PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF CAS SELF-ASSESSMENT GUIDES (SAGS) Donna Lee Sullins and Jami Hall

Who are we?  Not experts…just practitioners Jami Hall Director of Student Life Student Programming Donna Lee Sullins Associate Director of Student Life Student Conduct

Learning Outcomes  Participants will understand the purpose of voluntary self evaluation.  Participants will be aware of multiple approaches to using CAS Self-Assessment Guides on their campuses.  Participants will be able to outline the steps to use a CAS Self-Assessment Guide on their campuses.

Pre-test time!  What is CAS?  What is a SAG?  Has anyone done a SAG?  How comfortable do you feel leading a SAG review in your office?

Assessment you are currently doing  What is your office doing?  Why? What goals are to be accomplished in so doing?  What are your hopes for collaboration?

What is ?  “Founded in 1979, The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is the pre-eminent force for promoting standards in student affairs, student services, and student development programs.”- CAS  CAS has eight guiding principles that are concerned with student learning and the environmental conditions at institutions needed to in order to promote leaning and development.  Member groups: ACPA, ACUHO-I, ACUI, ASCA, NACA,NASPA, NIRSA, NODA…just to name a few

What is a SAG?  “An operational version of the CAS Standards and Guidelines designed to provide users with an assessment tool that can be used for self-study or self-assessment purposes. A SAG is available for each functional area for which a CAS standard exists.” – CAS  CAS standards use of auxiliary verbs “must” and “shall” that appear in bold print.  Guidelines use “may” and “should” appear in regular text.

SAG Review of Part 2. Program

8 th Edition 7 th Edition

How do you get a SAG?   CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education (8th edition) and the Self-Assessment Guides - CD = $300  CAS Professional Standards for Higher Education (8th edition) = $85  Self-Assessment Guides - CD (all 43 functional areas) = $255  Individual Self Assessment Guide(s) = $35 each

A few ways of doing things  Timeline  Number of functional areas to evaluate  Who’s on your team  Implementation and review plan

Georgia Southern- Center for Student Leadership 2005  One semester to complete  Group/Peer review  Outside/Inside perspective  Evidence collected as we went

Belmont University- New Student Programs 2007  One month to complete  Individual review  Outside perspective  Hesitancy by office  Most evidence collected first

Dalton State College- Office of Admission 2009  Lack of clear timeline when starting  Lack of diversity in team member selection  Lack of true desire to learn areas of needed improvement  Irregular meeting times  All this led to an incomplete review

Dalton State College- Office of Student Activities/Life  One year original timeline  Cross Campus Team  Donna Lee Sullins, Student Life ( )  Jami Hall, Student Life ( )  Dr. Gina Kertulis-Tartar, Biology Faculty ( )  Dr. Kent Harrelson, English Faculty ( )  Dr. Christian Griggs, History Faculty ( )  Kim McCroskey, OCIS ( )  Kris Richardson, OCIS (2011)  Ashley Baugh, Business Services (2012)  Andrew Mailman, Student (2010)  Ashley Lindsey, Student ( )  Greg Ellis, Student (2012)  Review of 4 functional areas and the general SAG section by section  Collect evidence as we go  Once per month 3 hour meetings then later twice per month hour and a half meetings

Why can’t we be friends? Typical organization scheme for higher education

 Student Life + Academic Affairs = Perfect Partners!  Often a (perceived?) disconnect  Share a common goal – student success  Perhaps a better organization plan is: Collaborations = Success Student Affairs

Questions to consider:  Who?  Personality!  Consider background & interests of individuals  What?  Establishing role(s) of each member is important  Do you really want “yes” men and women?  When?  Time commitment – frequency/duration  How?  Dissemination of information/materials  Amount covered in each meeting

Added validity and accountability  Self assessment – but what does “self” really mean?  Internally driven  Supports and encourages staff development  Develops a shared vision among various constituents  Post assessment follow through  Are recommendations considered?  What are the changes made?  Timeframe for changes?

Who benefits?  Students!  All interested parties  Creates  Open communication  Sustainability  Working relationships

Practice Time  Please get into groups of no larger than 10 by the following functional areas:  Assessment Services  Campus Activities Programs  Housing and Residential Life Programs  Multicultural Student Programs and Services  Orientation Programs  You will work on Part 1. Mission by accessing your office’s materials as best you can from the internet

Steps to get started tomorrow  1. Get your supervisor on board  2. Decide if done as a team or individually  a. Brainstorm area to be involved and key people to invite from those areas  b. Invite Committee members  3. Set a time frame  4. Decide your approach as a team  5. Get other staff members on board to provide evidence and set deadline(s)  6. Create an action plan with timelines  7. Write a summary report (if you want to)

Worksheet B

Post test time!  What is CAS?  What is a SAG?  How comfortable do you feel leading a SAG review in your office?

References  Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. (2012). CAS professional standards for higher education (8 th ed.). Washington, DC: Author.  Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education. (2012). Council for the advancement of standards in higher education. Retrieved August 24,  Schuh, M. L., Upcraft, J. H., and Associates. (2001). Assessment practice in student affairs: An applications manual. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.  Upcraft, J. H. & Schuh, M. L. (1996). Assessment in student affairs: A guide for practitioners. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Questions?  To Contact us:  Donna Lee Sullins  Jami Hall