OFFICE OF ASSESSMENT
AND EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS
805-493-3658
Memorandum
To: Leanne Neilson, Associate Provost, Graduate & Adult Programs and Accreditation
Chris Kimball, Provost & Vice President Academic Affairs
From: Halyna Kornuta, Director, Assessment & Educational Effectiveness
Date: June 13, 2006
Re: 2006 Assessment Symposium Review
This 2006 Assessment Symposium Review presents the Symposium Purpose,
Presentation Design, Preparation, Agenda, University Community Attendees, Symposium
Feedback, and plans for a 2007 Assessment Symposium. Links are provided in this
Review to the PowerPoint template, Assessment Symposium Agenda and two response
pages, and the PowerPoint Presentations.
Symposium Purpose
The purpose of the Assessment Symposium is to report on the Academic Year 2006
assessment evidence and ways in which the evidence was and will be used in the next
year to improve student learning and the quality of our service. The Symposium is an
opportunity for members of the University community to make connections between
academics and operations while listening to presentations.
Symposium Presentation Design
The Assessment Symposium, which occurred on May 22, 2006, was designed to be a
learning event. Members of the University community were invited to prepare and
present assessment experiences. The presentation format
included two components:
1. A PowerPoint presentation. A PowerPoint template was
provided to presenters to assist with the presentation of
information and to provide for a consistency of format.
Highlights were shared using a format that included the
following six slides per presenter:
a. Introduction to the program / practice assessed;
b. Identification of one assessment goal;
c. Description of the measure / tool used to collect data
to determine progress towards achieving the goal;
d. Description of data collection results;
e. Review of data analysis;
f. Recommendations / implications / future goals
developed resulting from data analysis.
Goals
Assessment
Assessment
Symposium
Report
Report
Setting
ASSESSMENT
A University-wide
process to
improve and
support
student learning
Goals
Analysis
of Data
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Design
Data
Collection
and
Reporting
2. A written presentation. A paper copy of the PowerPoint presentation provided a
summary of the evidence used to make a difference.
The Symposium packet
provided to attendees included a copy of each presentation.
The presentation format encouraged presenters to portray ways in which assessment is a
part of our practice. Presenters prepared and presented their information and stories.
Both success and learning experiences were shared. Attendees were encouraged to
listen for implications and opportunities the presenter’s goals would have on their
college/school or department.
Symposium Preparation
Preparations for the Symposium began in January 2006. Designing the agenda and
presentation format, invitations to presenters and attendees were reviewed by members
of the Assessment Committee and Deans’ Council. In March and April, the Symposium
purpose and format was shared at Faculty Meetings, a Student Affairs’ Meeting, Strategic
Planning Committee Meeting, and Cabinet Meeting. Suggestions to the format were
incorporated into the design of the Symposium.
Symposium Agenda
The Symposium began at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast. At 9:00 a.m., Interim
President Howie Wennes welcomed presenters and attendees. Associate Provost Leanne
Neilson reviewed the purpose of the Symposium, noted the contents of the folder, and
invited participants to provide responses on two pages: Implications and Opportunities,
and Learning Together. Each of the ten presentations occurred within a 15 minute period
which included time for questions. In addition, an Information Systems Services, two
faculty, and two student posters were displayed. Presenters and attendees were invited
to a luncheon at Overton Hall following presentations.
University Community Attendees
Attendees included California Lutheran University President, Vice President for University
Advancement, Vice President for Administration and Finance, Vice President for Student
Affairs and Dean of Students and staff, Associate Provost for Graduate and Adult
Programs and Accreditation and staff, Associate Provost for Information Services and
staff, Interim Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Dean of School of Business, Dean
of Education, Assistant Dean of Education, Registrar, and Faculty. Ten presentations
were presented to over 70 people in attendance; seating was provided sat at circular
tables of eight in the Nelson Room.
The comprehensive profile of members of the University community who presented
parallels two components of the WASC Accreditation process.
The Symposium
PowerPoint presentations provided an opportunity for members of the University
community to make connections between operations and academics:

Institutional Capacity was represented by seven presentations from Academic Affairs,
Information Services, and Student Affairs staff and administrators.

Educational Effectiveness was represented by three presentations from the College of
Arts and Sciences faculty.
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Symposium Feedback
Feedback from attendees was requested on the Learning Together page and 43
responses were received. Feedback was collected in three categories and a summary of
responses in each of the three categories follows:
1. Words to describe the Symposium Experience. Within the 43 responses, 118 words
were generated. The abundance of positive comments are evident in the following six
categories (frequency of responses and percentage):

Informative / Important (35 or 29.7%);

Motivational / Excellent / Impressive/ Encouraging / Enthusiastic (24 or 20.3%);

Interesting / provoking / eye opening / variety (15 or 12.7%).

Useful / helpful / valuable / relevant (14 or 11.9%);

Community Building / team working / communication / internal best practice /
professionalism (14 or 11.9%); and

Concise / focused / organized / effective (11 or 9.3%).
The Symposium experience was also described in five responses as long.
As
summarized in one response, “Assessment is critical to ongoing decision making” at
California Lutheran University.
2. Phrases to describe something useful or valuable experienced at the Symposium.
Responses echoed words and impressions noted in the first category. Themes
emerged: Informative – 48 (learning about programs, departments, and services,
and assessment activities and processes); Sense of Community – 18 (opportunities
to learn about and understand other departments and colleagues, hearing about what
others are doing to improve, working across departments to improve own work).
3. Improvements suggested for next year. Themes emerged: Facilities - 19 (larger
room, louder public address system); Implications – 18 (creating a culture of
assessment, approach to data collection and data integrity, involvement of more
faculty, assessment accomplishments, need for office responsible for data collection of
assessment); Presentations – 48 (General: 24 including comments such as fewer
presentations, work on presentation skills, more interactivity, learning about
colleagues and programs; Format: 20 including requests for breaks; Time: 4
including good use of time and time requested for discussion).
It is evident through responses received from participants and attendees that the
purpose of the 2006 Assessment Symposium was accomplished. Assessment evidence
was provided, including ways in which the evidence was and will be used to improve
student learning and the quality of our service. Members of the University community
supported the Symposium by presenting and attending.
Connections were made
between academics and operations while listening to presentations.
2007 Assessment Symposium
Planning for the next Assessment Symposium has begun and will incorporate feedback
from respondents as we continue to develop our University’s culture of assessment.
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