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2013 Co-Curricular Assessment PLAN Template
Assessment Plan by Co-Curricular Units:
Due June 28, 2013
As part of our ongoing accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), all co-curricular units at
YSU participate in assessment processes and practices. This process is facilitated by the YSU Office of
Assessment (OOA). Assessment is an ongoing activity and is not limited to YSU’s self-study processes
for the Higher Learning Commission.
When is the plan due? The deadline for all co-curricular units’ assessment plan is Friday, June 28,
2013. Note the earlier deadline.
Where do I send the plan? Your plan should be submitted through our new online plan form at
http://www.jotformpro.com/ysuassessment/2013ccplan. Please complete this short form first. Upon
completion of this a unique link will be sent to you. This link allows users to save and return to the
plan form.
What is an Assessment Plan? An assessment plan outlines the ways in which your unit intends to
collect and analyze data for unit and/or program improvement, with a specific focus on student
learning outcomes. A plan can be a chance for a unit to “take a step back” and decide how they can
best (and most efficiently) collect data on what they want to measure; for a unit new to assessment
reporting, it allows them to develop and focus assessment efforts.
What is crucial to include in these plans?
Each unit can define the focus for its plan,
based upon in-depth knowledge of the
department and its units; however,
assessment plans should not be merely a
description of unit activities but should
include one measurable student learning
outcome, with thoughtful consideration of
how you will collect data to assess that
learning outcome, and what you anticipate
the outcome of your measures to be. In
addition, consideration of how you will share
data with internal and external stakeholders
is important to include.
Do I have to complete an assessment plan
and an assessment report? NO! Your unit
may choose to complete either an
assessment plan or an assessment report. Do
not complete both. Note: you cannot complete a
A Robust Assessment Process
plan two years in a row—if your unit completed a
plan last year, then your unit is not eligible to complete a plan this year.
Please submit plans at http://www.jotformpro.com/ysuassessment/2013ccplan by Friday, June 28, 2013
Rev. 4/16/13
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2013 Co-Curricular Assessment PLAN Template
What’s new this year?
 Earlier Deadline: Based on the feedback from multiple co-curricular units, the decision was
made to move the deadline back, align it with annual reports, and give more time before the
fall semester. The new deadline for submission is Friday, June 28, 2013.
 Fewer Questions: We are continuing to assess our process and look for ways to reduce your
reporting burden.
 New Name: Non-Academic units will now be identified by a new name, Co-Curricular Units.
The Office of Assessment and the Assessment Council updated the name to more accurately
reflect the units reporting and the important impact of these units on student learning.
 Renewed Focus on Student Learning: With the refinement of the HLC criteria a renewed focus
will be placed on student learning outcomes for units, not faculty and staff learning. Reports
may still include projects involving faculty and staff learning but should focus on how their
development affects student learning.
 Reporting Roster Update: Examination of the new HLC criteria by the OOA and the Assessment
Council prompted an audit of the roster of co-curricular units that report on student learning
assessment. Units who do not have a primary mission to serve student learning will no longer
be asked to report to the OOA, but will continue to participate in continuous improvement
activities. A list of the units being asked to report this year can be found at
http://web.ysu.edu/assessment/templates.
 New Higher Learning Commission Criteria: the HLC’s “New Criteria for Accreditation” was
released in February of 2012 and became effective on January 1, 2013. The New Criteria places
much more focus on student learning and on infusing the use of assessment for continuous
improvement into all that an institution does. To help support this increased focus, and to build
familiarity with the New Criteria across campus, the OOA has indicated how each question on
the plan relates to New Criteria. The New Criteria can be found on the HLC website at:
http://www.ncahlc.org/Information-for-Institutions/criteria-and-core-components.html.

Online Reporting Process: Last summer the Office of Assessment moved to an online reporting
process. This allowed the office to streamline the reporting process and will allow for more
powerful analysis of plans and reports. A walkthrough of the form will be provided at the
workshops, or you may contact our office for assistance. If you are experiencing extreme
difficulties with this system we will allow email submissions.
How will the plans be reviewed? A team from the YSU Assessment Council will review the plans and
provide feedback based on a rubric (a set of evaluative criteria). To ensure that our focus in on the
vitality of unit self-appraisal and continuous improvement (and not the form itself), note that questions
on the rubric are weighted differently. You can view the rubric and question values on the OOA
website.
For accreditation purposes the OOA maintains a record of all plans and reports. Assessment plans and
reports will be posted on the OOA Word Press site or other secure site to provide units a wider
distribution of their results and recommendations. The OOA also seeks to provide information back the
Please submit plans at http://www.jotformpro.com/ysuassessment/2013ccplan by Friday, June 28, 2013
Rev. 4/16/13
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2013 Co-Curricular Assessment PLAN Template
campus community in useful ways; for example, the OOA “Use of Data” Chart informs units how other
units are collecting and using student learning data for improvement purposes.
How do I know what you are looking for in the plan?
 For definitions, hints, and tips on filling out the plan please see the “Assessment Plan Tips and
Hints” document on the OOA website at http://web.ysu.edu/assessment/templates.
 In addition, a link to the rubric that will be used to review/evaluate/score this plan is provided
in the panel labeled Co-Curricular Templates. Note that some questions in the template are
weighted more heavily than others; you can view the rubric for the questions’ weight, or value.
 A workshop series will be conducted by the Office of Assessment in May 2013 and will provide
examples of exemplary plans as well as critical elements to attend to in completing the
template. If you cannot attend the workshops, the materials will be on the assessment website.
Assessment process image credit, page one: http://pdx.edu/studentaffairs/assessment-planning-andpractice.
Please submit plans at http://www.jotformpro.com/ysuassessment/2013ccplan by Friday, June 28, 2013
Rev. 4/16/13
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2013 Co-Curricular Assessment PLAN Template
Assessment Plan Template
Due June 28, 2013
Instructions: Complete the first section, “Current Unit Status,” outlining the current state of your unit’s
assessment activities for the 2012-2013 academic/fiscal year. For the second section, “Assessment Plan
Development,” you will be asked about your chosen learning outcome and how you plan to measure it.
All supplemental documents and material needed to help you create this plan are located on the
Assessment website. Please save electronic or paper copies of relevant assessment materials in your
own office for at least 10 years. NOTE: While you may save this Word form to draft your plan, you will
submit your answers through the online link located at the bottom of the page.
Name of Department or Unit:
Name of Person Preparing This Plan:
Title:
Email Address:
Campus Phone:
Direct Supervisor:
Extension and Email of Supervisor:
Division Vice President:
Date Submitted:
Plan or report submitted in 20121?
Number of attachments to this report:
Section 1: Current Unit Status
1. Explain how your unit supports the 2020 Strategic Plan of Youngstown State University (The
YSU 2020 Strategic Plan can be found at http://web.ysu.edu/2020.). (Related to HLC Criterion
1, Core Component 1.A, Sub-component 2 and Criterion 3, Core Component 4.E., Subcomponent 11)
2. Provide a brief summary of how data was used and analyzed during the previous year by
your unit and/or program. (e.g., explain how you measured unit and/or program activities
for continuous improvement). (C4,CC4B, SC3)
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Hereafter these references will be abbreviated, i.e., Related to HLC Criterion 1, Core Component 1.A, Sub-component 2 will
read C1, CC1A, SC2.
Please submit plans at http://www.jotformpro.com/ysuassessment/2013ccplan by Friday, June 28, 2013
Rev. 4/16/13
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2013 Co-Curricular Assessment PLAN Template
Section 2: Assessment Plan Development
Develop a student learning outcome:
3. State at least one student learning outcome (SLO) that is relevant for your unit. Note: you
may use the same SLO used in a past year or you may use/develop a new SLO. (C4, CC4B,
SC1)
4. How does this student learning outcome fit in with the YSU 2020 Strategic Plan? (C1, CC1A,
SC2. C3, CC 4E, SC1)
Measure your student learning outcome:
5. What one or two ways will you use to measure the status of and/or progress in this learning
outcome over the 2013-2014 academic/fiscal year? Note: an exemplary answer will include
at least one direct measure. (C4, CC4B, SC2)
6. What do you anticipate the outcome of your measure(s) to be? What do you hope to find
out? (C4, CC4B, SC3)
Close the feedback loop: As part of a healthy assessment process, assessment activities and highlights
should be shared with, and feedback and recommendations solicited from, both internal stakeholders
(such as unit staff) as well as external stakeholders (such as students, other staff/faculty, and the wider
community).
7. What are the major constituency groups for your unit? Note: Include relevant groups within
your unit, your supervisory structure (internal stakeholders), students/faculty/staff, the
larger university, the surrounding community, and beyond (external stakeholders). (C4,
CC4B, SC4)
8. How and when do you plan to involve your major constituency groups in the assessment
process (e.g., data sharing and recommendation gathering)? (C4, CC4B, SC3)
9. If feedback was given, how did your unit utilize that feedback from the Office of Assessment
regarding last year’s assessment report? (Note: if this is your unit’s first time completing a
plan or report, answer “first reporting year.”) (C4, CC4B, SC4)
Please submit plans at http://www.jotformpro.com/ysuassessment/2013ccplan by Friday, June 28, 2013
Rev. 4/16/13
2013 Co-Curricular Assessment PLAN Template
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Relation to New Higher Learning Commission Criteria:
10. Please provide an example of how your unit could provide evidence, through learning
outcomes assessment, for the following HLC criterion statement (with a focus on the bolded
Subcomponent 2):
HLC Criterion Five. Resources, Planning, and Institutional Effectiveness
The institution’s resources, structures, and processes are sufficient to fulfill its mission, improve the
quality of its educational offerings, and respond to future challenges and opportunities. The
institution plans for the future.
Core Component 5.C. The institution engages in systematic and integrated planning.
Sub-component 2. The institution links its processes for assessment of student
learning, evaluation of operations, planning, and budgeting.
Executive Summary:
11. Executive Summary (Summarize key ideas; please limit to one paragraph).
Optional:
12. Is there anything else you would like to share regarding your assessment plan and/or is there
any particular area on which you would like assistance or feedback?
Please submit plans at http://www.jotformpro.com/ysuassessment/2013ccplan by Friday, June 28, 2013
Rev. 4/16/13