Assessment Committee Notes - May 24, 2007

Assessment Committee Meeting

May 24, 2007, 9 a.m.

Crawford Hall 119 

Present:  Beth Avery, Kathleen Kinkema, Caroline Mitchell, Anne Ryter, Karin Waidley, and Terri Wenzlaff (Kim Brown, recorder)

Absent:  Suzanne Larsh and Heather Thiessen-Reily (Caroline Mitchell after 9:45)

This morning’s meeting was scheduled to review the annual discipline assessment plan feedback memos, which Terri Wenzlaff drafted as each was submitted (committee members had been given copies of the plans well ahead of time).  Memos had already been sent to faculty whose courses were on the spring 2007 General Education rotation, in response to their completed goals assessment forms and evidence of student learning. Terri also wrote a draft of the 2006-07 year-end report of assessment activities to be submitted to the President and his cabinet, and this year, perhaps to “wscinfo” as a way to update the campus community regarding assessment efforts.  The report includes mention of the fact that the academic associate vice presidents are changing duties and that, consequently, Jessica Young will begin the oversight of assessment on campus July 1, 2007.

Terri and Kim Brown made notes of committee members’ input regarding the discipline plan feedback memos and met after the meeting to edit and send the final memos electronically to involved faculty members and respective department chairs.

While input was being offered and recorded, mention was made of having a committee representative talk about assessment at the new faculty orientation session in August.  Historically, Heather Thiessen-Reily has done this, so either she or Anne Ryter will likely make the presentation this year.  (It should also be noted that Lynn Sikkink has been selected to replace Heather Thiessen-Reily on the committee, effective 2007-08.)

Kathleen Kinkema then suggested the idea of scheduling a workshop especially for faculty teaching interdisciplinary courses, and this idea will be revisited in the fall.

The group adjourned at approximately 11:30 a.m.