DSA Assessment Plan
Department Name:
Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life
Assessment Plan for Academic
2013-2014
Year:
Director:
Jason Bergeron
Assessment Contact(s)
(if not the director):
Department Mission Statement:
Through close collaboration with students and other stakeholders, the Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life (CFSL) empowers the growth of
high achievers and values-based leaders by providing a measurable, meaningful, and transformative fraternity & sorority experience. With
a commitment to individual student development, the Center creates opportunities for lifelong relationships, innovative thinking, civic
engagement, and overall student success.
Department Vision Statement: The University of Houston Center for Fraternity & Sorority Life will provide a nationally-recognized, urban, Tier One fraternity & sorority
experience that serves as the primary vehicle for student success.
1. Objective - Enrollment and Academic Performance
a. Reframe recognition strategies for academic achievement in fraternities and sororities through Fraternity/Sorority Awards Ceremony and other media.
b. Partner with the shared governance system (governing councils) to develop and enforce academic standards for all fraternities and sororities.
c. Place more intentional academic intervention resources on CFSL website for chapter/member use.
2. Objective – Advisor Training and Education
a. Provide a consistently formatted “Monthly Advisor Update” to all alumni/faculty/staff advisors that includes upcoming due dates, educational resources,
questions to ask chapter leaders, etc.
b. Develop an advisor position description designed to set clearer advisor expectations.
c. Provide small, one-page resources that can assist/educate advisors on problem-solving, risk reduction education, civic engagement, etc.
d. Provide semesterly president/advisor meetings designed to provide uniform information to chapter and alumni leaders.
Department Goals:
3. Objective - Expectation and Deadline Management
a. Provide complete listings of upcoming deadlines at the start of each semester.
b. Strictly adhere to each deadline set by the CFSL.
c. Provide incentive resources for chapters/members that meet deadlines.
d. Explore incentivized early registration options for educational programs.
4. Objective – Marketing and Branding
a. Use empirical data to develop marketing materials for unaffiliated students and faculty and staff partners.
b. Develop specific marketing materials for faculty/staff/alumni partners including specific ways and means of becoming involved in f/s life.
5. Objective – Programming and Leadership Development
a. Create a 4-year leadership guide map that assists chapters in identifying developmentally appropriate leadership experiences for various levels of
membership.
b. Retool current Fraternity & Sorority Visions Institute to focus on new/emerging leaders in f/s life.
c. Explore junior-senior leadership experiences for chapter leaders/officers.
d. Create opportunities for combined officer transition experiences across councils (IFC, HPC, NPHC, MGC, LGC).
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DSA Assessment Plan
Program or Services Being Assessed: Advisor/volunteer competency and engagement
Learning Outcome(s) and/or
Program Objective(s)
Our objective is to better support
student learning and student
support in fraternities and sororities
through developing more skilled
advisors
Method
General advisor survey
to all advisors
(faculty/staff and
alumni), Two separate
focus groups postsurvey
Frequency
Timeline
(Month)
Currently for 2013November 2013
2014, but potential to (Survey) & February
repeat on a 3-year cycle 2014 (Focus Groups)
Purpose
1. Assess self
perceptions of
competencies in
advising areas by
fraternity/sorority
advisors and 2. To
identify the most
appropriate
interventions and
educational programs
for advisors and
volunteers
Goal(s) Supported
2. Objective - Advisor
Training and Education
Results:
Methodology - Baseline Survey; n = 118; Responses = 22. Original program objective was 'to better support student learning and student support
in fraternities and sororities through developing more skilled advisors'. This was mostly achieved as we were able to gain better knowledge of
their self-perceptions of advising, where their skills lie, and where they would like more education/training. We were hoping to follow up with
focus group work, but did not find the time to follow up.
Specific data points of note:
-81.82% of respondents communicated they are 'neutral' to 'strongly disagree' when asked if they receive adequate training from the University in
their advising role.
-100% of respondents communicated that they are able to articulate their person philosophy on advising.
Top 3 areas of expertise in advisor community: Leadership Development, Organizational Mission/Values, Alumni and Volunteer Development
Top 3 self-identified growth opportunities: UH policies and procedures, academic performance, conflict resolution, leadership development.
Action:
Changes to service - The CFSL has assigned a specific staff member responsible for advisor development and has scheduled regular advisor
roundtable meetings in which both CFSL and advisors play a role in driving dialog. Areas of growth will be used as opportunities for training in
future advisor meetings.
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DSA Assessment Plan
Program or Services Being Assessed: Fraternal Excellence Program Review
Learning Outcome(s) and/or
Program Objective(s)
Chapter officers who participate
fully in the Fraternal Excellence
Program will accurately articulate
and examine chapter culture and
will reprioritize chapter time and
energy to improve mission
congruence.
Method
Frequency
Timeline
(Month)
Survey to Fall 2013
The first of a three-year February 2014 (Survey)
chapter officers,
cycle (will review again & March 2014 (Focus
followed by focus group in 2017)
Group)
with chapter officers
Purpose
Goal(s) Supported
To measure the
5. Objective –
effectiveness of the
Programming and
Fraternal Excellence in
Leadership Development
promoting chapter
decision making rooted in
chapter values
Results:
While originally intended to be survey and focus group driven, benchmarking became the primary methodology of this assessment initiative. 19
institutions were benchmarked with the intent of identifying core elements of their fraternity/sorority assessment/accreditation programs and
how they were mobilized on campus.
Of our 19 original benchmarks:
-14 had assessment/accreditation programs for f/s members
-14 required them as a condition for recognition
-4 had self-assessment components embedded within the program.
Our original outcome was to measure the effectiveness of the program. That outcome did not get achieved, but we did achieve our outcome
Action:
Changes: Specific questions were added in each Excellence area to include both a self-assessment component and a self-improvement
component.
This assessment activity will continue into the 2014-2015 assessment cycle when a more thorough review of the program will be done
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DSA Assessment Plan
Program or Services Being Assessed: Transition Inventory
Learning Outcome(s) and/or
Method
Program Objective(s)
Increased levels of self knowledge
and self efficacy by incoming
chapter officers in regards to their
officer role
Inventory and Needs
Assessment Survey;
Individual interviews
with incoming officers
Frequency
Timeline
(Month)
New initiative - Level of Needs assessment success will determine if September & January,
continuation is needed Interviews of subpopulation - September
& January
Purpose
To accurately identify
best practices in officer
transition and identify
officer transition needs
from chapter/council
officers
Goal(s) Supported
5. Objective Programming and
Leadership
Development
Results:
Methodology: Survey and Individual Interviews. Learning outcome is to increase levels of self knowledge and self efficacy by incoming chapter
officers in regards to their officer role. This outcome was mostly achieved as, while the surveys encapsulated a wide diversity of respondents, the
individual interviews were relegated to members of culturally based organizations as a function of who coordinated them.
36 total respondents, primarily female, heavily Panhellenic.
Specific data points of note:
-When asked what they were not prepared to do as they entered their officer position, the following themes came up in 56 total items: University
of Houston policies/procedures (6), Organization/timeliness (5).
-83% communicated that they had a specific transition program. Of those 83%, 80% identified it as ;effective' or 'very effective'.
-Of the 25 transition resources described, only 3 of them mentioned actual individuals as a resource. All others were binders, journals, etc.
Action:
This information will be used in crafting a more organized and comprehensive transition program for new chapter and council officers.
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DSA Assessment Plan
Program or Services Being Assessed: Junior-Senior Leadership Experiences
Learning Outcome(s) and/or
Method
Frequency
Program Objective(s)
Timeline
(Month)
Purpose
Goal(s) Supported
Results:
Methodology - Focus group with pre-survey to gain additional information. The program objective listed was 'to provide targeted leadership
development programs based in part upon member self perceptions of need.' This was fully met as it provided meaningful narrative data on how
members were viewing their leadership experiences in the later years of their fraternity/sorority involvement.
Specific data points of note (pre-survey):
-Majority of participants stated they hadn't attended any UH-specific leadership development programs
-Skills great leaders should have were listed as Delegation, Curiosity, Patience, Compassion, Confidence, Commitment, Humor, Honesty, Humility,
Communication, Empathy, Patience, Focus, Passion, Listening, Flexibility, Authenticity, Selflessness, and Team Approach.
Specific data points of note (focus group):
-84% of participants detailed that their most memorable leadership experience was connected to campus directly. Most experiences were related
to positional leadership.
-Academics was a strong theme. Majority of the participants felt that being involved had adversely affected their academic performance.
-Greatest challenges for fraternity/sorority leaders were identified as delegation, incongruence, organization, and communication.
-Participants identified they wanted greater training on how to communicate, empathy, ethical skills, public speaking, and time management.
Action:
This information will frame future changes to our president's leadership summit and to our fraternity/sorority executive leaders circle continued
dialogues.
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