Assessment Report
July 1, 2009 – June 30, 2010
PROGRAM ASSESSED
Urban Affairs
ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR Jerri Killian
YEAR 1 of a 5 YEAR CYCLE
1.
ASSESSMENT MEASURES EMPLOYED
Briefly describe the assessment measures employed during the year.
a.
What was done?
Program objectives are to be assessed through Awards and Recognition
programs and an Alumni Survey.
Learning outcomes are to be assessed through Internship Evaluations and
Exit Surveys.
2.
b.
Who participated in the process?
Students enrolled in selected URS courses, URS faculty (including
adjuncts), and UAG administrative staff.
c.
What challenges (if any) were encountered?
Resource constraints limited our ability to perform all assessment
processes
ASSESSMENT FINDINGS
List the objectives and outcomes assessed during the year, and briefly describe
the findings for each.
Objectives Assessed:
1. Students will possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to enter positions
of responsibility and authority in the public or nonprofit sectors.
2. Students who wish to pursue post graduate programs of study will be
sufficiently prepared for success in such programs.
3. Students will possess the knowledge, skills, abilities, and values to serve
as ethical professionals in our global society.
Objectives Measures and findings:
Awards and Recognition: Urban Affairs students and alumni shall be
recognized at the local, state and/or national levels.
Findings:

Matthew Conover was recognized as the Outstanding Urban Affairs
student in 2009-10.

Eric Leckey was recognized as the Outstanding Urban Affairs alumni in
2009-10.
URS Alumni Survey: Alumni of the Urban Affairs program will be surveyed in
the second and fifth years after graduation.
Findings: The URS Alumni Survey was not performed this year due to
constrained resources (see #4 and #5 below).
Learning Outcome Assessed: Students will have effective communication skills,
including oral, presentation, and written communication skills.
Learning Outcomes Measures and Findings:
Internship Experience: Average evaluation of student performance from
internship supervisor shall reflect at least 75 percent of the highest possible
evaluation score.
Findings: Five Urban Affairs internships were successfully completed during
2009-10. The mean evaluation score received from on-site intern supervisors
was 10.81 on a 12-point scale. This finding represents 90% of the highest
possible evaluation score and exceeds the standard set forth for this measure by
20%.
Exit Surveys: A quantitative survey shall be administered to students enrolled in
URS 311, 321, 345, 410, 411 and 450 at the end of each quarter to assess
perceptions of the extent to which each of these courses and the URS program
to date, respectively, facilitates achievement of stated learning outcomes; a
mean score of at least 2.0 (1 is best) on a 4-point scale shall be realized for each
course.
Findings: An overall mean score of 1.40 was realized on URS Exit Surveys with
a mean score of 1.40 for the assessed URS courses and 1.39 for the program as
a whole. These findings exceed the standard set for this measure by 30%.
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3.
PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS
List planned or actual changes (if any) to curriculum, teaching methods, facilities,
or services that are in response to the assessment findings.
No curriculum, teaching methods, facilities or services changes are currently
planned in response to assessment findings.
4.
ASSESSMENT PLAN COMPLIANCE
Explain deviations from the plan (if any).
- The Alumni Survey was not performed this year due to constrained resources
(see #5 below).
5.
NEW ASSESSMENT DEVELOPMENTS
Describe developments (if any) regarding assessment measures,
communication, faculty or staff involvement, benchmarking, or other assessment
variables.
- The Alumni Survey will be performed when resources become available for
this purpose.
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