Introduction

Minutes

Members

Assessment Committee Minutes
Date: October 14, 1999

1:30 pm Library Multipurpose Room

Committee Members who were present: Marian Gibney, Edlyn Soderman, Mary Ruzycki, Georgia Gudykunst, Jan Eygendaal, Yi Qin, Judy Haberman, Brent Jameson, Bill Coppola, Betsy Frank

Chairman Jameson called the meeting to order. The purpose of the meeting was to have a debriefing session following the assessment workshop of October 6th. There was lengthy discussion among committee members. These minutes reflect the highlights of those discussions rather than the details.
Various reactions to the workshop were recorded.

1. The format of the workshop worked effectively: i.e. the joint meeting, group activity, and wrap up.

2. Some disappointments with the presentation itself. The presentation seemed as though we are moving back rather than forward and that this information is old news to those at PC who have been struggling with assessment issues for a long time. It is important that we clarify where we are now and move forward.

Members were looking for more structure and a step-by-step method of assessment which were not presented.

The statement "overarching goal that didn't seem to be measureable" made by the presenter overwhelmed some committee members.

Concern was expressed that semantics rather than content was focus of group activity.

3. There followed a lengthy discussion about what Phoenix College is going to do in terms of assessment. Questions that were posed during this discussion were:

a. What's the plan?
b. How do we take what we have and make it into a plan?
c. Will the hierarchy presented by Dr. Lynch be imposed even if itdoesn't work for all content areas?
d. Should the hierarchy presented by Dr. Lunch be used as a model for assessment at Phoenix College
e. Where is a model that Phoenix College can use?

Dean Coppola offered some information he received from Dr. Cecilia Lopez. He reports that Dr. Lopez doesn't want Phoenix College (or any college/university) to copy a model. He also reported that having results (data) is not as
important as the process of getting those results. Dr. Lopez stressed that every institution is different and that means of assessment should reflect that individualism.

The discussion then centered upon drafting a model for Phoenix College. Highlights from that discussion included:

a. Establishing a clear purpose
b. Establishing a hypothesis
c. Identifying target populations
d. Using existing data or collecting new data
e. Using data to close the assessment loop.

Chairman Jameson thanked the committee for this discussion.
Assessment Presentation to the Governing Board

Dr. Gudykunst then presented a brief summary of the assessment presentation made to the Governing Board. Overall, this assessment practice was a success. Governing Board members said they had a better idea of the assessment process and the numerous activities that are occurring District-wide.

The next meeting will be October 28 at 1:30 pm in the Library Multipurpose Room.

The meeting adjourned @3:00 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Betsy Frank