School of Arts & Sciences GAR

School of Arts & Sciences GAR

OFFICE OF ASSESSMENT AND ACCREDITATION

GOAL ASSESSMENT REPORT: AY 2010 - 2011

School of Arts and Sciences

Section One: Describe all department activities with respect to improving student learning in the major. This may include new faculty hires, course revisions, assignment creation, rubric revisions, goal evaluations, etc.

Activity Statement:

This year Arts and Sciences gathered assessment on four of the five goals.

Section Two: Describe which program goal(s) in the Major Program Plan was assessed during the academic year.

Intended Outcomes 1:

SAS graduates will either be attending graduate school or working in jobs related to their major course of study within three years of graduation

Assessment Criteria:

80% of SAS graduates will either be attending graduate school or working in jobs related to their major course of study within three years of graduation. (DM – Career Readiness)

Results of Outcomes Activity:

2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011 / Met/Not MetMet
Met
Met
Not Met
Not Met
NA / Data Details
Class of 2004 had 68% of the graduates working in their field of study and 32% continuing education.
Class of 2005 had 70% working in their field of study and 30% continuing education.
Class of 2006 had 80% working in their field of study and 20% continuing education.
Class of 2007 has 50% working in their field of study and 25% continuing education
Class of 2008-2009 Undergrads:
38% are in grad school; 31% are working in their field of study and 31% are unknown
Graduate data was not available
The university did not collect data on graduates this year.

Intended Outcomes 2:

SAS will increase its focus on preparing students for careers by bringing to campus one professional speaker each year that is working or has worked in a field related to one or more of the majors offered by SAS.

(DM – Career Readiness)

Assessment Criteria:

SAS will bring at least one professional speaker each year that is working or has worked in a field related to one or more of the majors offered.

Results of Outcomes Activity:

2008-2009
2009-2010
2010-2011 / Met/Not MetMet
Met
Met / Data Details
We had professional speakers this year in NAT 291 Drugs and the Body, part of the Science Major.
We had professional speakers in CUL 220 Religions of the World. We also had Michael Phillips, a scholar on Blake’s Art and Poetry, give a print-making demonstration in an art class and give a general lecture in Chisholm Auditorium on November 10, 2009.
This year’s speakers included a presentation by Monks from GadenShartse Cultural Foundation in Tibet. The Monks gave a presentation titled “The GadenShartse Monastery and the Culture of Tibet” and a Bi-tonal Chant Workshop before large audiences in Chisholm auditorium during the month of September. An Indian Drum Ceremony was also held on campus featuring native Americans during Fall semester.

Intended Outcomes 3:

SAS faculty will participate in the Arts and Angles program, which is designed to showcase SAS faculty interests and scholarship and promote interdisciplinary dialogue

Assessment Criteria:

At least 40% of full time SAS faculty will participate in the Arts and Angles program, which is designed to showcase SAS faculty interests and scholarship and promote interdisciplinary dialogue.

(IM – Faculty Engagement)

Results of Outcomes Activity:

2008-2009:
2009-2010
2010-2011 / Met/Not Met Not Met
Not Met
Not Met / Data Details
30 % of the full-time faculty participated in the 08-09 Arts and Angles series.
25% of the full-time faculty participated in the 09-10 Arts and Angles series.
26% of the full-time faculty participated in the 10-11 Arts and Angles series.

Intended Outcomes 4:

SAS will increase regular attendance at Arts and Angles presentations (DM – Career Readiness)

Assessment Criteria:

We will keep records of attendance at each of the next year’s A & A series in hopes of increasing attendance from an average of 30 to an average of 40 people in attendance.

Results of Outcomes Activity:

2008-2009:
2009-2010
2010-2011 / Met/Not Met Not Met
Not Met
Met / Data Details
In 07-08 our average attendance was 19.
In 08-09 our average attendance was 21.
In 09-10 our average attendance was 15.
In 10-11 our average attendance was 44.

Intended Outcomes 5:

SAS faculty will attend one academic conference per year (IM – Faculty Development)

Assessment Criteria:

At least 70% of SAS faculty will attend one academic conference per year, contingent on funding.

Results of Outcomes Activity:

2008-2009:
2009-2010
2010-2011 / Met/Not Met Not Met
Not Met
Not Met / Data Details
In 07-08, 33% of the full time faculty traveled to conferences.
In 08-09, 65% of the full time faculty traveled to conferences.
In 09-10, 24% of the full time faculty traveled to conferences.
In 10-11, 33% of the full time faculty traveled to conferences.

Section Three: Describe analysis of assessment data and action plans for upcoming academic year.

Analysis and Action Plans:

Outcome #1: Data was hard to come by because the University on an annual basis is not doing surveys. We need to work with Alumni Affairs and Institutional Research to track what our students do after graduation and report those numbers in next year’s assessment. We also need to track what is happening to our graduate students once they leave our graduate programs. Next year’s action plan will focus on getting data on the status of last year’s and this year’s graduates.

Outcome #2: Getting away from showing movies as the mainstay of the Arts and Angles program was a good move. We will continue to bring in outside speakers and groups as a way of enhancing the cultural environment of the university consistent with the mission of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Outcome #3: This year 26% of the faculty participated the Arts and Angles program. This was similar to last year’s 25% participation. Faculty should be encouraged to participate more in the Arts and Angles series. The Arts and Angles subcommittee needs to meet regularly to plan events for the year consistent with the goal of sponsoring two programs each semester. Next year’s assessment activity will be to monitor participation.

Outcome #4: Attendance at this year’s Arts and Angles events was substantially improved from previous years. Focusing on presenting two programs each semester proved to be a good strategy. Rather than showing movies, as has been the case in previous years, expanding the Arts and Angles series to bring in cultural speakers and presenters significantly increased attendance.

Outcome #5: Faculty attendance at conferences was slightly improved from last year, but still down from the previous year despite an increase in the funding allocated to each faculty member. Even with the $1,000 allowance for professional development and conference travel, few faculty took full advantage of it. We will encourage faculty to make use of their professional development funds and monitor the extent to which they do.