Fall 2013-Spring 2014ASSESSMENT REPORTfor Legal Studies
College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences East Central University
LEGAL STUDIES ASSESSMENT REPORT – SUBMITTED SPRING 2014
PART 1: Assessment Plan Overview
Mission Statements & Goals
UNIVERSITY MISSION STATEMENT: East Central University's mission is to foster a learning environment in which students, faculty, staff, and community interact to educate students for life in a rapidly changing and culturally diverse society. Within its service area, East Central University provides leadership for economic development and cultural enhancement.
COLLEGE OF LIBERAL ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES MISSION STATEMENT: The College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences supports the University Mission in numerous ways:
1) Develops students’ communication, analytic, and information-gathering skills by fostering positive, student-centered learning experiences;
2) Promotes the use and appreciation of creative arts and skills;
3) Prepares students to be informed, responsible citizens;
4) Maintains a respect for all peoples and cultures, both historical and contemporary;
5) Prepares students to be catalysts for change, thus contributing to the creation of a just and humane society;
6) Encourages students to embrace non-traditional and experiential learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom;
7) Provides outstanding academic programs and experiences which enhance cultural development opportunities and leadership throughout the University’s service area; and
8) Supports activities that contribute to intellectual growth and lifelong learning in the community.
To attain these goals, the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences works to promote knowledge, to encourage academic and intellectual inquiry, to create a culture of success, and to foster the growth of creative enterprise among faculty, students, and the community by emphasizing quality teaching, service learning, rigorous scholarship, creative artistry, and civic involvement, both public and professional.
LEGAL STUDIES MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of the Legal Studies program is to provide a baccalaureate program in Legal Studies designed to furnish the necessary academic skills for entry level employment as paralegals with law firms, private business enterprises, and federal and state governmental units.
LEGAL STUDIES GOALS: The major goal of the Legal Studies Program is to prepare students for paralegal employment in law firms, business, industry, and government.
Legal Studies Assessment Process: The Legal Studies program contributes to the overall mission of East Central University by offering a Bachelor of Science Degree in Legal Studies. The primary focus is to provide a baccalaureate program in Legal Studies designed to furnish the necessary academic skills for entry level employment as paralegals with law firms, private business enterprises, and federal and state governmental units. The key stakeholders of the program for outcomes assessment purposes are the currently enrolled students, the alumni, the employers of the program's graduates, the supervisors of interns and the program faculty. Data is being collected which reflects input from all stakeholder groups.
Instruction in Legal Studies is offered by broadly trained academicians and highly trained and experienced specialists in specific fields of law, including both paralegals and attorneys. Some courses employ the traditional lecture/discussion format; others rely on a modified Socratic method. In addition, all majors must complete two three-hour courses in Legal Research and Writing and a three-credit-hour internship in a law office under the supervision of a licensed attorney. All legal studies courses require written assignments, and all majors are encouraged to complete courses offered by the Department of English in professional writing.
The assessment process has two main purposes. The first purpose is to comply with the requirements of accrediting bodies and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. The second major purpose is to provide the necessary information to identify program strengths and concerns and then use the information for making program improvements.
The ECU Legal Studies Director uses the information obtained from the assessment process to improve the program. Areas identified as concerns are traced back to specific courses when possible, and if appropriate, course content will be evaluated to determine if the concern is due to "lack of coverage" or due to "ineffective pedagogy”. Coverage deficiencies will be addressed by increasing course and assignment time devoted to the subject. Ineffective pedagogy will be addressed by exploring ways to make assignments more effective, as measured by student performance in these areas. Program changes made as a result of survey responses from key stakeholders will be communicated to these groups.
Student Learning Outcomes
In an effort to perform continual and complete student learning assessment, the LS Assessment Plan includes multiple efforts at “embedded assessment” within core LS courses at various stages of student learning.
Criterion Measurements Utilized in Evaluation of Student Learning Outcomes
Introduction to Law Midterm Exam: The midterm exam tests knowledge of the U.S. government system, the organization and operation of the legal system (state and federal), primary legal authority, substantive v. procedural law, legal ethics, and the legal profession. It is not a standardized test, but rather a test designed by the professor to test the specific material covered in the course. While all students test differently, assessing the overall average scores from this exam based upon a series of permanently embedded questions relevant to the above mentioned material should provide a fair indication of whether the material is being effectively received and retained by students at the introductory level.
Introduction to Law Final Case Brief: A major component of Introduction to Law involves students learning how to digest and dissect legal opinions, i.e. “case briefing”. Students are required to complete numerous case briefs, the last of which will be assessed in terms of their written communication ability, knowledge of substantive and procedural law, as well as their ability to understand and analyze primary legal precedent.
LRW II Legal Office Memorandum/Brief to the Court- Legal Research and Writing II students are required to complete a client litigation case file over a given scenario, consisting of case law and statutory research, legal memoranda, legal citations, and various pleadings related to a civil case. Evaluating the office memorandum/brief to the court will provide data at the intermediate level of the program, and will provide a wide degree of assessment material including: communication skills, hard copy/electronic legal research and writing skills, as well as the integration of substantive and procedural legal knowledge and skill.
Capstone Class Portfolio: For the capstone LS course, senior students are required to compile a portfolio consisting of three samples of their best work (student defined) from at least three different lower division Legal Studies courses and three upper division Legal Studies courses, including the capstone course. This portfolio provides a “snapshot” of their learning as they progressed through the major courses.
Surveys: The LS program collects surveys completed by alumni, employers of alumni and non-alumni paralegals, LS faculty members, seniors, and evaluations completed by attorney supervisors of LS interns. These surveys are designed to gather data related to areas of core legal knowledge and skills.
Student Learning Outcome 1: Students should possess a common core of legal knowledge, including the organization and operation of the legal system, an understanding of ethical obligations, and an understanding of legal concepts from various specialty areas of the law, including torts, family, administrative, evidence, civil procedure, etc.
CRITERION 1.1 : Introduction to Law Midterm Exam
Instrument/Measurement: The midterm examination for Introduction to Law will be evaluated by the class average on the overall test. Ten out of twenty-five questions are permanently embedded in the multiple choice portion of the exam, and an average of the embedded questions will also be separately calculated.
Population: Fall and spring semester Introduction to Law students
Standard: The class average should rank at or above 70% for the overall exam as well as the embedded questions.
CRITERION 1.2: The legal knowledge demonstrated in research papers, reports, essays, case briefs, legal memos, pleadings, motions for summary judgments, etc.
Instrument/Measurement: Senior capstone portfolio consisting of samples of each graduating major's best work (student defined) from at least three different lower division Legal Studies courses and three upper division Legal Studies courses, including the capstone course. (Specifically items 9, 10, 11 of portfolio evaluation.)
Population: Graduating LS seniors.
Standard: Based upon a 5.0 point scale, the average response should exceed 3.0 on all items. The portfolios should be evaluated by two or more professors possessing a J.D.
CRITERION 1.3: Surveys reflecting the opinions of alumni, employers, faculty, seniors and intern supervisors regarding the core legal knowledge and skills gained through the major.
Instrument/Measurement: Surveys sent to alumni, employers, faculty, graduating seniors, and the LS internship evaluations. (Specifically items 9, 10, 11 of evaluation.)
a. Alumni Survey Items 9,10,11.
b. Employer Survey, Items 9,10,11.
c. Faculty Survey, Items 9,10,11.
d. Graduating Senior Survey, Items Items 9,10,11.
e. Internship Evaluations Items 9,10,11.
Population: Various stakeholders, including alumni, employers, faculty, graduating seniors, and intern supervisors.
Standard: Based upon a 5.0 point scale, the average response should exceed 3.0 on all items.
Student Learning Outcome 2: The ability to demonstrate critical thinking through the integration of legal theory and legal practice.
CRITERION 2.1: The quality of student case briefs of appellate court opinions.
Instrument/Measurement: Intro to Law Final Case Brief – The final case brief of an appellate court opinion will receive a grade based upon a 25 point scale, and will assess elements of student learning and performance regarding clear writing, organization, understanding of judicial structure, legal analysis, and reasoning.
Population: Introduction to Law students
Standard: Students should score at or above a 70% average based upon a 25 point scale. The briefs should be evaluated by the Introduction to Law professor.
CRITERION 2.2: The quality of research papers, reports, essays, appellate briefs, case briefs, pleadings and other documents appropriate for the paralegal field.
Instrument/Measurement: Senior capstone portfolio consisting of samples of each graduating major's best work (student defined) from at least three different lower division Legal Studies courses and three upper division Legal Studies courses, including the capstone course. (Specifically items 1, 5, 6, 8 of portfolio evaluation.)
Population: Graduating LS seniors
Standard: Based upon a 5.0 point scale, the average response should exceed 3.0 on all items. The portfolios should be evaluated by two or more professors possessing a J.D.
CRITERION 2.3: Surveys reflecting the opinions of alumni, employers, faculty, seniors and intern supervisors regarding the core legal knowledge and skills gained through the major.
Measurement: Portions of surveys sent to alumni, employers, faculty, graduating seniors, and the LS internship evaluations. (Specifically items 1, 5, 6, 8 of evaluation.)
a. Employer Survey, Items 1,5,6,8.
b. Alumni Survey, Items 1,5,6,8.
c. Graduating Senior Survey, Items 1,5,6,8.
d. Faculty Survey, Items 1,5,6,8.
e. Internship Evaluations Items 1,5,6,8.
Population: Various stakeholders, including alumni, employers, faculty, graduating seniors, interns and their supervisors.
Standard: Based upon a 5.0 point scale, the average response should exceed 3.0 on all items.
Student Learning Outcome 3: The ability to demonstrate adequate oral and written communication skills appropriate for communication with lawyers, clients, co-workers, witnesses, court personnel, and other professionals.
CRITERION 3.1: The quality of legal research, case briefs, pleadings, and other documents appropriate for the paralegal field.
Instrument/Measurement: Final legal memoranda from Legal Research and Writing II, consisting of case law and statutory research, legal citations, analysis of authority, and its application to the given scenario.
Population: Legal Research and Writing II students.
Standard: Based upon a 5.0 point scale, the average response should exceed 3.0 on all items. The memos should be evaluated by the LRW II professor.
CRITERION 3.2: The quality of research papers, reports, essays, appellate briefs, case briefs, pleadings and other documents appropriate for the paralegal field.
Instrument/Measurement: Capstone Class Portfolio consisting of samples of each graduating major's best work (student defined) from at least three different upper and division Legal Studies courses and the Legal Ethics Capstone Course. (Specifically items 3, 4, 6, 8 of evaluation.)
Population: Graduating LS students enrolled in the Capstone course.
Standard: Based upon a 5.0 point scale, the average response should exceed 3.0 on all items.
CRITERION 3.3: Surveys reflecting the opinions of alumni, employers, faculty, seniors and intern supervisors regarding the core legal knowledge and skills gained through the major.
Measurement: Portions of surveys sent to alumni, employers, faculty, graduating seniors, and the LS internship evaluations. (Specifically items 3, 4, 6, 8 of evaluation.)
a. Alumni Survey, Items 3,4,6,8.
b. Employer Survey, Items 3,4,6,8.
c. Faculty Survey, Items 3,4,6,8.
d. Senior Survey, Items 3,4,6,8.
e. Internship Evaluations Items 3,4,6,8.
Population: Various stakeholders, including alumni, employers, faculty, graduating seniors, interns and their supervisors.
Standard: Based upon a 5.0 point scale, the average response should exceed 3.0 on all items.
SHARING WITH STAKEHOLDERS:
· Stakeholders:
Students, faculty, alumni, internship supervisors, employers, LS advisory board.
· Plan for sharing assessment data and results
· Assessment results and data will be shared at the Political Science & Legal Studies department meeting at the beginning of each Fall semester.
· Assessment results will be shared and discussed with the LS advisory board during one of the required meetings held each academic year.
· Assessment results will be shared with adjunct faculty during one of the required adjunct meetings held each academic year.
· Assessment results will be shared with students by posting a copy to the LS website.
· Assessment results will be provided to internship supervisors, alumni, or employers at their request, or accessed via the LS website.