Consultation Process for Inquiry Reports & Plans in the Division of Student Affairs
Purpose
The purpose of the inquiry report & plan consultation process is to assist departments and units in
developing, refining and better reporting the outcomes of their work. We consider this a conversation
meant to help clarify and improve the inquiry-related work division. A goal is to meet individual units at
their level of knowledge and skill in order to help them progress, in reasonable steps, in the area of
inquiry. Units within the division are at various stages in their development of a unit culture of inquiry
which includes documenting that journey and its outcomes. For those departments who would like
additional help in developing their assessment plan for the coming year, assessment council
members can serve as consultants for plan development or refinement. This is in support of units
acting on suggestions for improvement discussed in the meeting.
Responsibility of Consultants
Reviewers will arrange the meeting after they have reviewed the assessment report and plan and will
facilitate the conversation during the review. Decisions should be clearly documented and relate back
to data that was collected and the meaning that the unit made of that data. The reporting of data is
necessary but not sufficient in the assessment process. An evaluation of the data and its usefulness
in helping to answer the question or measure the degree to which an outcome was met is essential.
Reviewers will help units to evaluate what they have done via reflection and purposeful thought about
how it could be improved in the next iteration. Praise areas of strength and ponder issues that are a
struggle. Think with the department not for them.
Responsibility of Units/Departments
Units/departments are responsible for engaging in the assessment process and the review of their
work. The assessment council reviewers will set up a day and time to come to the unit/department to
discuss the assessment report and plan. At the meeting the unit/department head and any other
people the assessment contact invites will be present.
The unit/department will be asked to present their assessment work, addressing the points listed on
attached “Agenda for Inquiry Report Consultation Meeting.” This is intended to be an intentional
conversation about the work of the unit/department and how the assessment council members can be
helpful in answering questions, offering suggestions, etc. related to the assessment work.
One of the goals of this meeting is to come up with a feasible plan for improvement of the
unit/department’s work related to inquiry. Inquiry is a process that must consider resources, expertise,
etc. knowing that not all units will progress at the same rate.
Attachments:
 Peer review process flow chart (p. 2)
 Suggested agenda for meeting with department (p. 3-4)
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Department/Unit Name:
Date of Consultation:
Names of Consultants:
Department/Unit Representatives in Attendance:
Outline: Agenda for the Inquiry Report & Plan Consultation Meeting
I.
Introductions and Purpose of the meeting (Reviewers lead this section)
a. Personal Introductions
b. Purpose:
i. To have a peer to peer conversation about inquiry in the department or unit
ii. To offer of help as colleagues (should be conversational in nature)
c. Frame the time available (typically 1 hour) and that if additional meetings are needed,
that they can be scheduled at the end of the meeting
II.
Ask the unit what questions they would like to address first or how they thought their
assessment process went this year
Note response here
III.
Presentation of Assessment Report by Unit (brief—no more than 20 minutes)
a. Department provides a brief presentation of the report addressing the 5 questions
below, noting any other questions or concerns they would like to discuss.
b. Reviewers share appreciations for things they are doing well.
1. What question or questions was/were your assessment designed to answer? What did
you want to learn from your assessment?
2. To what degree did your results provide you with information to answer the question you
had?
3. What specific findings helped you to make a decision, alter a program or teaching
method, etc.?
4. How did you use the information? What actions were taken? Who will you share this
information with and how?
5. What if anything would you do differently next time?
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IV.
Reviewers respond to questions/concerns raised by the department or unit.
V.
Reviewers aid the unit/department in planning next steps. What will they do to improve
their assessment work in the next iteration?
a. Reviewers helping the unit think about what they might want to do differently moving
forward, thinking with the unit - not for them.
b. Record notes from the conversation
VI.
Closing Remarks: What happens next??
If the unit/department would like further consultation or help in implementing some of the
improvements in the next inquiry plan, consultants are willing to help. Units/departments
should express this interest and arrange for follow-up meetings, as needed.
Copies of the agenda notes from this conversation and rubric notes will be shared with both
the unit/department and with Maureen Cochran in SAREP.
Thank you for taking your time to meet with us and to work on assessment for continuous
improvement in your unit.
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