Introduction

Minutes

Members

Assessment Committee Minutes
Date: January 27, 1999

2:00 PM PC Conference Room

Committee members who were present: Kristin Anderson, Geoff Eroe, Dave Gorman, Rosemary Schweigert, Marsha Hopkins, Marian Gibney, Bill Roe, Brent Jameson, Billie Hughes, Marian Tadano and Georgia Gudykunst.

Chairperson Brent Jameson called the meeting to order. The agenda was distributed. The minutes from the November 18 meeting were accepted with no corrections.

The Steering Committee for assessment was introduced: Marian Tadano, Billie Hughes, Brent Jameson and Georgia Gudykunst.

Dean Tadano noted that Judy Boschult, as staff development coordinator, would be joining the Steering Team, to spearhead workshops and working sessions related to assessment. Staff development will provide support, through information, workshops, etc. Every faculty will have a role in assessment, and assessment will be an ongoing effort at PC.

The Assessment Committee members will serve as support to other faculty, and we will learn assessment together as we develop assessment processes. The new degree requirements, budget and planning, etc., need to be considered.

Brent Jameson encouraged more faculty to become actively involved; all faculty are needed. Marian Tadano has asked faculty chairs to identify one member of their department to be liaison to the Assessment Committee. Also, she has requested that assessment be a standing agenda each month at the Faculty Senate; the Senate president was agreeable.

Dean Tadano updated the committee on her call in December to Cecilia Lopez at NCA. She reported on the administrative turnover in staff, work done by PC on critical thinking tests, checklists and program reviews. A major difficulty was the challenge to clarify what our proposed outcomes were to be; without this, our assessment process was unclear. Dr. Lopez suggested that PC request a one year extension to May 1, 2000; PC will need to be further in its implementation, and not in the pilot stage. There was some interest in asking Cecilia Lopez to visit PC in February, when she visited New Mexico. NCA no longer allows informal visits, however, given their limited staff.

Marian Tadano checked into the availability of funds for taking a team of 8-10 to an intensive workshop on assessment. Dr. Pepicello suggested that we bring in to Phoenix College a consultant to help being our training process. While there is an advantage of sending a team away for intensive training to help to build a core of interested, trained faculty/staff and a substantial momentum for assessment, there was also the advantage of bringing in a national speaker/consultant who could capture our attention and be accessible to more faculty. The interest remains to provide both options, if possible.

There also was continuing discussion that institutional effectiveness goals are not the same as learner goals, that assessment involves closing the loop from goals to data to improving and increasing learning, etc. These will be addressed in the first assessment dialogue day with faculty on Feb. 9, followed by a repeat session the following week on Feb. 17 for those who cannot attend on the 9th. All faculty are encouraged to attend this overview on assessment.

Billie Hughes led a discussion on outcome assessment - an update and a look to the future. We need to place student achievement within the context of our college mission and goals, and review the status of our academic outcome assessment in order to move forward. A matrix was distributed. Dr. Hughes could not see where we made any recommendations on any outcomes, with the exception of the first year composition checklist and the English program evaluation. The new degree academic outcomes were briefly reviewed.

Some suggestions and discussion occurred on the establishing of a protocol for one outcome area, then using it for other areas possibly; concerns of academic freedom, and that every department or program area needs to provide input and help to determine the outcomes for their area. The outcomes need to be derived by and supported by faculty.

Brent Jameson reported on the All Faculty Convocation held at SCC in January. Dr. Jameson reported the dialogue on assessment would continue, with MCC hosting the next conversation.

Meetings for the remainder of the spring term will be scheduled shortly. Brent Jameson will send an A1 to everyone as to the most convenient times to meet and then set up a schedule.

Respectfully submitted,

Georgia Gudykunst
(substituting for Betsy Frank)