PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP #1

Effectively Using Building a Culture of Evidence in Student Affairs: A Guide for Leaders and Practitioners

Maggie Culp
Independent Consultant

Learning Track:  Fundamentals of Assessment

Content Level:  Beginner

In 2012, NASPA published Building a Culture of Evidence in Student Affairs, a tutorial designed to assist student affairs educators to demonstrate the effectiveness of the programs they offer, the processes they design, and the services they provide.  Available in both e and print versions, the tutorial was co-edited by Maggie Culp who, for the past three years, has offered a highly-rated culture of evidence pre-conference program at NASPA’s Assessment and Persistence Conference.  At the 2013 Assessment and Persistence Conference, Dr. Culp will once again assist student affairs professionals to:

•  Describe the essential role that student affairs must play in the learning process, in becoming more involved in college-level assessment efforts, and in using data to shape programs and services
•  Develop guidelines for implementing a culture of evidence in student affairs
•  Describe the importance (and limits) of using learning outcomes.
•  Identify their strengths and weaknesses in relation to implementing cultures of evidence that include Student Learning Outcomes
•  Develop expertise in using Building a Culture of Evidence in Student Affairs to:
   
•  Design and implement a culture of evidence action plan
•  Prepare SA leaders and practitioners to launch and maintain culture of evidence initiatives
•  Use traditional and authentic assessment, rubrics, and action research effectively
•  Identify institutions with best practices and best processes
•  Analyze data and use it to shape programs, processes, and services

In addition, Dr. Culp will use case studies to help participants evaluate and learn from culture of evidence initiatives at a variety of colleges and universities across the country. Since previous workshop participants have indicated that sending a team to this workshop increases the chances that an institution will implement an effective culture of evidence in student affairs, NASPA recommends that colleges send teams of two or more to participate in Effectively Using Building a Culture of Evidence in Student Affairs: A Guide for Leaders and Practitioners.  Participation is limited.  Early registration is essential.

This pre-conference workshop is $85 before the Early-Bird Deadline.  Personalized attention, a copy of Building a Culture of Evidence in Student Affairs: A Guide for Leaders and Practitioners and a follow-up webinar is included with this pre-conference track.

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP #2

A Toolkit of Assessment Methods: Multiple Approaches for Collecting Meaningful Data

Nathan Lindsay
Assistant Vice Provost for Assessment
Assistant Teaching Professor, Higher Education Administration
University of Missouri – Kansas City

Learning Track:  Promising Practices in Assessment

Content Level:  Intermediate

This session will highlight a variety of methods for conducting effective assessments in student affairs.  Learning outcomes assessments, needs assessments, direct assessments, benchmarking studies, and mixed method assessments will all be covered.  The overview of each approach will include a synopsis of best practices and a number of examples. This session will be interactive in nature, featuring the use of clickers and a few case study problems.  If you are looking to broaden the types of assessments that are conducted in your Division, then this is the session for you!

Learning Outcomes:

•  Participants will be able to define and outline innovative ways to use the following assessments:
  •  Learning Outcome Assessments
  •  Needs Assessments
  •  Direct Assessments
  •  Mixed Method Assessments
•  Participants will be able to describe the competencies needed for conducting more advanced student affairs assessments
•  Participants will be able to discuss various approaches for sharing assessment results and action steps with students

PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP #3

New Dynamics to Create a Graduation Focused Culture that Works

“Three Hours to Change How You Think About Retention and How You Lead Change to Achieve It”

SPECIAL OFFER FOR CSAOs who Participate in this Pre-Con!

Laurence N. Smith
Senior Partner
New Campus Dynamics

Al Blixt
Managing Partner 
New Campus Dynamics

Content Level:  Intermediate

Session Design:

This session will combine presentation, small group work and whole room dialogue.  Participants will be seated a round tables of eight which will function as mini-work teams during the session.

This workshop is in some ways a think tank where everyone can contribute to our collective knowledge.   It is designed to engage participants in understanding and applying a practical strategic approach to retention and graduation.  The workshop leaders will present what they know and participants will share what they know.   Together we will be able to sharpen our thinking about how to dramatically shift the campus culture to improve student success.  Coming out of the workshop, each participant will have ideas that fit their own campus situation for immediate action.

Goals of presentation:

At the end of this session, participants will have the following learning outcomes:

1. Why what’s been done hasn’t changed the numbers in retention and graduation
2. The new context for what really needs to be assessed in persistence analytics and how that data should drive decisions
3. Five key strategies to create a retention breakthrough and how they work together
4. What a graduation focused culture looks like: converting persistence to graduation
5. Getting support for new ideas from the president and key administrators
6. Engaging and mobilizing student affairs professionals for leadership and support roles.
7. Specific ideas for implementing the RTG System™ in each participant’s home institution

Please note:  This pre-conference workshop will begin at an earlier time of 8:30 a.m. and last until 12:00 p.m. 

Building a Campus Wide At Risk System with a Retention and Persistence Focus

Vince Diller
Assistant Dean of Students
Belmont University

TaRee Glenn-Avery
Coordinator of Student Support
Belmont University
 

Learning Tracks:  Integrated Assessment & Persistence Practice
Promising Practices in Retention & Persistence

Content Level:  Intermediate

An innovative shift from a centralized “student at risk” intervention plan, to a University wide retention and persistence system highlighting high-touch, student centered student advising and resourcing. This model’s architecture and philosophy provides a safe and efficient assessment of personal and academic risk, then timely referral to the best relationship capable of assisting the student. This highly interactive workshop will review participating institutions’ and Belmont University’s experience in building programs capable of assessing and improving student retention and persistence.

Goals of this pre-conference workshop are to:

1) introduce a model of student at-risk programming providing connections to assessment, retention and persistence goals,

2) provide interactive discussion on comparable application of this model’s principles with participating institutions, and

3) provide networking and resource information for attendees working with at-risk and/or institutional assessment and retention efforts.

Learning Outcomes:

Participants will have the opportunity to

1) review and critique the presented student risk assessment and referral model and its impact on institutional assessment, retention, and persistence efforts.

2) identify the key components of the presented model’s risk assessment and referral program

3) identify key variables of the featured model applicable to institutional assessment and retention efforts at the participant’s institution.

4) discuss the successes and challenges of these systems at all participating institutions. NASPA Assessment & Persistence Conference is designed to help all campus educators promote student learning and success by strengthening assessment, quality improvement, and intentional persistence and retention programs.  Institutional leadership must create an environment which builds capacity, as well as encourages an organizational culture that includes a comprehensive assessment, persistence, and completion program as part of strategic planning.