[PDF]

Administrative Assessment Plans 2023-2024 PDF Free Download

1 / 216
0 views•216 pages

Administrative Assessment Plans 2023-2024 PDF Free Download

Administrative Assessment Plans 2023-2024 PDF free Download. Think more deeply and widely.

SOUTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
2023-2024
Administrative Assessment Plans
Table of Contents
A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center
1
Center for Academic Success
29
Center for Integrative Learning
47
Internship Office
61
Study Abroad and International Student Services
68
Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
78
Debby Ellis Writing Center
81
Division of Student Life
91
Financial Aid
116
First-Year Enrollment
122
Transfer Enrollment
128
Information Technology
132
Institutional Research and Effectiveness
140
Marketing and Communication
149
Office of Advising and Retention
160
Title IX Office
171
University Relations
173
Committee Comments
182
Office: __A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center___
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due October 30, 2024 September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
The A. Frank Smith Jr. Library Center (“Smith Library Center”) actively supports the mission and goals of Southwestern University by providing
resources and services, strategically managing collections, cultivating highly qualified staff, and creating a dy
namic and welcoming learning
environment that encourages intellectual exploration, engagement, and freedom of inquiry.
The mission of the Smith Library Center is therefore to assist the faculty and students at Southwestern University in their a
cademic and scholarly
pursuits by acquiring and providing discovery and access to resources and research, technical, and instructional assistance a
nd support necessary
for the scholarly activities of the university. Further, in recognition of the broad scope of the u
niversity’s course of liberal arts-centered Paideia
program, the Smith Library Center seeks to provide as broad a range of resources and services as practical, focusing on the i
nterconnections
between academic disciplines to help students cultivate the qua
lities and skills which make for personal and professional effectiveness beyond
their time at Southwestern.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The Smith Library Center is comprised of four departments: Access Services, Discovery Services, Research and Instruction Services (RAIS), and the recently
renamed and rebranded Distinctive Collections (DisCo). All four departments conduct assessments, revi
ew policies, and provide support to achieve the center’s
mission. As was the case last year, all departments will be providing an assessment report.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
Due to administrative changes in the Smith Library Center, assessments for the academic year 2023-2024 continued to utilize the updates and changes from the
prior year. Therefore, no significant changes were made to assessment activities. In addition, a ma
jor renovation of the library’s historic portion, the original
Cody Library, directly impacted all services and areas of the library due to the displacement and reallocation of the collect
ions as well as the additional demands
upon the time of all members
of the center’s staff.
1
Access Services, A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center
Access Services is focused on connecting appropriate library services and resources to students, staff, and faculty in supporting the mission of Southwestern
University.
GOAL 1:
Access Services will facilitate and provide support for the use of all library resources. Access Services provides student connections and support to all employees
across the library departments.
Program Outcome 1a:
Access services will track and maintain data on interactions and work completed through the library information desk.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Access Services will collect and document the use of
library resources not always reflected in required
reporting (ACRL, IPEDS).
Increase use/circulation of physical library
materials by 5 %.
2023-24:
7291
2022-23: 6323
Was the target met?
Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
These numbers include circulation of all physical materials, including technology items.
Program Outcome 1b:
Access Services will track and maintain data on interactions and work completed through the library information desk.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal
Data:
Access Services collects and keeps records of circulation statistics to track
material usage for required reporting.
This information is included in the assessment
method above.
2023-24:NA
2022-23:
Was the target met?
N/A
Use of Results/Improvements:
2
This metric is not truly reflective of all the services provided by the access services department. It is not a useful measure as it only includes initial checkout of
physical materials, excluding any technology items.
Program Outcome 1c:
Increase student retention through meaningful employment in the library.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The library will hire all open positions promptly to
provide expanded hours and services by Labor Day
weekend. Students will be hired for all departments
providing support for library efforts and programming.
2023-24: 4.39 FTE
2022-23: 3.49 FTE
Was the target met?
Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Student service points were adequately staffed by student employees, allowing the library to provide services and remain accessible beyond the time frames
reasonably staffed by full-time staff members.
Access Services Stats
Category
2023- 2024
2022-2023
Gate count
112,330
95,954
LibApps Entries
1,404
488
Posters
309
175
Pirate Cards printed
1,185
930
Circ Stats ALL transactions
7,291
6,323
SLC Student Worker FTE
4.39 FTE
3.49 FTE
3
Discovery Services, A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center
GOAL 2:
Smith Library Center creates, organizes, and manages a quality information collection that meets the teaching, learning, and research needs of SU students,
faculty, staff, and the greater SU community.
Program Outcome 2:
Evaluate Geographic Information System (GIS) Collection for integration into the main collection for better access, and relevancy for use with new technology.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Physical evaluation of the items,
and dates of publication.
Remove 100% of collection to either the main
collection, or recycling due to age or condition.
29% of the items were moved into the main collection, and 71%
were recycled due to age and physical condition.
Was the target met?
Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Users had trouble finding these items in the library because they were not located in the main collection. Now they are easier to find and up to date.
GOAL 3:
Smith Library Center creates, organizes, and manages a quality information collection that meets the teaching, learning, and research needs of SU students,
faculty, staff, and the greater SU community.
Program Outcome 3:
Evaluate Curriculum Collection to update the contents and reduce the size. This will allow more space and flexibility in the Curriculum Lab (Room 206).
4
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Examine each item for: misleading or factually inaccurate contents; publication date;
usage data; physical condition; superseded by new or better edition; no longer relevant
to the University’s needs; permanent presence of text online; and presence of multiple
identical copies.
Evaluate one-third of the
collection during the summer and
remove 50% of the items.
About 30% of the collection
was examined, and 90% of the
items were removed.
Was the target met?
Evaluation goal was not met,
but the collection reduction
target was met.
Use of Results/Improvements:
Due to lack of space and staffing, only 30% of the collection was examined. As more items in this collection are evaluated, a plan for better use of the space
will be created with input from the Education Department.
5
Distinctive Collections (DisCo), A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center
DisCo Mission:
Smith Library Center’s Distinctive Collections creates physical and virtual spaces to experience the history of Southwestern University and Texas as
well as the heritage of the printed and written word. DisCo aims to use these spaces and collections to create meaningful experiences for anyone,
regardless of purpose.
GOAL 4:
DisCo publicizes and promotes materials locally, regionally, and beyond to interested parties focused on the Southwestern University community through
teaching, tours, media appearances, and internal and external publications.
Program Outcome 4a:
SU faculty, staff, and students utilize Special Collections materials for research, teaching, and work.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The 2021-2022 academic year marked the highest
number of instruction held by Special Collections since
before the Pandemic. The goal for the 2022
-2023
academic year was to increase usage from the 2021
-
2022.
● For 2021-2022, Special Collections met with 45
classes.
● For 2022-2023, Special Collections met with 52
classes.
● For 2023-2024, Distinctive Collections met with 45
classes.
Was the target met?
Target Not Met [Due to releveling project, classes had to be
turned away due to limited access and space]
Use of Results/Improvements:
6
Class Tour/Instruction breakdown:
2023 (f) & 2024 (s)
2024 (f)
Category
Classes
Students
Classes
Students
FYS/AES Tours
28
445
26
414
Course Instructions/Tours
17
241
19
228
Total
45
686
45
642
DisCo also developed several new modes of instruction during the 2022
-2023 year to meet the needs of faculty and students. The first, in collaboration with the Research &
Instruction team, was using creator tools like a button maker to develop more hands
-on lessons that allowed the students to apply lessons they learned DisCo instruction. The
second instruction type was the development of walking tours developed from research of primary sources and photographs held
in DisCo. These tours allowed the students to
see firsthand how places had changed since photographs had been taken. The third was a two
-and-a-half-day workshop on in-depth archival research.
Program Outcome 4b:
Work to increase usage of the collections by the Southwestern University community and public by increasing the accessibility of digital materials.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Increase the number of
digital items and usage of
current collections on
digital platforms.
Target: Increase usage and items by 10%
For the 2023-2024 year, Distinctive Collections had three digital
platforms: Portal to Texas History, JSTOR, and the Digital Archive.
● Portal to Texas History: 26,205 uses
● JSTOR: 3,644 total item requests
● Digital Archive: *
Collections added:
● Portal to Texas History: 0 items
● JSTOR: 80 items
● Digital Archive: 139 items
*Note: The Digital Archive Google Analytics connector stopped
tracking at the end of November 2022 due to changes made by the
hosting company. The analytics connector is now fixed for 2024-
2025.
Was the target met?
7
Target Not Met [Due to releveling project, classes had to be turned
away due to limited access and space]
Use of Results/Improvements:
2021-2022
2022-2023
Category
Measure/Unit
Count
Measure/Unit
Count
Change
Portal to Texas History Usage
Unique Visits
38,943
Unique Visits
41,690
2,747
Collections added to Portal
Items
0
Items
250
250
JSTOR
Item Requests
904
Item Requests
5,237
4,333
Collections added
Items
N/A
Items
35
N/A
Digital Archive
Unique Users
107
Unique Users
52
-55
Collections added
Items
48
Items
97
49
Research and Instruction department (RAIS), A. Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center
RAIS Mission:
Smith Library Center’s RAIS department consistently supports learning and research by offering targeted instruction and personalized research guidance to
Southwestern students and faculty.
GOAL: 5 (Instruction)
The RAIS team delivers a variety of customized instruction sessions to aid users in understanding our facilities and resources, information literacy concepts, and
research skills. This goal remains consistent year to year.
● All First Year Seminars and Advanced Entry Seminars receive at least one required library module. Librarians clearly and concisely provide students with
important information that will guide their library research and usage. The FYS/AES modules change a bit in delivery year to year, as we are always fine
tuning how best to get this important information across to new students.
● Other courses receive instruction as needed, with some academic departments more heavily utilizing this option. Sessions of this type are customized to
the unique needs of the class.
Program Outcome 5a:
8
Librarians will deliver introductory library instruction to all students in their first semester (via FYS or AES classes). In completing this instruction, librarians will
deliver a short assessment at the beginning and end of the module, to measure and compare students’ level of understanding. Although this method simply
bookends a short (approximately 25 minute) instruction, it is a first attempt at authentic assessment.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
All FYS and AES students will complete 2 short
assessments: at the beginning of and conclusion of
their introductory library instruction.
understanding (a greater percentage of
correct answers) between the pre
assessment and post assessment, indicating
that the library instruction had a positive
impact.
A total of 423 students responded to the assessment
sur
veys.
● 4 questions that were asked on the pre-test were
repeated on the post-test.
● All 4 questions showed an increase in the
percentage of correct answers between pre and
post surveys. Increases varied from +4.3% to
+29.6%
Was the target met?
Yes
-
students showed an overall increase in correct answers
and thus understanding, indicating that library instruction
had a measurable positive impact.
Use of Results/Improvements:
● How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission?
We will analyze which questions and thus areas show the overall lowest level of student understanding and increase our effort
s and strategies to emphasize
these areas. In this case, we see that our biggest increase from pre to post
-test had to do with evaluating an author’s credibility. Correct answers rose by almost
30 percent, but only 55% of students answered correctly in the post
-test. Next year’s instruction plan should therefore stress what author credibility means and
how to evaluate it.
● How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report?
This assessment goal aims to look at the underlying quality of the instruction, as measured by increased comprehension/correct answers. This strategy no longer
hinges on participation rates.
● What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? If targets were met, what can
you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve?
9
Targets were met, but a good next step is to consider a longer timespan between pre and post-test. These results analyzed student comprehension after one 25-
minute session. A similar post test conducted later in the semester or after a follow up second session would be ideal. We wo
uld ideally like to see more classes
having an optional 2nd library session
before deploying this strategy. But as FYS continues to evolve, this is something to aim for- if not next year, then perhaps
the following academic cycle.
Program Outcome 5b:
RAIS department will provide instruction that continues to meet or exceed pre-pandemic numbers.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Librarians log all library instruction sessions in
Springshare LibAnswers.
instruction sessions equal to or exceeding
pre-pandemic levels, aiming for around 80
sessions.
2019-2020: librarians logged 82 instruction sessions.
2020
-2021: librarians logged only 24 sessions.
2021
-2022: librarians logged a total of 66 sessions.
In 2022
-2023, we finally regained our old benchmark, by
logging 85 sessions.
Librarians logged 85 instruction sessions via LibAnswers for
the 2023-24 year.
Was the target met?
Yes. We held even with the previous year’s quantity of
instruction.
Use of Results/Improvements:
● How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission?
85 sessions per year, twice in a row, indicates that this is a good, sustainable number to aim for. We will continue to look
for new opportunities to collaborate
and will, as usual, rely on word of mouth for new instruction opportunities.
● How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report?
We have not yet considered an instruction quality survey but could consider deploying one to faculty. We would want to consid
er whether the resultant data
would warrant the request of f
illing out a survey. We would need to carefully design the survey so that it wouldn’t be perceived as a burden or an annoyance.
The RAIS department does receive plenty of instruction feedback from faculty, but this takes the form of verbal and email res
ponses. RAIS takes this feedback
and actively learns and improves from it, it is just not presently in a quantifiable, assessment
-ready format.
● What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? If targets were met, what can
you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve?
10
The target (number of sessions) has been met. In the event that numbers decrease again in subsequent years, we would use various plans of action to increase
our instruction session opportunities to bolster our numbers. These might include emails, in person interactions at events li
ke First Thursday and staff table
Commons lunches, campus notices, etc.
GOAL 6 (Research):
● The Library’s RAIS department provides reliable research assistance to the SU community by providing reference services. Librarians provide convenient
and meaningful ways to connect with students and address their needs.
● The RAIS department will continue to try new things to see what students respond well to. Past offerings that were tried, assessed, and deemed very
little used and thus unsuccessful, were chat reference (circa 2018) and evening research librarian hours (2021-2023). (A full report of the latter may be
found in last year’s report, beginning on page 13.) In Spring 2023, we are laying the groundwork to try Peer Research Consultants. The semester
represents the concept’s pilot season, with sparse but still meaningful data.
Program Outcome 6a:
Librarians will provide research assistance via in-person and email interactions, at a level which is comparable to recent years’ statistics.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Librarians log all reference service interactions on
LibAnswers
steady or increase from the previous year’s
statistics.
2019-2020: 403
2020
-2021: 295
2021
-2022: 481
2022
-2023: 343
2023-2024: 367 total interactions logged
Was the target met?
Yes
- there was a slight increase from the previous year
(+24), showing that librarians provided a needed and used
service.
Use of Results/Improvements:
● How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission?
The interaction numbers are still down compared to the 2019-2020 pre-pandemic benchmark. (Note that there are always more research interactions in fall
versus Spring, thus we’re using Fall 2019 as the pre
-pandemic benchmark.) Several things could be driving this slight downward trend, from the negative- social
impacts from covid, library anxiety making students less likely to interact
- to the positive- more instruction sessions, more online InfoGuides perhaps providing
students with proactive guidance at t
he outset of research. It is difficult to analyze with any accuracy, but provides food for thought for the department’s future
direction.
11
● How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report?
We have not yet considered deploying a ‘customer satisfaction’ survey for students to rate their research assistance interactions. It can be a challenge to get
students to engage with the library to begin with, so again we are wary of adding a step that might be negatively perceived b
y the students. Also, we do receive
fairly frequent positive feedback from students in the form of enthusiastic thank yous
- verbal, emailed, and occasionally even via handwritten notes. A quick
feedback form that students can choose to fill out might be an
effective option to consider for future years.
● What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? If targets were met, what can
you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve?
In order to drive our research interaction numbers back up, we might consider incentivizing. If budgets allow, we could in future offer a raffle prize to students
who complete reference appointments, thus encouraging higher participation.
Program Outcome 6b:
The RAIS department will continue to try new strategies to help disseminate research assistance to students. The Spring of 2024 saw the launch of Peer Research
Assistants, providing an option for students to seek help from their peers rather than librarians. PRCs were trained to log research interactions in the same
LibAnswers system as the librarians.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Peer Research Consultants (trained Junior and Senior
students who provided drop in services in the library’s
Academic commons) will log all interactions in
LibAnswers.
their research interactions, indicating that
the initiative has potential for the following
academic year.
14 total interactions were logged by the PRCs
Was the target met?
Yes. This program was just getting off the ground and did
not go into active availability until partway through the
Spring 2024 semester, so 14 interactions for a partial
semester seems like a decent starting result.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This is an all-new initiative. RAIS plans to offer PRC services for the full 2024-2025 year to better assess its effectiveness. The Spring 2023 semester saw the students’ training
and a soft launch of services.
12
Appendix: RAIS Full Report, 2023-2024
Introduction
For the 2023-2024 academic year, FYS/AES instruction was delivered by Katherine Hooker, Alex Riggs, and Emily Thorpe, with the inclusion of a Distinctive
Collections brief tour offered by Megan Firestone. The standard format was once again used- half tour through the SLC building and facilities, and half
introductory instruction on library research skills and information literacy. While the last two years of the program dabbled with gamification (Pirate scavenger
hunt/Library Treasure Hunt and ‘How Sweet It Is’ breakout boxes, respectively) this year returned to traditional instruction. This was due in part to being
understaffed, with one position within the RAIS department sitting vacant. Authentic assessment was attempted this year, with students asked to complete a
short set of questions both before and after their library instruction, in order to measure their increased comprehension.
FYS/AES Survey: Design and Delivery
Mentimeter was the chosen platform for assessment delivery to FYS/AES classes this year. Each of the 3 librarians had a paid account (and was able to utilize the
year’s subscription to make interactive presentations to enhance instruction outside of FYS). The pre test consisted of 4 questions. The post assessment
contained the same 4 questions, plus an additional question aimed to emphasize how to get help from a librarian (a point that was introduced during the
instruction). The Questions were:
1. Where would you go to find library sources online?
a. Google Scholar
b. 2nd floor card catalog
c. ResearchGate
d. Search bar on Smith Library website (correct answer)
2. What is the difference between a scholarly and popular article?
a. A scholarly article is peer-reviewed by experts in the field (correct answer)
b. A scholarly article is published in a popular news source
c. A scholarly article is published in academic textbooks
d. A scholarly article is not well known
3. How do you know an author is credible?
a. The author has abbreviations listed after their name
b. The author includes their formal education and training
c. The author has been published online
d. The author is writing about a topic in their field of study (correct answer)
13
4. During a search for research articles, you notice your search is not yielding helpful results. The first step is…
a. Use different keywords for your search (correct answer)
b. Asking the question in Google Scholar
c. Try another database right away
d. Use quotation marks around your entire question
5. Bonus Question asked only in post test: Select the correct option for making a research appointment with a librarian online:
a. Ask your professor to contact a librarian
b. Use the Research Request link on the website (correct answer)
c. Stop by the Info Desk to request an appointment
d. Check your email for an invitation
Questions were personalized with images of Smith Library Center. Students took the assessments on their phones, utilizing either a QR code or going to
menti.com and entering in the code to join. This delivery mechanism was quick and familiar to the students.
Screen caps:
14
15
FYS/AES Survey: Data
16
Each librarian delivered the pre and post tests to every one of their FYS/AES 1st library modules. Mentimeter can export data in an Excel spreadsheet format.
The 3 sets of results were then compiled into one Google Sheets file. A sheet was set up for the pre test, and a second for the post, with analysis about both at
the bottom of each page. A summary of the data:
Pre Test Data: total of 397 student respondents
Question 1 (search)
Question 2 (scholarly)
Question 3 (credibility)
Question 4 (keywords)
396 responses
395 responses
397 responses
394 responses
1 blank/no answer
2 no answer
All answered
3 no answer
282 correct answers
297 correct
101 correct
303 correct
percent correct: 71.2%
percent correct: 75.2%
percent correct: 25.4%
percent correct: 76.9%
Post Test Data: total of 423 student respondents (an increase of 26 from the pre test)
Question 1 (search)
Question 2 (scholarly)
Question 3 (credibility)
Question 4 (keywords)
418 responses
417 responses
413 responses
414 responses
5 no answer
6 no answer
10 no answer
9 no answer
375 correct
386 correct
227 correct
336 correct
percent correct: 89.7%
percent correct: 92.6%
percent correct: 55%
percent correct: 81.2%
Comparison of results: increase in student understanding
Question 1 (search)
Question 2 (scholarly)
Question 3 (credibility)
Question 4 (keywords)
Pre test correct: 71.2%
Pre test correct: 75.2%
Pre test correct: 25.4%
Pre test correct: 76.9%
Post test correct: 89.7%
Post test correct: 92.6%
Post test correct: 55%
Post test correct: 81.2%
Increased by 18.5%
Increased by 17.4%
Increased by 29.6%
Increased by 4.3%
17
Question 5 (only asked on the post test): the correct answer was ‘All of the Above’.
Discussion / Conclusion
Each of the four questions showed an increase in student understanding between the pre test and the post test. Generally speaking, this shows improvement
and implies that the students objectively received the library instruction and better retained the information. There are occasional gaps in the data however.
Mentimeter does not force participants to answer questions, so sometimes answers were left blank. This happened 6 times in the pre test and 40 times in the
post test. Calculations for percentage correct were made using active responses only- it is unknown whether the students who chose not to respond understood
the information or not. There is also a discrepancy between pre and post test overall participants. 397 students participated (fully or in part) in the pre test,
while 423 students participated in the post test. This is an increase of 26 students. Therefore we can’t make comparisons with absolute accuracy, but can rather
draw general conclusions. The fact that at least 26 students chose not to participate in the pre test at all could indicate that they were feeling anxious or
overwhelmed. While well-intentioned, the pre test might come across as a ‘pop quiz’. We know from library literature that ‘library anxiety’ is a phenomenon
that undergraduates experience, so perhaps RAIS should actively avoid feeding into that negative perception.
The timing of the pre and post test were not ideal in a couple of ways. First, many library modules are held during Welcome Week or during the first week of
classes, when students can feel the most overwhelmed and thus wary of assessments in any format. Secondly, the pre and post test were delivered within a
span of 30 minutes of each other, roughly. So this attempt at authentic assessment really only helps evaluate whether or not students retained things in the
moment with their short-term memory. A more telling post assessment might occur later in the semester- ideally after an optional second session with a
librarian, where IL and research skills are gone over in more depth and at a time when students are more receptive to the information. But, the concept of
authentic assessment is a first for the RAIS department, and it is a strategy that may hold potential for future instruction assessment. The bonus question,
covering how students can get help, was answered correctly by 95.2% of students. This is an encouraging statistic, because as long as students know how to ask
for help and feel encouraged to do so, their skills in all of the other areas of assessment can be increased by subsequent student-librarian interaction.
18
Instruction Outcome 1b: Total Instruction Sessions Logged for 2022-2023
Introduction: Comparing to the Last 3 Years
Library instruction showed a significant negative impact from the Covid-19 pandemic. The overall number of sessions over the year 2020-2021 took a significant
downturn. Southwestern faculty and students were understandably overwhelmed by the work-from-home pivot, so formal library instruction took less
precedence/urgency, and online research guides could generally suffice. During the 2020-2021 year, only 24 library sessions took place. For the 2021-2022 cycle,
Smith Library Center aimed to regain traction on the instruction front. 82 instruction sessions were logged for the Pre-Pandemic year of 2019-2020, and can be
considered the ‘normal’ benchmark to strive for. 2021-2022 yielded 66 library instruction sessions, falling short of pre-pandemic levels, but represented a
significant upturn and a meaningful approach towards regaining ‘normalcy’. In 2022-2023, SLC’s RAIS department finally met and even exceeded pre-pandemic
numbers. A total of 85 sessions took place, an increase over the pre-pandemic benchmark of 82. For this most recent year, 2023-2024, we held steady with 85
instruction sessions. 85 sessions annually- occurring two years in a row- seems to be the new normal and the benchmark by which to measure future years’
instruction sessions.
Data Recording
All librarians logged their instruction sessions into LibAnswers, and numbers can be analyzed from previous years for a big picture analysis.
Library Instruction, by Year: Number of sessions recorded:
2019-2020 (Pre-pandemic: ‘normal’):
82
2020-2021 (Pandemic: sharp downturn):
24
2021-2022 (Rebuilding: in-person but with Covid adaptations):
66
2022-2023 (return to full pre-pandemic state)
85
2023-2024 (stabilizing period)
85
19
Figure 1: 2023-2024 library instruction by month. August and September once again predictably show the greatest number due to the mandatory FYS/AES library
instruction.
Figure 2: 2022-2023 library instruction by Length. The majority of library instruction tends to be in-depth, with the most frequent category being over 60 minutes
(usually the entire length of a 75 minute class). But RAIS also completed shorter instruction, with under 60 minutes being the next most frequent category, and
under 30 minutes the least utilized category. This speaks to RAIS’ ability to make instruction meet the needs and parameters of a class. We are able to do
anything from a targeted 15 minute presentation on a specific needed topic, to a full class interactive session with creative activities and hands-on research time.
20
Variety of Instruction
The nuances of RAIS’ varied instruction cannot be fully captured via the assessment data alone. The 2023-2024 cycle saw several unique, standout instructions. A
brief sampling:
Emily Thorpe and Vicki Winstead teamed up to provide Banned Books instruction for Education professor Debbie Shepherd’s class in Fall 2023. The pair drew on
their extensive backgrounds as school librarians to lend a personal, meaningful touch. Students were also able to experience Distinctive Collections’ robust
banned books collection, as shared by Megan Firestone. The team also provided raffle prizes of banned books, further capturing student interest and
engagement. The presentation was well-timed with Banned Books week, and resulted in a memorable experience for this class, and the desire to repeat next
year.
21
Kerry Bechtel (Theatre department) often requests image research instruction from Katherine Hooker. Instead of receiving the usual presentation,
students in the Spring 2024’s Design Fundamentals class got to spend the first half of the class period playing a custom-made online escape game matching the
class’ Circus theme: ‘Big Top Breakout’. Students worked together in small groups to complete the exercise and get an intro to resources and strategies
pertaining to their class project/research. Having fun and prizes at the outset, students were then more receptive to hearing the lecture portion of the
instruction. Finally, they worked together to compile a collaborative Padlet board, thereby actively practicing their research skills. Students completed an
assessment of the game, the results of which, along with more info about the class session, can be found at this InfoGuide. Katherine was able to turn this
successful class session into a poster presentation for the 2024 Texas Library Association conference: Three Ring Library Circus (But in a Good Way): Leaning into
the Theme with Creative Instruction for Creative Students.
22
Conclusion
2023-2024 saw the continuation of instruction at ‘new normal’, post-pandemic quantities. This year instruction numbers held steady at 85 sessions,
same as the prior year. The department will strive to maintain or even increase this number for the next assessment period. It should be noted that the 2023
FYS/AES cycle ran effectively despite an understaffed RAIS department. The third member of the department, Vicki Winstead, began work the first day of
classes, and so was not expected to participate in our early busy season. It is hoped that the RAIS department can maintain its full 3 FTE status to run effectively
and to seek out new instruction opportunities and collaborations with various SU faculty. The trend of creating custom instruction experiences for classes is
expected to continue, and speaks to RAIS’s ability to adapt to the individual needs of classes while providing a high level of service and attention to detail.
23
Research: Full Report
Overall Library Reference Interactions Assessment: 2022-23
Introduction
Librarians log all reference interactions, whether brief questions, technical assistance, research consultations, or other, into LibAnswers. Characteristics of the
interaction are also categorized.
Data Analysis
The following table shows numbers from the last four years. Interactions naturally ebb and flow each year, dependent upon a variety of factors including student
confidence level and awareness of librarian support.
Year/Cycle Total Interactions
2020-2021
295
2021-2022
481
2022-2023
343
2023-20024
367
Monthly breakdown: The data shows conclusively that Fall is a busier semester than spring. This is likely due to the presence of new students who are actively
encouraged in their FYS/AES classes to ask librarians for assistance. September 2023 was the busiest month with 108 interactions logged.
24
Patrons Served: Librarians primarily assisted SU students, who account for 74.7% of interactions logged. This dominant focus truly highlights the crucial part SLC
plays in supporting our students and fostering their academic success. Librarians also assisted other categories including faculty, staff, alumni, and the
public/non SU. This illustrates librarians’ ability to connect with a wider campus audience and participate positively in SU culture as a whole.
Contact Type: This year, in-person contact was definitely the most prevalent format, at 227 interactions. Email was in second place with 101 interactions. Last
year, in person and email interactions were much closer, at 165 and 156 respectively. This likely speaks to the increasing return to normalcy post covid, where
face to face conversations are once again comfortable and routine. Librarians do emphasize in instruction that we are there to accommodate student
preferences. If they like and can fit in-person interaction into their schedule, RAIS librarians support and embrace it. If however their schedules are packed or
they do not want to come in for any reason, including sickness, library anxiety, neurodiversity, etc., then emailing back and forth can often be just as effective in
meeting their needs. The variety of options is clearly useful to patrons.
25
New Research Initiatives
In the previous 2022-2023 assessment cycle, RAIS took a hard look at its evening reference shift statistics. Analysis showed that this program was underutilized
and had several unintended negative consequences. Google slides showing the data and its conclusions can be found here. But the two-year evening reference
program was a good example of effective failing forward: it showed the importance of taking risks and embracing change. RAIS had good intentions and tried a
new concept to see if it was beneficial for SU students. By attempting different models, and sometimes by accepting that they are not working as expected, the
department can rethink its offerings. Coming up with a new plan and deploying it in an intelligent and realistic way will demonstrate RAIS’s active commitment
to evolve alongside the ever-changing needs of the SU community. We applied the same principle and tried a different new initiative this year: Peer Research
Consultants.
This program was inspired by an ACRL 2023 conference session that Katherine Hooker attended which described tangible success with peer research
assistance. The RAIS department investigated how several other universities implemented similar programs. We also talked in-depth with our own SU resources
for peer support- Maurice Wilson from Debby Ellis Writing Center (writing center consultants) and Anna Cortez from Academic Success (Peer Academic
Mentors). Vicki Winstead helpfully set up several online meetings with librarians from other universities with similar initiatives so that we could ask questions
and compare different systems. The team collaborated to decide on a model we felt would best suit SU and its students.
We then solicited applications from interested students, and asked them to include a recommendation letter from an SU faculty member in whose class they
had successfully completed research papers. Each student went through an interview process with the RAIS librarians. RAIS settled on four outstanding students
as our initial cohort: Aspen Cortiz Romero (senior), and juniors Emily Dimiceli, Georgia Micknal, and Adrian Gonzalez. Emily Thorpe led their training sessions,
outlined on this LibGuide. As student success librarian, she provided the PRCs with excellent support and mentorship. The students worked together as a group,
26
workshop style, to receive training. Then they each shadowed librarians and went through some sample research consultations with librarian support. The
students were well supported as they entered the program, and reminded that librarians were always available to bounce questions to.
Once independent, each student maintained regular hours where they made themselves available on the library’s academic commons floor, with a sign and a
gold name tag denoting they were on duty. They were asked to input all research interaction data into LibAnswers, just like the professional librarians. The PRCs
were not trained and deployed until mid Spring 2004 semester, meaning they had less than a full semester, and typically the least busy time of year, to use as an
initial snapshot of their services.
Spring 2024 research interactions:
For the initial trial period of part of the Spring 2024 semester, PRCs logged a total of 14 research interactions. While not an overwhelmingly high number, these
interactions nevertheless prove meaningful, because they were all students who specifically chose walk-in appointments with their peers. For this initial period,
all PRC hours were held during regular business hours, when some combination of RAIS librarians were generally available. This shows that some students were
choosing PRCs over librarians. Given that these students may already have felt comfortable reaching out for peer assistance from DEWC or from the PAMs, this
option fits seamlessly into wider SU culture. It is also hoped, even if it cannot be definitively proven, that the PRC service can help mitigate feelings of library
anxiety or academic overwhelm. The availability of PRCs in combination with the librarians can provide more robust service points and contribute to academic
success and retention. This initial data snapshot represents a small start, but it is a promising program that should be continued into the full 2024-2025 cycle. It
is hoped that the fuller resultant data will reflect the PRC program as a welcome new addition to RAIS’ offerings.
27
Left: Our initial cohort of PRCs: Aspen, Emily, Georgia, Adrian. (Aspen graduated in May 2024 and has gone to get her library master’s degree!) Center: Georgia
assisting a peer. Right: PRC advertisement in the dining hall.
28
Office: Center for Academic Success
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24 (submitted November 5, 2024)
Mission of Office
The mission of the Center for Academic Success (CAS) is to support all Southwestern students in their pursuit of academic excellence through
student-centered services in a supportive, empowering, inclusive, and professional setting. CAS assists students through several programs and
services, including academic advising, services for students with disabilities, academic coaching, and peer mentoring.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
There was a mix of stability and new staff additions within CAS this past year. The Director was in their 21st year, the Academic Specialist and
Associate Director/Accommodations Coordinator were starting their 3rd year. CAS added the newly created position of Hispanic Student Success
Coordinator in June of 2023. A new Academic Coordinator was hired, as the previous coordinator left in December of 2023 due to personal
issues. The new Academic Coordinator has been at Southwestern University (SU) for roughly five years, previously working in Student Life for
two years, then as an Academic Advisor for the last three years. The continuity of experiences and successes, and the addition of new ideas and
energy, have helped to position the CAS to better work with our current student population. The new members have aligned with the returning
members to create a cohesive unit that has gelled and worked together well.
We are still adjusting to the “post-Covid” student mentality. These students are less proactive than our previous classes and are slower to
respond to outreach. There is a continued trend to schedule and then not arrive for appointments, as well as to want to negotiate for extensions
in many of their academic endeavors, something they became comfortable doing during their high school years. Current students are also less
likely to respond favorably to negative news and often shut down when that information is presented, especially if it comes from multiple
sources. This has resulted in an increased effort to collaborate with other offices to centralize points of contact. The Associate
Director/Accommodations Coordinator noted a rise in the number of students who cited “loneliness” as a struggle they are experiencing. This
may be unique to the population with whom the Associate Director/Accommodations Coordinator works, but it has also shown up more in the
conversations of our Care Team (Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dean of Students, Director of Counseling, Director of Advising
and Retention, and Director of Academic Success).
Prior to their departure, the former Academic Coordinator had revived both the Peer Academic Mentor and Captain’s Academy programs.
Fortunately, the new Academic Coordinator began working with the previous coordinator during the fall (prior to their departure) on the
programming side of each program. The new coordinator’s passion lies in student programming, and the transition to their taking full control of
both these programs in the spring was for the most part seamless. The students and the student workers have responded positively to their
programming and leadership style. Attendance at events has been steady, and an additional financial gift has been given to Captain’s Academy.
29
The hiring of the Hispanic Student Success (HSS) Coordinator has directly impacted the CAS in a positive way. The hire has created aggressive
outreach and programming which has galvanized this student population. The HSS Coordinator has been successful in their outreach efforts to
faculty, staff, and students. In addition, the HSS Coordinator has worked with the SU Marketing/Communication Office on the branding of
“LatinXcel: Empowering Hispanic/Latino Undergraduates for Academic, Professional, and Personal Success.” At its core, LatinXcel is a program
designed to create a strong sense of belonging; foster a supportive community; and promote academic, professional, and personal success
among students of Hispanic and Latin American descent.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
CAS continues to perform at a high level in regards to the academic success of our students while continuing to branch out as a result of
programming from the Peer Academic Mentors, Captain’s Academy Program, and LatinXcel. As a result of being able to assist students in their
transition to college, outside of purely academic ways, we are currently considering adding “Student” to the “Center for Academic Success”
name. During our day-to-day interactions with students, we are seeing ways that we are helping students to be successful in terms of
information or referrals to Financial Aid and Scholarships, Internships, being involved in Student Activities, and “finding their place” at
Southwestern University. Minor modifications to percentage targets were made to align with most recent trends. These results and subsequent
data will be monitored as time goes on.
30
GOAL 1: Equal Access. To facilitate equal access to all University programs and services for students with disabilities.
Strategic Initiatives Supported:
• Enroll and retain students who have significant potential for academic excellence.
• Increase our first-to-second year retention rate to 88% in 5 years and first-to-third year retention
rate to 85% in 10 years.
• Achieve a 6-year graduation rate of 75% in 5 years and a 4-year graduation rate of 75% in 10 years.
Program Outcome 1a: Satisfactory Academic Progress. With the appropriate accommodations in place, students with
disabilities will be able to make satisfactory academic progress.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Students receiving academic accommodations being
placed on academic warning
No more than 7% in the Fall
Fall 2023: 3% (11/328)
Fall 2022: 8% (21/271)
Fall 2021: 6% (17/269)
Fall 2020: 3% (5/149)
Was the target met? Yes
No more than 7% in the Spring
Spring 2024: 4% (12/308)
Spring 2023: 8% (25/320)
Spring 2022: 6% (17/269)
Spring 2021: 3% (4/154)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Although targets were met in 2023/24, the percentage of students with accommodations being placed on academic warning is rising. This is following the
national trends in the rising number of students in our post-Covid world with severe psychiatric diagnosis. Many of these students were able to attend school
virtually, and this has changed. It will be interesting to follow this trend over the next five years to see if the numbers will lower to pre-Covid numbers.
However, trends in K12 education are showing severe academic deficits in required knowledge ( i.e., basic reading and math).
Concern: What supports were put into place for these students other than basic accommodations? Was the academic warning truly based on accommodation
status, or were there underlying issues, such as time management, monetary support, attendance, and the like?
31
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Students receiving academic accommodations being
placed on academic probation
No more than 3% in the Fall
Fall 2023: 2% (5/328)
Fall 2022: 3% (7/271)
Fall 2021: 2% (4/243)
Fall 2020: 0% (0/149)
Was the target met? Yes
No more than 3% in the Spring
Spring 2024: 2% (6/308)
Spring 2023: 3% (9/320)
Spring 2022: 3% (7/269)
Spring 2021: 2% (3/154)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Although targets were met in 2023/2024, the percentage of students with accommodations being placed on academic warning is rising. This is following the
national trends in the rising number of students in our post-Covid world with severe psychiatric diagnosis. Many of these students were able to attend school
virtually, and this has changed. It will be interesting to follow this trend over the next five years to see if the numbers will lower to pre-Covid numbers.
Concern: What supports were put into place for these students other than basic accommodations? Was probation truly based on accommodation status, or
were there underlying issues, such as time management, monetary support, attendance, and the like?
32
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Students receiving academic accommodations being
dismissed due to academics
No more than 1% in the Fall
Fall 2023: 2% (7/328)
Fall 2022: <1% (1/271)
Fall 2021: <1% (1/271)
Fall 2020: <1% (1/149)
Was the target met? Yes
No more than 1% in the Spring
Spring 2024: <1% (2/308)
Spring 2023: <1% (2/320)
Spring 2022: <2% (2/269)
Spring 2021: <1% (1/154)
Was the target met? No, not quite
Use of Results/Improvements:
Goal will stay the same.
Concern: What supports were put into place for these students other than basic accommodations? Was dismissal truly based on accommodation status, or
were there underlying issues, such as time management, monetary supports, and the like?
33
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
1st to 2nd year retention of first-year students
First-year students receiving
accommodations will retain at the same
rate as the cohort overall.
FY2023: 93% (63/68) vs 81%
FY2022: 89% (64/72) vs 83%
FY2021: 86% (44/51) vs 79%
FY2020: 86% (36/42) vs 81%
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
The number of students receiving accommodations is growing exponentially nationwide. This is likely to continue. We did lose a couple of students due to no
virtual option for classes and psychiatric hospitalizations.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
4-year graduation rate
Students receiving
accommodations at any point in
their time at Southwestern will
have the same 4-year graduation
rate as their FY/TR cohort.
FY/TR 2019: 58% (51/88) vs 66% (344/518)
FY/TR 2018: 60% (61/102) vs 68% (347/509)
FY/TR 2017: 70% (43/61) vs 61% (252/412)
FY/TR 2016: 55% (49/89) vs 65% (283/434)
Was the target met? No, not quite
Use of Results/Improvements:
How does this measure the students with the accommodation of part-time status? How can we determine the category of impairment? Would a student with
a diagnosis of a specific learning disability take longer to graduate than a student with Autism Spectrum or psychiatric diagnosis? Severity of symptomatology
also plays a role in graduation rates.
34
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Annual survey question: How effective are the
accommodation you use each semester? [likert]
90% of students will respond “extremely
effective” or “very effective”
Spring 2024: 78% (14/18)
Spring 2023: 90% (11/12)
Spring 2022: 90% (18/20)
Spring 2021: 86% (38/44)
Was the target met? No, not quite
Use of Results/Improvements:
This is not an accurate reflection of what we do in this office. During Academic Year 23/24 the Associate Director/Accommodations Coordinator met with 106
different students at least once. Only 18 students completed the survey question regarding the effectiveness of their accommodations, a response rate of
17%. The Associate Director would like to see if these were students that either had honor code violations or were told that their requested accommodations
were not reasonable under the law. However, with anonymous surveys, another form of assessment may be necessary.
Program Outcome 1c: Testing Experience in CAS. Students using testing accommodations will report having a positive
experience when testing in CAS.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Survey question: My testing accommodations were
adequately met in the CAS testing facilities. [likert]
90% of students will respond “agree” or
“strongly agree”
2023-24: 95% (35/37)
2022-23: 97% (35/36)
2021-22: 100% (33/33)
2020-21: n/a
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Goal was met and will remain. This ensures that students received their approved accommodations with regards to testing.
35
GOAL 2: Training. To provide University-wide advisement, consultation, and training on disability-related topics.
Strategic Initiatives Supported:
● Cultivate the culture and practices among faculty and staff necessary to sustain institutional excellence and a
community focused on student success.
● Build and sustain a diverse, inclusive community grounded in mutual trust and respect that promotes shared
commitments, accomplishments, accountability, and responsibility for achieving institutional goals.
Program Outcome 2a: Outreach and Communication. Faculty, staff, and students will be aware of accommodation policies,
procedures, and communication channels.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Faculty/Staff Training The number of in-person
disability- or accommodations-related faculty/staff
trainings per academic year
Facilitator or co-facilitate two (2) sessions
2023-24: 3 sessions
2022-23: 4 programs
2021-22: 0, no director
2020-21: 4 events
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Need to find a way to boost attendance by faculty. It has been requested to present at the Fall Faculty Conference. Need to add in all trainings and
presentations, as the Associate Director/Accommodations Coordinator is presenting to more than just staff and faculty.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
SSD Resource Development creation of new
Services for Student with Disabilities (SSD)
materials/resources for students/parents or
faculty/staff
Create at least two (2) new resources
2023-24: 3 new resources that were extensive
2022-23: 2 new resources
2021-22: n/a
2020-21: 2 new (1 faculty, 1 student)
36
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Created a new Medical Provider form for Emotional Support Animal (ESA) approval. Created a new Medical Provider form for housing accommodations.
Reworked the website and made changes to the flex agreements. Changes sent to all faculty.
37
GOAL 3: Academic Support. To provide students with the necessary skills and/or support to be academically successful.
Strategic Initiatives Supported:
● Enroll and retain students who have significant potential for academic excellence.
● Increase our first- to second-year retention rate to 88% in 5 years and first-to-third year retention rate to 85% in 10
years.
● Achieve a 6-year graduation rate of 75% in 5 years and a 4-year graduation rate of 75% in 10 years.
Program Outcome 3a: PASS. Students who participate in Preparing for Academic Success Seminar (PASS) will maintain the
eligibility to continue academically for the next academic semester.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Students who are on academic probation/warning
participate in the PASS program, meeting with the
CAS Director at least 7 times per semester, with the
hope they will maintain academic eligibility to
continue at SU
85% of participants in the Fall will
maintain academic eligibility
Fall 2023: 95% (56/59)
Fall 2022: 96% (84/87)
Fall 2021: 94% (67/71)
Fall 2020: 89% (31/35)
Was the target met? Yes
85% of participants in the Spring will
maintain academic eligibility
Spring 2024: 91% (63/69)
Spring 2023: 95% (61/64)
Spring 2022: 95% (79/83)
Spring 2021: 96% (44/46)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
The PASS program continually exceeds the criteria for success. This program will continue to run in its current iteration for the time being.
38
Program Outcome 3b: Peer Academic Mentors Peer Academic Mentor (PAM) events and workshops will be well attended,
and students who attend will be satisfied with the event and gain academic success information.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Event Attendance 10 students will attend
each PAM workshop/event.
8/22/23 GCalendar/Moodle/Time Mgt - 48 attended
8/23/23 SMART Goals for Success - 36 attended
8/23/23 How to Write an Email - 21 attended
12/6/23 Fall Spread the Kindness - 18 attended
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
PAM event attendance continues to meet and exceed the criteria for success.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Event feedback via a post-session survey Achieve a 4.5 out of 5 satisfaction with
each PAM event/workshop
2023-24: n/a
2022-23: n/a
2021-22: n/a
Was the target met? N/A
Use of Results/Improvements:
Due to the Academic Success Coordinator role being vacated December 2023 and then filled April 2024, data are not available. We will work toward collecting
student feedback from PAM events and meetings.
39
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Track whether or not academic success information
is gained at workshops/events via a post-event
survey question
75% of respondents will report having
learned something
2023-24: n/a
2022-23: n/a
2021-22: n/a
2020-21: 83% (20/24)
Was the target met? N/A
Use of Results/Improvements:
Due to the Academic Success Coordinator role being vacated December 2023 and then filled April 2024, data are not available. We will work toward collecting
student feedback from PAM events and meetings.
Program Outcome 3c: Student Athlete Support Student athletes who are required to meet regularly with a designated Center
for Academic Success staff member will maintain good academic standing and continue at the University.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The cumulative GPA of students participating in the
BUCS program. Average of 2.2 GPA
2023-24: n/a
2022-23: n/a
2021-22: n/a
2020-21: 2.21 (6 participants)
Was the target met? N/A
Use of Results/Improvements:
*Program reinstated for the Fall 2024 semester with 28 first-year participants.
40
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The 1st to 2nd year retention rate of students
participating in the BUCS program. 80% retention rate
2023-24: n/a
2022-23: n/a
2021-22: n/a
2020-21: 67% (4/6)
Was the target met? N/A
Use of Results/Improvements:
*Program reinstated for the Fall 2024 semester with 28 first-year participants.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
First-year students who participate in the BUCS
program will maintain their athletic eligibility for the
following fall.
80% maintain athlete eligibility
2023-24: n/a
2022-23: n/a
2021-22: n/a
2020-21: 67% (4/6)
Was the target met? N/A
Use of Results/Improvements:
*Program reinstated for the Fall 2024 semester with 28 first-year participants.
41
Program Outcome 3d: First-Generation Support Captain's Academy participants (CA) will have higher academic outcomes
than those first-generation students who do not participate.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The cumulative GPA of students participating in the
Captain’s Academy
Achieve an average cumulative GPA of 3.2
for their first year
2023-24: 3.49
2022-23: 3.37
2021-22: 3.57
2020-21: 3.64
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
First-year students who opt into the Captain’s Academy continue to exceed the criteria for success for average cumulative GPA. We will continue to monitor
Captain’s Academy students’ GPA.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The 1st to 2nd year retention rate of students
participating in Captain’s Academy 90% retention rate
FY23: 100%
FY22: 94%
FY21: 100%
FY20: 91% (10/11)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
First-Year students who opt into the Captain’s Academy continue to exceed the criteria for success in retention. We will continue to monitor Captain’s
Academy students' retention up until graduation.
42
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Graduation rate of students participating in
Captain’s Academy
(Note: To be considered active in Captain’s
Academy, a student must have attended 75% of
events.)
Captain’s Academy participants will have a
graduation rate higher than first-gen
students who do not participate in
Captain’s Academy
FY18 (and FY19) 85% (12 of 14), vs 61% for first-gen
students
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and newly hired Academic Success Coordinator at the time, the 2019-2020 cohort data are unavailable.
Program Outcome 3e: Student Experience Students who visit the Center for Academic Success (CAS) will have a positive
experience and will feel inclined to return, if needed.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The annual survey will ask students about their
satisfaction with the CAS
90% of responses will be “satisfied” or
“extremely satisfied”
2023-24: 97% (31 of 32)
2022-23: 100% (36 of 36)
2021-22: 90% (28 of 30)
2020-21: n/a
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
43
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The annual survey will ask students if they’d return
to CAS for further assistance if needed.
90% of responses will be “likely” or “highly
likely”
2023-24: 97% (31 of 32)
2022-23: 97% (35 of 36)
2021-22: 90% (27 of 30)
2020-21: n/a
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
44
Addendum to:
Office: Center for Academic Success
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24
(submitted November 5, 2024)
Services for Students with Disabilities:
Accommodation Application Statistics
Academic
Year
Total Applications for
New and Returning
Students
Total
Approvals
Temporary
Accommodations
Granted
2022/2023
156
107 ( 70%)
5
2023/2024
173
130 (70%)
5
45
Goals for Hispanic Student Success:
● Recruit 25 first-year students into LatinXcel by the end of the academic year.
○ 29 of the 75 students recruited in 2023/24 were first-year students.
● Achieve at least a 4.5 out of 5 average rating on the Hispanic Student Success Coordinator overall student interaction
based on the survey question “How would you rate your overall experience interacting with the Hispanic Student Success
Coordinator?”
○ Averaged 5 out of 5 on 42 completed surveys in 2023-2024.
● LatinXcel students to average > 3.0 GPA at the end of first year (FY24)
○ LatinXcel FY23 students averaged 3.48 GPA at the end of AY23-24 compared to the 2.86 GPA average of all
Hispanic students and 2.95 average of all FY23 students.
● Achieve 97% 1st to 2nd semester retention for LatinXcel students (FY24)
○ LatinXcel students achieved a 100% 1st to 2nd semester retention rate.
● Achieve 88% 1st to 2nd year retention for LatinXcel students (FY24)
○ LatinXcel students are on track to achieve a 100% 1st to 2nd year retention rate.
● Achieve 85% 1st to 3rd year retention for LatinXcel students (FY23)
○ Data will be available at the beginning of FA25 for FY23.
● 50% of LatinXcel students to complete one (1) High Impact Experience (HIE) by end of second year (FY23)
○ 37.9% of FY23 students (n=29) already participated in a HIE during their first summer, with several others starting
the process to participate during their second year.
46
Office: Center for Integrative Learning + Undergraduate Research
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24,due November 1, 2024
Mission of Office
The Center for Integrative Learning supports community-engaged learning, faculty/student research, internships, and study abroad as high
impact experiences designed to foster integrative learning across a variety of experiences. This is accomplished through faculty development,
mutually beneficial learning partnerships across campus and with program providers or community agencies, and student programming.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The Center for Integrative Learning (CIL), established in 2019 within Academic Affairs (AA), hosts four major programming areas:
Community-Engaged Learning, Faculty-Mentored Research, Internships, and Study Abroad & International Student Services. Though each area
now submits a separate report (with the exception of Faculty-Mentored Research, which is treated below), the CIL still exists–very purposefully
so–and remains a vibrant hub for experiential teaching, learning, and scholarship. With a shared mission and many of the same values, the CIL
leadership team sees a benefit in continuing to assess some elements in common, thus the current report.
The CIL’s four component parts are:
1. Community-Engaged Learning (CEL) focuses on three main programmatic areas: Student Learning (civic and integrative), Faculty
Development, and Community Partnerships. Although the CEL assessment plan includes data from a CEL end-of-course survey, the
assessment report prioritizes learning through programs the office directly coordinates (Spring Breakaway, Community-Engaged Learning
Student Associates (CELSAs), community partnerships). As described further below, CEL now falls under the purview of Public
Engagement (PE) at Southwestern, and under the new Director of Public Engagement position, who will submit a separate report.
2. Faculty-Mentored Research (FMR) allows students to work alongside a faculty member to make original intellectual or creative
contributions to an academic discipline. This assessment report, attached below, highlights the following areas: King Creativity Fund
(KCF), SCOPE, Faculty-Student Projects (FSP), and Research Assistants (RAs). Please note that we have retained these abbreviations and
titles for the current report, as they were in place in 2023-2024, however as of Fall 2024, the SCOPE and FSP programs have been
merged and rebranded as “Summer SURF” and the RA program has been rebranded as “SURF.” The SURF acronym stands for
“Southwestern Undergraduate Research with Faculty.” Next year’s report will use Summer SURF and SURF throughout.
3. Internships: The Internship Office supports student learning and development through experiences in a professional environment outside
the classroom that complement their academic program, provide opportunities to develop competencies, and gain a better understanding
of themselves and the work around them. The Internship Office is organized by the Director of Academic Internships, who will submit a
separate report.
4. Study Abroad and International Student Services (SAISS) focuses on three programmatic areas: Study Abroad, Study Away, and
International Student Services. SAISS also fosters the academic, professional, and personal growth of non-immigrant (F-1 and J-1 visa)
students and provides programming to assist international students to integrate into the Southwestern University community. SAISS is
organized by the Director of SAISS, who will submit a separate report, assisted by the Assistant Director of SAISS.
1
47
In addition, the CIL in conjunction with the Office of Academic Affairs (OAA) coordinates the following programs, listed in order of size, from
largest to smallest:
●Experiential Learning Poster Session at Research and Creative Works Symposium (RCWS) to showcase posters from students who have
participated in high-impact experiences across the academic year (typically held in mid-April)
●High-Impact Experiences (HIE) Celebration to showcase posters from students who participated in high-impact experiences over the
summer months (typically early or mid-September)
●King Creativity Fund (KCF) Symposium to showcase posters from King Creativity Scholars, i.e. students who received money via the King
Creativity Fund to pursue their projects (typically mid-March)
●Center for Integrative Learning (CIL) Fellows, a two-year-long faculty development program that supports faculty teaching CEL courses or
leading study abroad programs (full academic years)
Finally, CEL is part of Southwestern’s broader embrace of Public Engagement (PE) as an institution-wide concern, part and parcel of our Mellon
grant for Publicly-Engaged Humanities (2024-2026). While the standalone CEL report will speak to PEH and assess the success of its
programming, it bears some noting here what the PE mission is. We define public engagement as the mutually constitutive, mutually beneficial,
and mutually reinforcing relationship forged between the students, faculty, and staff on our campus and the many, diverse, and multifaceted
communities that exist beyond it–in the pursuit of the public good, social justice, and civic responsibility. It relies on and values the knowledge,
expertise, perspectives, and insights of all members of both groups equally; is marked by thoughtful exchange and reciprocal collaborations; and
takes a multiplicity of forms, visible and not, disciplinary and not, from public-facing research and creative works to community-engaged learning
courses. Public engagement can and should envelop all parts of the university, informing and infusing all aspects of our mission, and be
curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular, constituting the basis of an abiding commitment to sustainable partnerships, from the local to the
global. By engaging deeply and intentionally with our publics, Southwestern and the world we live in are bolstered and enriched.
The CIL assessment report uses different components of AAC&U’s VALUE rubrics to evaluate materials. A link to the complete set of
rubrics, as referenced and drawn on below, may be found here.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
Tactic 1.2 of the Southwestern University Tactical Plan sets an aspirational goal of getting 100% of SU graduates to have participated in two of four
specific categories of High Impact Experiences: Community-Engaged Learning, Study Abroad/Away, Internships, and Undergraduate Research.
In many ways, this tactic constitutes the lion’s share of what our office is aiming towards–especially if that tactic is construed in its broadest,
deepest, and most institutional of terms, to include not only a raw number of students who are involved in HIEs, but also what the goal means and
implies in terms of
●Financial support for students to pursue such a wide range of HIEs and with such frequency;
●Equal access to HIEs regardless of a students positionality, strengths, or interests;
●Faculty and staff development and support towards achieving the 2 HIE goal for all students;
●Students’ full appreciation of the value of their HIEs and ability to think critically and reflectively about their experiences in them.
The CIL is increasingly thoughtful about understanding the tactical goal in this more holistic way, and our goal over the past year–since the
previous report–has been to implement changes towards this end.
2
48
It is also crucial to note that as stated in the Tactical Plan, 2 HIEs per graduating student is an aspirational goal and, moreover, progress towards
this goal has been greatly impacted by staffing and organizational changes, particularly over the last five years, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.
That said, we continue to pursue this aspiration (which is why many of the targets below are so high; they are a product of the Tactical Plan’s
aspirational goal) and we are heartened by the renewed commitment, new energy, and increased resources injected by Southwestern’s $1.3
million grant for Publicly-Engaged Humanities from the Mellon Foundation, which includes a new Director of Public Engagement (providing
leadership on community-engaged learning, among other things); the reorganization in the Office of Academic Affairs, which brings a new faculty
voice to Southwestern’s pursuit of excellence in High-Impact Experiences; the arrival of a new Director of the Center for Teaching, Learning, and
Scholarship, who has expertise in curricular as well as co-curricular development; and the expanded leadership roles taken on by our Director of
Academic Internships, now entering her second year, and our Director of Study Abroad and International Student Services, now entering her
sixth, who continue to steward these programs among faculty, students, and staff.
Indeed, these are some of the many changes that we have implemented since the 2022-23 year. Alongside efforts to respond to the specific
suggestions raised in the CIL Comments from 2022-2023, this document constitutes the first evaluation since the Office of Institutional Research
& Effectiveness and the Assessment Committee recommended that each of the offices connected to each of the four HIEs submit its own,
stand-alone report. The change has allowed for a more in-depth and granular study of Study Abroad, Faculty-Mentored Research,
Community-Engaged Learning, and Internships, separately, in isolation as well as in connection to the rest, and we are excited about what this
data reveals as well as what it can allow us to think about as we chart a course for future improvement. It is also the first since the latest
restructure of Office of Academic Affairs and the CIL, most notably with the creation of a new Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs
position (intimately tied to a number of initiatives on campus, but especially related to the development of HIEs, and forging a connection
between the faculty-facing and student-facing aspects of each HIE) as well as a new Director of Public Engagement (whose work is central to CEL,
but also extends more broadly, as we encourage community partnerships, broadly defined to range from the local to the global, in all HIEs); since
the start of a new Director of Paideia, who brings with her a wealth of experience in and commitment to student success in HIEs (and whose
report should be read in conjunction with this one, as HIEs connect deeply and substantively to the Paideia program); since the receipt of the
Mellon Grant for Publicly-Engaged Humanities, which carries with it funding to expand HIEs in the Humanities, Humanistic Social Sciences, and
Humanistic Fine Arts (especially in terms of CEL and FMR offerings); and since the creation of the new HIE Ambassadors Program, which
recognizes high-achieving HIE students and encourages them to think and talk about their efforts beyond the immediate campus community.
Next year’s report (assessing the current academic year, 2024-2025) will, excitingly, be the first since we added 0-credit courses to our catalog for
students engaging in Research Assistantships and Faculty-Mentored Research. This will allow us to track student engagement in these
experiences far more closely and intentionally than ever before, including across departments/specializations, and we look forward to what that
data will reveal. (Please note too that the 2025-2027 catalog, currently being drafted as this report was submitted, will further increase our
tracking abilities, with the addition of 0-credit courses for KCF scholars and all forms of research assistantships, even if they take place
off-campus or with unusual forms of funding.) Next year’s report will also be the first to follow a major reimagining of our Faculty-Mentored
Research program. In Spring 2024, the Awards & Honors Committee voted to merge SCOPE and FSP into a single program, rebranded as
Summer SURF (“Southwestern Undergraduate Research with Faculty), and to reconstitute the academic year Research Assistant program as
SURF. The changes are extensive, but boil down to an effort to draw upon the distinctive strengths of SCOPE and FSP, take the best of both
program, and combine them into a new one that is as equitable as possible across the board, providing more opportunities for all students and all
faculty to take part in Faculty-Mentored Research. The full rationale for the change, drafted by the 2023-2024 Awards & Honors Committee
(which included the Dean of the Faculty and Assistant VPAA, then Associate Dean), may be found here. Finally, and perhaps above all else, this
year’s report bears the hallmarks of its new author: while all questions and targets from previous years remain, readers will notice a number of
3
49
new goals, learning outcomes, and assessment mechanisms/targets, which take a fresh, close look at the CIL and Faculty-Mentored Research from
the student perspective, faculty perspective, and staff perspective and begin to imagine the area’s future at Southwestern.
4
50
CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE LEARNING
GOAL 1: Students integrate learning across the curriculum and co-curriculum, from making simple connections among ideas and experiences to
synthesizing and transferring learning to new complex situations within and beyond campus.
Learning Outcome 1a: Students will meaningfully synthesize connections among experiences outside of the formal classroom (including life
experiences and academic experiences such as community-engaged learning, faculty-mentored research, internships and study abroad) to deepen
understanding of fields of study and to broaden their own points of view.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
CEL, Internship, and Study Abroad posters
presented at the Experiential Learning Poster
Session of the Research and Creative Works
Symposium
50% of CEL, Internship, and Study
Abroad posters presented at the
Experiential Learning Poster Session of
the Research and Creative Works
Symposium will score at least a 3
according to the AAC&U Integrative
Learning VALUE Rubric for
“Connections to Experience.”
2022-2023: 75% (15/20)
2021-2022: 75% (3/4)
2020-2021: 75% (6/8)
Was the target met? Data was not collected at
RCWS in Spring 2024 due to staff departure (ahead
of OAA reorganization), so not available for
2023-2024 Assessment Report. Will be collected next
year.
CEL, Internship, FMR, and Study Abroad
posters presented at the High-Impact
Experiences Celebration
50% of CEL, Internship, FMR, and
Study Abroad posters presented at the
High-Impact Experiences Celebration
will score at least a 3 according to the
AAC&U Integrative Learning VALUE
Rubric for “Connections to
Experience.”
2023-2024: 50% (19/38)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
5
51
We look forward to collecting the RCWS data next year, and to seeing how it aligns with past years; we will then, in turn, consider other changes. This was our
first year collecting data at the High-Impact Experiences Celebration, and we were delighted with the results. Though all of the posters were strong, really only
50% did as the VALUE rubric emphasizes: selecting and developing examples, meaningfully synthesizing, and deepening understanding. For many posters, all of
the components were present, but they were not integrated, e.g. students offered examples of their work and wonderful summaries of what they had done, then
offered reflections, but only half the connected the examples to the reflections and offered the kind of thoughtful appraisal and presentation that AAC&U values.
If we continue to meet the criteria, even if barely, we will assess whether or not the target needs to be increased. It does bear noting how much involvement we
saw from students: we had 38 posters–a record number–at the HIE Celebration. That, in and of itself, is a commendable achievement and owes to the entire
CIL.
Please note that the data points in this section should be read in conjunction with the Paideia Assessment report, which reflects usefully on how HIEs connect to
one another in the context of the Paideia Seminar (as one path to that seminar and to distinction is 2 HIEs).
GOAL 2: Graduates will participate in High-Impact Experiences: Study Away/Abroad, Internships, Faculty-Student Research,
Community-Engaged Learning.
Program Outcome: All students (regardless of demographics, positionality, or other differentiating characteristics) will participate in two
High-Impact Experiences (HIEs)–including Study Away/Abroad, Internships, Faculty-Student Research, Community-Engaged Learning–and be
supported financially in doing so.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Demographic data provided
by the Office of Institutional
Research and Effectiveness
a. 51% of the total 2023-2024 graduates (August,
December, May) will have taken at least one CEL
course across their time at Southwestern.
2023-2024: 41% (real numbers not provided)
2022-2023: 51% (200/394)
2021-2022: 61% (217/357)
Was the target met? No
b. 75% of the total 2023-2024 Graduates (August,
December, May) will have participated in at least
one internship.
2023-2024: 37% (real numbers not provided)
2022-2023: 35% (138/394)
2021-2022: 33% (118/357)
Was the target met? No
c. 35% of the graduating class of 2023-2024 will have
studied abroad.
2023-2024: 23% (real numbers not provided)
2022-2023: 20% (78/394)
2021-2022: 11% (39/357)
6
52
Was the target met? No
d. 37% of the total 2023-2024 Graduates (August,
December, May) will have participated in SCOPE,
FSP, or King Creativity programs.
2023-2024: 15% (real numbers not provided)
2022-2023: 12% (48/394)
2021-2022: 17% (60/357)
Was the target met? No
e. Historically marginalized groups will participate in
at least two HIEs.
i. Graduates of color are participating in 2 or
more HIEs at a greater or equal rate
compared to the overall student population.
ii. First generation graduates are participating
in 2 or more HIEs at a greater or equal rate
compared to the overall student population.
iii. Graduates of color are participating in study
abroad at a greater or equal rate compared
to the overall student population.
iv. First generation graduates are participating
in study abroad at a greater or equal rate
compared to the overall student population.
i. 2023-2024: 37% vs. 33% overall
2022-2023: 28% vs. 31% overall
2021-2022: 32% vs. 32% overall
ii. 2023-2024: 36% vs. 33% overall
2022-2023: 31% vs. 31% overall
2021-2022: 24% vs. 32% overall
iii. 2023-2024: 23% vs. 23% overall
2022-2023: 13% vs. 20% overall (1st year of data)
iv. 2023-2024: 28% vs. 23% overall
2022-2023: 15% vs. 20% overall (1st year of data)
Was the target met? Yes
f. Pell eligible students will participate in at least two
HIEs.
i. Pell eligible students are participating in 2 or
more HIEs at a greater or equal rate
compared to the overall student population.
2023-2024: 35% vs. 33% overall
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Was the target met? Yes
g. Students are awarded financial assistance to
participate in HIEs.
i. 75 students will be awarded funding for
internships
ii. At least $250,000 will be awarded to
support students to study abroad/away
i. 2023-2024: awaiting data from Internship Office
2022-2023: 68 students
2021-2022: 80 students
ii. 2023-2024: target met
2022-2023: target met
7
53
iii. At least $10,000 will be awarded to support
Research Assistants (wholly funding student
wages)
iv. At least $200,000 will be awarded to
support Faculty-Mentored Summer
Research (SCOPE and FSP), including
$3,000 fellowship/student in the program
and housing costs
iii. 2023-2024: target met
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
iv. 2023-2024: target met
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
As discussed in the introduction, Targets 2a-2d are purposefully set very high–aspirationally so–to meet tactical plan goals, in the hopes that
every student will have two HIEs at graduation. As such, these targets may be adjusted after this year and continue to be revised in light of the
tactical plan. Further, as also discussed in the introduction, these areas were all hit quite hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and by staffing changes
in the CIL. However, we are excited to see that our numbers are starting to rebound in areas that were staffed in 2023-2024 and we are optimistic
that the same will soon be the case for CEL, where we were without leadership until the beginning of the 2024-2025 Academic Year. Lastly, we are
delighted by the data in 2e, 2f, and 2g, which demonstrate how well the CIL has done in terms of ensuring that all students have access to HIEs
and in terms of funding these opportunities across the board.
In the future, we would like to add further, non-demographic and more qualitative assessments to this section of the report, which understands all
4 HIEs as part of the same Center for Integrative Learning. Goals, methods, and mechanisms might include focus groups and survey questions for
graduates, with data divided by Area of the University.
Finally, much like Goal 1, these data points should be read in conjunction with the Paideia Assessment report, which also looks at different ways in
which Paideia engages different sets of students at different points in their academic careers.
GOAL 3: Students who participate in HIEs will demonstrate an interest in and ability to share their experiences with larger groups beyond
Southwestern.
Learning Outcome: Students are able to effectively communicate what they did in their HIE and its significance to a general audience.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
HIE Ambassadors Program, which entails
developing a presentation for Admissions
At least 30% of students with at least 1
HIE become a part of the HIE
2023-2024: 30% (17/52)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
8
54
Ambassadors Program, which entails
developing a presentation for
Admissions that scores a 4 according to
the AAC&U Integrative Learning
VALUE Rubric for “Integrated
Communication”
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
This new initiative, brainstormed by the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and implemented with the Director of Paideia as well as the
HIE Working Group (directors of Internships, Study Abroad and International Student Services, and Public Engagement), is a truly wonderful
and landmark one. Our first events have proved incredibly successful, and we look forward to assessing the program further in years to come.
9
55
FACULTY-MENTORED RESEARCH
GOAL: Students will work alongside faculty members and make original intellectual or creative contributions to an academic discipline, developing
critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity as well as preparing for graduate and professional opportunities.
Learning Outcome 1a: All students, regardless of discipline, department, or program, will have the opportunity to take part in undergraduate
research that is in some way germane to their area of interest or expertise, allowing them to see the applicability of classroom work to research
(moving from theory to practice), see themselves as researchers and contributors of new, original knowledge in their fields, and see the applications,
implications, and utility of their summer project to future career paths.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
All students, regardless of discipline,
department, or program, will have the
opportunity to take part in undergraduate
research that is in some way germane to their
area of interest or expertise, allowing them to
see the applicability of classroom work to
research (moving from theory to practice), see
themselves as researchers and contributors of
new, original knowledge in their fields, and see
the applications, implications, and utility of their
project to future career paths
There will be at least one
Faculty-Mentored Research (FA,
SCOPE, FSP) project from every area of
the university each year (HUM, FA, SS,
NS)
2023-2024: 4/4
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Notes: over time, would like to increase the target to
multiple projects in each area and would like to
increase the target to include academic year (SURF;
previously RA) and Summer (Summer SURF)
opportunities, separately.
Was the target met? Yes
RCWS and/or HIE
Celebration presentations
At least 50% of students are able to
demonstrate that they have applied
disciplinary methods to their RA or
SCOPE/FSP projects via their RCWS
and/or HIE Celebration presentations,
by scoring least a 3 on the AAC&U
Integrative Learning VALUE Rubric for
“Connections to Discipline” and
“Transfer”
2023-2024 - 50% (19/38)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Note: Some students participate in RCWS, others in
the HIE Celebration, and some in both, hence the
“and/or” language. No data was collected for RCWS
for 2023-2024, so these numbers depend entirely on
HIE Celebration presentations.
10
56
Was the target met? Yes
Student reflection essays
At least 50% of student reflection
essays in RA and SCOPE/FSP make
connections between class work
completed prior to the project and their
project experience, by scoring least a 3
according to the AAC&U Integrative
Learning VALUE Rubric for
“Connections to Discipline”
2023-2024 - 55% (19/34)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Was the target met? Yes
Student reflection essays
At least 50% of student reflection
essays in SCOPE/FSP and RA discuss
the relevance of the project to the local
community and/or broader world
outside of Southwestern, by scoring
least a 3 according to the AAC&U
Integrative Learning VALUE Rubric for
“Transfer”
2023-2024 - 61% (21/34)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Several assessment methods and criteria for success (quantitative target) in this section and those below are brand new and, as such, carry no
historical data. As such, we look forward to collecting the data in these areas over the next few years and then adjusting as necessary. Several also
have “notes,” which suggest future directions that we hope to go in when it comes to assessing faculty-mentored research. Most striking, especially
because the prompt is quite clear in both categories, is how many more student reflection essays were able to demonstrate “transfer,” in terms of
the relevance of their research experience outside of Southwestern, as opposed to “connections to the discipline,” wherein they describe how
disciplinary knowledge and skills from their previous coursework carried into the research field. It will be interesting to see if this trend persists in
subsequent years, with more data.
Learning Outcome 1b: Students and faculty will develop a true, deep mentoring relationship with one another, working as collaborators and
partners in their joint research or creative works project.
11
57
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Faculty proposals submitted to the Awards &
Honors Committee for review
100% of faculty articulate a vision for
close faculty-student mentorship and
some degree of shared ownership of
their research or creative work, as per
their proposals submitted to the
Awards & Honors Committee for
review as part of the SCOPE/FSP and
RA programs.
2023-2024: 21/22 (93%)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Note: faculty whose proposals do not meet this
requirement are not funded.
Was the target met? No
Student Reflection Essays
At least 50% of students articulate that
they had a particular role in the project
and an ownership stake in designing
and executing the project, as per
reflection essays submitted at the end
of the RA or SCOPE/FSP project.
2023-2024: 46% (15/32)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Was the target met? No
Faculty Reports
At least 50% of faculty explain the role
of the student and how the student
took command of design and/or
execution of the project as per the
report on project activities submitted at
the end of the RA or SCOPE/FSP
program.
2023-2024: 75% (6/8)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
12
58
All three data points in this section reflect on-going efforts to reinforce or, in some cases, reimagine Faculty-Mentored Research to reflect best
practices in the field. According to the Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR), an organization well-recognized as the leading international
voice and resource for undergraduate research, scholarship, and creative activities–and of which Southwestern is a member–undergraduate
research is defined as an inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative
contribution to the discipline. It is a vital high-impact experience and, as such, must fit the following, as laid out on the SCOPE/FSP and RA call
for proposals since 2022-2023: constant, on-going interaction between faculty and students; intentional structure designed to bring the research
community together for shared experiences, both professional and social in nature; opportunities for students to disseminate the research they
conducted; prioritizing inclusive, enriching student learning; true ownership of an integral piece of the project, and/or a partnership on the whole
project; and intentional, specific reflection on the research experience. The numbers above suggest that this change in culture is going relatively
smoothly–despite what are high goal points (quantitative targets) for such a relatively new change: many students and faculty are thinking
intentionally about mentorship and shared ownership of the project, however students in particular are still talking in general terms about their
role, rather than explaining where that role came from and how it co-existed with the faculty role. We look forward to seeing how the numbers
look after several years of collecting data.
Learning Outcome 1c: Students are able to effectively communicate what they did in their undergraduate research experience and its
significance to an audience of educated non-experts in the field.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
RCWS and/or HIE Celebration presentations
At least 50% of HIE Celebration and/or
RCWS posters or presentations
demonstrate this ability, by scoring a 3
or higher according to the AAC&U
Integrative Learning VALUE Rubric for
“Integrated Communication”
2023-2024: 2023-2024 - 55% (21/38)
(no historical data; this is a new criterion)
Note: over time, would like to add mechanisms and
targets for course-based undergraduate research,
once that is a part of the curriculum (the
development of a tag is on the Curriculum
Committee agenda for the 2024-2025 academic year)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Again, this is new criteria, and we are excited to see what the numbers look like in future years. We are also, as the note in the last column
suggests, eager to think about how all of the aspects of goal 1 might be assessed based not only on research opportunities that exist outside of the
classroom, but those within it–in the context of course-based undergraduate research.
13
59
GOAL 2: Student researchers will reflect constructively on their research experience.
Program Outcome 2a: Students will identify how learning has provided opportunities for development and growth.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Student reflection essays
At least 60% (6/10) randomly selected
RA and SCOPE/FSP reflection essays
will score a 3 or higher according to the
AAC&U Integrative Learning VALUE
Rubric for “Reflection and
Self-Assessment”
2023-2024: 100% (10/10)
2022-2023: 100% (10/10)
2021-2022: 60% (6/10)
2020-2021: 96% (22/23)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
We are very excited about what the last two years have revealed in this area, and it is very much a product of how the prompt for student reflection
essays has been revised and how students are working with their faculty mentored in the undergraduate research sphere. If the numbers continue
to be this high for another year, even amid staff turnover and restructuring, we will rethink the target (to increase it).
Appendix: The above assessment report uses different components of AAC&U’s VALUE rubrics to evaluate materials. A link to the complete set
of rubrics, as referenced and drawn on below, may be found here.
14
60
Office: Internship Office
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due October 31, 2024
Mission of Office
The Internship Office supports student learning and development through experiences in professional environments outside the
classroom. These experiences complement students’ academic programs and allow them to connect what they are learning in their
coursework with the professional world. Through internships, students develop valuable skills that prepare them for post graduation
success, while also gaining a better understanding of themselves, their professional field of interest, and the world around them.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The Internship Office (IO) manages the following programs: Academic Internships, Funded Internships, St. David’s Shadowing Program, and
the Internship and Observership Programs with Houston Methodist Willowbrook, piloted in summer ‘24.
Academic Internships: Students can earn course credit for their internship experience towards most degree plans at the university. Academic
internships encourage students to connect their professional experience with what they are learning in the classroom. All students completing an
academic internship work with a tenured/tenured-track professor as a faculty advisor and complete required assignments through the IO that
encourage reflection and professional growth. (Internship site specific information available upon request)
- Out of the 2023-24 graduating class, including August ‘23, December ‘23, and May ‘24, 112 students completed internships. (data
includes academic and funded internships)
- During SU23-SP24, 88 academic internships were completed
- Academic departments represented in internships: art history, biology, business, chemistry, communications, computer science,
economics, education, environmental studies, kinesiology, music education, music literature, psychology, religion
- International academic internships: 10 completed (London, England: 9; Mexico City, Mexico: 1)
Funded Internships:Students completing an unpaid or low-paying internship during the summer semester can apply to receive up to $5,000 in
funding through the university to offset expenses. All applications are reviewed through a rigorous application process and award amounts vary
based on the number of hours students work, and if paid, their pay rate. Funding for this program comes from generous donors to High Impact
Experiences. (Internship site specific information available upon request)
-SU23-SP24 Funded Internship Program Awarded Amount: $112,340
- During SU23-SP24, 43 students completed Funded Internships
St. David’s Georgetown Hospital Shadowing Program: Students interested in medical and health professions can apply to participate in a
10-week rotational program with St. David’s Georgetown Hospital each fall and spring semester. During the program students visit and observe
eight departments, including emergency, endoscopy, laboratory/pathology, outpatient surgery, radiology, rehabilitation, surgery, women’s services.
61
This program allowed for 8 students to participate this year (4 students in FA23 and 4 students in SP24)
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Observership Program: This summer we are piloting a 4-week observership program with Houston Methodist
Willowbrook Hospital where students can gain professional experience in a hospital setting shadowing healthcare professionals. Available
hospital departments in which students can choose to observe include Internal Medicine, Family Practice, OBGYN, Cardiology, Neurology,
Orthopedics & Sports Medicine and Outpatient Therapies.
This program was piloted during summer ‘24, and had 4 students participate.
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Internship Program: This summer we are piloting a 10-week internship program with Houston Methodist
Willowbrook Hospital where students can gain hands-on experience in hospital management and administration in a hospital setting. During the
program, students have the opportunity to complete department rotationals to learn about process improvement, strategic planning, quality and
clinical research, spiritual care, orthopedics and sports medicine, innovation, and patient experience as they receive mentorship from healthcare
professionals.
This program was piloted during summer ‘24, and had 4 students participate.
Assessment: Assessment information for the IO was reported in the Center for Integrative Learning (CIL) Assessment Report during 2022-23,
instead of a separate report for the IO. Thus, this is the first stand alone assessment report produced by the IO. The following program outcomes
focus on the IO’s Academic and Funded Internship Programs, and the goals are pulled from the Internship section of the 2022-23 Integrative
Learning Assessment Report.
As of now the student participation numbers for the St. David’s Shadowing Program and Houston Methodist Willowbrook Internship and
Observership Programs are set by program guidelines. A maximum of 4 students for each the fall and spring semesters are approved to
participate in the St. David’s Shadowing Program, and 4 students are approved to participate in each of the Houston Methodist Internship and
Observership Programs.
Changes to Implement for 2024-25: In 2024-25, the IO will continue its work to increase student participation, including minority and
underrepresented students, in the Academic and Funded Internship Programs through marketing efforts. In addition to social media posts, printed
marketing materials, student emails, and Info Sessions, the IO will collaborate with the JEDI Center, LatinXcel, Advisors, Athletics, Captain’s
Academy, Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD), Paideia, Greek Life, and Student Activities to increase students’ awareness of
Academic and Funded Internship Programs.
There will also be a focused effort in 2024-25 to incorporate the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) 8 Career Readiness
Competencies into the Academic and Funded Internship Programs’ required assignments. The 8 NACE Career Readiness Competencies are as
follows: Career & Self Development; Communication; Critical Thinking; Equity & Inclusion; Leadership; Professionalism; Teamwork; and
Technology. Students will be asked to reflect on which 3-4 competencies they grew in the most during their internship experience.
62
Additionally in 2024-25, the IO will absorb the New York Arts Program (NYAP) and Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP). Thus, the IO will
manage the application processes, student advising, marketing, and collaboration with the staff of both partnership programs.
- Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP):Students can spend a semester in Washington, D.C. interning in our nation’s capital with the
Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) through the United Methodist College Washington Consortium. In this program students live in
housing blocks from the Capitol, the Supreme Court Building, Union Station, and the Folger’s Shakespeare Library, and intern in the public
and private sectors. This semester we have a student interning with U.S. Representative, Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.).
- New York Arts Program (NYAP): Every fall and spring semester students can apply to spend a semester interning in the performing,
visual, and media arts in New York City with this program. In NYAP students work 30 hours per week at their internship site while earning
academic credit. Previous students have interned with the Whitney Museum, NBC Nightly News, Glamour Magazine, and the Ensemble
Studio Theatre. This semester we have a student interning with the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
Academic and Funded Internship Application Transition to Symplicity: In 2023-24 the IO transitioned the application processes for the Academic
Internship and Funded Internship Programs to the SaaS platform, Symplicity, which is the same software used for the university’s internship and
job site, HireSU. This application transition for both programs streamlined the process and made it more efficient for students, faculty, staff, and
internship site supervisors. An additional benefit is that the software collects and stores relevant year over year internship data. Furthermore,
students and site supervisors are able to utilize Symplicity for hour tracking and evaluations during the duration of the internships. The Academic
Internship application process was piloted in Symplicity during the fall ‘23 semester for the spring ‘24 academic internship applications. The
summer ‘24 Funded Internship Program application process went live in Symplicity in spring ‘24.
Funded Internship Program Reform: The Funded Internship Program Committee made changes to the Funded Internship Program (FIP)
application process during 2023-24, and the changes were piloted during the spring ‘24 semester application process for FIP programming during
the summer ‘24 semester. We changed the scoring rubric for the application to be on a 1-6 scale per essay question. The application was
adjusted along with the essay questions, so now students who have not received an internship offer by the application deadline can apply by
completing the essay questions for multiple internship sites. Furthermore, there are two application cycles in the spring semester for summer
funding, which ensures that all students receive funding award notifications before the summer semester.
We no longer require students to attend a FIP Info Session before applying, and instead partnered with the Debby Ellis Writing Center to provide
application guidance for students. Lastly, the FIP Committee approved a new payment rubric that awards fixed payment amounts based on a
range of hours worked by the student.
For 2024-25, the Funded Internship Program will only be available for the summer semester. The exception is that New York Arts Program
(NYAP) and Capitol Hill Internship Program (CHIP) students can apply for FIP funding during the fall and spring semesters.
GOAL: 75% of the total 2023-24 Graduates (August, December, May) will have participated in at least one internship.
63
Program Outcome: At least 75% of students graduating in 2023-24 (August, December, May) will have completed at least one internship
experience as a part of the Academic and/or Funded Internship Programs.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Academic and Funded Internship data collected
on of students graduating in 2023-24 (August,
December, May)
At least 75% participation
2023-24: 37% (112/302)
2022-23: 35% (138/394)
2021-22: 33% (118/357)
2020-21: 33% (101/308)
Of the 112 2023-24 graduates who completed
internships, 67 (60%) were female, 45 (40%) were
male, 49 (44%) were students of color, 19 (17%)
were first generation students, 39 (35%) were
Pell-first, and 46 (41%) were ever-Pell.
Asian: 7%; Black: 1%; Hispanic: 33%; Multiple: 3%;
White: 54%; Unknown: 0%; Non-Resident: 2%.
Was the target met? No, as the 75% participation
goal is not realistic for Academic and Funded
Internships at this time. While 75% of 2023-24
graduating students may have completed
“internships for experience,” the data regarding these
internships is not tracked. Instead only data on
Academic and Funded Internship Program
participation is collected.
That said, there was a 2% increase in the total
2023-24 graduates who completed internships
(37%), up from 35% in 2022-23.
Use of Results/Improvements:
For 2024-25, we will aim for a more realistic goal of 40% for Academic and Funded Internship graduate participation. This will require a 3%
increase from this year's participation. The IO aims to reach our pre-pandemic percentage of 43% of student participation in Academic and
Funded Internship Program in the next couple years. To reach the 40% goal next year, the IO will increase marketing and communication efforts
across campus to increase student awareness regarding Academic and Funded Internships. This will include social media posts, printed
64
marketing materials, student emails, and Info Sessions. Additionally the IO will collaborate with the JEDI Center, LatinXcel, Advisors, Athletics,
Captain’s Academy, Center for Career & Professional Development (CCPD), Paideia, Greek Life, and Student Activities.
GOAL: 75 students will be awarded financial assistance to participate in HIEs.
Program Outcome: At least 75 students will receive funding through the Funded Internship Program (FIP) during the 2023-24 academic year,
including summer ‘23.
Assessment Method:
Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target):
Results and Longitudinal Data:
75 students will be awarded funding for
internships
At least 75 students funded
2023-24: 43 students, +4 Houston Methodist
Willowbrook internship students for pilot program
2022-23: 68 students
2021-22: 80 student
Was the target met? No, the goal of funding 75
students was not met this year. The program went
through a reform process implemented by the
Funded Internship Committee. Plus, $12,000 of the
HIE budget set aside for FIP was allocated to fund
65
students participating in the pilot Houston Methodist
Internship Program during summer ‘24.
Furthermore, since the program has the most
applicants for the summer semester and the max
award amount for students is $5,000, it is not
possible to award 75 students with our current HIE
budget allocated for FIP.
The IO aims to sustain its funding of 43 students with
FIP funding in 2024-25. Please view the Use of
Results/Improvements section for additional
clarification.
Use of Results/Improvements:
For 2024-25, FIP will transition to only offer funding for students during the summer semester, except students participating in the Capitol Hill
Internship Program (CHIP) and New York Arts Program (NYAP) will be allowed to apply for FIP funding during the fall and spring semesters. With
the max award amount for students during the summer semester being $5,000 it will not be possible to fund 75 students with an annual budget of
$110,000. Plus, approximately $18,000 of the $110,000 will need to be set aside to fund the 8 students participating in the Houston Methodist
Willowbrook (HMW) Internship and Observership Programs during summer ‘25. With the remaining FIP budget of $82,500, our goal will be to fund
approximately 32 students through the FIP program. If the 8 HMW students are added to the 32 FIP students, our goal will be to fund 40 students
with the FIP $110,000 budget for 2024-25. While this is a drop in the number of students funded, it should be expected as we are focusing our
attention on summer funding moving forward and students are able to apply to receive larger percentages ($5,000) of the overall annual budget of
$110,000 now.
As we continue to adjust the FIP program and its focus on summer internship funding, along with hopefully increasing our annual budget, the IO
will seek to increase the number of students we can fund for their non-paying or low-paying internship experiences.
NOTE: The first section of the template (mission, introduction and description of changes) may require more than one page. To use this template, it is
recommended to create the structure of the report according to your existing assessment plan before filling out the data for this year. One table should be
present for each assessment method. To make duplicate tables, simply hover your mouse over the table and select the box with four arrows that appears above
the upper left-hand corner. Press [ctrl + C] to copy the table, and [ctrl + V] to paste it in your desired position. If you need further assistance using the template,
please contact the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (farisk@southwestern.edu).
66
Office: Study Abroad & International Student Services
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
Vision Statement (Guiding Principles)
The Office of Study Abroad and International Student Services (SAISS) promotes international education and intercultural awareness via
educational, social, and cross-cultural programs in collaboration with service and academic units at Southwestern University.
1. SAISS develops students’ global citizenship skills through international and off-campus programs that provide meaningful opportunities
for academic, professional, and personal growth.
2. SAISS prioritizes study abroad and study away programs that are academically relevant, safe, inclusive, accessible, and affordable.
3. SAISS serves as the primary resource for non-immigrant (F-1 visa) students as defined by the Department of Homeland Security, regarding
immigration regulatory advising and processing. In addition SAISS provides support and programming to assist international students to
adapt and integrate into Southwestern University.
4. SAISS provides faculty development to support both study abroad program development and international student services.
Mission Statement
The Office of Study Abroad and International Student Services (SAISS) focuses on three programmatic areas: Study Abroad, Study Away, and
International Student Services. SAISS integrates with Paideia at Southwestern University by offering all students safe, high-impact experiences
abroad and domestically that align with the Southwestern curriculum. SAISS develops students’ global competencies and enables them to make
connections between in- and out-of-classroom experiences. SAISS fosters the academic, professional, and personal growth of non-immigrant (F-1
and J-1 visa) students and provides programming to assist international students to integrate into the Southwestern University community.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The format of this report has changed since 2022-23; SAISS is submitting as a department rather than collectively as the Center for Integrative
Learning.
68
SU Tactical Plan:
Further internationalize the focus of our students’ experiences Review current cost structure for study abroad and study away to increase
participation and affordability; at minimum move from 28% to 35% of SU students, with increased participation by 1st generation, students of
color, and male students DIBE; Program Development.
Comment: due the Covid-19 pandemic, student abroad participation rates went down; they are now on the upturn and we are working towards
getting back to 28% of the graduating class participation rate.
Goals for 2024-25:
● Reduce Administrative barriers to study abroad
○ Im ple m e nt a u to m a tio ns in Via TRM
○ Mo ve Sc hola rs hip Applic a tion to a Form (e a s ie r a c c e s s )
● Reduce Financial barriers to study abroad
○ Im prove Fa ll s c hola rs hip a va ila b ility
○ Promote scholarships (SU, Gilman, API, providers)
○ Promote low-cost programs that are federal-a id e ligible
● Reduce Academic Barriers
○ Develop and promote faculty-led programs
○ Promote Study by Major guides to faculty and students
○ Simplify cost and funding information
○ Promote University of Limerick (course mapping) to Business/Economics
● Reduce inequalities in participation. Move towards parity of participation with campus demographics for students of color, first generation
in college students, and males.
○ Increase awareness of international internships and research opportunities
○ Promote through Athletics, Greek Life, JEDI Center, etc.
○ Study Abroad Peer Mentor outreach and advising (class visits, tabling, etc.)
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
We have decentralized the Center for Integrative Learning (CIL) Report and are focusing solely on Study Abroad/Away for this report and the
mechanisms have been altered to focus solely on Study Abroad/Away rather than all of the High Impact Experiences (HIE’s) as a group.. For this
reason, there has been a change in the reporting mechanisms and it is not possible to report on additional changes.
69
GOAL 1 (CIL): Students integrate learning across the curriculum and co-curriculum, from making simple connections among
ideas and experiences, to synthesizing and transferring learning to new complex situations within and beyond the campus.
Program Outcome 1a: Students will meaningfully synthesize connections among experiences outside of the formal classroom
(including life experiences and academic experiences such as study abroad) to deepen understanding of fields of study and to
broaden their own points of view.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Ten randomly selected Study Abroad Scholarships
return assignments/reflections (options: essay,
video, blog, vlog, or digital poster) to demonstrate
proficient Connections to Experience based on the
AACU Integrative Learning Value Rubric (Appendix
A).
70% of assignments will score a 3
2023-24: 90% (9 of 10)
2022-23: 90% (9 of 10)
2021-22: 80% (8 of 10)
2020-21: 50% (1 of 2)
Was the target met? MET
Use of Results/Improvements:
This is a rubric that was used previously as part of the assessment for the Center for Integrative Learning. Students are able to demonstrate proficient Connections to
Experience when they choose to provide their reflection in an essay format. It is more challenging to demonstrate when the student chooses other media such as a poster,
blog, video, etc. We believe that it is valuable to allow students the option to choose from a variety of types of media to present their ideas and reflections on their
experience.
GOAL 2 (Tactical Plan): All students will participate in two High Impact Experiences (HIEs); Study Away/Abroad, Paid and
Unpaid Internships, Faculty-Student Research, Community-Engaged Learning.
Program Outcome 2a (SAISS) Southwestern students will participate in a study abroad/away program by graduation.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of graduates (August, December, May) that
participated in at least one study abroad/away
program.
goal)
28% of the graduating class(revised goal
2025-26:
2024-25:
2023-24: 23% (137 of 302), 3% points increase
2022-23: 20% (78 of 394), 9% points increase
70
2021-22: 11% (39 of 357)
2020-21: 21% (64 of 308)
Was the target met? In progress; on track to meet
28% by 2026.
Use of Results/Improvements:
We implemented these strategies:
● Offering more faculty-led programs (6) compared to 4-5 in previous years; this is the most popular program type for SU students
● Implemented “Study Abroad is for Everyone campaign”
● Increased social media and in-person outreach through Marketing Intern and Study Abroad Peer Mentor
● Increased promotion of study abroad scholarships
Program Outcome 2b (SAISS): Students participation in study abroad/away by annual numbers will increase to pre-pandemic
levels.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of students participating in study
abroad/away annually
Return to pre-pandemic levels, AY 2017-
2018 (116)
2023-24:137 (33% increase from last year)
2022-23: 96
2021-22: 104
2020-21: 8
Was the target met? Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
We implemented these strategies:
● Offering more faculty-led programs (6) compared to 4-5 in previous years with 99 participants; this is the most popular program type
● Implemented “Study Abroad is for Everyone campaign”
● Increased social media and in-person outreach
● Increased promotion of study abroad scholarships
● Implemented additional strategies outlined below
For next year, we will have 5 faculty-led programs that will likely generate ~80-85 participants (down from 99 this year). Thus, we plan to continue to increase
promotion of API Abroad programs (with their scholarship support in addition to SU scholarships) and ISEP Exchange (students may use their merit aid).
71
Program Outcome 2c (Tactical Plan): Historically marginalized or underrepresented groups (students of color, first-generation
in college, males) will participate in study abroad/away at an equal rate to campus.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Graduates of color participating in study
abroad/away as compared to the overall graduating
class.
Participating at an equal rate
2023-24: MET 44% of study abroad participants are
students of color compared to 44% of graduating class
2022-23: 27% of study abroad students are of color
compared to 41% of graduating class
Was the target met? Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
We implemented these strategies and will continue to do so:
● Outreach through JEDI Center with “Diversity Abroad” Session
● Study Abroad Peer Mentor outreach
● Study Abroad by Major guides for every major
● Increased promotion of study abroad scholarships
● Presentation at Captain’s Academy
● Participation in LatinXcel events
● Partner with Athletics to promote Study Abroad
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
First-generation graduates participating in study
abroad/away as compared to the overall graduating
class.
Participating at an equal rate
2023-24:MET 23% of study abroad participants are first
generation compared to 19% of graduating class
2022-23: 12% of study abroad participants are first
generation compared to 15% of graduating class
Was the target met? Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
We implemented these strategies and will continue to do so:
● Outreach through JEDI Center with “Diversity Abroad” Session
● Study Abroad Peer Mentor outreach
● Study Abroad by Major guides for every major
● Increased promotion of study abroad scholarships
72
● Presentation at Captain’s Academy
● Participation in LatinXcel events
● Partner with Athletics to promote Study Abroad
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Male graduates participating in study abroad/away
as compared to the overall graduating class. Participating at an equal rate
2023-24: 24% (17/70) of study abroad participants are
male compared to 44% (132/302) of the graduating class
2022-23: 41% (32/78) of study abroad participants are
male compared to 46% (181/394) of the graduating class
Was the target met? Not Met.
Use of Results/Improvements:
Nationally, it is a challenge, and has been for decades, to get males to participate in study abroad at an equal rate to campus demographics. We have
implemented these strategies and it may take a few years to see the results in terms of graduating class percentage.
● Study Abroad by Major guides for every major
● Increased promotion of study abroad scholarships
● Promotion of international internships
● Promotion of international research opportunities
● Partner with Athletics to promote Study Abroad
● Offered Kinesiology faculty-led program focused on the Paris Olympics
Next year:
● Partner with Director of Fraternities and Sororities to promote to fraternities
● Partner with R.A.’s to present in residence halls
● Promotion of the University of Limerick in Ireland for Business/Economics majors; we have set up course mapping for students to know ahead of time
exactly how their courses will count towards their major
● Promote programs through affiliated 3rd party providers (more), as there are more options that will appeal to males
Program Outcome 2d: Students are awarded financial assistance to participate in HIEs.
73
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The amount of money awarded to support students
to study abroad/away $250,000
2023-24: $272,725
2022-23: $308,876
2021-22: $245,345
Was the target met? Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
● The amount funded depends on the amount allocated and raised by the Development Office. Students need more funding support.
● We have increased promotion and visibility of study abroad scholarship and therefore increased the application rate for scholarship support.
● The majority of monies are awarded to students who qualify for title IV Federal Financial Aid Fund.
● We run 4 award cycles per year in coordination with the Financial Aid Office and the Paideia Committee.
● We have simplified the scholarship application process and award criteria to make awards more accessible to students.
● We have partnered with API Abroad to offer additional scholarships to our students.
● Offered a Gilman Scholarship Writing Workshop each semester in collaboration with the Writing Center; 4 SU students won the national award.
GOAL 3 (CIL): To engender a thoughtful and critical approach to the study abroad experience.
Program Outcome 3a: Study abroad students will demonstrate critical thinking skills in the areas of cultural analysis and
intercultural understanding.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Ten randomly selected study abroad reflections will
be scored on the AAC&U Foundation and Skills for
Lifelong Learning Value Rubric (Appendix B) using
the post-experience reflection assignment (options:
essay, video, blog, digital poster, or vlog)
70% reflections will score a 3
2023-24: 80% (8 of 10)
2022-23: 90% (9 of 10)
2021-22: 80% (8 of 10)
Was the target met? MET
Use of Results/Improvements:
This is a rubric that was used previously as part of the assessment for the Center for Integrative Learning. Students are able to demonstrate Lifelong Learning when they
choose to provide their reflection in an essay format. It is more challenging to demonstrate when the student chooses other media such as a poster, blog, video, etc. We
believe that it is valuable to allow students the option to choose from a variety of types of media to present their ideas and reflections on their experience.
74
GOAL 4: Provide support and resources for faculty to successfully develop and lead study abroad programs.
Program Outcome 4a: Develop and share resources for study abroad faculty.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Meet with faculty submitting a study abroad
proposal Meet with 100% of faculty
2023-24: 100% (11 of 11)
2022-23: 100% (11 of 11)
2021-22: 100% (13 of 13)
Was the target met? Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Strategies implemented:
● Send call for proposals to propose a Summer Faculty-led Program or a Fall London Semester program in early fall semester; meet with faculty
throughout the fall to prepare their proposals and submit by February deadline
● Provide clear and transparent process to propose programs
● Meet with faculty who are leading a program on a regular, as-needed basis
● Provide logistical and advising support to faculty leaders
● Offered a faculty-Info session about teaching in London; 7 faculty attended
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Faculty who will serve as study abroad leaders will
attend 3 workshops: “Recruitment & Admissions”
and “Health & Safety”
100% of faculty
2023-24: 78% (7 out of 9) for 3 workshops, 100% for 2
workshops
2022-23: 100% (6 of 6) for 2 workshops
2021-22: 100% (8 of 8) for 2 workshops
Was the target met? Not met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Increased to require 3 faculty leader workshops (from 2) this year:“Recruitment & Admissions”, “Pre-departure Orientation Preparation” and “Health &
Safety, Managing Students On-Site”.
The London faculty leaders did not attend the Pre-Departure Orientation Preparation Workshop. I offered to meet with them separately and provided Slides
to them for the presentations.
For next year, be more insistent that participation is required. However, there is a scheduling challenge on this campus.
75
GOAL 5: Connect students with study abroad programs that meet their personal, academic, and professional goals.
Program Outcome 5a: Students will be knowledgeable of study abroad programs, including programs relating to their majors.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Engagement with students through events, advising
and distribution of Study by Major guides
1000 student interactions (advising,
events, classroom presentations, etc.)
2023-24: 1093
2022-23: 1,461
2021-22: 1,472
Was the target met? Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
● Engaged students 1093 times. Conducted 222 advising appointments and 81 events.
● Promote Study by Major guides to all faculty and academic advisors via email
● Promote Study by Major guides to students during advising and info sessions
● Professional Academic Advisors promote Study by Major guides on their website and through various e-mail communications to faculty and students
● Peer Mentor present to classes and provide Study by Major handouts in person
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Provide outreach events to promote study abroad Offer 40 events
2023-24: 81 events
2022-23: 70 events
2021-22: 64 events
Was the target met? Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
● Coordinated and offered Study Abroad 101 Information Sessions, program specific Information Sessions, Study Abroad Fair, Study Abroad Pre-
Departure Orientations, Classroom Presentations, Admissions Events Presentations, a Parent Webinar, Gilman Scholarship Writing Workshop,
Diversity Abroad 101, Presented at LatinXcel and Captain’s Academy, tabling and more.
NOTE: The first section of the template (mission, introduction and description of changes) may require more than one page. To use this template, it is
recommended to create the structure of the report according to your existing assessment plan before filling out the data for this year. One table should be
present for each assessment method. To make duplicate tables, simply hover your mouse over the table and select the box with four arrows that appears above
the upper left-hand corner. Press [ctrl + C] to copy the table, and [ctrl + V] to paste it in your desired position. If you need further assistance using the template,
please contact the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (farisk@southwestern.edu).
76
Appendix A: AACU’s Integrative Learning Rubric
Capstone
4
Milestone
3 2
Benchmark
1
Connections
to Experience
Connects
relevant
experience
and academic
knowledge
Meaningfully synthesizes
connections among
experiences outside of the
formal classroom (including
life experiences and academic
experiences such as
internships and travel abroad)
to deepen understanding of
fields of study and to broaden
own points of view
Effectively selects and
develops examples of life
experiences, drawn from a
variety of contexts (e.g.,
family life, artistic
participation, civic
involvement, work
experience), to illuminate
concepts/theories/framewor
ks of fields of study
Compares life experience and
academic knowledge to infer
differences as well as similarities,
and acknowledge perspectives
other than own
Identifies connections between life
experiences and those academic texts
and ideas perceived as similar and
related to own interests
Appendix B: Foundation and Skills for Lifelong Learning Value Rubric
Capstone
4
Milestone
3 2
Benchmark
1
Reflection
Reviews prior learning (past
experiences inside and outside
of the classroom) in depth to
reveal significantly changed
perspectives about educational
and life experiences, which
provide foundation for
expanded knowledge, growth,
and maturity over time.
Reviews prior learning (past
experiences inside and
outside of the classroom) in
depth, revealing fully
clarified meanings or
indicating broader
perspectives about
educational or life events.
Reviews prior learning (past
experiences inside and outside of
the classroom) with some depth,
revealing slightly clarified
meanings or indicating a
somewhat broader perspective
about educational or life events.
Reviews prior learning (past
experiences inside and outside of the
classroom) at a surface level, without
revealing clarified meaning or
indicating a broader perspective
about educational or life events.
Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). (2009). Foundation and Skills for Lifelong Learning Value Rubric. Retrieved from
https://www.aacu.org/value/rubrics/lifelong-learning
77
Assessment Plan
Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship
Evaluation Period: Aug. 2024 – Aug. 2025
Mission
The Center for Teaching, Learning, and Scholarship (CTLS) supports faculty as
continuously developing teacher-scholars. The center’s work with faculty is formative,
confidential, and voluntary. This evaluation report outlines our strategic goals, the
assessment methods used to evaluate progress, and programming designed to achieve
these goals.
Goals
1. Enhance Faculty Development in Inclusive Teaching:
Equip faculty with skills and resources to foster inclusive learning environments
and practices.
2. Integrate Generative AI into Teaching and Learning:
Support faculty in understanding and leveraging generative AI to enhance
teaching effectiveness and innovation.
3. Foster Community-Engaged Scholarship:
Encourage faculty to translate their research and teaching into impactful public
scholarship.
4. Promote Faculty Wellness and Work-Life Balance:
Provide resources and support for faculty to thrive professionally across their
career stages and personally, reducing burnout and enhancing well-being.
5. Support High-Impact Learning Experiences
Facilitate faculty efforts to guide students in meaningful high-impact learning
experiences.
Assessment Methods
Goal
Assessment Methods
Enhance Inclusive Teaching Pre- and post-workshop surveys; student course feedback;
peer-reviewed feedback.
Integrate Generative AI into
Teaching
Faculty self-assessments on AI competency; analysis of revised
syllabi incorporating AI tools; peer-reviewed feedback.
Foster Community-Engaged
Scholarship
Faculty participation rates; number of publicly engaged projects
initiated; peer-reviewed feedback.
Promote Faculty Wellness
Feedback from wellness workshops and mentoring
programming; faculty participation in wellness sessions; annual
climate survey.
78
Support High-Impact
Learning Experiences
Faculty and student surveys; examples of revised
assignments/mentorship practices; focus groups.
Programming and Implementation Plan
Goal Programming and Services
Enhance Inclusive Teaching
• Inclusive Pedagogy Workshop Series: Regular
workshops focusing on practical strategies for inclusivity
in classrooms.
• Inclusive Pedagogy Fellows Program: A cohort-based
program where faculty develop and share inclusive
teaching projects.
• Thematic Hires Programming: Regular sessions with
thematic hire faculty to support inclusive teaching efforts
Integrate Generative AI
• AI Slam: One-day event to introduce faculty to the topic
of AI in Higher Education
• AI Integration Play Sessions: A hands-on, ongoing
training sessions for faculty to explore AI tools and
redesign assignments.
• AI Policy and Practice Resources: A repository of sample
policies, assignments, and success stories from faculty.
Foster Community-Engaged
Scholarship
• Publicly Engaged Scholarship Workshops: A seminar
series to help faculty translate their research for public
audiences (in collaboration with Director for Public
Engagement).
• Community Partner Panel Session: Workshop to connect
faculty members with community partners and discuss
methods for establishing and maintaining community
partnerships (in collaboration with Director for Public
Engagement).
Promote Faculty Wellness
• Thriving, Not Surviving Workshops: Focused sessions on
managing stress, balancing responsibilities, and fostering
resilience.
• Faculty Wellness Retreat: A half-day retreat for reflection
and professional renewal.
• Faculty mentoring village: ongoing cohort-based program
to support the faculty mentor/mentee relationship.
Support High-Impact
Learning Experiences
• HIPs Workshops: Sessions for faculty on guiding
students in HIP learning with an emphasis on Paideia
Connections.
• Curricular Support for HIPs: Assistance in integrating HIP
themes into existing courses and programs.
79
Evaluation and Reporting
• Mid-Year Review: A progress review at the midpoint of the evaluation period to
adjust programming based on feedback.
• Annual Report: A detailed report summarizing achievements, challenges, and
areas for improvement.
• Faculty Feedback Loop: Ongoing collection of qualitative and quantitative
feedback to inform future initiatives.
80
Office: Debby Ellis Writing Center
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
The Debby Ellis Writing Center (DEWC) is a space for writing, wherein specially-trained writing consultants work with students and faculty to
support writing practice at Southwestern. In service of the Southwestern community, we host events and workshops that offer guidance to
student writers. Our writing consultants – comprised of students – are available to work with small groups or on a one-on-one basis with writers
at all levels, in all disciplines, and at all stages in the writing process. The consultants focus on skill-building, and they offer writers the support
and training needed to plan and execute revisions of their work. These skills will serve students throughout their future writing efforts. Finally,
the DEWC staff and administrators provide faculty support in planning, developing, and drafting effective writing assignments.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
This year the Director of the Debby Ellis Writing Center continued the priority of professionalization in the following areas: refinement of policy
and practices, staff professional development, data collection, public relations, event programming, campus outreach, and the maintenance of
online and in-center resources for student writers. The DEWC supported writing in the disciplines by continuing the first-year writing support
providing modules for FYS/AES courses. We had 723 student visits to the DEWC this academic year. Goals for 2023-24 remain the same as 2022-
23 to assess procedures and create a plan for gradual small-and large-scale changes since it was the third year for the Director and in anticipation
of the university’s Learning Commons. The DEWC leadership team, including students in the roles of Assistant Director, Special Projects
Coordinator, and Marketing Coordinator, prioritizes marketing and outreach events to increase the utilization of writing support services for
students.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
The Director implemented almost no changes to training, administrative or operational efforts of the Debby Ellis Writing Center. The overall
priority remained to include minimal refinement to existing processes as the existing efforts have been successful. Further, with the
announcement of the newly established Tutoring Center for the 24-25 academic year, the Director would also prioritize the planning and
execution of the new Center.
81
GOAL 1: The DEWC will provide support to student writers in all disciplines and at all levels, who will leave the center satisfied
with their experience and equipped with skills for writing that they can apply to future assignments.
Program Outcome 1a: Students will feel welcome in the DEWC and will leave the center more confident in their ability to
complete their assignments.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Exit survey question: Did you feel welcome and
respected in the DEWC? [yes/no] 95% of students will respond “yes”
2023-24: 100% (570 of 570)
2022-23: 98.9% (846 of 856)
2021-22: 100% (554 of 554)
2020-21: 100% (556 of 556)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
New and Returning Consultant Training will continue to include foundational best practices as well as processes and techniques consultants value in their
work with student writers.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Exit survey question: Would you return to the DEWC
or recommend it to a friend? [yes/no] 95% of students will respond “yes”
2023-24: 98.7% (563 of 570)
2022-23: 98.1% (839 of 856)
2021-22: 99.5% (553 of 554)
2020-21: 99.6% (554 of 556)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Student writers were very satisfied with the services consultants provided to them. The 7 remaining respondents indicated “maybe” in response to the
question. This is a question the DEWC Director will examine more closely in subsequent academic years.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
2023-24: 92.3% (12 of 13)
82
Consultants are observed twice during the academic
year, once during the Fall semester and once in the
Spring semester by the Director and Assistant
Director using the Observation Rubric.
(see attached rubric, boxes 1-2, lines 1-7: “Students
feel welcome/respected in the DEWC.”)
90% of consultations observed will include
techniques and procedures that may
contribute to student indications for why
they feel welcome and respected in the
DEWC.
2022-23: 91.6% (22 of 24)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
The DEWC training continued to focus on valued practices, which emphasizes student-centered experiences for consultants. Returning consultants will
continue to function as mentors for new consultants during training events structured around mindfulness of valued practices.
The Director and Assistant Director observed 13 consultations during Fall semester and opted, instead, to focus on individualized “check-in” conversations on
wellness and well-being for each consultant.
Program Outcome 1b: Students will leave the DEWC with new skills that they can use in their writing.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Consultants are observed twice during the academic
year, once during the Fall semester and once in the
Spring semester by the Director and Assistant
Director using the Observation Rubric.
(See appendix 2 “Goal” see “Transferable Skills”)
90% of consultations observed will include
consultants teaching skills that can be
used in other papers.
2023-24: 92.3% (12 of 13)
2022-23: 95% (23 of 24)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
This year, the director continued to devote portions of staff development sessions to teaching transferable skills. This included consultants teaching other
consultants their favorite strategies for certain writing challenges and creating accompanying handouts.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Exit survey question: How would you rate your
consultation in terms of learning a new skill or
technique that you can use on other writing
assignments (in this class or in any other?)
95% of students will respond good, very
good, or excellent.
2023-24: 99.8% (560 of 570)
2022-23: 96.7% (828 of 856)
2021-22: 98.5% (546 of 554)
2020-21: 98.6% (548 of 556)
83
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Consultant training and on-going development emphasizes the teaching of transferable skills in direct support of the DEWC’s process-oriented ethos for
improving the writer
Program Outcome 1c: Providing Additional Writing Resources: In addition to one-on-one consultations, the DEWC will provide
additional programming and support for student writers.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Students attendance at DEWC writing-centered
events, where they will learn and practice
techniques for writing in varied disciplines, for
varied purposes and audiences. This excludes
FYS/AES modules as these events are required.
At least 25 students will attend
2023-24: 127 students. Events included two midterm
study sessions, two Gilman Scholarship workshops, two
professional writing events, and a large-scale final exam
event.
2022-23: 70 students. Events included two midterm study
sessions, one final exam study session, two Gilman
Scholarship workshops, and an academic poster
presentation workshop
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Target met. This year, the Director will continue to market and promote DEWC events to increase attendance. The Director will continue to create new
partnerships and maintain existing partnerships with other student facing service agencies on campus.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The DEWC Director and consultants will review
online and in-center resources and edit/revise as
determined by consultants’ recommendation.
10 online and in-center resources will be
reviewed and edited/revised if needed
2023-24:Reviewed 24 resources, no changes made.
2022-23: Edited/Revised 18 resources
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Director and staff will continue to review all 24 online writing resources and maintain all 24 printed resources next year.
84
Program Outcome 1d: The DEWC will ensure that students from across Southwestern’s campus make use of the writing
center.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Client report data will be used to determine how
many students visited the DEWC each year.
15% of the students enrolled at SU will
visit the center each year
2023-24: 316 of 1459 (21%)
2022-23: 396 of 1483 (26%)
2021-22: 243 of 1504 (16%)
2020-21: 235 of 1506 (15%)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
The Director will continue its marketing and outreach priorities to remind students of the services in the next academic year.
GOAL 2: The DEWC will provide support for faculty, who will refer students to the center and indicate their satisfaction with
the work performed in the DEWC.
Program Outcome 2a: The DEWC will inform faculty about the work being done in the DEWC with their students.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The Director will keep records of if students request
an email be sent to their professor informing them
about their DEWC session.
65% of consultations will include students
requesting the email
2023-24: 361 of 723 (49%)
2022-23: 431 of 856 (50%)
2021-22: 261 of 554 (46%)
2020-21: 272 of 556 (49%)
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
The Director plans to reevaluate the importance of this program outcome as 83% of appointments indicated that they learned about the DEWC through their
professor. Further, the overall 49% includes 62 appointments for support not associated with a class (i.e. resume, Gilman Scholarship, etc.). Lastly, the
Director is measuring utility as a direct result of marketing and outreach events for future assessment reports.
85
Program Outcome 2b: The DEWC will assist faculty in the classroom to inform them about the work being done in the DEWC
with their students.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The DEWC will conduct in-class visits to conduct
writing related workshops. 6 in-class visits a year
2023-24: 15 in-class visits for 11 faculty members
2022-23: 21 in-class visits for 12 faculty members
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
The Director will continue to conduct in-class workshops during the next academic year.
GOAL 3: DEWC consultants will be trained to provide all students at Southwestern with valuable feedback aimed at growing as
a writer.
Program Outcome 3a: The DEWC will provide valuable feedback to English Language Learners (ELL) and first-generation
college students as self- identified in the exit surveys.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Exit survey question: Would you return to the DEWC
or recommend it to a friend? [yes/no]
Students can self-identify as ELL by responding they
have a “first or home” language other than English
and/or as first-generation students
90% of ELL students will respond “yes”
2023-24: 100% (105 of 105)
2022-23: 100% (65 of 65)
Was the target met? Yes
90% of first-generation students will
respond “yes”
2023-24: 100% (152 of 152)
2022-23: 100% (107 of 107)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
The DEWC will continue training to work with ELL students. We will also partner with/collaborate with other student-facing service agencies on campus (e.g.,
1st Year Advisors, Student Life, Academic Student Success) to meet the unique writing needs of students in these categories.
86
Program Outcome 3b: The DEWC will provide training and mentorship for consultants.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
DEWC staff will meet throughout the year to discuss
valued practices and participate in professional
development activities.
DEWC staff will meet 10 times
2023-24: Staff met 14 times (bi-weekly)
2022-23: Staff met 18 times (bi-weekly)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Staff meetings this year focused on transferable skills that the consultants felt would benefit their ability to guide students through their writing.
DEWC will continue to discuss valued practices and participate in professional development workshops on Genre/discipline-specific writing and interpersonal
communication skills.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
New consultants will train for their new role through
orientation and mentoring with experienced
consultants. This will include 15 hours of pre-
training during Orientation Week (Fall semester) and
3 hours of training the first week of Spring semester.
100% of incoming consultants will
participate in training
2023-24: 100%
2022-23: 100%
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
All new consultants will be paired with mentors and go through training and mock consulting during Orientation Week. This year, all consultants, returning
and new, were required to participate in training to create more community. This proved successful as all consultants reported that the DEWC training team
was beneficial for building trust, camaraderie, and cohesion as well as job preparation
87
Appendix 1: Materials Review Rubric
Type
Good
Sufficient
Poor
Insufficient
In-Center
Student
Resources
5-10
Southwestern-
specific printed
worksheets are
available.
Updated disciplinary
writing guides & style
guides are
available.
3-5 Southwestern-
specific printed
worksheets are
available.
Updated disciplinary writing
guides & style guides are
available.
Printed worksheets from
other centers are available
for student use.
Disciplinary writing
guides & outdated style
guides are available.
No worksheets
are available.
Few, no, or very
outdated style or
writing guides are
available.
Online
Student
Resources
Organization is
clear.
Citation
information
links to guides for all
major styles and
to model papers.
Information about
staff & center are
current.
Southwestern-
specific
worksheets
are available
online.
Organization is
clear.
Citation information
links to guides for most
major styles.
Information about
staff & center is
current.
Organization is clear,
but materials are
limited.
Citation information links
to guides for most major
styles.
Information about staff &
center is present but
outdated.
Organization is
confusing.
Citation information
does not cover major
styles.
Information about
staff & center is
absent.
88
In-Center
Tutor
Resources
A tutor handbook
organizes theory,
policy, and best
practices.
Specific handouts
address best practices
& suggestions for
addressing challenges.
Both the
handbook
Policies are clear and
available to tutors in the
center.
Best practices are archived
and are available as work-
sheets in the center.
Handouts are avail-
able addressing
common challenges
Policies are clear.
Best practices are archived
and are available as work-
sheets.
Policies are absent or
unclear.
Best practices are not archived
or are unavailable
to tutors.
89
Appendix 2: Consultation Observation Rubric
90
Division of Student Life Assessment Report
Academic Year: 2023-2024
Vision
We inspire a culture of learning, growth, well-being, and inclusivity in a community of respect.
Mission
In partnership with students, we create a community of learning through celebrative and
transformative p rograms and individualized services.
Summary
The 2023-2024 academic year brought significant changes to the Division of Student Life. Two
offices, the JEDI Center and Spiritual Life, transitioned out of the division, their contributions
are reflected in this report. Additionally, the Center for Career and Professional Development
(CCPD) was welcomed into the division, though assessment data for CCPD will be included in
future reports. The MOSAIC Initiative was also eliminated this year. Also, the Counseling &
Health Office’s Health Educator position was vacated.
Leadership changes included the division’s Student Activites, orientation events, and
co-curricular planning being led by an interim Assistant Vice President (AVP) while a permanent
AVP was selected. We are pleased to announce the hiring of a new AVP, who will help guide the
division into its next phase of growth. Under the new AVP’s leadership, the division is
developing a new co-curricular plan to define key student learning goals and guide assessment
efforts moving forward.
As part of this year’s assessment process, each office within the division was asked to identify at
least one significant assessment goal relevant to their independent office. This report highlights
these goals and outcomes, illustrating how each office continues to support the mission of
Student Life.
This report is organized as follows:
Student Life Division-Wide Assessment Goals ……………………………………….…… 02
Campus Recreation ……………………………………………………………….…….….. 05
Counseling & Health ………………………………………………………………….….… 07
Dean of Students and Residence Life …………………………………………………….... 10
Greek Life …………………………………………………………………………………. 13
JEDI Center ………………………………………………………………………………... 15
Spiritual Life ……………………………………………………………………………….. 17
Student Activities …………………………………………………………………………... 22
SU Police Department ……………………………………………………………………… 24
1
91
Student Life, Division-wide Assessments
1. Goal
Track student interactions and program attendance within Student Life to support
retention efforts and enable data-driven programming decisions.
Program Outcome
1a. Develop and implement a standardized method for tracking student attendance across all
Student Life offices.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
Launch Year Target:
● All eleven offices
within student life will
be trained to utilize
the attendance
tracking spreadsheet
(see attached).
Mechanism:
● Each academic year,
all offices will upload
their attendance to the
tracking document.
Ongoing Target
● ALL offices will
utilize the attendance
tracking spreadsheet.
● 80% of Student Life
programs are reflected
on the attendance
tracking spreadsheet.
● 75% of the student
body will engage with
Student Life at least
per academic year.
● Nine out of ten offices
have been trained.
Aramark is the
remaining office.
It has been determined
that Aramark will not
accompany Student
Life’s attendance
tracking initiative at
this time; other than
events we collaborate
with Aramark on.
● TBD in AY25
● Yes
● TBD in AY25
2
92
Program Outcome
1b. Create a retention tracking system that integrates with Student Life’s attendance data.
Implementation and assessment will begin in AY25.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● TBD in AY25
● TBD in AY25
● TBD in AY25
2. Goal
Monitor and adapt the Student Life Strategic Plan.
Program Outcome
2a. THIS SECTION IS A PLACE HOLDER FOR THE NEW DIVISION STRATEGIC
ASSESSMENT GOALS
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● TBD in AY25
● TBD in AY25
● TBD in AY25
3
93
3. Goal
Co-Curricular plan assessment
Program Outcome
3a. THIS SECTION IS A PLACE HOLDER FOR THE NEW CO-CURRICULAR
INITIATIVE ASSESSMENTS
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● TBD in AY25
● TBD in AY25
● TBD in AY25
4
94
Campus Recreation
*OA - Outdoor Adventure
*IM - Intramural Sports
*SIRA - the former name of Campus Recreation
1. Goal
Monitor and increase overall SU student participation in SIRA while continuously
striving for increased student satisfaction.
Program Outcome
1a. Monitor and increase overall SU student participation in SIRA.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
Mechanism:
● Maintain student
participation numbers
in both Outdoor
Adventure programs
and Intramural Sports.
Target:
● 40% of the student
body will participate
in at least one SIRA
program each
academic year.
○ With outdoor
adventure
having 100
student
participants
each year.
● Track how many
students had to be
placed on a waitlist
for a SIRA program.
● (NEW FOR NEXT
YEAR) Track how
many students
participate in SIRA
programs during each
There were 1,605 student
participations in SIRA
(Intramural Sports, Outdoor
Adventure, & Fitness
numbers does not include
Sport Clubs)
609 student participants
(Intramural Sports, Sports
Clubs, Outdoor Adventure,
Fitness)
545 Unique participants
(Intramural & Outdoor
Adventure)
Will work with the registrar
to create a sustainable system
for tracking retention for
Campus Recreation.
● Did 40% of the
student body
participate in at least
one SIRA program?
Yes 40.2%
● Did outdoor adventure
see 100 student
participants? YES
● Did we track how
many students had to
be waitlisted?
YES, 26
● Did we track how
many students
participate in SIRA
programs during each
year of their academic
career at SU (aka
SIRA returners)? NO
working to create a
system to track
retention with the
registar.
5
95
year of their academic
career at SU (aka
SIRA returners).
Program Outcome
1b. Launch a unified student assessment survey to all SIRA participants in an effort to make
data-driven decisions based on student satisfaction responses.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
Mechanism:
● After each SIRA
program, students will
be asked to complete
the SIRA survey to
gauge their
satisfaction.
Target:
● 40% of SIRA
participants will
complete the survey.
● 70% of survey
participants will state
that they are overall
‘satisfied’ or ‘very
satisfied’ with the
program.
There were 565 participants
in the Intramural & Outdoor
Adventure .
Surveys;s Gathered -127
IM-34
OA-93.
23% completed the survey.
IM- 16 participants states
excellent experience and 18
participants stated enjoyable
experience
100% Overall/Very Satisfied
OA- 87 participants states
excellent experience and 6
participants stated enjoyable
experience
100% Overall/Very Satisfied
● Target Satisfaction -
Met
● Target Number of
Surveys:
○ OA Met
○ Intramurals
Not Met
6
96
SU Counseling and Health Center
1. Goal
Provide mental health and medical support to the student body
Program Outcome
1a. The Counseling and Health Center will continue to offer clinical, consultation, and crisis
response services with which our students will be satisfied.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● 80% of students will
indicate that they
agree with the
statement “Counseling
helped address my
concerns” on the
counseling center
survey.
● 80% of students will
indicate that they
agree with the
statement “Counseling
helped me learn new
skills (e.g., behavior
management, emotion
management)” on the
counseling center
survey.
● 80% of students will
indicate that they
agree with the
statement “Counseling
helped me identify or
better use my existing
skills (e.g., behavior
management, emotion
management)” on the
counseling center
survey.
● 96% (72 out of 75) of
students agreed with
the statement
“Counseling helped
address my concerns.”
● 95% (70 out of 74) of
students agreed with
the statement
“Counseling helped
me learn new skills
(e.g., behavior
management, emotion
management).”
● 90% (66 of 73) of
students agreed with
the statement
“Counseling helped
me identify or better
use my existing skills
(e.g., behavior
management, emotion
management).”
● Target Met
● Target Met
● Target Met
7
97
● 80% of students will
indicate that they
agree with the
statement “Counseling
helped me learn more
about how or why I
make choices that
impact my emotions”
on the counseling
center survey.
● 80% of students will
indicate that they
agree with the
statement “I was
treated with respect by
the Health Center
staff.”
● 80% of students will
indicate that they
agree with the
statement “My
diagnosis was
explained to me in a
way I could
understand” on the
Health Center survey.
● 80% of students will
indicate that they
agree with the
statement “Any
questions I asked were
answered to my
satisfaction” on the
Health Center survey.
● 94% (70 of 74) of
students agreed with
the statement
“Counseling helped
me learn more about
how or why I make
choices that impact
my emotions.”
● 95% (87 of 92) of
students agreed with
the statement “I was
treated with respect by
the Health Center
staff.”
● 84% (77 of 92) of
students agreed with
the statement “My
diagnosis was
explained to me in a
way I could
understand.”
● 87% (77 of 89) of
students agreed with
the statement “Any
questions I asked were
answered to my
satisfaction.”
● Target Met
● Target Met
● Target Met
● Target Met
8
98
2. Goal
Provide health education to the student body.
Program Outcome
1b. Assess the effectiveness and satisfaction of the Welcome Week and First-Year Seminar
Training on Mental Health
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● 70% of those who
participated in the
training will take the
pre and post-training
survey.
● 70% of the survey
results will state that
they are overall
‘satisfied’ or ‘very
satisfied’ after the
training.
● 96% of participants
took the pre-survey
during Welcome
Week.
62% took the
post-survey during
their FYS.
● 86% of participants
stated that they are
‘satisfied’ or ‘very
satisfied’ with the
training.
● Did 70% of
participants take
BOTH surveys?
NO, target not met.
● Were 70% of the
participants satisfied
or very satisfied with
the training?
YES, target met.
Program Outcome
1b. Assess the effectiveness and satisfaction of the Welcome Week and First-Year Seminar
Training on Sexual Health
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● 70% of those who
participate in the
training will take the
pre and post-training
survey.
● 70% of the survey
results will state that
they are overall
‘satisfied’ or ‘very
satisfied’ after the
training.
● Data was lost due to
staff departure.
● Data was lost due to
staff departure.
● Did 70% of
participants take
BOTH surveys?
Data was lost due to
staff departure.
● Were 70% of the
participants satisfied
or very satisfied with
the training? Data was
lost due to staff
departure.
9
99
Dean of Students & Residence Life
1. Goal
The Housing & Residence Life office will work to increase retention strategies and
continuously strive for increased resident satisfaction.
Program Outcome
1a. Launch and maintain a Resident Assistant (RA) Contact Log program.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● In week seven of the
Fall semester and
week one of the
Spring semester, RAs
will identify up to
30% of residents that
they know least.
● Of these residents that
are identified, the RA
from their Residence
Hall area will contact
them at least eight
times in that semester.
● Residence Life will
track these numbers
each year to identify if
these residents are
retained at the same
level of the overall
class-year retention.
The program did not get
underway until Spring 2024,
and we did not have specific
enough instructions or
processes to make it
successful. We did learn from
the attempt and are better
prepared to roll out a more
structured process in the fall.
Target partially met. 166
residents were identified by
24 RAs across all levels of
campus housing.
Target not met. Each of the
166 residents was contacted
at least once, and many were
contacted more than once, but
none were contacted 8 times.
In future semesters, we will
reduce the expectation to four
check-ins (about once every
three weeks), so that it does
not feel forced or awkward
for the RA or the resident.
We will begin tracking this
next AY.
Program Outcome
1b. Launch and maintain a Resident Life Assessment in an effort to make data-driven
decisions based on student satisfaction responses.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
10
100
● Create a survey that is
sent to students
mid-semester and a
survey that is sent at
the end of the
semester.
● Send surveys out to all
residents twice per
semester.
● 50% of all residents
will submit BOTH
surveys.
n/a
The survey was not created
due to insufficient bandwidth
in the Residence Life staff.
We hope to complete this
item in Fall 2024.
2. Goal
The Dean of Students’ office will provide quality training to members of the University
Committee on Discipline (UCD).
Program Outcome
2a. Plan and implement effective training for the UCD.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● The dean of students
will create a basic
training session that
can be executed in an
hour or less.
● 70% of UCD
members will
complete the training
session during the fall
semester.
● 75% of attendees at
the training session(s)
will demonstrate
increased knowledge
of policies and
processes related to
serving on the UCD.
A slide presentation was
created for the 45-minute
training sessions.
94% (16 of 17) of UCD
members completed training.
47% (8 of 17) of attendees
demonstrated increased
knowledge; however, 100%
(8 of 8) of those completing
the post-test demonstrated
increased knowledge.
Target met.
Target not met. Though the
percentage goal was
exceeded, the training did not
happen in the fall semester. It
occurred in February 2024.
Target not met. Of the 16
attendees, 15 completed the
pre-training assessment but
only 8 completed the
post-training assessment.The
average score on the pre-test
was 7.33/50 points. The
average score on the post-test
was 30/50 points,
demonstrating significantly
11
101
increased knowledge among
those who completed the
post-test. The pre- and post-
tests were created for this
year’s assessment project. For
next year, the questions and
answer choices can be further
refined to capture more
granular information about
participants’ learning.
12
102
Greek Life
1. Goal
Communicate regularly with Greek Life leaders and advisors
Program Outcomes
a-d. See below
Assessment Mechanism(s) and Target(s)
Assessment
Results
Target(s)
Met?
Improveme
nt
Mechanism:
a. Continue providing advisor updates to IFS and ISC
b. Meet with every Greek organization president
c. Organize and facilitate Greek Life advisor
conversations
d. Organize and lead Greek organization President
meetings
Target:
a. Provide communication to Greek Life advisors at
least every other week
b. Meet every Greek Life President once one on one
c. Met with over half of the Greek Life advisors and
host an advisor meeting
d. Meet with Greek Life Presidents as a group
2X/semester
Communicated
with advisors
weekly
Met with all Greek
Life Presidents one
on one
Met with over 30
advisors one on
one.
Hosted 2 Greek
Life Presidents’
meetings
Met all
identified
targets.
Will continue
this next
year.
2. Goal
Share positive information about Greek Life
Program Outcome 1a.
Assessment Mechanism(s) and Target(s)
Assessment
Results
Target(s)
Met?
Improvement
Mechanism:
A. Maintain records of events, philanthropy, achievements,
etc. for each Greek organization
B. Organize positive news into a Greek Life Good
Newsletter for publication
2 Greek Life
Good
Newsletters
published that
highlighted
every Greek
Met all
identified
targets.
Will continue
this next year.
13
103
C. Broadly share newsletter
Target:
e. Have positive highlights from every Greek Life group
at least once a month
f. Publish 2 Greek Life Good Newsletters/semester
g. Distribute newsletter to all Greek Life students but also
to all Greek Life alumni
organization
on campus
with hundreds
of SU students
and thousands
of Greek Life
alumni
14
104
Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Center
1. Goal
Educate the Southwestern University community on diversity, inclusion, belonging, and
equity (DIBE) through trainings, workshops, and programs.
Program Outcome
1a. Increase DIBE trainings, workshops, and programs for students.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Host at least one
training, during
welcome week for all
incoming and transfer
students.
● JEDI Center training
was day 3 of Welcome
Week. Students started
slowly not attending
all sessions (no
consequences for
those who do not
attend)..
● YES
Program Outcome
1b. Assess the effectiveness and satisfaction of the training sessions.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
Target
● At least 200 first year
students will
participate in the
Welcome Week
Training
● 80% will complete the
post-survey
● About 250 students
participated in the
Welcome Week JEDI
Center Session.
● Of the 250, 87% (218)
students took the end
of session survey.
● 84% (184/218)
responded that after
the presentation, they
felt more comfortable
speaking up when I
see/hear anything.
● 87% (190/218)
YES
15
105
responded that they
will recommend the
presentation to
another student.
● 53% (116/218)
responded that they
will participate in
more presentations
similar to this one.
16
106
Spiritual Life
1. Goal
After several years of interim and part-time Chaplains, followed by COVID-19, the major
goal for 2023-2024 is to revive attention to Spiritual Life at Southwestern University.
Program Outcome
1a. Research the current perceptions of spiritual life at Southwestern
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Host at least one focus
group for faculty and
staff.
● Host at least one focus
group for students.
● Host a focus group for
trustees.
● One focus group for
faculty and another
for staff were
conducted in October
2023.
● Two focus groups
were conducted for
students in October.
● Two focus groups
were conducted for
trustees.
● Was at least one focus
group conducted for
faculty and staff?
● Was at least one focus
group conducted for
students?
● Was at least one focus
group conducted for
trustees?
Program Outcome
1b. Use the focus group data to create the structure for Spiritual Life by forming a Spiritual
Life Council
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Create a Spiritual Life
Council to meet
monthly in the spring
2024
● 60% of the Council
members will attend
and participate in the
monthly meetings.
The Spiritual Life Council
was created and met once a
month January through April,
2024.
On average 75% of the
members attended the
Council meetings.
● Was the Spiritual Life
Council created? YES
● Did 60% of the
members attend the
monthly
meetings? YES
17
107
● Support the seven
religious student
organizations on
campus.
Two of the seven
organizations were not visibly
active, because of low
membership and the
departure of their advisors
from the University.
● PARTIAL YES
Program Outcome
2. Raise awareness of the importance of the spiritual dimension of holistic wellness for
individual development.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Update the Spiritual
Life website.
● Publish an Interfaith
Calendar of Religious
Observances.
● Use available media
to promote Spiritual
Life activities.
● Plan and implement
activities to promote
spiritual well being.
● With guidance and
assistance from
MarCom, the Spiritual
Life website was
updated in late
summer 2023
● The Calendar of
Religious
Observances was
produced and
distributed in the late
summer 2023
● Student assistants
created campus
notices, flyers and
sandwich board
announcements about
Chapel Services and
other Spiritual Life
experiences.
● Numerous activities
were conducted to
promote spiritual
well-being, including
the weekly Minute for
PEACE, weekly
● Was the website
updated? YES
● Was the Religious
Observances Calendar
published and
distributed? YES
● Were other
promotional materials
created? YES
● Were activities
conducted to promote
spiritual well being
for various faith
traditions? YES
18
108
● Support students,
staff, and faculty from
faith traditions that are
not Christian.
Chapel Services,
Interfaith Seminary
Day, Interfaith Fair,
and special Services
such as Candlelight,
Ash Wednesday, and
Palm Sunday.
● Provided space for
Prayer and other
spiritual practices.
● Hosted an Interfaith
Fair and other events
such as Introduction
to Buddhism.
● Displayed appropriate
symbols from various
faith traditions during
November -
December.
● Support the Muslim
Iftar meal sponsored
by Muslim Student
Association
Program Outcome
3. Intentionally engage, support, and recognize students in major Spiritual Life and University
activities
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Identify the student
leaders of the
religious organizations
and other Spiritual
Life activities
● Engage the students in
major Spiritual Life
activities.
Student leaders of the
religious organizations, the
Merrill Justice and Peace
scholars and Chapel assistants
were identified
Student leaders were engaged
in Candlelight, Ash
Wednesday, Palm Sunday,
and Baccalaureate as readers
YES
19
109
● Support students in
finding off-campus
faith communities in
which they can
connect and grow.
and worship leaders. One
student worked with staff to
design a Peace Garden.
The Interfaith Fair held in
August 2023, was an
opportunity for students to
connect with local faith
communities. Many students
attend “Chunch” at Crestview
Baptist Church on Monday’s
as well as “Dunch” on the 4th
Tuesday at Grace Episcopal
Church. Numerous students
attend Sunday Worship at
local churches and participate
in children’s and other
ministries.
Program Outcome
4. Identify and use resources to support Spiritual Life activities
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Work with Financial
Aid, Business Office
and University
Relations to review all
Endowed Ministerial
Scholarships.
● Repurpose the
Scholarships where
possible to create paid
internships to enable
students to learn about
the range of current
An inventory of Endowed
Ministerial Scholarships has
been developed and reviewed
internally. Next the list will
be submitted to legal counsel
and the State Attorney
General with
recommendations to
repurpose these scholarships
Collect internship models
from other institutions to
create a similar program at
Southwestern.
● Was an inventory of
Scholarships
developed?
● Were internship
models collected to
create a program at
SU?
20
110
ministerial positions.
Program Outcome
5. Participate and engage with external organizations and professional development opportunities
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Participate in local,
national, and global
organizations.
● Participated in
professional
development activities
In 2023-2024, the Chaplain
actively participated in the
Georgetown Ministerial
Alliance, the First United
Methodist Church and the
Texas Annual Conference of
the UMC.
The Chaplain maintained
membership and participate
the the Association for
Chaplaincy and Spiritual Life
in Higher Education
(ACSLHE), the Associated
Colleges of the South (ACS)
Chaplains Group, and
attended the CIC NetVUE
Conference
YES
21
111
Student Activities
1. Goal
Provide on-campus events that are accessible to students and provide a wide range of
experiences for students, directly through Friday Night Live and Cove Nights, and
indirectly through Community Chest funded events.
Program Outcome
1a. Continued growth in FNL and overall event attendance
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Headcounts were taken
at all events, and a
sign-in QR code was
used at many events.
● A feedback form was
sent at the end of the fall
semester, which allowed
for feedback on all
events using the QR
code, on a 1-5 scale of
enjoyment and quality
(poor to excellent)
● At Retro Game Night
(4/26), we did prize
drawings for people who
filled out the assessment
form, so we saw high
completion and ratings.
● Attendance
○ F23 avg: 192 (8
FNLs)
○ S24 avg: 107 (5
FNLs)
○ Highest & lowest:
■ Step and Stroll, 314
■ SP Family Weekend
Scavenger Hunt, 32
● Feedback: (Response
rate)
● Lotería: (47/134, 35%)
○ 4.47/5 average
● Silent Disco (49/270,
18%)
○ 4.31/5 avg
● Dodgeball (35/120,
29%)
○ 4.37/5 avg
● Haunted House (44/163,
27%)
○ 4.39/5 avg
● Step & Stroll (41/314,
13%)
○ 4.24/5 avg
● Game Night (51/135,
38%)
○ 4.90/5 avg
● Last year's goals for
growth were set prior to
news of a smaller StuAct
department, but even with
a fewer FNLs, average
attendance in the fall set
new 10-year attendance
records.
● The spring saw fewer
FNLs, particularly as
budget cuts called for
program cancellation, but
in turn had more Cove
Nights than the fall.
22
112
Program Outcome
1b. Host University Programming Council student-led Cove Nights
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Just simple attendance
was taken, and
assessment results
show Cove Nights
from spring semester,
as they were largely
student-led
● Pet Rock craft: 57
● Karaoke: 36
● EMPIRE BHM trivia:
28
● Ping Pong Tourney:
16
● Zen Coloring: 7
● Pool Tourney: 8
● AVG: 25
● We’ve seen descending
attendance at Cove
Nights every semester.
Particularly given that pet
rocks, karaoke, and trivia
have all been successful
in the past, the attendance
trend is not surprising.
Still, given the low cost
and risk of these events,
they’ll continue.
● Putting students at the
helm worked well, and
they accepted the
responsibility well.
23
113
SU Police Department
1. Goal
Educate the Southwestern University community on safety practices and policies.
Specific trainings include: Active Shooter Training, Hate Crime Education, and Protest
Safety.
Program Outcome
1a. Increase and track Campus PD training sessions for SU staff, faculty, and students.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
● Host at least one
training, per year, for
faculty and staff.
● Host at least one
training, per year, for
students.
● Hate Crime training
for Campus PD
officers occurred.
● One training was held
in the residence hall.
No students attended.
Better promotion will
occur next year.
● Target Met. 8 Full
Time SUPD Officers
and staff attended
Hate Crimes training.
● Target not met.
Program Outcome
1b. Assess the effectiveness and satisfaction of the training sessions.
Assessment
Mechanism(s) and
Target(s)
Assessment Results
Target(s) Met/ Not Met?
Comments/Improvement
Hate Crime Training
Survey: Target Results
● 70% of the survey
results will state that
they are overall
‘satisfied’ or ‘very
satisfied’ after the
training.
● 80% were Very
Satisfied with the
training, and the
remaining 20% were
Satisfied.
● YES
24
114
25
115
Office: Enrollment Services – Financial Aid
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
To provide financial aid services to Southwestern families that support the recruitment and retention of students and the overall enrollment and
budget objectives at the University.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
As a department within the Enrollment Services division of the university, the work of Financial Aid Office (FAO) supports the various student recruitment and
student retention goals established by the university. The FAO provides merit and need-based funding options to students that help them cover the costs of
attendance at the university, and works to provide this funding at levels that optimize enrollment while working toward meeting institutional discount rate
and budget goals. Various cohorts within the current student body (all students, first-year and transfer) have metrics that are monitored on a regular basis to
help the office management understand the progress being made toward meeting enrollment, discount rate, and net revenue goals. In addition, these
metrics help the Fiscal Affairs area to plan for current and upcoming budget cycles so that appropriate adjustments to the university’s budget can be made.
Intentional collaboration has occurred between the FAO, Business Office, Registrar’s Office, and Residence Life Office to clear student accounts prior to the
beginning of each semester. This effort is regularly monitored to track progress toward clearing as many accounts as possible so that students may focus on
their Southwestern experience once the semester begins. A low number of unresolved student accounts supports student retention by limiting the number of
students who may feel the need to withdraw from the university due to an outstanding balance due.
Additionally, beginning with the 2021-22 assessment cycle the average student debt at graduation will be included to monitor our progress with 1.1 of the
2021-2026 Tactical Plan to decrease the overall student indebtedness.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
-Enrollment, discount rate, and net revenue data is used to inform and develop appropriate awarding strategies for the upcoming recruitment cycle.
-Student account data is used to inform the process for future cycles to keep the number of past due student accounts to a reasonable level.
-Meeting the goal for student debt at graduation supports existing strategy for controlling overall student indebtedness.
Note: Due to the botched 24-25 FAFSA rollout by the US Department of Education and due to short staffing issues in the Financial Aid Office, a 2022-23
Financial Aid Office Assessment Report was not completed. However, data from the target year for the 22-23 report is included in the longitudinal data on
this report. Also, due to the change in the reporting timeline for the 23-24 cycle, the target term for all program outcomes under Goal 1 and Goal 2 changed
to Fall 2024 due to the availability of relevant data.
116
GOAL 1: Manage fall resources to support overall enrollment, net tuition revenue (NTR), and discount rate goals.
Program Outcome 1a: Meet overall enrollment, net tuition revenue, and discount rate goals
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment of all
students. FTE = Full-Time + (Part-Time Hours/12)
Confirmed using the Fall 2024 Financial Aid Budget
Report – All Classifications.
For Fall 2024: FTE of 1431
Fall 2024: 1431.83
Fall 2023: 1450.33 [met]
Fall 2022: 1474.08 [met]
Fall 2021: 1491.42 [met]
Was the target met? Yes
The net tuition revenue (NTR) of all students.
NTR is gross tuition revenue less the institutional
financial aid awarded
Confirmed using the Fall 2024 Financial Aid Budget
Report – All Classifications.
For Fall 2024: NTR of $30,761,319
Fall 2024: $31,131,133
Fall 2023: $30,462,128 [met]
Fall 2022: $30,229,532 [met]
Fall 2021: $29,785,697 [met]
Was the target met? Yes
The discount rate for all students.
Discount rate is the ratio of institutional financial aid
awarded versus the gross tuition revenue
Confirmed using the Fall 2024 Financial Aid Budget
Report – All Classifications.
For Fall 2024: Discount Rate of 59.66%
Fall 2024: 59.30% [met]
Fall 2023: 57.67% [met]
Fall 2022: 57.33% [met]
Fall 2021: 57.33% [met]
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Note that quantitative targets are set by Senior Staff through the budgeting process. The targets typically change each year based on budget goals and needs.
While goals were met, enrollment numbers have declined the past four years, as market forces related to the pandemic, the “enrollment cliff” and the 2024-
25 FAFSA debacle have worked against enrollment growth, and the university budget goals were adjusted in response to that. The 2025-26 FAFSA appears to
be on target for a more functional rollout for the 25-26 cycle, which should reduce the negative impact that the FAFSA would otherwise have on our
enrollment.
117
Program Outcome 1b: Meet first-year enrollment, net tuition revenue, and discount rate goals
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number of matriculated Fall 2024 first-year
students.
Confirmed using the Final First Year Fin Aid Budget
Report – Fall 2024
For Fall 2024: 420 matriculants initially,
then revised to 385 matriculants
Fall 2024: 374
Fall 2023: 403 [not met]
Fall 2022: 436 [not met]
Fall 2021: 355 [not met]
Was the target met? No
The net tuition revenue (NTR) of Fall 2024 first-year
students.
NTR is gross tuition revenue less the institutional
financial aid awarded
Confirmed using the Final First Year Fin Aid Budget
Report – Fall 2024
For Fall 2024: $8,538,070, then revised to
$7,734,487
Fall 2024: $7,442,101
Fall 2023: $7,426,037 [not met]
Fall 2022: $7,714,133 [met]
Fall 2021: $6,611,422 [not met]
Was the target met? No
The discount rate for Fall 2024 first-year students.
Discount rate is the ratio of institutional financial aid
awarded versus the gross tuition revenue
Confirmed using the Final First Year Fin Aid Budget
Report – Fall 2024
For Fall 2024: 62.30%
Fall 2024: 62.66% [not met]
Fall 2023: 63.55% [not met]
Fall 2022: 63.48% [not met]
Fall 2021: 60.21% [not met]
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
Note: Quantitative targets for matriculants, NTR, and discount rates are set by senior staff through the budgeting process. Due to the issues related to the
delayed rollout of the 24-25 FAFSA, the budget targets for matriculants and NTR for this group were revised in mid-cycle.
The impact of the delayed rollout and subsequent issues associated with it had a significant impact on our recruitment numbers, especially given that over
60% of students receive financial aid that requires a valid FAFSA. While the rollout of the FAFSA for the 25-26 cycle appears to be moving forward in a much
more favorable manner than last year, the Financial Aid Office is prepared for a December 1 rollout of the FAFSA, as indicated by the US Department of
Education. In addition, the Financial Aid Office has put into place a plan to use an in-house form that will be used to develop financial aid estimates to
prospective students for Fall 2025 on request, and will keep that option available until official financial aid award letters can be released. The availability of
estimates will allow the recruitment of students to move forward in the event the 25-26 FAFSA experiences delays as it did last year.
Use our experience to inform the financial aid packaging strategy for first-year students. Work with our financial aid packaging strategy consultant to develop
a scholarship and need-based aid model that supports budget and enrollment targets for the Fall 2025 class.
118
Program Outcome 1c: Meet transfer enrollment, net tuition revenue, and discount rate goals
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number of matriculated transfer students.
Confirmed using the Final Transfer Fin Aid Budget
Report – Fall 2024
For Fall 2024: 50
Fall 2024: 55
Fall 2023: 58 [met]
Fall 2022: 37 [not met]
Fall 2021: 50 [not met]
Was the target met? Yes
The net tuition revenue (NTR) of new transfer
students.
NTR is gross tuition revenue less the institutional
financial aid awarded
Confirmed using the Final Transfer Fin Aid Budget
Report – Fall 2024
For Fall 2024: $1,198,980
Fall 2024: $1,475,604
Fall 2023: $1,346,809 [met]
Fall 2022: $903,034 [not met]
Fall 2021: $1,101,052 [not met]
Was the target met? Yes
The discount rate for new transfer students.
Discount rate is the ratio of institutional financial aid
awarded versus the gross tuition revenue
Confirmed using the Final Transfer Fin Aid Budget
Report – Fall 2024
For Fall 2024: 55%
Fall 2024: 49.65%
Fall 2023: 54.07% [met]
Fall 2022: 49.63% [met]
Fall 2021: 52.71% [not met]
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Note: Quantitative targets for matriculants, NTR, and discount rates are set by senior staff through the budgeting process. The 2024-25 FAFSA issues did not
impact transfer students severely as first-year students because the transfer packaging process starts later in the cycle. By the time the transfers were
needing financial aid packages, the FAFSA was already open and we were able to move that group forward with few delays.
All targets met. Continue current scholarship and need-based awarding strategy for the 25-26 cycle.
119
GOAL 2: Support the student account collection process by developing operational procedures and processes that support the
completion of student financial aid requirements in a timely manner.
Program Outcome 2a: Resolve financial aid issues so that balances on student accounts can be cleared by the beginning of the
semester.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of students with unresolved financial aid
issues by the beginning of the Fall semester.
Confirmed using the Student Account-Balance Due
spreadsheet from the Business Office.
No more than 10 students with
unresolved student accounts.
Fall 2024: 126 students
Fall 2023: 9 students [met]
Fall 2022: 4 students [met]
Fall 2021: 3 students [met]
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
Delays in the 2024-25 FAFSA had cascading effects on all students. Financial aid packages for continuing students were delayed until the summer, as first-year
and transfer awarding took priority. This caused the billing process to be moved further into the summer, and families did not have the same amount of time
to resolve their student accounts as they had in previous years. Work with the Business Office to develop an appropriate financial aid packaging and billing
timeline for 25-26, as well as an alternate timeline in the event the FAFSA gets delayed for 25-26 that supports the matriculation of the maximum number of
new students as possible, as well as the retention of the maximum number of continuing students as possible.
120
GOAL 3: Decrease overall student indebtedness. (Tactical Plan 1.1)
Program Outcome 3a: Manage SU Debt at Graduation to remain below the national average for private, nonprofit schools.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The average student debt of the graduating class.
Confirmed using data from the XFLS-Loan Summary
for Graduates
debt at graduation for the 23-24
graduates.
The national average debt is determined
using College Board - Trends in Financial
2023-24: $30,548
2022-23: $30,592 [met]
2021-20: $29,738 [met]
2020-21: $31,202 [met]
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Maintain current awarding strategy for continuing students, and continue to address individual student requests for additional assistance by considering
available scholarship or grant resources before considering available loan options.
NOTE: The first section of the template (mission, introduction and description of changes) may require more than one page. To use this template, it is
recommended to create the structure of the report according to your existing assessment plan before filling out the data for this year. One table should be
present for each assessment method. To make duplicate tables, simply hover your mouse over the table and select the box with four arrows that appears above
the upper left-hand corner. Press [ctrl + C] to copy the table, and [ctrl + V] to paste it in your desired position. If you need further assistance using the template,
please contact the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (farisk@southwestern.edu).
Appendix: When appropriate you can attach samples of blank surveys, evaluation tools, or other resources used to measure your effectiveness. These
samples may aid reviewers in understanding how you are measuring administrative outcomes.
121
Office: Enrollment Services – First-Year Admission
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
The Enrollment Services division at Southwestern, in support of the University’s enrollment and fiscal objectives, proudly articulates our
distinctive liberal arts mission to identify, counsel, and enroll the best-fit students and champion student development through the enrollment,
matriculation, and graduation process.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The admission team, a group of 10 individuals, are responsible for recruiting approximately 425 first year students and 70 transfer students
throughout the full recruiting cycle. In a competitive recruiting environment, we travel throughout the state of Texas, conduct targeted out of
state travel and focused international travel where partnerships with alumni have been established. While taking a personalized approach to our
work, we not only recruit, but personally evaluate and engage with students and families to help them understand the value of this type of
educational investment, even if something different and cheaper may be available to them. Through programs on and off campus, we attempt
to show the strengths of the Southwestern community while educating on our unique educational philosophy.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
*Implemented an regional admission office in the Dallas/ Fort Worth Metro region to concentrate on our enrollment from this space
*Reviewed and increased scholarship offerings for prospective students
*Created new marketing materials to reflect our academic focus and social offerings with a sophisticated and modern look
*Began partnership with outside firm to reach out to students and parents in the enrollment process
*Retained the majority of our team–allowing for consistency in territory management and knowledge; lost Director of Admission in October 2024
*Saw significant cuts to budget. Recruitment planning was done to eliminate high cost programs that had a limited impact.
122
GOAL 1: Meet established enrollment targets for headcount and profile for incoming first-year students
Program Outcome 1a: Successfully enroll the target number of first-year students, after accounting for summer cancellations
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of matriculated first-year students.
confirmed by the census data report (12th class day)
400 new first years
Fall 2024: 375
Fall 2023: 403
Fall 2022: 436
Fall 2021: 355
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
We are using this miss to realign where we are traveling (we will continue to focus on Texas and limited out of state travel), reevaluating our scholarship
offerings (which had not been updated in several years), updating marketing messaging and materials (their effective cycle had come to an end) and reaching
out to students and parents earlier in the process (through a collaboration with an outside firm). After finding success with the Houston Regional Admission
Officer, we have implemented a regional director in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro region with plans to target this area with greater attention and hopefully
yielding stronger results. Our recruitment plan for this year has us meeting the goals set by our Vice President by using a 3 year enrollment average in each
territory to determine how we ultimately meet our goal.
Program Outcome 1b: Increase the enrollment of students from the top 10% of their high school graduating class to 35% of
the first-year class in 5 years (2021) and 40% in 10 years (2026) as outlined in the strategic plan.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of first-year students from the top 10% of
their High School class students
confirmed by the census data report (12th class day)
Not all students provide their HS class rank.
Increase by 2% points each year.
For Fall 2024: 30.5%
Fall 2024: 25.9% (75 of 235)
Fall 2023: 28.6% (75 of 262)
Fall 2022: 25.5% (64 of 251)
Fall 2021: 28% (55 of 200)
Was the target met? No
123
Use of Results/Improvements:
This cluster of students is increasingly difficult to enroll as they are a highly desired and sought after population. We will be targeting students with messaging
and media around the key dates/release deadlines of other competitive institutions. We have also increased the scholarship values that these students would
earn, hopefully eliminating the financial concerns.
Program Outcome 1c: Increase the percentage of incoming first-year students who are from outside of Texas.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of first-year students with residency
outside of Texas, including international students
confirmed by the census data report (12th class day)
15% non-Texas students
Fall 2024: 11% (41 of 375)
Fall 2023: 11% (45 of 403)
Fall 2022: 16% (69 of 436)
Fall 2021: 15% (52 of 355)
Was the target met? NO
Use of Results/Improvements:
As the demographic cliff is quickly approaching and budget limits present themselves, we will continue to focus our recruitment efforts in the state of Texas.
While our partnership in New Mexico remains, we will participate in Colleges that Change Lives Consortium travel, and we will limit our international
recruiting to Central and South America, we will not be traveling to other US states this year. We will be sending a marketing piece to all out of state
counselors where we enrolled students last year, to maintain connections with these schools–a low cost connection. We will also be sending out our
quarterly newsletter to counselors around the world to maintain contacts with them in our travel absence.
Program Outcome 1d: Increase the average SAT score (Evidenced Based Reading/Writing+Math) for first-year students as
confirmed on the 12th day of class.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The average combined SAT score of enrolled first-
year students. Increase average by 5 points (to 1259)
Fall 2024: 1220 (44% reporting)
Fall 2023: 1254 (43% reporting)
Fall 2022: 1241
Fall 2021: 1243
124
confirmed by the census data report (12th class day)
Was the target met? NO
Use of Results/Improvements:
Testing remains a unique component of the college admission world. Since the pandemic many colleges have gone test optional but we are starting to see
schools return to requiring testing. At this time Southwestern proudly remains test optional as we believe that there are other factors that drive a student’s
ability to be successful in our classrooms and our community. With other peer institutions requiring test scores this year, like the University of Texas at
Austin, we anticipate that we may see an increase in test submitters moving forward, which may have a positive impact on our overall test average. But, the
admission requirement to do interviews in lieu of submitting test scores also allows us to get to know students and their needs, goals and aspirations better,
allowing for communication across the campus to ensure a smooth transition. It is a fine balance in meeting this objective in conjunction with other
enrollment goals.
Program Outcome 1d: Increase the number of students who identify as Latinx/Hispanic students to support the institutional
goal of achieving and maintaining HSI status.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of incoming first-year students who identify
as Hispanic/Latinix
confirmed by the census data report (12th class day)
25%
Fall 2024: 32.3% (131 of 375)
Fall 2023: 30.8% (124 of 403)
New goal
Was the target met? YES
Use of Results/Improvements:
Our support of the institution’s goal to maintain our HSI status through the enrollment benchmark was successful. We continue to find success with the Dixon
scholarship program to support students financially. We also enrolled our first Hispanic student through the Greenlight Match program and will continue to
recruit students through this mechanism. We executed a bus trip from the Valley with limited success, but for the financial resources we will be considering a
different recruiting approach in the future. Our recruitment and success with Hispanic/Latinx students has been organic and has allowed us the opportunity
to promote the institution without feeling overly forced or targeted. As we have been successful in this area of our work, we will continue to implement
programs as we have this past year.
125
GOAL 2: Increase Net Tuition Revenue As net tuition revenue is connected to the successful recruitment of students, this goal
is directly correlated to the number of students enrolled and a marker of consistent observation in the admission (as well as
the financial aid) process
Program Outcome 2a: Through a combination of lowering the discount rate and enrolling more students, net tuition revenue
should increase.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The amount of net tuition revenue
calculated as the census data report is available
$7,000,000 in net tuition revenue
Fall 2024: $7,442,101 (375)
Fall 2023: $7,426,037 (403)
Fall 2022: $7,714,133 (436)
Fall 2021: $6,611,422 (355)
Was the target met? YES
Use of Results/Improvements:
While our overall enrollment goal fell short of the budget objective, we were successful in recruiting students who paid more to attend Southwestern, thus
generating additional net tuition revenue for the institution. With the increase in our scholarship program for the 2024-2025 recruitment cycle, we will
attempt to continue the balance in recruiting fuller-pay students and awarding scholarships and financial aid to attract students to SU. As the economic
market is particularly challenging this will be a partnership between admission and financial aid that we monitor weekly as we attempt to reach both the
overall enrollment number while also maximizing net tuition revenue.
Program Outcome 2a: Event Conversion Host an on-campus recruiting event targeting families who have the ability to pay
the entire cost of attendance at Southwestern, generating more net tuition revenue.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The census data report (12th class day) will be used
to confirm how many event attendees matriculated 50% conversion
Fall 2024: 52% (16 of 31)
Fall 2023: 53% (17 of 32)
Fall 2022: 48.5% (17 of 35)
Fall 2021: 83% (5 of 6), virtual event
Was the target met? YES
Use of Results/Improvements:
126
This event continued to produce a strong number of students with the financial capacity to give as a part of the parent leadership gift council. They also
required less financial aid and therefore supported the increase in NetTuition revenue generated this year. With the change in focus on parent programming
starting in the Fall of 2024 and the tightening of the budget, this program will be eliminated in the 2024-25 recruiting cycle.
NOTE: The first section of the template (mission, introduction and description of changes) may require more than one page. To use this template, it is
recommended to create the structure of the report according to your existing assessment plan before filling out the data for this year. One table should be
present for each assessment method. To make duplicate tables, simply hover your mouse over the table and select the box with four arrows that appears above
the upper left-hand corner. Press [ctrl + C] to copy the table, and [ctrl + V] to paste it in your desired position. If you need further assistance using the template,
please contact the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (farisk@southwestern.edu).
Appendix: When appropriate you can attach samples of blank surveys, evaluation tools, or other resources used to measure your effectiveness. These
samples may aid reviewers in understanding how you are measuring administrative outcomes.
127
Office: Enrollment Services – Transfer Recruitment
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24
Mission of Office
The Enrollment Services division at Southwestern, in support of the University’s enrollment and fiscal objectives, proudly articulates our distinctive liberal arts
mission to identify, counsel, and enroll the best-fit students and champion student development through the enrollment, matriculation, and graduation
process.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
One of the challenges we continue to face when recruiting and enrolling transfer students is finding admissible candidates, more specifically, finding the right
number of admissible candidates. Unlike the high school side of recruitment, it’s difficult to discern, year over year, how many community college and four-
year university students will decide it’s time for a transfer. Community college students can transfer after one, two, or three semesters, or wait until they
receive an Associate’s Degree, making it difficult to predict. Four-year university students tend to transfer after confronting a variety of issues including
homesickness, feelings of isolation, lack of academic or social fit, financial challenges, a change in major, or not getting to play a sport. For this reason, it’s
important to keep a strong presence with our partner institutions and local community colleges, while working diligently to channel as much of our transfer
applicant pool through the admission process as possible.
Since the fall of 2020, we have experienced a significant national decrease in upward-transfer enrollments from two- to four-year institutions. Much of this
decline was due to the COVID-19 pandemic and persistent, ongoing issues impacting enrollments for the better part of three years. More recently, the
number of students transferring to four-year institutions from community colleges increased by 7.7%, which was the largest increase since the pandemic. We
are hoping to see this trend continue as we enter the next recruiting cycle.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
2022/2023 Feedback: Keep the “X of N” for past years’ results if available. It would be helpful if you add the percent increase to the annual results so the
reader can better understand the results in comparison to previous years/trends.
2023/2024 Implementation: “X of N” for past year’s results have been added to the report. Percent increase was noted where appropriate.
2022/2023 Feedback: The committee is interested in knowing what action(s) the office is taking to affect the measured outcomes. This could include changes
to marketing, traveling, communications, programming, etc. The effort to seek improvement or implement changes should be highlighted.
2023/2024 Implementation: “Improvements for Next Report” have been identified for each assessed outcome to include comments on planned changes for
the next reporting cycle.
128
GOAL 1:
Recruit and enroll transfer students who have potential for academic excellence.
Program Outcome 1a:
Increase fall applications from 2-year college partners who have established articulation agreements with Southwestern
University—Central Texas College, Collin College, Austin Community College, Temple College, and Tarrant County College.
(Articulation Agreements are formal agreements (or partnerships) between two-year colleges and four-year universities
documenting general transfer policies for students.)
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Percentage of applicants from two-year college
partners as compared to the overall fall transfer
applicant pool.
25% of overall fall transfer applicants
Fall 2024: 23.0% (79 of 343 — 8.4% increase)
—
Fall 2023: 14.6% (56 of 384)
Fall 2022: 19.1% (55 of 288)
Fall 2021: 23.1% (61 of 264)
Was the target met? No, target not met.
Use of Results/Improvements:
Comments: Last year, we referenced that this was our 4th year missing this target and that year-over-year, this percentage was declining due, in part, to a
steep drop in community college enrollment that was directly influencing upward-transfer (2-year to 4-year) rates universally. We also indicated that we saw
signs of recovery that should reverse this trend in the future. While we missed the target for a 5th consecutive year, it is encouraging to see a fairly significant
increase in the results, confirming forecasted national trends.
Improvements for Next Report: Links to each of these articulation agreements will be added and prominently displayed on the Southwestern transfer student
website for the 2024-2025 academic year. We feel this will put these agreements front and center for students to review. Additionally, we will be offering
virtual transfer information sessions specifically targeted at these community colleges to try impact our application numbers.
Program Outcome will continue to be measured for the 2024/2025 reporting cycle.
129
Program Outcome 1b:
Increase fall application completion rates to expand the pool of admissible transfer students. (Beyond an application,
completion requires an essay, official high school and college transcripts, and a conduct/disciplinary report from the student’s
current college.)
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Percentage of prospective transfer students who
complete their applications once begun. 50% completion rate
Fall 2024: 34.9% (120 of 343 — 3.1% decrease)
—
Fall 2023: 38.0% (146 of 384)
Fall 2022: 32.3% (93 of 288)
Fall 2021: 45.1% (119 of 264)
Was the target met? No, target not met.
Use of Results/Improvements:
Comments: Without a dependable source for transfer leads, application completion becomes a highly important activity. While we fell short of the overall
target, we feel this is an important activity to pursue to meet our annual enrollment goals.
Improvements for Next Report: At time of application, we will be reaching out to transfer students with personalized messaging from the director of transfer
recruitment which will specifically list the requirements for application completion, along with supporting links for more information. Additionally, every
applicant will be contacted to schedule a phone call or Zoom meeting to discuss the steps required for application completion.
Program Outcome will continue to be measured for the 2024/2025 reporting cycle.
130
Program Outcome 1c:
Successfully enroll the targeted number of transfer students for each of the entry terms, spring and fall.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Enroll targeted number of new transfer students for
the spring semester. 20 new transfer students
Spring 2024: 19
—
Spring 2023: 16
Spring 2022: 25
Spring 2021: 17
Was the target met? No, target not met.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Enroll targeted number of new transfer students for
the fall semester. 50 new transfer students
Fall 2024: 55
—
Fall 2023: 58
Fall 2022: 37
Fall 2021: 49
Was the target met? Yes, target met.
Use of Results/Improvements:
Comments — Spring: As indicated in last year’s report, we adjusted the criteria for success from 17 new transfers to 20. While we grossed more than 20
commitments, we netted 19, falling short of the new target.
Comments — Fall: After two consecutive years of transfer application records (2022 - 288, 2023 - 384), the numbers tapered off this year (2024 – 343). This
might explain the small dip in the number of enrolled students. That being said, the target was met. If we meet or exceed the target in the 2024/2025
reporting cycle, we will consider adjusting the target to 60 enrolled transfer students.
Improvements for Next Report: Beyond our traditional communications with transfer students, the Admission Office will work with the Office of Marketing
and Communication to develop a postcard series (with supporting electronic messaging) to distinguish Southwestern from other institutions and encourage
enrolling.
Program Outcome will continue to be measured for the 2024/2025 reporting cycle.
131
Office: Information Technology
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due October 31, 2024
Mission of Office
Information Technology’s mission is to support and accelerate the University’s academic pursuits by providing accessible, reliable, efficient, scalable, and
innovative technologies that enable faculty, students, and staff to realize the University’s goal of fostering a liberal arts community whose values and actions
encourage contributions toward the well-being of humanity.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
Introduction
The availability and reliability of technology services is essential for Southwestern to capably serve its students, faculty, and staff. Technology
dependencies are ubiquitous, and it is Information Technology’s goal to identify opportunities to improve its ability to predictably deliver robust
technology services to the Southwestern University community.
Prior assessments and pursuits focused on strengthening technology reliability and improving technology dependent business continuity. As a result,
Information Technology implemented infrastructure improvements. Cybersecurity safeguards, also implemented as part of a resiliency plan,
contribute to making technology more reliable as well. Safeguards are fundamental for the smooth operations of the University. As such the testing
of Southwestern’s cyber defenses and continued remediation of risk is essential to ensure on-going technology effectiveness and reliability. Efforts to
enhance the use of existing technologies like the University’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System, Colleague, were also identified and will
continue to be implemented as part of the 2023-24 performance goals.
This assessment is focused on coming efforts to continuously improve the information technology capabilities enjoyed by campus. The method will
be to focus on coming goals and measures that seek to improve future technology services and measure success using sustainable metrics meant to
direct resources to improvements supporting the goals and mission of the University.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
There are some changes implemented and some reassessments done as described in this report.
In summary:
● Some items in the 2022-23 Improvement plan were hindered due to budgetary constraints.
● We pivoted from an external penetration test to an overall risk assessment and implemented Cisco ISE in support of improving cyber security.
● We added additional assistance to staff taking the information security training, included implementing Single Sign On, Spanish translation, and open
sessions in computer labs.
132
GOAL 1: Improve systems reliability and ensure reductions in unscheduled outages.
Program Outcome 1a: New methods introduced in 23-24
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Incorporate or develop network and service
monitoring tools.
downtime of key IT services by Spring of
2023.
Monitor Apogee Dashboard for network
connectivity and issues. Provide access to
key IT personnel and keep displayed.
Establish set days/times for system
maintenance. Determine and post bi-
weekly routine system maintenance
Was the target met?
Yes, website established.
Yes, dashboard access and visibility established.
Yes, regular maintenance window set up.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? Each year we hope to continue to
grow our system reliability. We now have the proper tools in place for monitoring.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? Yes, in the previous report we completed the essential
infrastructure upgrades that were need. Secondary data center, backup systems, generator testing, failover ISP connections, new network gear,
and new firewalls have been implemented. These items have significantly improved system reliability and protect against unplanned outages.
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? In this area we were able
to meet the criteria established.
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective? We will look to establish the next set of improvements including updating all server infrastructure
(funding dependent) and updating older code to newer versions.
133
GOAL 2: Mitigate information security risk at Southwestern University.
Program Outcome 2a: Prevent successful phishing attacks.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The fail rate of faculty and staff during phishing
exercises. Fail rate under 7%
2023-24: <7%
2022-23: < 7%
Was the target met? Yes, we completed this for
faculty and staff and met goal.
The fail rate of students during phishing exercises. Fail rate under?
2023-24:N/A
2022-23: 15.35% (~2,500 students)
Was the target met? No, we were not able to
conduct this for students due to licensing.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? We will continue to conduct regular email
phishing campaigns to provide training and awareness. We will need to reassess the fail rates targets as there are levels of difficulty in phishing campaigns. Some
are very easy to identify while others are more challenging.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? Yes.
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? If an employee falls for a
phishing attempt, they are assigned additional training. Not a recommendation from the last report but a good tool to help grow awareness.
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective? We will look to included students in the future dependent on the availability of funding.
Program Outcome 2b: Identify high risk University cybersecurity targets.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Cybersecurity penetration test of the University to
identify technology susceptible to cyber intrusion. Test 100% of external facing systems
2023-24:Plan or test in 2025
2022-23: plan for test in SP24
Was the target met? No, due to budget constraints
we had to pivot and conducted an information
security assessment with our network partner
134
Apogee. Assessment was completed in the summer
of 2024.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? Through the risk assessment we were able
to identify and rank an array of risks that were identified. High areas have been mitigated and planning is underway to explore remediations for lower risk items.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? N/A
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? We will again look to do a
penetration test in 2025 if funding permits. As we outsource our network to Apogee, we partner with them to identify and assess network infrastructure risks.
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective? In our efforts to increase network security on campus we partnered with Apogee to implement Cisco Identity
Services Engine (ISE). ISE is used to project and enhance the security of the SU network by restricting access to only trusted users and devices. The ISE system uses
advanced intelligence to automatically identify, classify, and profile devices, further strengthening network security by preventing access from unknown devices.
Program Outcome 2c: Remediate high risk University cybersecurity targets.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The successful completion of the penetration testing
will result in an inventory of technologies identified
as falling to risk categories, usually low to high.
Those high-risk +areas will be the focus of
remediation.
Reduce high-risk targets by 50%
2023-24:
2022-23: dependent on 2b
Was the target met? No, as we were unable to
conduct an external penetration test in 22-23.
However, we were able to conduct a risk assessment
with Apogee and implement Cisco Identify Services
to help remediate high risk cybersecurity threats this
year.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? We will look to secure funding to conduct
a penetration test is 2025. If funds are not available, we will continue to identify other mechanisms for improving cybersecurity on campus.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? N/A
135
•
What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? As we did not meet this goal
and in an effort to continue to improve remediation of cybersecurity treats, we are implementing stronger password requirements on campus. This includes
establishing a new password requirement of 13 characters minimum.
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective?
Program Outcome 2d: Implement Annual Information Technology Training.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Annual information security training, consisting of
two modules, for all faculty and staff. 85% completion rate
2023-24: Partial
Was the target met? Partially, we were able to
implement annual information security training in
22-23, assigning all faculty and staff a minimum of
60 minutes of training. Completion rates were below
85%.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? This next year, working with Human
Resources, we are going to identify non-completers and provide university leadership with additional information to help improve the completion percentage.
This goal being to have university leadership help encourage participation and completion.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? There weren’t any specific recommendations beyond what we have
already done.
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? We made additional
improvements including implementing Single Sign On, Spanish translation, and open sessions in computer labs.
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective? We need to improve participation and completion rates and will look to get additional information to university
leadership to help encourage participation.
136
GOAL 3: Strengthen University network resiliency.
Program Outcome 3a: Replace 20-year-old fiber assets with new fiber over which runs the University network.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Percent of campus (including new additions) with
new fiber 100% by 2023
2023-24: Completed in Fall of 2023.
2022-23: Completed.
Was the target met? Yes, all old fiber has been
replaced as of fall of 2023.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? This was completed and targets were met.
We will look to establish a new goal in this area for the next assessment period.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? N/A
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? N/A
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective? We will look to establish a new goal in this area. We have several potential projects that we are looking at
including data center server replacements, access control upgrades, printer/copier replacements, and security camera improvements.
GOAL 4: Ensure the ability of the University’s ERP System, Colleague, to meet existing needs and foster the exercise of existing
but unused functionality to enhance administrative efficiency.
Program Outcome 4a:
Over the past several years, Southwestern University has been minimally engaged in exploring and exploiting unused Ellucian
Colleague functionality designed to improve administrative efficiency. To this end, the program outcome will be to implement
two to three recommendations arising from the August 2022 Ellucian SAS engagement. Potential practice adoptions include
project accounting, grant accounting, a revamping of the chart of accounts, and new procurement process enhancements.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
137
(New) Number of projects completed. Several
projects were started in 2023 – 2024. These include:
Projects Accounting, Degree Audit, Chart of
Accounts, and HR Position Budgeting.
(NEW) Project Completion (some cover
multiple assessment years). Complete at
least 2 projects.
Was the target met? No, while all projects are
underway, due to staff turnover and availability in
functional areas only one project is complete.
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? Getting these projects completed and fully
implemented will greatly enhance and optimize how Colleague is used on campus. It will create efficiencies and help staff be more effective in their work.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? N/A
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? Several key functional area
staff left the university which impacted some of our project timelines. As we are now more stabilized, we will be able to move forward incrementally.
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective? N/A.
GOAL 5: Update and improve classroom technology at Southwestern University.
Program Outcome 5a: The outcome of the goal will be the execution of a prioritized plan to implement standardized,
effective, and modern classroom technology at the University.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of classrooms/meeting spaces upgraded or
refurbished with classroom technology (Added) Complete 5 classroom upgrades.
2023-24: 6 Classrooms upgraded with new AV
technology.
2022-23: 4 classrooms upgraded with new AV technology.
Was the target met? Yes.
Use of Results/Improvements:
138
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission? We will look to upgrade additional
classrooms as funding allows. Our AV team has undertook doing all the integration work themselves to help keep costs down.
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report? N/A.
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action? N/A.
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective? This outcome is heavily driven by funding.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The amount of funding made available for classroom
technology upgrades/replacements gained from the
student technology fee.
had about doing *something* with the
student fee – feel free to ignore. Hi Hal,
we aren’t getting any student fee funding
2023-24:
2022-23:
Was the target met?
Use of Results/Improvements:
This final element is the most crucial. In describing how staff are using the results to implement improvements in outcomes or efficiencies, consider these questions:
• How will you use the results to continue to improve or enhance services or initiatives to support Southwestern’s mission?
• How has the department implemented the changes they recommended in their last report?
• What are you going to do to make improvements to address areas in which the criteria were not met? What is your next plan of action?
• If targets were met, what can you do to continue to raise standards and/or improve? These actions provide evidence that the office is demonstrating institutional
effectiveness. If the findings consistently suggest that no improvement is needed, then should a different method, more demanding target, or different outcome be
selected to demonstrate the office is effective?
139
Office: Institutional Research and Effectiveness
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IRE) provides and coordinates information utilized for decision-making, institutional
accreditation, reporting, and assessment to facilitate the mission of Southwestern University.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The IRE office strives to achieve our mission in an efficient and effective manner by answering internal and external requests for information;
managing survey administration; coordinating mandatory and voluntary reporting to federal, state, and other external agencies; compiles and
evaluates longitudinal institutional data; and facilitates the process of accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).
The new director of IRE started on July 1, 2023. The IE Analyst position will not be filled.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
This was a year of change as a new director began in IRE in July. We supported new assessment coordinators and offered a fall meeting and
spring workshop. There were multiple opportunities scheduled for coordinators. The academic assessment committee began implementing the
new two-year cycle with the first two-year improvement reports due in May 2024. A new template was introduced to both assessment
committees and the assessment report was retitled into “improvement reports”. More promotion of the NSSE survey administration was done
and the response rate has increased to a more acceptable rate. Hal has done a great job in streamlining census reporting, retention studies, and
graduation rate studies to make these available to faculty/staff.
140
GOAL 1: Facilitate an environment of continuous improvement within IRE.
Program Outcome 1a: Office staff will develop a deeper working knowledge of institutional research through attendance of
professional development opportunities.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Attendance of IRE conferences will provide the
opportunity to engage with other universities and
professionals to discuss best practices.
At least one IRE Office staff members will
attend an IRE conference each academic
year.
2023-24: The Director and IR Analyst attended TxAHEA
and the Director presented a session and served as a
facilitator and committee member. The IR Analyst
attended and presented at the Association for
Institutional Research (AIR) Conference. The Director
attended the Annual SACSCOC Meeting. (3 conferences
were attended).
2022-23: The Director, the IR Analyst, and the IE Analyst
attended the Southern Association for Institutional
Research (SAIR) Conference (1 conference).
2021-22: The Director attended the SACSCOC annual
conference, the IR Analyst attended no conference, and
the IE Analyst attended the SACSCOC annual conference.
(1 conference).
2020-21: No conferences were attended (0 conferences)
Target Met
Attendance of professional development
opportunities which are relevant to current IRE
activities.
Each IRE staff member will participate in
at least two IRE professional development
opportunities per academic year.
2023-24: The Director attended at least 5 workshops
(IPEDS Keyholder, AI & SLO webinar, AI & IR webinar,
Substantive Change Update, and Culture of Assessment
webinar. The IR Analyst attended at least 3 workshops
(Continuous Improvement Summit, Driving meaning
change in student affairs, and IPEDS Finance workshop.)
2022-23: The IR Analyst attended 2
2021-22: The Director attended 4
The IR Analyst attended 3
The IE Analyst attended 6
2020-21: The Director participated in 3
The IR Analyst Participated in 5
Target Met
141
Use of Results/Improvements:
With the department moving from three people to two and budget cuts, we’ve changed the target for conference attendance from two people to one person.
The Director will seek support to encourage more participation across campus to attend the Annual SACSCOC Meeting to be held in Austin, TX in December.
The Director will seek funding and support to send three QEP people to the Summer SACSCOC Institute in Summer 2025. The Director and IR Analyst will
attempt to participate in as many webinars, virtual conferences, and readings as possible to build skills/ideas while saving travel money.
Program Outcome 1b: Provide support to faculty and staff writing both administrative and academic improvement
(assessment) reports through a series of professional development opportunities centered around assessment.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
The IRE office will be available for and sometimes
initiate assessment consultations for academic
programs and administrative offices throughout the
year.
The IRE office will conduct at least five
one-on-one assessment consultations
each year.
2023-24: The Director consulted with over two dozen
programs/offices throughout the year to discuss their
assessment and goals. The assessment committee
reviewed the data collected in May 2023 and planned
how to implement the new two-year cycle of assessment.
The assessment coordinator positions are synergizing the
work across campus and improving communications and
understanding of assessment expectations. Coordinators
have responded and only 5 academic programs are
missing 2023-24 data by 8/28/2024. A new template was
used to collect data and the office received a positive
response to the template.
2022-23: No data
2021-22: Consulted with Chemistry, Theatre, Kinesiology,
Art History, Psychology, Communication Studies, Religion,
Paideia, Classics, the Library, Political Science, Education,
Design Thinking, and Exercise and Sport Studies (14
consultations).
2020-21: Consulted with Design Thinking, Exercise and
Sport Studies, Classics, Education, Studio Art, Kinesiology,
History, and Art History (8 consultations).
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
142
The Director is shifting the work of the committee from strictly a cycle of review and feedback to a more supportive outreach and development of
coordinators. The committee will review half of the plans typically covered due to the new two-year cycle. IRE will save the committees time by taking on the
audit of programs who only submitted data in 2024. The committee will review the full two-year reports and share feedback with coordinators earlier in the
academic year and provide feedback in person. The committee replace half of their meetings with offering brown bag discussions or workshops in the spring
based on the feedback received to support coordinators. A MOU has been created for coordinators to sign to understand the obligations of their positions and
stipends. Committee members will have more time to provide face to face consultations throughout the academic year with half of the reviews to complete.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
The IRE Office will conduct assessment workshops
each year to support academic and administrative
assessment processes.
The IRE office will offer at least two
assessment workshops or professional
development to the campus each year.
2023-24: Training for the Academic Assessment
Coordinators on 11/15/23, 11/16/23, 12/13/23, and
1/24/24 and workshops were held on 2/21/24 and
2/28/24. No Administrative Assessment training
occurred.
2022-23: No Academic Assessment training took place in
22-23. Administrative Assessment training was offered on
7/28/22 and 8/10/23.
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
For 23-24, focus was placed on Academic Assessment with the start of a new two-year cycle, new assessment coordinator positions, and more refined general
education assessment. The Director is shifting the work of the academic assessment committee from strictly a cycle of review and feedback to a more
supportive outreach and development of coordinators. The committee will review the full two-year reports and share feedback with coordinators earlier in
the academic year and provide feedback in person. The committee replace half of their meetings with offering brown bag discussions or workshops in the
spring based on the feedback received to support coordinators. A MOU has been created for coordinators to sign to understand the obligations of their
positions and stipends. Coordinators will be expected to attend at least one assessment workshop/discussion a semester as listed in the MOU. Committee
members will have more time to provide face to face consultations throughout the academic year with half of the reviews to complete. The Director will lead
these discussions. Administrative improvement plans are strong and feedback was provided for areas where improvements could be made. The
workshops/meetings in 2023-24 were successful because they were largely led by faculty on the committee. The director will continue with the model and
find topics in need of additional supports (interdisciplinary minors, use of results, enhancing assessment methods.
GOAL 2: Assist Southwestern University with the administration of surveys to students, faculty, and staff.
Program Outcome 2a: Administer surveys to students, faculty, and staff in a well-timed and balanced manner over the
academic year.
143
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number, type, and timing of surveys
administered by IRE to students will be monitored to
address survey fatigue.
No more than four surveys per academic
year will be administered to students at
Southwestern.
2023-24: FY – 1 survey
SO – 0
JR – 0
SR – 1
Alumni - 1
2022-23: FY-5 surveys; SO-4; JR-4; SR-5; Alumni-0
2021-22: FY-2 surveys; SO-1; JR-1; SR-3; Alumni-1
2020-21: FY-6 surveys; SO-5; JR-5; SR-6; Alumni-0
Target Met
No more than four surveys per academic
year will be administered to faculty/staff
at Southwestern.
2023-24: Faculty – 1 survey
Staff – 0
2022-2023: Faculty-4 surveys; Staff-3
2021-2022: Faculty-0 surveys; Staff-1
2020-2021: Faculty-3 surveys; Staff-4
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
A pattern of having a year of high-interest in surveys followed by a year of low-interest can be seen over time. This may be a good pattern to keep in mind
when scheduling surveys that we would have the option to delay to a low-interest year. IRE also assisted/consulted other offices on a few surveys that
targeted all students that weren’t counted here. IRE consults with the Vice President for Academic Affairs on the surveys planned for the year, but other
divisions on campus are able to survey students outside of the schedule. These targets may change with the needs of a new vice president and HSI
programming. The NSSE survey was more heavily promoted which increased the response rate. These actions will be continued in 2024-25.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Results from surveys administered or analyzed by
IRE will be shared promptly in a report with
interested University offices/departments.
80% of survey reports for surveys
administered in an academic year will be
distributed within two weeks of receiving
results data.
2023-24: 80% (4 of 5) survey reports were shared:
- NACCC Students
- NACCC Faculty – delayed by LACRELA
- HERI Faculty
- NSSE (FY and Senior Students)
- Campus Pantry Food Security
2022-23: No Data
2021-22: 100% (7 of 7) survey reports were shared:
Student Employment; HSI survey; HSI programming
144
survey; Faculty Exit Survey; Graduation Exit Survey; OAR
Advising Survey; NSSE
2020-21: 6 survey reports were shared: COVID-19
(Students); COVID-19 (Staff); NSSE; Dining; SUnity day;
QEP survey
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
There was some confusion across campus as stakeholders couldn’t find all NACCC survey results easily. The student survey results are on a different tab on the
IRE website apart from faculty and staff results. We will attempt to provide more information and cross-reference to the results of the various surveys so
users can review the results seamlessly. We have been frustrated with LACRELA’s delayed response of results and comparative data on the faculty survey.
Comparative data has not been provided a year after the administration even though the cost of the survey far outweighs the costs of any other IRE survey
administered. We are recommending the use of HEDS alternative surveys moving forward for their efficiency, low cost, and similar content.
GOAL 3: Coordinate mandatory and voluntary reporting to federal, state, other external reporting agencies, and ultimately
prospective students.
Program Outcome 3a: The IRE Office provides timely and accurate information to various government agencies and college
guides such as IPEDS, U.S. News, Fiske, and College Board.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
The IRE Office will complete requests for mandatory
and voluntary reporting by their respective
deadlines.
At least 95% of mandatory reporting to
government agencies and college guides
will be completed by their respective
deadlines.
2023-24: 100% (28/28)
2022-23: 96% (23/24)
2021-22: 96% (23/24)
2020-21: 100% (24/24)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Annual reporting has become a standardized process over the years and receives priority attention in order to meet deadlines, barring odd communication
issues there shouldn’t be a reason to miss deadlines. The US Department of Education has added a new report on Financial Value Transparency and Gainful
Employment due October 1. IRE is working collaboratively with the Registrar’s Office and Student Financial Aid to submit this new report.
145
Program Outcome 3b: The IRE Office will showcase information about the Southwestern community to the public in a way
that is easily understandable.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Southwestern University Quick Facts will be made
available on the IRE website in a prompt and
accurate manner.
Quick Facts sheets will be posted to the
IRE website within three weeks after the
12th class day of each semester.
2023-24: Fall 10/12/23; Spring 02/01/24
2022-23: Fall 10/06/22; Spring 02/14/23
2021-22: Fall 9/23/21; Spring 1/27/22
2020-21: Fall 10/05/20; Spring 03/03/21
Fall Not Met. Spring Met.
Use of Results/Improvements:
The IR Analyst is now the point person for calculating the number of full-time faculty in the fall which ended up delaying the completion of quick facts. This
new process will hopefully get more efficient each year. We will be disaggregating student of color to show the number of more subpopulations where
appropriate.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Southwestern University graduation Rates will be
made available on the IRE website in a prompt and
accurate manner.
Graduation rates will be posted to the IRE
website by October 31st for May/August
graduates, and by February 31st for
December graduates.
2023-24: May/Aug 23 08/30/23; Dec 23 01/08/24
2022-23: May/Aug 22 08/26/22; Dec 22 01/06/23
2021-22: May/Aug 21 09/15/21; Dec 21 01/28/22
2020-21: May/Aug 20 09/25/20; Dec 20 01/19/21
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Producing the graduation rate reports has become a standardized process over the years and as long as late graduations are processed on time, there
shouldn’t be any reason for IR to not met these targets.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Southwestern University retention rates will be
made available on the IRE website in a prompt and
accurate manner.
Retention rates will be available on the IRE
website within 3 weeks after the 12th
class day of each semester.
2023-24: Fall 09/14/23; Spring 02/01/24
2022-23: Fall 09/08/22; Spring 02/08/23
2021-22: Fall 09/23/21; Spring 01/27/22
2020-21: Fall 09/30/20; Spring 02/19/21
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
146
Producing the retention rate reports has become a standardized process over the years, there shouldn’t be any reason for IR to not met these targets.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number of degrees awarded/majors will be
posted on the IRE website in a prompt and accurate
manner.
The number of degrees/majors will be
posted to the IRE website by August 30th.
2023-24: 06/07/24
2022-23: 06/05/23
2021-22: 06/22/22
2020-21: 06/07/21
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Producing the graduation rate reports has become a standardized process over the years and as long as late August graduates are processed on time, there
shouldn’t be any reason for IR to not met these targets.
GOAL 4: Compile and evaluate longitudinal data to inform decision-making and in response to internal requests for
information.
Program Outcome 4a: The IRE office will compile institutional data to support decision making for faculty, staff, and students.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Progress on the tactical plan will be collected and
published twice a year.
Target deadlines:
- Summer 7/31
- Winter 2/28
2023-24: Summer 8/7/24; Winter 3/22/24
2022-23: Summer 7/27/22; Winter 3/8/23
Not Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Responsibility for this task is dependent on submissions from other divisions. We will continue to collaborate with senior staff to collect this information in a
timely manner.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
Syllabi will be collected and catalogued in a google
drive that is shared with student support offices.
90% of syllabi will be collected and shared
by one week after the 12th class day of
each semester.
2023-24: Fall 86% (399/465); Spring 55% (238/430)
2022-23: Target not met.
Not Met
147
Use of Results/Improvements:
The data analyst moved on after two reminders to chairs in the spring, they will do more reminders moving forward and include the Dean of Faculty in future
reminders.
GOAL 5: Facilitate successful Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accreditation
activities.
Program Outcome 5a: Office staff will apply increased knowledge about the SACSCOC accreditation process.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success
(Quantitative Target): Results and Longitudinal Data:
The Director of the IRE Office will attend SACSCOC
sponsored events. The Director will attend at least one event.
2023-24: The Director attended the annual SACSCOC
conference (1 event).
2022-2023: The Director attended the Southwestern on-
site review (1 event).
2021-2022: The Director attended a virtual SACSCOC
Conference as well as two calls with the Off-Site
Reaffirmation Committee to discuss feedback on our
Compliance Certification for Differential Review (3
events).
2020-2021: The Director attended a virtual SACSCOC
conference, and a SACSCOC virtual “on-site” review (2
events).
Target Met.
Use of Results/Improvements:
The Director will seek support to encourage more participation across campus to attend the Annual SACSCOC Meeting to be held in Austin, TX in December.
The Director will seek funding and support to send three QEP people to the Summer SACSCOC Institute in Summer 2025. We will be adding outcomes for the
QEP and the 5th year interim report in the next cycle.
148
Office: Integrative Communications and Marketing
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
Southwestern University’s Marketing and Communications Department is charged with expanding the University’s positive reputation
and increasing awareness of its many accomplishments. To do this, we:
● Highlight the uniqueness of our value proposition, which includes our: academic rigor, vibrant student life, Paideia approach,
commitment to service, athletics accomplishments, and the overall achievements of our broad University community, including
students, faculty, staff, alumni, and others.
● Reinforce the University’s mission and Core Values.
● Share the University’s story with key audiences using owned, earned, paid, and social media.
● Develop strategic communications, content, marketing plans, and campaigns that support the institution’s highest priorities and
address market challenges.
● Steward and increase the value of Southwestern’s brand through robust brand standards, a coherent visual identity system,
and campus-wide communications about the importance of our branding.
● Protect the University’s reputation by leading effective and proactive crisis communications.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
With new leadership in the Office of Marketing and Communications and updated directives from the President, our office’s goals
have shifted. This year’s focus places a stronger emphasis on enhancing brand awareness and boosting engagement with both
current students and external audiences.
Consequently, goals and tactics from prior assessments have been updated to align with these new priorities.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
For goals and tactics retained from last year, adjustments were primarily driven by budget considerations.
● In student recruitment, we reallocated funds by cutting underperforming digital marketing tactics and increasing investment in
high-performing ones.
● In social media, we focused on refining our data collection strategy to ensure consistent, reliable metrics for year-over-year
comparison, recognizing the need for more accurate insights.
149
GOAL 1: Expand Southwestern’s media presence, placing a focus on impactful media mentions, expanding
from a local/regional to a national level of exposure.
Program Outcome 1a: Expand to regional and national media mentions
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Major U.S. Publication Mention
Major U.S. publications are categorized
based on their national and state influence,
circulation, and focus areas. Examples
include New York Times, The Wall Street
Journal, USA Today, TIME, Politico, AP
(Associated Press)
Secure 1 major U.S. publication
mention
2023-24: 4
This is a new goal, so past year's data doesn’t
exist.
Was the target met? Yes
Major Texas Publication Mention
Major Texas publications are categorized
based on their national and state influence,
circulation, and focus areas. Examples
include Texas Monthly, Texas Tribune, and
Houston Chronicle.
Secure 4 major Texas publications
mentions
2023-24: 7
This is a new goal, so past year's data doesn’t
exist.
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
The success of the eclipse promotion highlighted that incorporating an Associated Press reporter can significantly extend our stories'
reach, both nationally and globally. The eclipse coverage also demonstrated that linking our stories to trending events dramatically
increases their visibility and impact. Achieving these media mentions enhances our brand awareness and positions us more
prominently in public discourse.
As this is a new goal, we will continue to maintain the same criteria for success and plan to implement the following to continue to
increase mentions:
● Launch the real estate development media campaign.
150
● Reestablish relationships with local media and build paths to regional and national media.
● Track outreach efforts to ensure a balanced approach across different mediums.
● Tailor pitches to the right contacts, focusing on relevant topics and timely news.
● Respond promptly to inbound media inquiries to build trust and maintain a positive relationship.
● Regularly update the media contact list to ensure accuracy and relevance.
● Monitor media trends and industry news to identify opportunities for pitching stories.
● Utilize the expert list to match faculty and staff expertise with current and timely news topics.
● Maintain a strong connection with campus activities and achievements to identify compelling stories.
● Collaborate with departments and student organizations to gather information and insights for potential media pitches.
GOAL 2: Enhance student engagement and knowledge by optimizing a mobile application to increase user
interaction and maintain high adoption rates throughout the academic year.
Program Outcome 2a: Implement the Southwestern app
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
User Adoption Secure User Adoption Rate of 90%
2023-24: 91% User Adoption Rate
Was the target met? Yes.
Use of Results/Improvements:
Analyzing the first year of app data from 2023–2024, along with user survey insights, has provided a foundation for guiding our
engagement strategies and maintaining high adoption rates.
Building on these findings, we will implement the following tactics to increase interaction and sustain high adoption rates:
● Refine content and maintain visibility for popular functionalities. Updates included larger ads promoting student engagement
opportunities, elimination of unused tiles, and reorganization of tiles to place the most-used tiles next to important information.
● Promoted app during Sprog and Welcome Week through presentations, digital signage, and physical signage highlighting key
features and benefits.
● Continuously promoted the app through campus-wide communications in the early weeks of the school year to maximize its
value.
151
GOAL 3: Leverage the expertise of our Digital Media Coordinator and social media analytics to further
enhance our social media presence and content strategy.
Program Outcome 3a: Maintain an Engagement Rate of above 7%
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Engagement rate on Facebook
Engagement Rate = Social Media Total
Engagement (likes, comments, shares,
video watched) / Total Impressions
Maintain an Engagement Rate
above 7%
2023-24: 5.29%
2022-23: 7.44%
Was the target met? No.
Use of Results/Improvements:
We conducted a thorough analysis of engagement rate trends and identified which content types performed best. Based on these
insights, we implemented the following tactics to boost Facebook engagement this year:
● Prioritize visually compelling photo content
● Shorten captions on web stories to enhance readability
● Increase posts featuring historical content
● Actively engage with comments and tags to foster interaction
● Reduce overall post frequency to avoid oversaturation
Engagement rate can be measured in various ways. With a dedicated Digital Marketing Coordinator now on our team, we've
streamlined our data collection process. This is why you're seeing different engagement rate figures compared to last year. Moving
forward, we'll continue using this consistent metric for more accurate year-over-year comparisons.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Engagement rate on LinkedIn
Engagement Rate = Social Media Total
Engagement (likes, comments, shares,
video watched) / Total Impressions
Maintain an Engagement Rate
above 7%
2023-24: 7.90%
2022-23: 4.32%
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Prior to 2023–2024, we had not implemented a dedicated LinkedIn strategy. By focusing on consistent posting and actively engaging
with comments and tags, we saw a notable increase in engagement. For 2024–2025, we plan to continue with these tactics:
● Post 3–4 times per week
152
● Actively respond to comments and engage with tags
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Engagement rate on Instagram
Engagement Rate = Social Media Total
Engagement (likes, comments, shares,
video watched) / Total Impressions
Maintain an Engagement Rate
above 7%
2023-24: 10.53%
2022-23: 11.86%
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
While we met our goal, the drop in engagement rate was less than ideal. To maintain and exceed a 7% engagement rate, we’ve
implemented these strategies based on current content performance:
● Prioritize photo content
● Increase posts featuring historical content
● Continue focusing on short-form video
We also plan to reduce our posting frequency to work with Instagram's algorithm more effectively. Posting too frequently appears to
be lowering engagement, which in turn causes the algorithm to show our content less often in feeds, leading to a continuous decline
in engagement rates. By focusing on fewer, higher-quality posts, we aim to boost visibility and improve engagement.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Engagement rate on TikTok
Engagement Rate = Social Media Total
Engagement (likes, comments, shares,
video watched) / Total Impressions
Maintain an Engagement Rate
above 7%
2023-24: 7.30%
2022-23: 7.76%
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Based on recent post data, we've implemented the following strategies to enhance engagement:
● Prioritize TikTok trends over repurposing Instagram Reels, as TikTok-specific content consistently yields higher engagement
rates.
● Increase user-generated content with our Social Media Ambassadors, as this type of content has historically outperformed in
engagement.
153
GOAL 4: Support Enrollment Services Recruitment Efforts
Program Outcome 4a: Maintain CTR (click-through rate) on Digital Marketing Campaigns
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Maintain Click-Through Rate (CTR) for
Displays ads over an industry benchmark
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The number of
clicks that our ad received divided by the
number of times our ad is shown:
clicks/impressions=CTR.
Display Ads: Banner ads shown on
websites. These ads come in a variety of
sizes and formats.
Maintain a Click-Through Rate of
0.20%
2023-24: 1.03%
2022-23: 0.21%
2021-22: 0.49%
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
● One display ad significantly outperformed the rest, achieving a click-through rate (CTR) of over 10%, which notably skewed
the average CTR for the campaign. Despite sharing similar content and style with other ads, this ad saw unexpectedly high
engagement. The reason for its success remains unclear.
● Due to a strategic initiative between Enrollment Services and Marketing, digital display ads have been removed for the 2024–
2025 fiscal year, allowing resources to be reallocated toward other marketing efforts.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Maintain Click-Through Rate (CTR) for IP
Address Targeting over an industry
benchmark
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The number of
clicks that our ad received divided by the
number of times our ad is shown:
clicks/impressions=CTR.
IP Targeting: Matches a physical mailing
address to a home IP Address enabling us
Maintain a Click-Through Rate of
0.12%
2023-24: 0.07%
2022-23: 0.12%
2021-22: 0.12%
Was the target met? No
154
to deliver display advertising directly into the
home and across devices running off the
home Wifi.
Use of Results/Improvements:
● Budget constraints led to reduced funding for IP address targeting, which subsequently lowered the click-through rate (CTR).
● Due to a strategic initiative between Enrollment Services and Marketing, IP address ads have been removed for the 2024–
2025 fiscal year, allowing resources to be reallocated toward other marketing efforts.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Maintain Click-Through Rate (CTR) for Pay
Per Click (PPC) Ads over an industry
benchmark
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The number of
clicks that our ad received divided by the
number of times our ad is shown:
clicks/impressions=CTR.
Pay Per Click (PPC): An ad that appears in
a search engine
Maintain a Click-Through Rate of
9.19%
2023-24: 21.16%
2022-23: 18.19%
2021-22: 13.81%
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
● Building on the success of past PPC campaigns, we allocated additional funding to this strategy, resulting in higher click-
through rates (CTRs).
● Due to a strategic initiative between Enrollment Services and Marketing, PPC ads have been removed for the 2024–2025
fiscal year, allowing resources to be reallocated toward other marketing efforts.
Program Outcome 4b: Maintain total conversions in our digital marketing efforts.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Amount of total conversions.
Maintain 850 total conversions
2023-24: 1,033
2022-23: 846
2021-22: 1,964
155
Total Conversion means that someone
completed an action (submitted a Request
for Information form, signed up for a visit,
applied to Southwestern) after clicking on a
digital marketing ad.
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
● Due to a strategic initiative between Enrollment Services and Marketing, digital ads have been removed for the 2024–2025
fiscal year, allowing resources to be reallocated toward other marketing efforts.
Program Outcome 4c: Increase Applications by 10.00%.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number of Fall applications to
Southwestern University.
Admission was given the goal to
lower the acceptance rate below
40.00%. Historically, Southwestern
must admit approximately 2,400
students to yield approximately 440
deposits. To admit 2,400 students
and decrease the acceptance rate,
we must have greater than 6,000
Fall 2023: 18.5% increase (6,585)
Fall 2022: 16.82% increase (5,557)
Fall 2021: 3.91% increase (4,757)
Fall 2020: 3.94% decrease (4,578)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Marketing & Communications efforts play a crucial role in driving applications by impacting the upper end of the recruitment funnel.
Increased awareness directly contributes to higher application numbers. To continue to increase applications, we plan to implement
and continue the following tactics:
● Following a strategic initiative between Enrollment Services and Marketing, we have reallocated resources to prioritize email
marketing over digital ads. This shift enables us to target prospective students more precisely, and with increased frequency in
our communications, we anticipate a stronger impact on application submission rates.
● Additional resources are now dedicated to enhancing our PR efforts, which contribute to broader awareness of our University
and its offerings.
156
● We have also intensified our focus on social media, ensuring a more dynamic and engaging presence to further build
awareness.
● Our targeted print campaign to prospective students remains a priority, and we continue to explore improvements to effectively
encourage applications.
157
Goals & Program Outcomes Removed for 2023-24 Assessment
GOAL: Streamline production process based on the bandwidth of our office, in order to meet deadlines and provide quality strategy and
creativity (any marketing or communication piece), we need to reduce the number of projects that our office completes or hire additional
team members / freelance support.
Program Outcome a: Regularly evaluate project requests for the office
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
We removed this goal from our assessment
because this is not something we can affect.
Use of Results/Improvements:
GOAL: Improve Internal Communications
Program Outcome a: Send consistent messaging
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
We removed this goal from our assessment
because it was not value to assess each
year.
Was the target met?
Use of Results/Improvements:
158
Program Outcome: Maintain CTR (click-through rate) on Digital Marketing Campaigns (We removed Facebook ads this year).
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Maintain Click-Through Rate (CTR) for
Facebook Ads over an industry benchmark
Click-Through Rate (CTR): The number of
clicks that our ad received divided by the
number of times our ad is shown:
clicks/impressions=CTR.
Facebook: An ad that appears on Facebook
or Instagram.
Maintain a Click-Through Rate of
0.29%
2023-24: We did not do Facebook ads this year.
Due to budget, we allocated money towards
student ads instead of parent ads, so Facebook
ads were eliminated.
2022-23: 0.41%
2021-22: 0.63%
Was the target met? n/a
Use of Results/Improvements:
n/a
Program Outcome: Maintain Engagement Rates Across Southwestern Social Media Platforms (Deleted Twitter/X Assessment
Method)
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Engagement rate on Twitter/X
Engagement Rate = Social Media Total
Engagement (likes, comments, shares,
video watched) / Total Impressions
Maintain an average engagement
rate at the two-year average.
For 23-24: 4%
2023-24:
2022-23: 3.36% [not met, 4%]
2021-22: 4.27%
Was the target met?
Use of Results/Improvements:
159
Office: Office of Advising and Retention
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
The Office of Advising and Retention (OAR) is committed to helping students make connections and foster a sense of belonging, and promote
student success through intentional collaboration and continuous growth. We accomplish these goals by participating in professional
development, identifying structural issues that impede success, building relationships with the campus community, and providing training to
university stakeholders. Our work with students centers on personal connections in which we can make academic planning accessible, outreach
proactively, and connect students to important resources.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The 2023-2024 year brought a variety of challenges related to the department’s mission. In fall 2023, we were informed by Nuro that their
company would be acquired by a new company in January 2024. The functionality of the software under the new company did not meet the
needs of our student success efforts. We began a search for a new retention/case management software in November 2023. A majority of the
companies we met with provided a 4-8 month timeline for development and implementation. Ultimately, we selected Navigate 360 through EAB.
We will be able to go live in January 2025. In lieu of a comprehensive platform to receive alerts, we created a form for faculty and staff to submit
alerts during the spring 2024 semester. Due to the inconsistency of information from fall to spring, we will report on any academic alert goals in
this report.
In addition, the office experienced 4 departures during the spring 2024 semester. We were able to shift students to other advisors in OAR and to
other staff who have advised students in the past. We hired 2 new advisors who began in April and 2 other new advisors who began in June.
Although we experienced the loss of staff, we were able to offer 6 professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. Unfortunately,
we didn’t complete any evaluation of the programs in the fall 2023 semester. We will only report on spring survey results below.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
We have made some changes to this report based on feedback from the Assessment Committee on the 2022-2023 academic year assessment
report. Namely, we will focus on assessment within our departmental control. In addition, we have added data from the student advising
surveys. Lastly, we have included survey results from a faculty survey on advising which support Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) initiatives and
goals. We sent a survey to faculty assessing perceptions of students advising needs and faculty’s own ability to address the needs of students, as
well as the joys and challenges of advising students.
160
GOAL 1: Provide training and professional development to faculty and staff advisors on academic advising and retention
research, procedures, best practices, and strategies.
Program Outcome 1a: Advisors will participate in a professional development opportunity.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Faculty and staff advisors will attend Lunch & Learn
or Snacks & Facts events 20% will attend at least one event
2023-24: 17.5% (18 of 103)
Not Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
During spring 2024, we offered 3 professional development sessions. We decided to change our goal to be more realistic, decreasing the goal from 60% to
20%. One challenge is that we are assessing only advisor participation rather than faculty/staff participation. Our total participation across all 3 sessions was
45 staff and faculty (not unique).
We will continue to explore which times and days may draw the most participation. In addition, we will offer sessions on topics being discussed across the
university. The Supporting Our Diverse Students event had 28 attendees. Diversity, inclusion, belonging and equity (DIBE) workshops have been well attended
over the last couple of years.
Program Outcome 1b: Determine the needs of faculty advisors to enhance their advising strategies and strengthen academic
planning competency.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Faculty advisors will perceive themselves to be
knowledgeable about students' academic needs.
70% will report very or extremely
knowledgeable
2023-24: 71% (48 of 67)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Faculty advisors are mostly advising students in their major areas; therefore, they should feel at least very knowledgeable when advising students about
academic degree plans and assisting with course planning and scheduling.
Assessment Method: Criteria for Success Results and Longitudinal Data:
161
Faculty advisors will perceive themselves to be
knowledgeable about advising students to
participate in high impact learning experiences
(HILEs).
60% will report very or extremely
knowledgeable
2023-24: 55% (37 of 67)
Not Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
We will continue to collaborate with the Center of Integrative Learning and the Paideia director to offer more faculty development workshops related to
HILEs. We could also develop materials to better guide students or enhance access to this information online.
GOAL 2: Collect data from first-year students who choose to leave (or not return to) Southwestern University through an Exit
Interview Survey to assess reasons for departure.
Program Outcome 2a: Gather information from first-year students who have expressed that they plan to not return to the
university.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
First-year Students completing the exit interview
survey after choosing to leave Southwestern. 60% survey complete rate
2023-24: 77% (60 of 78)
Previously all students
2022-23: 48.7% (91 of 187)
2021-22: 76.3% (90 of 118)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Our efforts to educate faculty and staff regarding the process for students to leave SU have been successful. We worked closely with Residence Life to gather
information about students who informed the staff they did not intend to return in the fall. This allowed us to contact students directly instead of relying on
students to make initial contact. We will continue with these collaboration and outreach strategies.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The student exit interview survey will ask about
students’ general satisfaction with Southwestern
overall.
No more than 30% of respondents will
report dissatisfaction
2023-24: 18% (11 of 60)
2022-23: 23.9% (21 of 88)
2021-22: 38.2% (34 of 89)
162
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
We strengthened partnerships and produced additional resources to help students navigate challenges at Southwestern. These, combined with the efforts of
other campus stakeholders, influenced students' satisfaction with the university.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The student exit interview survey will ask about
students’ satisfaction with course
availability/offerings.
No more than 30% of respondents will
report dissatisfaction
2023-24: 23% (14 of 60)
2022-23: 28.6% (26 of 91)
2021-22: 25.8% (23 of 89)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
We continue to see less dissatisfaction with course availability and offerings. The professional advisors play a role in helping students manage expectations
about course planning and providing alternative options. In addition, our team has worked closely with the Registrar’s Office and academic departments to
identify courses in need of additional sections.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The student exit interview survey will ask about
students’ satisfaction with academic advising. 60% of respondents will report satisfaction
2023-24: 73% (44 of 60)
2022-23: 67.0% (61 of 91)
2021-22: 70.8% (68 of 89)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
It appears that students are satisfied with their advising experience. This is encouraging as we continue to proceed with the QEP. These findings indicate that
our efforts to improve academic advising have been successful.
GOAL 3: The professional first-year advisors will provide exemplary academic advising by helping students plan their academic
career and connecting them to important resources that promote student success.
Program Outcome 3a: Students will feel satisfied with their academic advising experience, including academic and
cocurricular planning, professional and personal development discussions, and experiencing feelings of care.
163
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
First-Year Advising Survey (Appendix C)
90% of students will report that they feel
their advisor helps them understand and
explore academic programs.
2023-24: Spring 93% (56 of 60)
Fall 97% (238 of 246)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
The professional advisors will continue to engage learning and development to understand academic plans and policies to be able to explain the information
to their advisees.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
First-Year Advising Survey (Appendix C)
90% of students will report that they feel
their advisor helps them manage personal,
academic, and/or professional challenges.
2023-24: Spring 86% (51 of 60)
Fall 95% (234 of 246)
Was the target met?
Use of Results/Improvements:
The professional advisors will continue to collaborate with campus partners like the Center for Career and Professional Development, Counseling and Health
Center, and Center for Academic Success. These collaborations allow the advisors to refer students to services offered by these and other support offices and
programs.
Spring - This finding is likely due to the multiple professional advisor departures during this semester. We relied on additional staff advisors to advise students
in the spring. We also assigned additional students to the professional advisors. Students may not have felt comfortable sharing their challenges with their
new advisor in the spring. We expect to see a 90% rating in the fall when we are fully staffed again.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
First-Year Advising Survey (Appendix C)
their advisor cares about them and their
success.
2023-24: Spring 93% (55 of 60)
Fall 98% (241 of 246)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
The professional advisors frequently check in with their students, attend to their questions and concerns, and are typically readily available to meet with their
students. These practices likely contribute to students feeling cared for.
164
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
First-Year Advising Survey (Appendix C) 90% of students will report being satisfied
with their advising experience.
2023-24: Spring 90% (53 of 60)
Fall 98% (240 of 246)
Target Met
Use of Results/Improvements:
Based on the responses to the items above and additional items on the survey (Appendix C), students are likely to be satisfied with advising experience.
The drop in the spring may be due to the changes in staffing in the spring, it is expected students may not be as satisfied with their experience. Students were
likely confused about being shifted to new advisors. We expect to meet the goal next year, when we are fully staffed.
165
Appendix: When appropriate you can attach samples of blank surveys, evaluation tools, or other resources used to measure your effectiveness. These
samples may aid reviewers in understanding how you are measuring administrative outcomes.
Appendix A
As we all are aware, academic advising is a central focus of Southwestern’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), Student Success Through Proactive Advising. We
need to hear from faculty and staff about what matters the most when it comes to providing the best available support for your students, and for you as an advisor.
Your insight will be very valuable and will impact the ways that we ensure Southwestern’s student support and belonging efforts are as meaningful and effective as
they can be!
1. How knowledgeable do you feel when advising students about their academic needs (course planning, degree plans, etc.)? (Not knowledgeable at all to
extremely knowledgeable on a 5-point Likert scale)
2. What additional support would be helpful when it comes to advising on academic matters? (open ended)
3. How knowledgeable do you feel when advising students about high impact learning experiences (student-faculty research, community engaged learning,
internships, study abroad, Paideia seminars as a culminating course)? (Not knowledgeable at all to extremely knowledgeable on a 5-point Likert scale)
4. What additional support would be helpful when it comes to advising for high-impact experiences? (open ended)
5. Which of the following areas have advisees approached you to discuss in more detail (please check all that apply)
Athletics
Career/Professional Development needs (internships, post-graduation)
Employment needs (finding a part-time job during their time at SU)
Financial aid
Fine Arts Involvement/Performance (non-major related)
Housing related needs
Mental Wellness needs (counseling, spiritual needs)
Physical Wellness needs (access to food, physical fitness resources)
Social needs (finding groups to join, making friends)
Transportation needs
Other
6. What additional support relating to the non-academic advising topics listed above would be helpful? (open ended)
7. When it comes to advising students, please share (a) the thing that brings you the most joy and (b) the thing that causes the most frustration. (open ended)
Appendix B
Southwestern University
Exit Interview Survey
166
Name:__________________________________ Student ID Number: ______________________
First Middle Last
Semester and Year of Entry: ______________________________________
Classification:(Based on credit hours earned.)First-Year _____Sophomore _____Junior _____Senior____
Last Date/Semester of attendance: _____________________Today’s Date: _______________________
Do you plan to return to Southwestern University at a later time? Yes _____ No _____
If so, when? Fall _____ Spring _____ Year ____
(Remember that you must request readmission through the Admissions Office. Students leaving SU in good academic
and disciplinary standing can expect to be readmitted at a future date).
Do you plan on transferring to another institution? Yes _____ No _____
If so, to which institution are you transferring? _______________________________________________
Which of the following describe(s) your plans now that you are leaving Southwestern?
_____ Work full-time or part-time _____ Tend to family responsibilities
_____ Travel _____ Attend another college/university
_____ Other (please specify)
______________________________________________________________________________
Address and phone number where you may be reached after you leave Southwestern:
___________________________________ ________________________________
(Street Number and Name) (Phone # with area code)
______________________________________________
(City, State and Zip)
Please indicate with an X your level of satisfaction with the following campus services/resources.
167
ACADEMIC SATISFIED NEUTRAL DISSATISFIED
Major/degree program offerings ( ) ( ) ( )
(SKIP LOGIC if dissatisfied) What major/degree program are you interested in pursuing : ___________________________________
Liberal arts education ( ) ( ) ( )
Course offerings/availability ( ) ( ) ( )
Classroom experience ( ) ( ) ( )
Academic advising ( ) ( ) ( )
Academic rigor
INSTITUTIONAL
Size of Southwestern ( ) ( ) ( )
Diversity of Southwestern ( ) ( ) ( )
Campus location ( ) ( ) ( )
Social events/opportunities ( ) ( ) ( )
Residence life facilities ( ) ( ) ( )
Did D
Other services. Specify: _________________________ ( ) ( ) ( )
Please indicate with a check ( √ ) if any of the following reasons have played a role in your decision to leave Southwestern:
PERSONAL YES NO
Want to be closer to family or friends ( ) ( )
Unsure of goals or unmotivated ( ) ( )
Had a change in relationship status ( ) ( )
Had/have a health-related issue ( ) ( )
Experienced personal problems ( ) ( )
Did not enjoy residence life ( ) ( )
Was influenced by family or friends to leave ( ) ( )
Experiencing academic difficulty ( ) ( )
Lack of support from SU staff/faculty
Other (please describe) _________________________________
FINANCIAL
Encountered unexpected change in finances ( ) ( )
Did not receive financial aid ( ) ( )
Received less financial aid than anticipated ( ) ( )
Found financial obligation to be too hard on self/family ( ) ( )
Received a better aid package at another school ( ) ( )
Other (please describe) _________________________________
168
Please share any additional information that played a role in your decision to leave SU.
______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
When applying to Southwestern, was it your first, second, or third choice of colleges to attend?
_____ First Choice _____ Second Choice _____ Third Choice _____ Other (please specify)
_____________________________________________________________________________________
What was the most important variable in your selection of Southwestern?
_____ Academic offerings _____ Location _____ Size
_____ Financial Considerations _____ Influence of family or friends
_____ Athletics _____ Reputation
_____ Other ________________________________________
Which of the following campus services/resources did you use during your enrollment at Southwestern?
_____Center for Academic Success and Registrar _____Counseling Center
_____Financial Aid _____Spiritual and Religious Life
_____Health Center _____Diversity Education
_____Center for Career and Professional Development _____Student Activities
_____Office of Intercultural Learning _____Office of Community-Engaged Learning
Did you seek advice or assistance from any member of the faculty or staff in the course of making
your decision to leave? _____ Yes _____ No
If so, with whom did you discuss your situation? _____________________________________________________
Were you involved in a fraternity or sorority while at Southwestern? _____ Yes _____ No
169
Were you involved in athletics while at Southwestern? _____ Yes _____ No
If answered yes, Did your athletic experience impact your decision to leave SU?____Yes____ No
If answered yes, Please explain the impact that athletics had on your decision to leave SU.
Were you involved in fine arts while at Southwestern? _____ Yes _____ No
What could Southwestern have done to help you stay?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Overall how satisfied were you with your experience at Southwestern?
_____ Extremely satisfied _____Satisfied _____Undecided _____Unsatisfied _____Extremely unsatisfied
We would appreciate knowing more about your decision to leave Southwestern University.
Appendix C
First-Year Advising Survey
170
Office: Tile IX Office
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
The Title IX Office provides leadership at Southwestern University pertaining to Title IX regulations, state laws, and University Policies related to
sex-based discrimination and sexual misconduct, as well as prevention, training, and resources.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
All new students (first year, and transfers) are required to complete virtual training on the prevention of sexual harassment and sexual
violence prior to the start of the Fall semester. Student Athletes are also required to complete annual training by the Title IX Coordinator per
NCAA requirements. As of February 2024, all employees are required to complete virtual training annually.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
The same targets were used for the 2023-2024 assessment year without revision.
171
GOAL 1: To educate and train the campus on our shared responsibility for addressing prohibited sexual misconduct
Program Outcome 1a: All University departments will have employees trained on mandatory reporting responsibilities and
intervention in matters of prohibited sexual misconduct.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
University departments will have a representative
complete in-person or virtual training directly from
the Title IX Coordinator.
100% of departments
2023-24: 100%
2022-23: 71% (10/14)
Was the target met? Yes.
Use of Results/Improvements:
We used the results from the previous year to support the effort to increase employee training methods. As of February 2024, all employees are now required
to complete annual virtual training. The invitation to all departments for in-person training was not as heavily required for 2023-2024. Departments that
received in-person training include: Advising and Retention; Library; Enrollment; Athletics; and Faculty. For 2024-2025 I would like to adjust the focus of
training toward supervisors and hold in-person supervisor training sessions with example exercises.
Program Outcome 1b: Students will be educated in creating an inclusive and respectful community by learning about
prohibited sexual misconduct and knowing how to intervene and respond in matters that implicate sexual misconduct.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Total student attendance across in-person or virtual
sessions on sexual misconduct prevention and
reporting. Sessions can include those held during
welcome week, those student athletes are required
to attend, and those requested by Greek life.
700 student attendees
2023-24: Approximately 900 attendees
2022-23: approximately 977 attendees
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
Virtual training requirements reached all new students, and first-year students were also asked to attend a “Safety Talk” presentation during welcome week.
Student Athlete training was in-person. No other student organization presentations were requested for 2023-2024. I would like to see an increase in student
organization presentations and education. I would also like to include more opportunities for passive or on-the-go educational opportunities for students.
172
Office: Office of University Relations
Administrative Outcomes & Improvement Report 2023-24, due September 30, 2024
Mission of Office
University Relations fosters the creation and evolution of meaningful relationships that enhance and support the mission of Southwestern
University.
Brief Introduction (Additional context for reviewers)
The Office of University Relations completed its seventh year of Thrive: The Campaign for Southwestern University comprehensive campaign.
(The campaign was renamed Thrive: The Campaign for Southwestern University in 2022, from its original name of Thinking First.) Thrive is a
fundraising campaign to secure financial resources supporting the University’s Strategic Vision and Direction and Tactical Plan. All of University
Relations’ functional area goals and assessment targets are directed toward the success of the Thrive campaign.
The Office of University Relations includes several teams: Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, Major Gift Development, Foundation Relations,
Stewardship, Events, and Advancement Services.
Overview Description of Changes Implemented by Staff Using Results since the 2022-23 Assessment Report:
The Office of University Relations welcomed a new Vice President in February 2024. She reorganized the Division to focus all programming on
increasing philanthropic support for the University and enhancing relationships with alumni, parents of current students, and friends of
Southwestern. Performance metrics are in place to measure the effectiveness of all external facing members of the Development (major gifts,
foundation relations, and annual giving) and Alumni Relations teams. ROI meetings are held following every event to measure and discuss the
return on the event.
A transition to a new CRM for all alumni, parent, friend, and organization records is underway with an expected switch over by June 1, 2025. The
new system will greatly enhance our reporting and general utilization of our constituent data to improve our overall effectiveness.
173
GOAL 1: Nurture and grow Southwestern University’s Philanthropic Culture, valuing and leveraging gifts of time, talent, and
financial resources from our students, alumni, parents, friends, faculty, and staff.
Program Outcome 1a: Parents of current students will provide volunteer and financial support for Southwestern University.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of new families joining the Parent
Leadership Council. To join the council, parents
agree to an annual donation of at least $2,500.
Secure 70 new families
2023-24: 54
2022-23: 65
2021-22: 56
2020-21: 51
Was the target met? No.
Use of Results/Improvements:
The minimum gift required for membership was increased from $2,500 to $3,000. Fewer families from the entering class of 2023 joined PLC than in the
previous recruiting cycle. Communications shifted in August 2023 for new families, focusing on a gift to the Southwestern Annual Fund rather than providing
the ability to designate giving to any area. Parents of current students typically give to areas where their student is involved, such as an organization,
department, HIE, etc. Due to difficulties with this new model, messaging reverted back to giving to any designation late spring 2024. During the spring
semester, the PLC transitioned to management under Amanda Parr in major gifts.
In the coming year, we will emphasize the opportunity to give to the area of the University that most interests the parents.
Program Outcome 1b: The Office of University Relations will educate students on the importance of supporting Southwestern
University to build a Culture of Philanthropy while they are still on campus.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number of seniors making a gift to any area of
campus. 90% of senior will donate
2023-24: 90% (257/284)
2022-23: 92% (325/350)
2021-22: 91% (317/350)
2020-21: 67% (218/325)
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
174
The Office of Alumni Relations continued partnering with the Student Philanthropy Council (SPC) to reach out to seniors throughout the school year. We
encouraged giving through events and incentives such as Senior Socials, Tower Society, Tower Signings, and others. While these efforts have been incredibly
successful, in Fiscal Year 2025, staff will take a less aggressive approach with seniors to allow more time to focus on young alumni giving. This will include one-
on-one appointments, texting to young alumni, and an incentive around recurring pledges.
GOAL 2: Engage and partner with alumni, parent, and friend volunteers and advocates in advancing the mission and vision of
Southwestern University.
Program Outcome 2a: The Office of University Relations will develop volunteer roles that encourage student-alumni
engagement.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number of alumni mentor volunteers in
PirateConnect across all of the six career
communities (e.g., Arts | Media | Communication |
Marketing, Business | Economics | Finance |
Entrepreneurship, Government | Law |
International Affairs, Health | Wellness | Life
Science, Non-Profit | Education | Human Service,
Technology | Physical Science | Engineering.)”
Increase by 300
2023-24:
2022-23: 268
2021-22: 144
Was the target met? N/A (see below)
Use of Results/Improvements:
NOTE: The Center for Career & Professional Development shifted to the division of Student Life as of January 1, 2024.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
The number of volunteers who engage in career-
related programming (e.g. speaking engagements) Increase by 15% (to 116)
2023-24:
2022-23: 63% increase, 101 volunteers
2021-22: 64 volunteers
Was the target met? N/A (see below)
Use of Results/Improvements:
175
Note: The Center for Career and Professional Development shifted to the division of Student Life as of January 1, 2024.
Program Outcome 2b: The Office of University Relations will facilitate programming that supports the University’s DIBE
(diversity, inclusion, belonging, and equity) goals.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Offer new career engagements that explore DIBE
topics 10 new events
2023-24:
Was the target met? N/A (see below)
Use of Results/Improvements:
Note: The Center for Career and Professional Development shifted to the division of Student Life as of January 1, 2024.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Facilitate community-building programs specifically
for alumni of color. 4 programs
2023-24: 2 programs
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
The Office of Alumni Relations is partnering with the HSI task force and the JEDI Center to host events this fall geared to alumni and students of color. The
staff member who coordinated the two events in 2023 is no longer working at the University, so little information is known about the outcomes of the two
programs held.
GOAL 3: Bring Southwestern University to our constituents and articulate why they should support and invest in the
University.
Program Outcome 3a: The Office of University Relations will coordinate events that provide an update on the University and
share a vision for its future.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
176
Attendance at Homecoming weekend 1,300 attendees
2023-24: 1,075
2022-23: 1,300
2021-22: 1,345
2020-21: no in-person event
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
Homecoming 2023 was held very early in the fall in September due to scheduling conflicts with Formula One, holidays, and Fall Break. After a record-setting
hot summer, there was a general feeling of disappointment with the early dates for Homecoming. Not only was it out of our usual time frame that guests plan
around, but it was also very uncomfortable at outdoor events. The Homecoming budget was cut significantly, which resulted in fewer interesting events to
attract attendees. In 2024, we have implemented the following measures to increase attendance: 1) Late October timing, 2) Increased budget to provide
unique and fun activities, 3) More lively and appealing branding of Homecoming, 4) Earlier schedule and registration launch date, 5) Increased focus on
outreach for reunion volunteers.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Attendance at the President’s Appreciation
Celebration (donor dinner) 200 attendees
2023-24: 176
2022-23: 237
2021-22: 189
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
We were surprised by the low turnout for this event since we were celebrating the President’s Council members from the 22-23 fiscal year which was our
largest membership ever. This event was coupled with one of the University’s premier lectures, The Shilling Lecture. This was another reason we were
surprised by the lower attendance. In 2024, we will hold this event as part of Homecoming weekend in hopes of increasing attendance.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of regional events held to engaged alumni,
parents, and friends with the President 8 events
2023-24: 5 events
2022-23: 7 events
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
177
Events Held:
August 19: Private targeted move-in event (PLC); November 29: Austin Thrive; January 24: Dallas Thrive; February 18: President’s Admission Dinner; February
22: Houston Thrive
Thrive events are campaign-focused events for donors and prospective donors in the area.
Program Outcome 3b: The Office of University Relations will engage young alumni (under the age of 40) in University activities
to encourage a connection with their alma mater.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Number of nominations for the “18 under 40” honor 60 nominations
2023-24: 45 nominations
2022-23: 31 nominations
2021-22: 27 nominations
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
The 18 Under 40 program received a record number of nominations this year, showing considerable growth over the previous year. As the program gains
name recognition and popularity on social media, we anticipate continued growth.
Program Outcome 3c: The Office of University Relations will engage the local community in building support for Southwestern
University.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Engage local community partners in the College
Town Committee Increase membership by 25% (to 35)
2023-24: 33 local partners
2022-23: 27 local partners
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
Note: The College Town Committee was disbanded after the March 2024 meeting as it was previously managed within the Office of Alumni & Parent Relations
and no longer aligns with the Office of Alumni Relations goals.
178
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Produce a digital newsletter to send to Williamson
Country residents 9 newsletters
2023-24: 7 newsletters
2022-23: 9 newsletters
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
Note: The Williamson County newsletter was discontinued after the March 2024 issue as it was previously managed within the Office of Alumni & Parent
Relations and no longer aligns with the Office of Alumni Relations goals.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Outreach to new employers representing key
industries of interest to the SU community Reach out to 200 new employers
2023-24:
Was the target met? N/A (see below)
Use of Results/Improvements:
Note: The Center for Career and Professional Development shifted to the division of Student Life as of January 1, 2024.
GOAL 4: Secure increased outright philanthropic support for key priorities of Southwestern University and build a broader and
deeper pool of donors for the future.
Program Outcome 4a: The Office of University Relations will identify prospective donors and solicit financial contributions for
Southwestern University.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Secure new gifts and pledges For 23-24: $15 million
This target changes each year
2023-24: $21.1 million
2022-23: $18.2 million
2021-22: $15.7 million
2020-21: $12.8 million
Was the target met? Yes
179
Use of Results/Improvements:
With a new Vice President for University Relations starting in February 2024, new performance metrics are being installed to enhance the focus on our
fundraising initiatives and improve productivity across all fundraising efforts.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Secure President’s Council members ($1,000+
donors) 630 members
2023-24: 536 members
2022-23: 635 members
2021-22: 578 members
2020-21: 517 members
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
The goal was established before the minimum funding level for membership in the President’s Council was increased from $1,000 to $1,500. Through seven
months of the fiscal year, membership required the gift to be directed to the Southwestern Annual Fund (unrestricted). This discouraged some donors who
prefer to direct their giving to areas of campus with the most significant meaning to them.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Secure current cash contributions For 23-24: $11.8 million
This target changes each year
2023-24: $13.8 million
2022-23: $18.8 million
2021-22: $.9.1 million
2020-21: $12.1 million
Was the target met? Yes
Use of Results/Improvements:
With a new Vice President for University Relations starting in February 2024, new performance metrics are being installed to enhance the focus on our
fundraising initiatives and improve productivity across all fundraising efforts.
Assessment Method:
Results and Longitudinal Data:
Secure annual giving participation from alumni
graduates For 23-24: 24% giving rate
This target changes each year
2023-24: 18% (2135/11875)
2022-23: 22.4% (2382/10636)
2021-22: 23.2% (2577/11122)
2020-21: 25.4% (2825/11106)
180
Was the target met? No
Use of Results/Improvements:
An aggressive and robust communication and solicitation plan was prepared and implemented throughout the year. The impact of inflation and the sluggish
economy impacted our participation number. This was especially evident among our young alumni, who were hit the hardest by rising housing costs, food,
insurance, gas, etc.
181
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Center for Academic Success
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● Good reflection on pattern of student issues [post-covid] and what the office is doing to
address it [increase collaboration]
● May not need all the information on how long everyone had been at SU unless it’s tied to
how personnel changes impacted programs or other workings of the office that may affect
assessment initiates (which much of it was)
● A good addition to the introduction (or maybe under 1a) could be a list of common
accommodations (extended test time, quiet test space, etc)
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Good comments on what effect the new position of HSS coordinator had
● “Minor modifications to percentage targets were made to align with most recent trends.”
● If the office decided to remove outcome 1b from the plan, you can remove it. It’s
removal/change was discussed in previous year’s report but a refresher on why it was
removed could be added to the introduction.
Committee Feedback
✖
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Not that the committee saw
❔
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● Some of the assessment measures appear to be more within the CAS sphere of influence (e.g.
student feedback via surveys). This may have been a result of feedback provided by the
committee last year, but the connection is not made explicitly.
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● Love connecting the goals to the strategic mission!
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● If the name changes to “Center for Student Success,” will the mission of the office change
and thus need more to cover non-academic goals
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
✖
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● Under 1a, the committee agrees with commented concerns that academic accommodations
are not the only thing affecting students’ outcome of warning/probation/dismissal. These
mechanisms are at a high-level with multiple in-puts. The committee supports CAS
brainstorming more targeted assessment mechanisms.
✖
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
● Outcome 2a is about the “awareness” of students/faculty/staff but neither mechanism is a
direct measure of this. We encourage CAS to rethink this outcome and/or the mechanisms.
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
● Thank you for splitting fall and spring
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Several show longstanding/continued success, may need update
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
● Under 1a “students receiving academic accommodations being dismissed due to academic,”
the Yes/No are reversed for fall/spring
● Results missing from 3b and 3c due to staffing changes, and that is okay - it happens.
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● If an increase in the number of students needing support is expected to increase, what does
the office need to service a growing number of students?
● Comments pertaining to goals/outcomes later in the document are not as robust
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
● Concerns about how assessment mechanisms is provided, should changes come from this be
sure to point it out in the next report
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
● Most reflection seemed to be on the faults of the assessment, which can be needed/useful,
but we desire reflection on CAS’ programs/services as well
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Specific CAS actions connected to goals/outcomes would be helpful
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● The office is doing good work!
● It seems that the response rate to the annual survey is lower than one would like, are there plans
on how to increase the response rate?
● Under 1a, “students with accommodations will graduate at similar rates,” would switching to using
a 6-year grad rate (longer time scale) alleviate concerns about comparing different students’
situations?
● Under 1a, “annual survey: effective accommodations,” would adding an open ended response for
students who select negative responses be an idea for gathering additional information to see the
reasons students are unhappy.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Advising
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● The introduction is thorough yet concise. They did a good job explaining the breadth of the
program succinctly.
● Nice job keeping it short and letting us know what we needed to know.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Yes, the introduction provided a detailed summary of challenges faced by the department
during the assessment period and changes to the report that occurred as a result.
Committee Feedback
✔
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Yes, committee feedback was directly mentioned.
✔
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● Yes, the inclusion of survey data throughout the report was a result of previous committee
feedback.
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● Yes, I think the goals cover most of what is done in OAR—Training the stakeholders (faculty
and staff advisors), setting up new students for success, and assessing reasons why students
are leaving.
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● Yes, the inclusion of survey data helped make these outcomes even more clear.
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
● Outcome 3a could be separated or can be considered to focus on “students will be satisfied”
followed by different areas they can be satisfied in.
Assessment Mechanisms
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● For the most part, however, I don't believe the assessment mechanisms for outcome 1b align
with the statement. Determining the needs v. perceived knowledge are very different.
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
● Overall yes, but for outcome 1B, the assessment methods don’t mention how the
department determines the needs of faculty advisors who don’t report as “very or extremely
knowledgeable.”
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
Results
✖
All results are presented consistently:
● Some percentages have no decimal points while others have one or more decimal points.
● Consider separating fall and spring under goal 3.
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
✖
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
● Unsure if missing previous years is due to changes in the assessment or not
✖
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
● Outcome 3a, 90% of students will report that they feel their advisor helps them manage
personal, academic, and/or professional challenges. 51 of 60 in the results is 85% not 86%, so
target was not met.
● Outcome 3a, 90% of students will report that they feel their advisor cares about them and
their success. 55 of 60 in the results is 92% (if rounded) not 93%.
● Outcome 3a, 90% of students will report being satisfied with their advising experience. 53 of
60 in the results is 88% not 90%, so target was not met.
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
● Under Goal 3, why is there a large difference between respondents to the advising survey in
the fall versus the spring? Is this unexpected, or is it normal based on how the survey is
administered?
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
● Yes, care was taken to explain how successful programs will continue in the future and what
initiatives will be taken to meet targets that were previously not met.
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Yes, this report was easy to understand and follow.
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● Appendix C (First Year Advising Survey) is missing
● The committee understands that big changes have happened to the office in 24-25, please reach
out if you need assistance with adjusting your report.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
n/a
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Center for Integrative Learning
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● A great example of providing context on the office for someone who has no idea what they
do.
● The plan/report is used for multiple purposes including administrative assessment, academic
assessment, grant documentation, and organizational needs. The details and rationale are
appreciated.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Yes; care was taken to address the most core areas that the department focused on in 2023-
2024.
● thank you for the detailed description of changes and rationales.
Committee Feedback
✔
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Yes; the introduction directly references committee feedback from the previous report
✔
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● The committee feels a sincere effort from the office to address feedback
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● Yes since CEL, Internships, and Study Abroad are purposefully separate reports.
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● It appears so. Outcomes seem to be directly related to the goals.
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● Mostly
✖
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
● No. CIL 1a and FMR 1a contain many things.
Assessment Mechanisms
✔
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● In the Faculty-Mentored Research portion, for Goal 1A, the assessment method is the same
as the learning outcome.
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
● Yes, I appreciate the use of direct and indirect measures of assessment and student learning
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
● creative ways used to measure existing activities for assessment and planning
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
● It might be helpful to include justification as to how the criteria for success were determined
for CILl 2a.a-d. They might align with the Tactical Plan, but the criteria seem to range quite a
bit from goal to goal.
● For CIL 1a, the target was exceeded in each of the available years, so it might be worth
looking at increasing the target criteria for success.
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Yes, I appreciate that there are aspirational goals used instead of minimal, status quo targets
● Yes with extra care taken to address desired improvements for future years.
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
● The missing x/n in goal 2 are from IR not providing the raw numbers
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
● Most of the time. Overall, did a good job including past data when available.
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
● There is quite a bit of missing data, however, the report does a good job outlining reasons for
missing data and emphasizes the importance of collecting this data on a consistent basis
moving forward.
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
● Yes, I appreciated the in depth discussion and analysis
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● Yes, they did a good job sharing information about current year and future plans and
improvements
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
● Yes, great job
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● There seemed to be quite a bit of acronyms throughout the report. Many were addressed in
the introduction, but it might be helpful to spell out some of the acronyms on first mention
within each goal as a reminder.
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● If it’s one report, keep the numbering going 1, 2, 3, 4 and not a1, a2, b1, b2
● Overall, this report was very well written and did a good job of addressing previous shortcomings
and detailing how improvements will be made in the future. Areas to collect future data were
identified and it seems collecting this data in the future is a priority.
● As someone who has served on the committee for several years, I like where this report is now
headed. They did a very good job of informing the reader about changes, improvements, and future
plans and data collection. I’m also a fan of separating some of these reports.
● Thank you for building this plan and its overarching perspective of all CIL and how they are
interrelated. This report will be useful for staff and other reporting needs in addition to
administrative effectiveness. This is a strong report that covers many areas and ties them together
to demonstrate the whole CIL area.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
✔
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
● It would be helpful to include the specific rubrics you referenced, no all of them
✔
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
✔
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Financial Aid
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● Introduction provides a concise overview of the functions of the department. Plus goals that
align to the tactical plan
● The introduction and overview are brief and to the point.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● It was helpful to have the note providing information about the issues with the FAFSA and
other changes that needed to be made for the assessment report.
● The note about changes was helpful but confusing if someone doesn’t understand the FAFSA,
especially the years since FAFSA runs a year ahead.
Committee Feedback
n/a
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● No 22-23 report means no comments from last year
n/a
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● Yes, every goal seems to be connected to the mission shared in the intro.
● Good job linking to the tactical plan
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● although Goal 2, student account collection, feels more like a business office activity, I can
see the role that the financial aid office plays in that process.
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● Thank you for putting overall, first-year, and transfer in bold
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
✔
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
● Yes, they did a good job of separating the different outcomes to be measured in the
assessment mechanisms. For example, they have different lines for enrollment numbers,
NTR, and discount rate, which is easy to follow.
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Explanations note that targets are determined by Senior Staff.
● It seems the targets are more goal/objective driven rather than improvement driven, which is
fine for this report.
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
● Yes, very nice presentation of results.
n/a
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
● X of N is not needed in this report
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
● Yes. Also liked the met/not met indicators for previous years.
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
● Comments are clear why targets may not have been met or discusses the causes or reasons
for changes for assessment data.
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● Yes, in many instances improvement plans were shared.
n/a
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Yes, they did a very good job of making this report easy to understand to readers.
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● I feel Goal 1 needs to define the resources being discussed: “Manage fall financial aid budget
resources to support overall enrollment, net tuition revenue (NTR), and discount rate goals.”
● I thought the short explanations were great. For example, FTE = Full-Time + (Part-Time Hours/12).
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
First-Year Enrollment
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● introductory content provides succinct overview
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Appreciate the additional context for what is going on in the office but comments on things
like budget cuts can go in the introduction section. The Changes section is for changes the
offices chose to make (hopefully based on assessment results)
Committee Feedback
✖
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Not directly mentioned
✔
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● Though not directly mentioned, some previous committee notes on organization have been
applied.
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● Good linking to the strategic plan
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
✔
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
● 2a, should the discount rate be included as a mechanism?
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● 2a, is the $7mil set by something specific or should it be increasing?
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
✖
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
● Program 1b - 75/235 = 31.9% in which case the target is met. Are the numbers correct? SV
● Program 1e (listed as a 2nd 1d) - Fall 2024 percentage incorrect. 131/375 = 34.9%. SV
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● it may help to show if recommendations for improvement are informed by institutional
benchmarking or other research
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● General - regarding recommendations for improvement, it may help to show additional connection
to institutional benchmarking or external industry data
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Information Technology
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● Introduction is concise yet thorough in allowing the reader to understand previous reports
and how they relate to the current report.
● The Introduction is informative. I appreciate that it was written in language that people
outside of the office can understand.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Yes, changes were clearly stated.
Committee Feedback
✔
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Yes, where applicable, committee feedback is mentioned in the use of results.
● Thank you for responding to the previous feedback and explaining your decision-making.
✔
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● Yes, where applicable, outcomes specifically mention recommended changes and how they
were included in this report.
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● Yes, each goal is directly linked to the mission.
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● Yes, each goal covers a different segment of the department.
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● In most instances, yes.
● 1a ??
● 5a, what is the plan though?
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● 1a ??
● Outcome 4A could be tightened up to include only a clear outcome, with additional
context/information presented separately
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● Outcome 1a does not include quantitative results data for the year. (For example, XX uptime,
XX downtime was recorded for Spring 2023) Was the dashboard implemented? Was the
website developed? Were the day/times for maintenance developed. What you have listed
under criteria for success is probably intended as the assessment method. The criteria for
success is a quantitative target you are trying to reach. An example for a criteria for success
would be “Unscheduled outages will be 2% of less each month.” The target should be
aspirational and not a low bar. “Incorporate or develop network and service monitoring goal”
is actually the outcome statement for 1a. The website, dashboard, and system maintenance
schedule is the assessment method of how you will measure if you achieve the outcome
statement. Overtime reviewers will see how the unscheduled outage percentages trends up
or down in the results box.
● 1a, now that there are the ‘proper tools in place for monitoring’ will this switch to something
that can be tracked years over year?
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
Targets
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Yes, and care was taken to address future improvements in each use of results section.
Results
All results are presented consistently:
✖
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
● No, this was not included in the areas where it could have been. For example, 2a and 2d
✖
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
● No, most objectives begin with the 2022-2023 report and many are missing historical data.
Understandable with staffing changes.
● Many mechanisms are one-and-done yes/no items and do not have quantitative results to
track
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
● Yes, each comment section includes commentary on several questions. Great job explaining
pivots and other mechanisms used to achieve or attempt to achieve goals in the face of
budgetary constraints and cuts.
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Yes, care was taken to clearly explain some of the industry terminology and language used
throughout the report.
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● I thought this group did a great job addressing a multitude of budgetary and financial constraints
that hindered their ability to achieve the goals that were set. Other methods used were described
and there seemed to be a future-looking focus on resuming the original goals if/when funding is
secured.
● For the Use of Results section, the response can be combined into a singular paragraph below the
template’s sample questions to answer.
● I understand some of your initiatives do not fit in our outcome/assessment/criteria structure. You
are doing a good job providing information and demonstrating the office is in a state of continuous
improvement which is the goal of the improvement report. (example 4a)
● As a staff member, I want to thank you for making as many improvements as you can given the
funding situation.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
na
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
na
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
na
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Internship Office
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
There is a vast wealth of context and information here and it’s a great start. It’s clear that the
distinction between goals, outcomes, and mechanisms wasn’t conveyed properly to the report
author.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● Great explanation of each program/opportunity the office oversees
● Agreed, plus good job outlining future goals and priorities
● Introduction is comprehensive, may need to be shortened moving forward
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Yes, first year for a stand-alone report, already have plans for 24-25 improvements
● Even though changes are listed in the template section, I don’t think they’re changes made by
use of assessment results.
Committee Feedback
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● No, but Committee Comments would have been directed at the CIL report.
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
Goals
✖
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● Current goals are only targets for participation
● While the goals do a good job of outlining the desired number of students participating in
internships and the associated financial requirements to do so, they don’t directly connect
back to the program’s mission of ensuring that internships connect students’ coursework
with the professional world.
✖
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● I think a goal or two could be added to measure the value that students are receiving from
the internships themselves.
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● For both goals, the verbiage used to describe the goal and the program outcome are nearly
identical.
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
●
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
● Yes, one goal focuses on total student participation while the other focuses on funding
Assessment Mechanisms
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● the assessment method is identical to the goal itself, program outcome, and criteria for
success.
● Demographics of participants can be it’s own mechanism if the office is interested in
maintaining diversity in participation
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
● See above
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
● Yes
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● For the first goal, good job using historical data to create a more realistic future goal while
still striving to increase participation.
● Yes, and care was taken to describe how future assessments will include more realistic
targets to align with staff bandwidth and budget constraints.
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● Yes, with great explanations of past constraints and future realistic targets.
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
● Yes, very much so
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● Rewriting would fit template better but it the same functionally
○ Goal 1: Southwestern students will participate in internships by the time they graduates
○ PO: SU graduates will participate in at least one internship as part of the academic and/or
funded internship programs
○ Method: The participation rate in the graduating class (August, December, May)
○ Target: 75%
● Verb tense in the Houston Methodist Willowbrook Internship Program makes it sound like the
program is still to come but then their data shows it has happened.
● Include a goal that assesses the quality of the internship a student is completing.
● For future consideration - the department may consider developing goals to assess student learning
and/or professional development via completion of internships
● Number goals/outcomes please
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
A Frank Smith, Jr. Library Center
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● The introduction was concise and informative regarding the four departments.
● Appreciate the short statements about what each area does with their section of the report.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Understandable that with the staff turnover and major construction that no changes were
made.
● Noting the circumstances and challenges faced in 23/24 helps put the report in perspective.
Committee Feedback
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● I did not see mention of previous feedback or that it was considered.
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the office:
● Goal for each area works well to cover everything
✔
Goals are coherent:
● Seems there’s been a copy/paste mistake, “Goal 3” doesn’t need to exist since it’s the same
as goal 2.
Learning Outcomes
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● 1a & 1b, program outcome statements are the same and 1b refers to 1a. You can have
multiple mechanisms under one outcome.
● 1c, addresses student retention and is not directly related to Goal 1 or the Mission
Statement. It might be that student retention means something different in this case? Should
this be retaining student workers and not “student retention” from a global sense? OR could
it be assessing something about the student workers - like employment satisfaction?
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● Refining the outcome statements is desired. Are there any redundant outcomes or similar
outcomes that should be combined?
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
● 2a, great improvement made. How did the library realize users were having trouble finding
GIS materials? Could that process be an assessment mechanism to show that the library is
watching out for future troubles?
Assessment Mechanisms
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● If mechanism 1b is not meaningful or useful, then it can be removed from the plan.
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of l outcomes:
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
● 5a, the comments show that you are correctly looking at each shared question separately
(great job!) A better way to visually show this would be to split each question into their own
mechanism box, rather than including the information in the appendix, and you could still
maintain just one comment box.
Targets
✖
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
● 1a, please include the % increase as well as base number since that is what the target is
based on. Example: +15% (7291)
● 4a, please include the % increase/decrease, since that is what the target is based on.
Example: -13% (45 classes)
● 4b, please include data in the box for the 2023-2024 year. Yes, seems this wasn’t updated or
there is no data to report due to tracking issue and this should be noted.
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Goal 6, love the additional information/context on past attempts and that this is the start of a
new thing. I understand that it’s in early stages, as you move forward think about how you
are assessing the success of these interactions and not just the number of them. (still great
job)
● Program outcome 4a mentions the goal for 22-23 is to increase usage from 21-22. Is the
target still to increase 10% from the 21-22 benchmark (target of 50) or is the desire to be a
10% increase each year?
Results
✖
All results are presented consistently:
● Please present years in descending order from top to bottom
● 5a results - 4 questions out of 5 total? Show # of total questions.
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
● It is probably not feasible to provide numbers of books for things like 2a, but could we have
an estimate of the size of the collection, to better appreciate how much work is being done.
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
● Under goal 2, there may be a way to structure the outcomes/mechanisms such that they’re
not one-and-done things each year. Does Discovery Services evaluate at least one ‘collection’
each summer/year?
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● The innovations in 4a are excellent examples of improvements implemented. Instead of
simply counting usage, you should consider measuring the quality of the tours or hands on
lessons.
● The ideas discussed for 5A are great suggestions to assess knowledge over a longer span or
multiple sessions.
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for pedagogical reflection:
● Great job in 5a!
Report Components
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Program outcome 4a mentions the goal for 22-23 is to increase usage from 21-22. This report
should be measuring 23-24 and increasing from 22-23. The results and the breakdown chart
do reference 23-24.
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● The mission statement refers to the Paideia program, which is language used a few years ago. It’s
more of a philosophy than a program
● Very well put together, easy to follow area-to-area than other reports
● There needs to be more explanation to differentiate the types of collections that are being
assessed. For non-librarians, it is confusing to know if these are sections of the library or different
media. Tracking usage of collections seems repetitive across outcomes.
● Great report. I’m happy to see usage is returning closer to pre-shutdown levels.
● The appendix is fascinating, but is it needed for the purposes of this report?
● I would recommend adding assessment measuring quality instead of focusing on usage. Assessment
identifying whether you have the needed collections or services or if there is a need to improve
either.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Marketing and Communications
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● The introduction was short and sweet, clear and concise.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Providing an underlying pattern of changes in the introduction followed by details with the
appropriate mechanism is great!
Committee Feedback
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Not specifically, but some general changes seem to have been implemented.
✔
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● After 22-23 report, committee asked for information on the ‘internal drivers’ or additional
context on various metrics - these are now included in the report
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● Goals are clear and aligned with the mission
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● ‘Crisis Communication’ is in the office’s mission but is not assessed.
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● Outcome 1a is written in such a way to conflict with how Goal 1 is written. Perhaps rewrite
the Goal to “.. expanding from local to regional to national level of exposure.”
● We expect outcome 2a to change now that the App has been implemented
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● Program Outcome 3a is essentially the Quantitative Target. This Program Outcome needs to
be something along the lines of “Analyze Social Media Engagement Rate Trends.”
● Under 4b suggest you add a descriptor like “prospective student conversions”. Readers have
to read the assessment method description to understand the goal.
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
✔
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Since many of these outcomes are new or revised, it will take time to demonstrate
improvement actions and their impact.. I would encourage the department to make
aspirational targets. Aspirational goals are preferred over minimal targets. It is okay to not
meet targets. The crucial step is to detail the tweaks and initiatives implemented annually to
improve performance (based on the results and analysis).
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
● Thank you for including a note when the mechanism was new
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● The comments on all mechanisms of outcome 3a are fantastic!
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
● Based on the comments under Goal 4, we suspect that outcomes 4a and 4b will be removed
from the 24-25 report. Please remind us in that report that this is because of reallocated
funding to other (email) marketing and what impact you believe that had.
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Mostly, there will always be some struggle for those unfamiliar but they’ve done a good job.
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● Strong report, interested in how assessment of the App will continue now that it is implemented
● This report is quite informative. Given the type of information shared, I feel they were able to make
it quite understandable for someone who isn’t familiar with marketing and advertising.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
n/a
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Student Life
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Excellent introduction. Thank you for including narrative on the structural changes and
position changes.
Committee Feedback
✖
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Not seen
✖
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● Not seen, but understandable with such a large change to the report
Goals
Goals are linked to the program mission:
●
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● All the different offices of Student Life seem to be included
Goals are coherent:
● Some offices are better than others.
Outcomes
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● Greek Life’s goals seem repetitive. One is to communicate regularly and the 2nd one is to
share positive information about Greek life. Is there any other goal you want to track
(enrollment, community service, national conferences, etc)?
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● There are multiple outcomes listed under single program outcomes. The plan is to
demonstrate how the office can make goals, find ways to measure progress in meeting those
goals, set a target performance level, report quantitative progress annually and make
continuous improvements towards the goals and aspirational targets. The plan doesn’t
include all of these parts. The new template provides more structure for listing how you are
using the assessment to make improvements. This plan is not intended to list all activities
especially if you aren’t assessing the quality of the activities.
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
● No, outcome statements are not listed. Each outcome should state a specific outcome you
are seeking. Example: Greek Life participants will feel informed and a sense of belonging. The
mechanism would be an assessment providing feedback on your newsletters and students’
perspectives on the communication. The Target could be 80% of participants will say the
communication is high quality or marked as “good” or “excellent” on a scale of 1 to5. Results:
150 out of 180 Greeks surveyed marked good or excellent. Improvements: initiatives planned
to increase that 80% to 85% the next year.
Assessment Mechanisms
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● Greek Life mechanisms listed are not mechanisms, as they are a list of activities planned.
How are you measuring the quality of your activities? How are you demonstrating that you
are in a state of continuous improvement?
● Student activities-Yes
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
● No-Greek Life
● Student activities-Yes
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
● No-Greek Life
Targets
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
● Most targets are not quantitative or present.
● Student activities-what is your target for 1a or 1b?
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Unclear-greek life
Results
All results are presented consistently:
● No-Greek life
●
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results: The number of students
who are surveyed and the number of the population would be helpful (example Counseling Center
2.1a which is misnumbered as 2.1b)
● Greek Life Results are not always quantitative. Targets are not completely quantitative either.
● Spiritual Life did not provide number of participants in focus groups. No improvements
mentioned.
● Police-X of N was not provided
✖
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
● No, but many were brand new mechanisms
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
●
Comments/Improvements
Comments address target being met or not met:
● Greek Life-”Will continue this next year” is not evidence of continuous improvement.
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● No-Greek life
● JEDI-For 1.a they should discuss how they are going to measure the quality of their trainings
and not merely list how many trainings were given, no improvements discussed
● Spiritual Life-no improvements mentioned.
● Police-No
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
● Police-No
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
●
Report Components
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
●
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● Please convert the assessment plan into the new reporting template.
● Should the report be split by office even if the division still puts one person in charge of the whole
thing.
● I would recommend that Student Life directors schedule an assessment training to understand
the components of the assessment plan and what data is needed for each area. It is clear that
most departments do not understand what an assessment mechanism should be. Too much of this
plan is listing all of the activities each office is doing and not the quality of work or satisfaction
levels for constituents. How are you measuring your progress in meeting your goals versus listing all
of the individual projects you host? The plan is void of plans you have make to make improvements
in 2024-25 to improve performance based on assessment results.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Study Abroad and International Student Services
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● Concise and referred to the tactical plan.
● The introduction is concise and structured clearly
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● submitting their own report instead of a portion of the Center for Academic Learning report
Committee Feedback
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Major changes to report structure makes it reasonable to not directly refer to comments on
past report
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● Greta to see connection to tactical plan
❔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● Nothing about the ‘International Student Services’ part of the office?
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
✔
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● 1a & 3a - Is 10 a large enough sample based on the number of participants? Is it the same 10
students?
●
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
● Goal 5, you do fantastic work getting information out to students about abroad programs. Is
there a way to assess the students’ view on available programs to see if there are gaps in the
personal/academic/professional goals met by the programs.
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Goal 4, since faculty participation is almost required and you’ve been successfully meeting
with folks for a while - is there something else to assess?
● There might be room for increases/changes where there’s been past success; 1a, 3a, 5a.
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
● Mostly. missing from 2c
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
● 2a 23-24 is 23% (70 of 302)
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● Often
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
● There are some good comments on what they are doing, plan to do, to accomplish goals.
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● Perhaps increase some targets for those that have been met for several years.
● Overall: easy to follow, appendices provided, the department may consider introducing a goal
regarding international student services
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
✔
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
● Good job clearly referencing rubrics and only including what the committee needed to know
on the rubrics
✔
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
✔
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Transfer Recruitment
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● nice and concise.
● I think it would be helpful to identify Transfer Recruitment’s mission specifically, in addition
to Enrollment Services’ division, to help connect the individual goals to the overall mission.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● While not necessarily changes to the report, the introduction provides helpful background
into current nationwide trends in transfer recruiting.
Committee Feedback
✔
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Positive, productive response to previous comments.
● Yes. It was helpful to have previous years’ comments included and how the new report
incorporates those comments.
✔
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● Yes, the feedback mentioned in the introduction is incorporated throughout the report.
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● “Enroll transfer students” pretty much covers it all
✔
Goals are coherent:
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● Yes, and I appreciated the areas where definition and further context was provided to make
the outcomes more clear.
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
✔
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
● Thank you for adding X of N from past years with percentages.
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
✔
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● Yes, I thought the added “Improvements for Next Report” section was a strong inclusion to
discuss future plans for the department.
✔
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
✔
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
● Yes, care was taken to interpret results and apply changes for the future.
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Yes, the report was very easy to read.
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
Great job overall! The following are meant to be helpful ideas for the office:
● Exploring the transfer admit turnaround time at competing institutions might help inform if SU’s
admit time is competitive and timely for student decisions.
● The vast majority of Texas institutions do not require a conduct/disciplinary report for transfer
applicants. This could potentially limit the number of applications you receive as competitors don’t
require this and the policy lengthens the time to apply. This seems like a policy that is not transfer-
friendly and works against meeting the goals.
● I would suggest increasing the number of articulations beyond the region. There are a number of
students in the DFW and Houston metroplexes that have the means and interest to move away for
their final UG years. Some of these have missed the residential college experience by staying home
the first year or two. Lone Star College District. Richland College (DCCD), and NCTC have
populations of affluent students that are more mobile than other community college districts that
seek more local upper level class options. They may be attracted to living in Georgetown and being
relatively close to home while experiencing a residential experience.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
University Relations
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by May 31, 2025. Minor edits to the report which are
expected to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● It would be nice to have some context for what each of the teams do. For example, I’m not
completely sure what Stewardship is as it relates to University Relations.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● They mention the renaming of the campaign, onboarding of new VP and shift in focus, the
transition to a new CRM, etc. There is no mention of CCPD moving until we read through
comments and improvements.
● Current departments are listed with references to reorganization throughout
Committee Feedback
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
● Not that I could determine
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
● With the changes that have taken place, is the mission still accurate to the department
❔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
● Unclear. There are 7 teams (Alumni Relations, Annual Giving, Major Gift Development,
Foundation Relations, Stewardship, Events, and Advancement Services) and 4 goals. I’m
unsure if all teams are represented.
○ Note that you do not need goal/outcome for all teams but if a team is completely left
out it suggests some office purpose is left out
● Goal 2 was solely measured through CCPF which is now with student life. Is that
goal/outcomes no longer relevant to UR or will the mechanisms be rethought?
✔
Goals are coherent:
● Yes, for the most part.
Outcomes
✔
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● Yes, recognizing recent reorganization
● Goal 3, the phrase “bring Southwester to out constituents” caused some on the committee to
think the office meant to focus on off-campus events but that’s not the case. Maybe rephrase
for clarity?
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
✔
Each outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
Assessment Mechanisms
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to outcomes:
● In general, yes. Program outcome 1b mentions educating students on the importance of
supporting SU, but the assessment mechanism is about the number of students making a gift.
If the number making a gift is what is being assessed, I feel the outcome needs to change.
● The third mechanism for Outcome 3a mentions “number of regional events held to engage
alumni, parents, and friends with the President.” I don’t think we can consider two of the five
completed events as “regional.” The Private targeted move-in event and the President’s
Admission Dinner are both held on campus.
✔
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
Targets
✔
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
✔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● Appears to be the case
● Something that you might add to the introduction or where it’s relevant is how targets are
being set - is the president giving a mandate based on the budget or is the office determining
how much they can push forward in a give year
Results
✔
All results are presented consistently:
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
✔
Comments address target being met or not met:
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● Comments under goal 1 are great
● No, not in all cases.
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
● The sections under goal 2 and outcome 3c could have said what they’re being replaced with,
if anything.
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for reflection:
● Comments under goal 1 are great
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● Please do NOT use specific names of people, but their position when the need to reference specific
duties (1a comments)
● Some targets are attendance driven and shown not to have been met. The division may consider
pivoting to assessing attendees and the perceived engagement of the events or programs produced
by the division
● When a mechanism/outcome is no longer aligned with the office, you can mention this in the
introduction and remove the outcome/mechanism. For example, goal 2 and outcome 3c.
Use of Rubrics for Assessment if applicable
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
Administrative Assessment Committee Comments
Debby Ellis Writing Center
2023-2024 Administrative Assessment Report
Please review the comments provided below, and if necessary provide a revised assessment
report incorporating the requested edits by {DATE}. Minor edits to the report which are expected
to appear in the revised submission are highlighted. The committee has also included
comments that may be incorporated in next year’s assessment report.
Introduction
✔
Conciseness:
● The introduction provides sufficient information to understand the mission and current
priorities for the office.
✔
Introduces changes to the assessment report and/or the program:
● Reasonable that no changes were made since still a newer office plus creation of the learning
commons
Committee Feedback
✖
Committee feedback is mentioned in the assessment report :
Committee feedback is applied to the assessment plan:
● The report indicates that committee feedback (increasing targets) was not implemented due
to previous success of existing efforts
Goals
✔
Goals are linked to the program mission:
✔
Goals are comprehensive of the breadth of the program:
✔
Goals are coherent:
● Goals are coherent and did a good job quantifying information, particularly information that
could be difficult to quantify
Learning Outcomes
Outcomes are appropriate to goals:
● Outcome 3a, is fantastic to disaggregate ELL/fgen students’ experience. However, it might fit
better under goal 1?
✔
Outcomes specify actions using clear verbiage, making the outcome evident and measurable:
● Yes
Each learning outcome describes a singular skill or type of knowledge:
● Outcome 1a “feel welcomed” and “leave more confident” could be split as they are both
good but different outcomes
● Outcome 3b “training and “mentorship” are similar enough activities to remain together
Assessment Mechanisms
Assessment mechanisms are appropriate to learning outcomes:
● Under 3b, if consultants are required to go through training then there shouldn’t be a
question if 100% of them do. Maybe an assessment of the training itself could be developed,
this could also be used for the learning commons.
Most assessment mechanisms are direct measures of outcomes:
● 3b, maybe some sort of assessment of the peer-mentor relationship? It seems like you may
already have something to use as you state “..all consultants reporting the training team was
beneficial…”
✔
Individual assessment mechanisms measure a singular skill or concept:
● When more than one concept is measured, they are similar enough. I.e. “welcomed and
respected”
Targets
✖
Assessment targets numerically align with the assessment mechanism:
● 1d and 2a are presented as x/n (%) where the target is a % and % (x/n) would be more
appropriate.
❔
Assessment targets are improvement-driven:
● 1c, wow 127 student attendance at your events is awesome! The target of 25 could be
increased since you’ve crushed it for two years
● 1d and 2b could increase as well. Nice!
Results
✖
All results are presented consistently:
● Some are % (x/n) and some x/n (%)
✔
When appropriate, both percentages and (X of N) are presented in results:
✔
At least three previous years’ data is included when available:
✔
Results are free of mathematical errors or missing data:
Comments/Improvements
Comments address target being met or not met:
● Most targets were met. It would have been nice to see a reflection on 1d on why
participation fell from 26% to 21% and what % of students should be using the writing
center’s services.
Comments include discussion of improvements:
● If targets are consistently met over the years (yay!), perhaps it’s time to rethink our
assessment goals to gather new data and inform new measures of success.
Comments include discussion of changes to the assessment plan (where applicable):
Comments are indicative of the use of assessment for pedagogical reflection:
Report Components
✔
Use of clear, simple language understandable to readers outside the department/program:
● Yes
Additional Committee Comments/ Consider for the next assessment report:
● The Writing Center is doing great work!
● Consider adding a qualitative Program Outcome for the consultant training (such as a pre and post
test)
Use of Rubrics for Assessment
✔
Rubrics used in the assessment plan are included in the appendix of the assessment report:
✔
Rubric lines are clearly labeled and properly referenced in the assessment plan:
Rubric items used for assessment provide a measure of a singular skill or concept:
● While the consultant observation rubric isn't a rubric in the expected sense, it does feel
appropriate for this use
● The materials review rubric seems to be evaluating the center’s presentation of the materials
and not the materials themselves?