Assessment Plan for Service Units

Last Updated 1/16/2004

 

Before You Begin, Gather these Materials

·        Your department or committee’s mission or purpose statement

·        Your department or committee’s objectives (from Planning & Budgeting process)

·        The Department Head’s Guide to Assessment Implementation in Administrative and Educational Support Units by Karen and James Nichols.

 

 

Formulate Assessment Plan - Fall

 

There are two styles of forms: the blue, one-page 5-Column form and the yellow, multi-page Forms A and B.  The multi-page form allows for more information to be entered, so select the form that best meets your needs. Fill in the information at the top of form.

 

 

1.  Linkage to GCC Mission

Using the pink handout, underline the parts of GCC’s mission statement the department or committee supports.  Record the parts that were underlined under GCC Mission Linkage.

 

2.  Establish Mission Statement

Create or edit the department or committee’s  mission statement.  A mission statement should:

 

·         Describe the purpose of the Department or Committee , such as areas of service responsibility and clients served;

·         Be relatively brief in length;

·         Provide linkage to and support of GCC’s Mission;

·         Be understood and remembered by staff members who participate in its creation;

§         Be reevaluated each year before you brainstorm objectives.

 

Record the statement under Mission Statement.

 

3. Brainstorm Objectives

Identify objectives that support the department or committee’s activities.  If there are planning objectives from the Planning & Budgeting database, you can use them too.  

 

Type of Objective

Purpose of Objective

Outcomes

Seeks to change student behavior or service results

Process

Describes function or procedures and most likely deal with continuous improvement

Satisfaction

Pertains to client/student satisfaction with process or outcome

 

4. Select Three Top Objectives for Year

From the long list of objectives, select three.  Selected objectives should:

·        Be realistic in terms of time and resources -- something that can be done with current resources & staff members;

·        Must be procedures that are under the control of the department or committee;

·        Be worded in terms of what the department or committee will accomplish or what its clients/students should think, know, or do following the provision  of service;

·        Lead to improved services -- when objectives are assessed the results would provide information for the improvement of services.

 

Record the objectives under Intended Objectives.

 

5. Identify Means of Assessment & Criteria for Success

·        Where will you find information that will reflect accomplishments of the objectives?

·        When will assessment take place?

·        Exactly “How” will the assessment be accomplished?

·        “How well” should the department or committee perform on the means of assessment identified, if the department or committee is functioning the way it should?

·        Decide upon one or two means of assessment and criteria for success for each objective.  Consider setting criteria for success at both primary and secondary levels (p 73).

 

Assessment Type

Description

Attitudinal

Measures of client satisfaction (Noel Levitz, Graduate, Employer, Point-of-Contact surveys)

Direct

Measures or counts of services (number of persons served, average time for response, average errors per audit)

External

Validation by auditor, consultant, public health inspector, fire marshall, peer-professional associations, etc.

Outcomes

Observation or performance (what we intend students to know, think, do)

 

Record the information under Assessment Method and Criteria for Success.  File your assessment plan in your assessment binder provided by Martha Gail Richmond.  If you need a binder, contact Martha Gail Richmond and she’ll get one for your department or committee. 

 

 

Implement Assessment Plan - Spring

 

 

6. Conduct assessment activities

 

·        Establish timeline and persons responsible for conducting assessment.

·        Don’t administer point-of-contact surveys for a prolonged period of time. 

·        Capture opinions of clients/students immediately following service received.

·        Coordinate surveys with other departments and committees.

 

 Record a summary of assessment findings under Summary of Data Collected.

 

7. Document use of results for service improvements

 

·        Department manager or committee chair should prepare a summary of data resulting from assessment.

·        Create an occasion for reviewing assessment results (like a retreat).

·        Distribute summary to staff or committee members for review prior to scheduled meeting.

·        Based on assessment results, anticipate changes in organizational structure, resources needed, administrative procedures, relationships to external agencies & the public.

·        Recognize accomplishments.  Monitor for several iterations to ensure continued success.   Then return objective to “long list”.

 

Record actions that will be taken under Use of Results.

 

 

GCC Mission

 

The mission of Glendale Community College (GCC) is to address the higher education needs of its community.  Through its diverse programs and services, GCC assists students in meeting their educational goals.

 

We fulfill this mission as an institution of higher education by preparing students:

 

·       To participate responsibly in a culturally diverse, technological and global society.

 

·       For successful transfer to colleges and universities.

 

·       For employment and advancement within their chosen careers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11/30/2000