Department/Unit: University Career Services Date: 5-7-2004

Department/Unit: University Career Services Date: 5-7-2004

INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

ASSESSMENT PLAN - DEPARTMENT / UNIT

Department/Unit: University Career Services

College/Division: Student Services

Date:5-7-2004

Mission Statement: (purpose and functional responsibilities of the department)

Vision – To become a comprehensive career services center of unmatched quality.

Mission- University Career Services provides quality, collaborative and integrated programs and services to students bridging their academic experience with the world of work.

Intended Outcome # 1: Graduating students who participate in a UCS Interview Workshop can explain to an employer how their background and skills match the employer’s needs.
Effectiveness Indicators: (What factors/variables/elements will you be measuring to gauge your success at reaching your intended outcome?)
Using a rating form on-campus recruiting employers will evaluate how well individual graduating students explain how their background and skills match the employer’s needs, using a standardized measurement scale.
Success Criteria: (For each indicator described above, what minimum score, value or result will signal success? What score, value or result will signal a need for improvement? What score, value or result will signal a need for immediate intervention?)
The following results will indicate success: During the fall semester 2004/205, eighty five percent (85%) of students who have attended a UCS Interview Workshop and have had at least two on-campus interviews will receive an average score of 3.5 on a 5 point scale
If fewer than 85% of such students receive an average score of 3.5, there is a need for improvement. If fewer than 50% of all interviewing students achieve an average score of 3.0, Career Services will institute immediate interventions.
Data Collection and Analysis Procedures: (How, when, and by whom will data be collected? How will it be analyzed? What will be the product of the analysis?)
Data will be collected from both students and employers. Employers will rate each student’s performance in “explaining how their background and skills match the employer’s needs” using a standardized assessment question with a five point response scale ( 5 equals “exceptional”, 3 equals “average” and 1 equals “poor”) which will be incorporated into the student evaluation form. Before the interview, each student waiting to be interviewed will complete a short survey concerning their interview preparation. One of the questions on that survey will ask iwhether the student has attended a UCS Interview Workshop. At the end of the semester, Career Services staff will complile the data collected from students and employers and calculate average results. The scores of students who attended a UCS interviewing workshop will be compared with the scores of students who did not.\

Outcome #1 Continued

Utilization of Results: (How will results of the analysis be used in planning, decision making, and continuous improvement? What type of actions will be taken based on the analysis results?)
If more than 15% of students who attended a workshop and had two campus interviews achieve an averagescore below 3.5, UCS will review and improve the content and delivery of its Interview Workshops. In addition, individual students who have attended a workshop and fall below an score of3.5 will be contacted by a career counselor and offered an individual counseling session on improving interview skills.
UCS will also calculate the aggregate data for all campus interviewing students (including both students who did attend a UCS Interview Workshop and those who did not); if more than 50% of all students fall below a score of 3.0, UCS will in the next semester require an online or in person workshop before participation in Campus Interviewing. If more than 80% fall below 3.0, UCS will recommend a required course in Career Development and Job Search which teaches students how to integrate their past experiences into future goals to the University administration.
Intended Outcome # 2:Students who participate in UCS programs and events will report satisfaction with the experience.
Effectiveness Indicators: (What factors/variables/elements will you be measuring to gauge your success at reaching your intended outcome?)
UCS will measure the degree of student satisfaction with each of its programs and events using a standardized scale on evaluation forms provided at the end of the program/event.
Success Criteria: (For each indicator described above, what minimum score, value or result will signal success? What score, value or result will signal a need for improvement? What score, value or result will signal a need for immediate intervention?)
The following results will indicate success: Students who participate in UCS sponsored programs will report an average satisfaction score for all categories of programs of 3.5 on a 5.0 scale.
If the average satisfaction score for any category of programs is less than 3.5, there is a need for improvement in that group of programs.
If the average satisfaction score for any category of programs is less than 3.0, there is a need for immediate intervention.
Data Collection and Analysis Procedures: (How, when, and by whom will data be collected? How will it be analyzed? What will be the product of the analysis?)
Career Services will collect data from students who attend any UCS sponsored program during the fall semester 2004/2005. At the end of each program, Career Services staff will distribute evaluation forms that include a question designed to measure satisfaction (on a five point Likert scale, from very dissatisfied to very satisfied) and an open-ended question for areas of improvement. This form will also give students the opportunity to provide their contact information for further follow-up. The coordinator of each program or event will be responsible for distributing the forms and for collecting, analyzing and reporting on the data. At the end of the semester, Career Services staff will collate the results of all events and produce an overall report on student satisfaction.
Utilization of Results: (How will results of the analysis be used in planning, decision making, and continuous improvement? What type of actions will be taken based on the analysis results?)
Feedback from the evaluation forms and student follow-up will serve as the primary source of information to drive our improvement effort. Programs and events that receive a 3.0 – 3.4 satisfaction rating will be reviewed for enhancement. Programs and events that receive a 2.5 – 2.9 satisfaction rating will undergo immediate review and Career Services will make significant content, format, and /or delivery changes. Programs/events that receive a 2.0 satisfaction rating will be reviewed for total rework or elimination.
Intended Outcome # 3: Students who participate in career counseling can describe three steps involved in making career decisions.
Effectiveness Indicators: (What factors/variables/elements will you be measuring to gauge your success at reaching your intended outcome?)
During academic year 2004/2005, UCS will use a standardized evaluation form to measure students’ ability to describe three steps involved in making career decisions at the conclusion of each career counseling session.
Success Criteria: (For each indicator described above, what minimum score, value or result will signal success? What score, value or result will signal a need for improvement? What score, value or result will signal a need for immediate intervention?)
The benchmark for success will be that85% of students participating in a career counseling session are able to describe three steps involved in career decision-making. If fewer than 85% of students can describe three such steps, there is a need for improvement. If fewer than 70% of students can describe three steps, immediate intervention is indicated.
Data Collection and Analysis Procedures: (How, when, and by whom will data be collected? How will it be analyzed? What will be the product of the analysis?)
At the end of each career counseling session time will be allocated for the completion of a written evaluation survey which will ask students to describe three steps in career decision making. On a quarterly basis career development staff will review and collate students’ responses and report on the results to determine which step(s) student’s have the greatest success or most difficulty describing.
Utilization of Results: (How will results of the analysis be used in planning, decision making, and continuous improvement? What type of actions will be taken based on the analysis results?)
Using the data produced as above, the career development staff will determinethe percentage of students who successfully describe three steps in career decision making. They will also determine which steps are more of a challenge to understand and will adjust their counseling techniques for improvement on future evaluations. If results fall below 85%, career development staff will consider alternative methods of providing career counseling (such as group counseling sessions, focus workshop series, credit bearing career course, more emphasis in FLC presentations, etc.). if results do not achieve at least 70%, Career Services will initiate a full program review and explore options for major changes to career counseling services.

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