DSA Assessment Plan for AY 2015-2016
Department Name:
Director:
Assessment Contact(s) (if not the
director):
Department Mission Statement:
Department Vision Statement:
Cougars in Recovery
John Shiflet
John Shiflet/Barbara Dwyer
Cougars in Recovery provides students in recovery from addiction a safe, sober environment that assists and supports them
as they pursue their academic and professional goals, walk the path of recovery and participate in the diverse social
opportunities available on campus.
Cougars in Recovery, the collegiate recovery community at the University of Houston, offers incoming students a smooth
transition to the university, both socially and academically; offers positive sober interactions; sets standards that hold
recovering students accountable; and provides support, guidance, and opportunities to serve the community.
1. Create and develop a program of attraction that will ensure the success of students in recovery at the University of
Houston. (DSAES 1B)
2. Expand components of the program to meet the needs of the recovery community on campus and in the city of Houston.
(DSAES 2B)
Department Goals: (include DSAES 3. Engage students in meaningful service work through collaboration with community partners to develop students' selfesteem, self-worth and self-confidence. (DSAES 3C)
strategic plan mapping)
4. Spread awareness of available collegiate recovery support in Houston throughout the community, state and nation. (DSAES
5C)
5. Explore opportunites for sustainability and fiscal responsibility. (DSAES 2D)
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DSA Assessment Plan for AY 2015-2016
Program or Services Being Assessed: Success rate of students participating in the program.
Learning Outcome(s) and/or
Assessment Activity Objective(s)
Increase the number of students in
recovery utilizing services offered
through the Cougars in Recovery
program by building a program of
attraction; create a baseline of
student success measures for the CIR
community.
Purpose of Assessment Activity
Method
To build a sense of community through
shared experiences; to ascertain which
services offered are most impactful on CIR
students.
Track attendance for the number of CIR
members and Houston community
members at weekly check-in and twelve
step meetings; determine average term
GPA of community members; determine
retention of community members in
collegiate recovery community and at the
University of Houston; determine average
sobriety rate for community members.
Frequency / Timeline
Goal(s)
Supported
Attendance
#1
monitoring will take
place daily, retention
rates, average term
GPA and sobriety rates
will be determined at
the conclusion of each
semester.
Summary of this activity (to be completed at the end assessment cycle for this activity)
Results:
Data collected for the 2014-2015 Academic Year: Fall, 2014 - Weekly Check-in Attendance - 270; 12 step meetings (this includes Celebration of Recovery, Living the
Dream NA and Hope Dealers AA) - 648; Average GPA - 3.216; Sobriety Rate - 81% (26 of 32 students maintained their sobriety); Retention Rate - 63% (10 of 16
members in Spring, 2014 returned for Fall, 2014). Spring, 2015 - Weekly Check-in Attendance - 286; 12 step meetings (this includes Celebration of Recovery and
Hope Dealers AA) - 527; Average GPA - 3.144; Sobriety Rate - 81% (30 of 37 students maintained their sobriety); Retention Rate - 69% (22 of 32 members in Fall,
2014 returned in Spring, 2015. Two students graduated in December, 2014.)
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DSA Assessment Plan for AY 2015-2016
Action:
-Determine a more accurate method for tracking attendance at meetings while maintaining confidentiality. One idea is passing around a spiral notebook and asking
attendees to provide their first name, last initial and sobriety date. This is a common practice in the twelve step world and will allow staff to categorize attendees as
CIR members, UH students and members of the general Houston community. -Twelve step meeting attendance dropped in Spring, 2015. CIR is a program of
attraction. To increase attendance, we plan to have students chair all twelve step meetings. This will encompass inviting speakers, promoting the meeting on social
media, organizing the room and leading the meeting. Community members tend to support one another when they lead meetings. They also tend to bring friends
to the meetings they attend. -Although the community average semester GPA is strong, the implementation of annual CIR scholarships may increase both student
participation and academic focus.
Program or Services Being Assessed: The degree to which services offered are meeting the needs of the community.
Learning Outcome(s) and/or
Assessment Activity Objective(s)
Determine the needs of students in
recovery throughout the UH system
and provide recovery support to all
students through integration into the
collegiate recovery program on the
main campus and/or offering needed
services on each individual campus.
Purpose of Assessment Activity
Method
Frequency / Timeline
Goal(s)
Supported
To enhance the collegiate experience for
all students who have aspirations of
attending college and obtaining a degree,
allowing them to feel safe and comfortable
in the process.
Develop a structured set of questions to be During the 2014-2015 #2
used when interviewing leaders from UH academic year, CIR
campuses system wide during the 2014staff will develop, and
2015 academic year to determine what
implement a
services, if any, are being offered; how
structured
many students on each campus receive
questionnaire to
counseling for substance abuse; how each assess campus needs
campus currenlty supports students in
of students in recovery
recovery; how CIR can support other
at UH-CL, UH-D, and
campuses in the UH system.
UH-V.
Summary of this activity (to be completed at the end assessment cycle for this activity)
Results:
-Questionnaire has not yet been developed. -Conversations were held with UH-CL about offering a weekly 12 step meeting on their campus. Although there is
interest, there has been no student follow through to date. Two students from UH-D have expressed interest in joining the Cougars in Recovery program on the
main campus.
Action:
-Create questionnaire using Baseline (if other campuses have access). - Share questionnaire with Student Affairs, Health and Wellness, Counseling and the Dean of
Students at UH-CL, UH-D, and UH-V by end of Fall, 2015.
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DSA Assessment Plan for AY 2015-2016
Program or Services Being Assessed: Level of engagement in meaningful service work.
Learning Outcome(s) and/or
Assessment Activity Objective(s)
Purpose of Assessment Activity
Method
Frequency / Timeline
Goal(s)
Supported
Determine how participation in
To identify components of service work
Develop a structured survey for CIR
At the completion of #3
student organizations and wervice
that enhance recovery and impact student communitymembers that will determine each semester.
work impacts recovery, leadership
success in a positive manner.
what service opportunities students
and student success by evaluating
participate in; what leadership
the types of organizations and
opportunities they have taken advantage
service work students are involved
of; their term GPA; how much time they
with and the impact this has on
spend doing volunteer activities; where
maintaining sobriety, achieving a
they volunteer, how they feel these
GPA of 3.0 or higher; and holding
activities impact their recovery and
leadership positions on campus and
enhance their success as students.
Summary of this activity (to be completed at the end assessment cycle for this activity)
Results:
-Survey is not yet ready for implementation. - Surveys from other universities were analyzed. - A draft of the survey was developed and shared with members of the
assessment committee. -Feedback was received.
Action:
-Determine specific data required to evaluate level of engagement and how service work impacts recovery. -Use Baseline as a tool to create student survey. Receive feedback and modify as needed. - Email survey to all CIR members in December, 2015 and May, 2016.
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