Divisional assessment activities are coordinated by the assessment and effectiveness specialist for planning, operations and assessment and the Student Affairs Assessment Committee. The two main goals of the assessment process, implemented in fall 2004, are to promote continuous improvement and to understand how the division contributes to student learning.
Assessment is directly linked to the division’s mission. Based on the mission, the division has determined critical environmental factors, called success factors, and divisional learning outcomes that need to be in place to support student learning and success at DePaul. Success factors include high-quality programs, intervention and support services, community service activities, university-wide celebrations, well-trained staff members and effective university partnerships.
Divisional learning outcomes are focused in the following seven learning domains:
1) Transferable Knowledge,
2) Critical Thinking,
3) Self-Efficacy,
4) Self-Advocacy,
5) Appreciating Difference, and
6) Affinity to DePaul
The 10 departments in Student Affairs each contribute to some subset of the success factors and learning outcomes. Departments demonstrate contributions through their key activities and department learning outcomes. Key activities define what each department does on a day-to-day basis and measure department performance throughout the academic year. Key activities are measured according to cost, magnitude, satisfaction and learning outcomes. Data regarding key activities is collected using both quantitative and qualitative methods.
In addition to collecting data that measures the department’s performance, each department is asked to conduct an annual assessment project that focuses on student learning related to department programs and services. The diagram at the top of the page illustrates the division’s assessment model.