ASSESSMENT COMMITTEE

Minutes of December 5, 2003
Board Room - 1:00 p.m.
 
Jim Dudek called the meeting to order at 1:20 p.m.  Joan Nelson gave the opening prayer.
 
In attendance were Janet Red Feather, Susie White Thunder, Crystal Paulson, Joan Nelson, Shawna Pourier, Ann Rutherford, Stephanie Charging Eagle, Jim Dudek, Georgia A. Rooks, and Trudy Ecoffey.  Not present were Ursula (excuse-medical), Verine, Sheris, Denise and Sylvia.    
 
Administrivia:  Per Chairperson Jim, Recorder Janet shall tender copies of minutes to all committee members, the President, the Vice President, Devonna and Arlene.
 
AGENDA:
1. Minutes approved from past 3 meetings.
2. (4) committee functions clarified & reviewed
3. Skeleton from Ursula redistributed
4. Benchmarks available
5. Need to make recommendations (substantive meeting emphasis)
6. Structure of committee within the institution
 
1. Minutes :  the recorder distributed hard copies of meeting minutes from the past three (3) meetings
MOTION made by Joan and seconded by Susie, to accept the minutes, passed unanimously
Errata:  Joan Nelson was in fact present at the 10/17 meeting (incorrectly listed as present/not present)  -- corrected by Recorder.
 
2. Four (4) functions :  see Exhibit B, page 2 of the Assessment of Student Academic Achievement (Policy), attached hereto & incorporated herein by reference.  The four functions are:  to develop an assessment schedule, review results, recommend assessment processes, and produce reports.  
 
6. (Discussed out of order) - Where this committee fits into the institutional scheme -- relationship of this committee to the governance of the college -- Joan:  need standing committee status with representatives going out to the departments for liaison & effectiveness
 
Others:  right now, we’re ad hoc -- we’re an advisory committee to the Assessment Director -- we can advise but can’t really direct or implement or control the outcome
 
Q:  where in the structure will we fall?  PWO, Institutional, Instructional -- why not put Assessment on the same plane?
 
Suzy:  we need to assess even beyond what NCA’s requiring -- we want to be self-measuring in the future
 
Q: representation/composition
 
Joan: need continuity, so some members should continue
 
Q: should we give a charge to Institutional development to add us as a Standing Committee -- Assessment already has a policy as an underpinning
 
MOTION made by Ann and seconded by Georgia, that we advise Institutional we are a 77-000 standing committee and should be placed on the institutional flow chart, passed unanimously
 
2. Four (4) functions (discussion resumed) :
 
#1) Develop a calendar -- calendar is embedded in a text document; Ursula has a calendar
 
Ann -- the non-academic calendar is needed
Jim -- other columns need to be incorporated -- gen ed, departmental, centers
Trudy E. -- As dept. chair, where does she need to be?  Desires interdepartmental communication on assessment status.
Shawna: They followed National Guidelines from the Council for Professional Recognition for Early Childhood Development -- for assessment; but what does OLC require?
 
#2) Review assessment results -- Ann: need midway-through-academic-year reporting - should require that departments submit a report to the assessment supervisor twice annually
 
Joan -- if each unit is used to doing a mid-academic year review, we’ll get into a rhythm with it
 
MOTION by Ann and seconded by Trudy, that by February and again in the Fall/year end period, assessment data will go to the assessment officer, passed unanimously.
 
Jim:  This is gen. Ed. - we need a grid.
 
We need access to prior semester and registration results displayed; so maybe official document for review 3/15 and 6/21 (this was part of the discussion on the motion).
 
#3) recommendations -- these hinge upon the working calendar, to be established.
 
#4) review annual report -- discussion: could we do this more easily with our own website?  Rapid discussion followed, culminating in the temporary conclusion the same is problematic but appealing.
 
3. Skeleton guidelines for assessment from Ursula:  some have it, some don’t  -- Administrivia:  Recorder will furnish copy of updated Email list to Chairperson Jim at this conclusion of this meeting.  Jim will make sure everyone gets the skeleton via Email.
 
There was some intervening discussion concerning evaluation forms, and the fact that some instructors did not get them this semester, and results from 2002 only were distributed.  Some mention was made that we can access these on Blackboard; most faculty & staff seemed puzzled or unaware of this.
 
4. Benchmarks -- hard copies distributed by Ursula - check mailboxes
 
5. Make recommendations -- ongoing -- handled this meeting through motions.
 
Jim Dudek will:  develop a grid/calendar for academic and non-academic departments and will Email the skeleton to committee members.
 
NEXT MEETING, Agenda for January 16, 2004:  
1. Opening Prayer
2. Attendance; current membership list; Email addresses; begin attendance grid.
3. Review and approve 12/5/03 minutes.
4. Status of charges/motions from 12/5/03 meeting.
5. Review four functions.
6. Carried over: course evaluations (another assessment tool).
 
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 2:30 p.m.
 
Respectfully submitted,
Janet Red Feather, Recorder
Cc:  President, Vice President, Devonna, Arlene, Assessment Committee
Exhibits:  Exhibit A, page 2 of Assessment of Student Academic Achievement (Policy 77-000); Exhibit B, Assessment Calendar