Introduction

Minutes

Members

Assessment Committee Minutes
Date: October 13, 1998

2:00 PM PC Conference Room

Committee members who were present: Bill Roe, Dave Gorman, Rick Cups, Marsha Hopkins, Kristin Anderson, Billie Hughes, Georgia Gudykunst, Brent Jameson, Betsy Frank.

Chairperson Brent Jameson called the meeting to order. Two documents were distributed including the agenda. Three items were included and appear as headings within the body of these minutes.

September 3 minutes
The minutes from the September 3 were accepted with no corrections.

Future meetings schedule (handout)
Brent provided a handout of committee members' availability on Tuesday or Wednesday afternoons. Unfortunately due to schedule conflicts, there is not a time when there will be 100 % participation. It was decided to alternate days every month in an attempt to facilitate participation. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th from 2:00pm to 3:30 pm tentatively in the PC Conference Center. Brent will confirm the meeting place by A1.

Possible subcommittees
Possible subcommittees for committee work for 1998-99 include: (a) assist departments to develop "learning outcomes" goals rather than "institutional effectiveness" goals, (b) encourage "critical thinking", (c) assessment day activities where department reps could come get information about learning outcomes, (d) review assessment plan, (e) checksheets: encourage departments to use them with the eventual goal of using the information in the budget process, (f) standardized tests: develop a plan. Whom to test? When to test? How to measure the results? (g) follow-up on past program evaluations. Assess action plans. What did you do? How did this change your mission and goals? What changes have you made in your curriculum based on your assessment plan?

It has been suggested that working outside the regular meetings will enable more to be accomplished. Brent and Marian met to establish the subcommittees identified above and asked that committee members pick an area. Marian asked that committee members pick a subcommittee based on their interest or experience. She would like others to be involved if possible.

There followed a lengthy discussion regarding the subcommittees and where to start. One of the tasks that must be accomplished is a Letter of Response to NCA regarding their concerns from the last visit. Georgia will be heavily involved in this response. Brent will provide copies of the letter of concern, but reported that NCA wants to see a working assessment plan tied to the budget process. Providing the letter to members of this committee may help focus and guide our efforts.

The next discussion focused on subcommittee E (checksheets) and G (follow up on past program evaluations). Committee members had many questions regarding checksheets, their use, administration, purpose, data gathering, and information dispersement. Dave Gorman provided examples of checksheets that had been used and provided answers to the committee. The checksheets are the single evaluation tools for general education courses. The checksheets should be used to help the college move into an implementation stage of evaluation.

In terms of subcommittee G, it was decided to focus on "pending" program evaluations and assist those areas where possible.

Members assigned to subcommittees are:

1. No volunteers
2. Marsha
3. No volunteers
4. Kristen
5. Dave
6. No volunteers
7. Brent, Billie, Betsy

The meeting ended at approximately 3:00 pm

The next meeting, again, is scheduled for Wednesday, November 18th at 2:00 pm tentatively in the PC Conference Center.

Respectfully submitted,

Betsy Frank