Assessment Committee
September 20, 2012
HEC 201
12 – 1:30
MINUTES
Attendees: Kathleen Zoloty, Nandini Dasgupta, Rhonda Ramirez, Scot Foster, Richard
Brown, Valerie Landau, Penny Bamford, Marcus Banks, Jeannie Zeamba, Terry
Nordstrom, Stephanie Bangert, Pamela Minarik (guest)
1. Welcome back/greetings
Introductions
2. Review new diversity survey
survey draft forthcoming to committee shortly
All
Dr. Kathleen Roberts
Dr. Halualani (by phone)
Please review attached survey documents and come with your questions.
Dr. Roberts indicated that staff of color had been in and out of the process to put the
survey together for the last four months. She is looking for feedback regarding the
student survey. Dr. Halualani attends the meeting by phone to seek her input to make
this better as we go live soon. The go live date is October 1.
 Logistically the survey will be from Dr. Halualani and not anyone from SMU
allowing folks to answer honestly.
 The survey will be 30 minutes, four different versions (faculty, staff, students,
and managers).
 SMU will have access to the raw data.
 Dr. Halualani stated students are aware of the length of the survey and would
like to have it available for a month. She is concern that they can go back and
make changes to their responses.
Possible solutions:
o Provide a login
o Send a pass link to the students that is not traceable
o Passcode system
o Stress the survey is confidential/ anonymity
 Everyone that takes the survey needs to be motivated to fill it out. Once the
survey is complete, the student will have the option to enter into a raffle.
o High ticket prizes
 The language will need to be clearly written stating SMU does not have access
to the data because a third party will handle it.
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Dr. Roberts asked the committee if they would like the pre-test. We have the
language for the pre-test and it will reveal flaws. We have time to turn it
around.
Dr. Halualani asked if our IRB needs to review.
We are not sure how it will be handled.
Action:
Dr. Roberts will call Dr. Widener if this needs to go by IRB.
Motion: to move forward.
3. Report on President's Council response to Assessment Committee
recommendations
Dr. Scot Foster
Dr. Foster stated we have two sets of recommendations. Attached is the response for
one of them.
Handout:
We have 5 action steps. The remaining concerns regarding service, is payroll,
purchasing, human resources, facilities, and accounts payable. Can some of
these services come back to SMU? What can we do about quality?
Assessmentctm
response.docx
Comments from all:
 Multiple modes to share feedback (web base, links, email)
 VP’s and Executive will be traveling to the regional centers every
semester. We will rotate executives.
 We will have an opportunity to be open freely and connect with staff,
students, and faculty on a personal basis.
 Dr. Nordstrom stated he was concern regarding a medical emergency.
When we call 911 what else do, we need to do. Do we contact HR? What
about emergencies after hours? He had thought SAMI would be a
solution.
 Mr. Simmons spoke at our last Academic Council meeting. He spoke well
and how it can better connect communication and SAMI.
 There is more work to be done.