators identified by the Quality Process Model. By collecting data on the larger indicator base, the university hopes to apply various forms of statistical analyses to the data to identify that sub set of critical indicators on which the university would focus its attention and resources.

Beginning in January 1994, academic and non-academic departments, programs, and units began to develop assessment plans.

In January of 1994, Winona State University was awarded one of three "Pilot Project" grants from the Minnesota State University System. The $300,000 funding was earmarked in Winona State's proposal for two different projects. $150,000 was designated for the Office of Institutional Research for collection and analysis of the university-wide indicator base. The remaining $150,000 of the grant was to provide funding for academic and nonacademic departments, units and programs to develop their own goals, outcomes and assessment plans.

In keeping with the principle that assessment at Winona State University should be faculty-driven, money was distributed to academic and non academic units through a challenge grant program. This program allowed interested departments and units to submit a proposal for consideration. A special task force of faculty, staff and administrators was created to evaluate the 32 proposals that were submitted.

Twenty-one proposals were funded in the amount of $7000 each.

Nine months later, through money allocated to Winona State through the Minnesota State University System's Acceleration Grant program, and additional 13 departments and units were funded to begin development of goals, outcomes and assessment plans. Awards under this program ranged from $4250 to $7000.

In keeping with the assessment principle that acknowledged "there are many valid approaches to quality enhancement, including the use of both quantitative and qualitative assessment measures," no specific format for the assessment plans was required, though numerous models of plans were circulated. The faculty and staff of each academic program and support service area are identifying or creating assessment methods and instruments appropriate to their specific programs or units. A series of workshops was conducted by the Office of Institutional Research and by the Bush Grant Faculty Development team on the development of goals and assessment plans. In addition, one faculty person was given release time to assist individual departments in the development of their plans.

Currently, the following departments and units are developing assessment plans:

Library	Biology	Engineering	Chemistry
Math and Statistics	Geology	Social Work	Sociology
History	Mass Communication	Communication Studies	Psychology
Accounting	Education	Educational Leadership	Theater and Dance
Marketing	Nursing	Advising and Retention	Registrar
Audio-Visual Services	Admissions	Women's Studies	Special Education
Financial Aid	English	Criminal Justice	Music
Public Information	Business Administration	Physics	Business Education and Office Systems Administration
Counselor Education	Interdisciplinary Program