Assessment Report Standard Format
July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010
PROGRAM(S) ASSESSED ____Office of Disability Services__________
ASSESSMENT COORDINATOR ___Katherine Myers_______________
Introduction and Departmental Summary – The Office of Disability Services completed its
38th year of service to the students, faculty and staff of Wright State University. The
Office employs 7 professional staff, 3 support staff, 4 SOPP practicum students, 1
graduate assistant and approximately 150 student employees. The office provides
services to over 500 students who have documented physical, learning and psychological
disabilities. These services are divided into five main categories: physical support,
academic support, technological support, vocational support, and an assessment unit.
The assessment unit is headed up by a licensed psychologist. The primary role of the
unit is to conduct psycho-educational testing for students who have never been
diagnosed with a learning disability or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder before and
are struggling academically. They also do counseling with students with disabilities who
need long-term counseling or cognitive behavioral therapy.
During the 2009-10 academic year, the Office of Disability Services asked all of its
consumers to rate their level of satisfaction of all its services through the annual on-line
ODS survey. The survey was sent to 476 students and a total of 65 responded to the
survey. The overall results of the survey are included in the findings below. The
department looked in detail at the assessment unit. The results follow.
1. ASSESSMENT MEASURES EMPLOYED
The average cumulative GPA for each student for 2009-2010 was compared to the
average number of hours for the entire student body during the same period.
The average number of hours attempted by each student for 2009-10 was compared to
the average number of hours for the entire student body during the same period.
Student’s opinions rated on the annual Office of Disability Services on-line survey.
2. ASSESSMENT FINDINGS
A majority of the students are satisfied with the entire array of services provided by ODS
(1.63 rating with 1 being excellent).
The cumulative GPA of students with physical disabilities using the Office of Disability
Services is 1 percent lower than the GPA of the general student body on the main
campus which is the same as it was a year ago.
The cumulative GPA of students with learning disabilities using the Office of Disability
Services is 8 percent lower than the GPA of the general student body on the main
campus.
The average number of hours attempted by all students with disabilities using the Office
of Disability Services is 2% lower than the number attempted by the general student
body on the main campus. This is the same as it was year ago.
The retention rate of all new students using services in ODS was 4.9% lower than the
general student body on the main campus for 2009-10.
The majority of the students are satisfied with the assessment unit (1.76 rating with 1
being excellent).
The majority of the students who used the assessment unit reported the unit staff helped
them identify resources/strategies to address their concerns (1.65 rating with 1 being
excellent).
The majority of the students who used the assessment unit reported completing an
assessment which helped them identify a plan for improving their educational
outcomes (1.79 rating with 1 being excellent).
The cumulative GPA of all students who were tested by the assessment unit was 2.146;
which was 25 percent lower than the general student body.
Sixty-eight percent of the students who were tested by the assessment unit have been
retained and are still current students.
Eight percent of the students who were tested by the assessment unit have graduated.
Fourteen percent of the student who were tested by the assessment unit have left Wright
State University
Six percent of the students who were tested by the assessment unit have been dismissed
from Wright State.
The assessment unit was reviewed for a two year period of time. Some of the students
had just received their results at the end of the two years. It is too early to know the
benefits of the testing and receiving services at this time for those students.
2. PROGRAM IMPROVEMENTS
During the study it was revealed that some students received their test results right
before or right after being dismissed by the university. This could be the result of two
situations: Either there was too much time between the intake and the tests being
completed or the student waited too long to seek out an assessment. As a result
ODS will make the following improvements:
1.
Look for resources to increase personnel for conducing assessments to
decrease the amount of time between intake and completion of assessment.
2. Improve marketing to prospective students regarding the importance of having
up-to-date testing prior to arriving at Wright State. This would ensure the
students would not have to wait on testing results to start receiving their services
and, as a result, help keep them from being in academic jeopardy.