Using Data to Inform
our Practice with
Peer Leader Programs
Brett Bruner, Director of Persistence & Retention
Fort Hays State University
2014 Peer Mentor Institute
Fort Hays State University | Hays, KS
Overview of Session
• Learning Outcomes
• Challenges in Assessment
• Foundations of a Culture of Evidence
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•
Culp & Dungy’s (2012) Building a Culture of Evidence in Student
Affairs: A Guide for Leaders & Practitioners
Portland State University’s (2011) Division of Enrollment
Management & Student Affairs – Assessment Handbook
• Application to Peer Leader Programs – You’ve Collected
Data, Now What Do We Do With it?
• The FHSU Experience – Go Tigers!!
• Closing Reflection/Q&A
Learning Outcomes
By attending this educational session, participants will be
able to:
• Articulate the definition of a “culture of evidence.”
• Identify the most important data to tell your story with
peer leader programs.
• List strategies for using the data to inform our practice.
Background of Institutions
Fort Hays State University
• Regional, comprehensive state university
• 13,000 total students (5,000 on-campus traditional
undergrads)
• Located in Hays, KS (halfway between Kansas City &
Denver)
• New student cohort (Fall 2013)
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950 first year students
450 transfer students
150 international students
Background of Institutions
Baker University
• Private, Methodist based university
• 800 students
• Located in Baldwin City, KS (1 hour southwest Kansas City)
• New student cohort
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235 first year students
47 transfer students
Challenges in Assessment
• What challenge(s) do you face with your Peer Leader
programs regarding assessment?
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New undergraduate student leaders
Returning undergraduate student leaders
Undergraduate student staff supervisors
Graduate students
New professionals
Mid-level professionals
Foundations of a Culture of
Evidence
“It is important to be clear about the aims of a culture of
evidence. The goal is to use evidence to better understand
our students & their experiences so we can improve our
work with them.”
– Sarah Westfall
Kalamazoo College (pg. 2)
Risks & Rewards Associated with
Creating a Culture of Evidence
Challenge
Funding
Assessment Expertise
Competing Priorities
Building Capacity
Dealing with Fear
Risk
Reward
What is a
Culture of Evidence?
What is a
Culture of Evidence?
• A commitment among student affairs professionals to
use hard data to show how the programs they offer, the
processes they implement, & the services they provide
are effective & contribute significantly to an institution’s
ability to reach its stated goals & fulfill its mission.
Source: Culp & Dungy (2012) Building a Culture of Evidence in
Student Affairs: A Guide for Leaders & Practitioners
What is a
Culture of Evidence?
• What’s the most important assessment data to tell our
story?
RATHER THAN…
• What assessment data is available?
Application to Peer Leader Programs
You’ve Collected Data, Now What Do We
Do With It?
•
Analyze, Interpret, Report & Use the Results
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Fun part! Making sense of data
Use it to inform both your practice & decision making
Ex.: Look at the characteristics of your respondents. What can you
learn to better understand your data? Do responses vary by…
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Age?
Year in school?
Cumulative GPA?
Read through qualitative comments & reflect on its overall meaning
Application to Peer Leader Programs
You’ve Collected Data, Now What Do We
Do With It?
• Transparency & Reporting
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Making meaningful, understandable information about student
learning & institutional performance readily available to
stakeholders
Tie to institutional goals for student learning
Draw conclusions that are well-supported & clearly-reasoned
Future engagement in assessment cycles
Application to Peer Leader Programs
You’ve Collected Data, Now What Do We
Do With It?
• Transparency & Reporting
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Publicly share your assessment plan
Publicly share your results
Encourage participants’ help in analyzing data
Share how conclusions impact program development
Highlight assessment results in your annual report
Make reports available on departmental websites
Application to Peer Leader Programs
You’ve Collected Data, Now What Do We
Do With It?
• Transparency & Reporting
Application to Peer Leader Programs
You’ve Collected Data, Now What Do We
Do With It?
• Using Data – Reflection Questions
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How do your results provide evidence for your outcomes?
What do your results say about your program process & the
impact of the program on students’ learning & development?
Based on the results, what decisions will you make or what
action will you take regarding programs, policies, & services as
well as improvement/refinements to the assessment process?
Application to Peer Leader Programs
You’ve Collected Data, Now What Do We
Do With It?
• Feedback Loops
Application to Peer Leader Programs
You’ve Collected Data, Now What Do We
Do With It?
• Feedback Loops
“Good assessment fosters dialogue, not simply data
collection.”
– Culp & Dungy (pg. 101)
The FHSU Experience
ENGAGE College
• Administered during Weeks 3-6 of UNIV 101 Freshman
Seminar
• Student self-perceptions of behavioral & attitudinal
characteristics related to academic success & retention
The FHSU Experience
ENGAGE College
The FHSU Experience
ENGAGE College
• Data shared with variety of campus resources:
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President’s Senior Administrative Group (ISM)
President’s Extended Cabinet
Institutional College Completion Team
Division of Student Affairs – Directors
UNIV 101 Freshman Seminar Instructors
• Extended trainings with the following:
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Division of Student Affairs – Student Life Cluster
Office of Residential Life
Office of First Year Experience/Persistence & Retention –
grad/undergrad staff
The FHSU Experience
ENGAGE College
• Programmatic Changes
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Curricular changes in UNIV 101
Development of new extended orientation & transition social
connections
• Policy Changes
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Academic Affairs – mid-term grade conversations
• Partner Collaborations
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Residential Life – revamped programming model around central
deficiencies
Closing Reflection
• What is the most important data to tell your story with
your Peer Leader program rather than the data that’s
most readily available/easily accessible?
• What is 1 area of refinement for your Peer Leader
program as it relates to using the data to inform your
practice?
Using Data to Inform
our Practice with
Peer Leader Programs
Brett Bruner, Fort Hays State University
blbruner@fhsu.edu
2014 Peer Mentor Institute
Fort Hays State University | Hays, KS