1. Staying Ahead of the Curve: Keeping Our Assessment Skills Sharp
International Assessment & Retention Conference
St. Louis, Missouri
June 9, 2007
Ted Elling, Ed.D.
Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
Research & Systems Development
Univ. of North Carolina at Charlotte
Carrie Zelna, Ph.D.
Director of Student Affairs Research and Assessment
North Carolina State University

2. Goals Share findings from recent national NASPA survey (August 2006)
How we use assessment
Where our pockets of expertise lie
What are our training needs & desired forums
How do we differ from our generalist colleagues
Group Discussion
How are we keeping current?
How can we get & keep others current
How do we sustain these efforts
Joint NASPA/ACPA Assessment Contact Effort

3. SAAER Membership Survey
Administered to all NASPA Student Affairs Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community Members – August/September 2006
413 respondents
147 Coordinate assessment at the SA division level
73 Coordinate assessment at the SA department level
112 Do not formally coordinate assessment efforts
81 (other – mainly academic affairs and other divisions)
What Are Our Data Gathering Methods?
What Are Our Training Needs & Desired Formats?
Where Is Our Presentation Expertise?

10. Group Discussion How are we keeping current?
How can we get & keep others current?
How can we sustain these efforts?

11. Assessment Survey Process
Joint NASPA/ACPA Assessment Summer 07 Contact Effort
NASPA SAAER Knowledge Community
Support Assessment Curriculum Effort
ACPA Commission for Assessment for Student Development
Support Assessment Skills and Knowledge (ASK) Standards
to all ACPA Senior Student Affairs Officers
Multi-modal contact to NASPA SAAER KC & IARC Attendees
Forward to dedicated assessment staff (75 to 100% FT)
Request to complete survey via embedded link
Main Purpose
Who & Where are our dedicated assessment staff?
Develop updated web-based resource list
Identify our trainers
Encourage focused-presentations in conference & workshop settings

12. Survey Areas Institution & Location Title Education & Experience
Level of Coordination
Home Department/Division
Research Findings Website (URL)
Areas of Skill Development Needs & Expertise
Desire to Present
Contact Data
Others – What are we missing?

13. Purpose of a “Curriculum”
Provide a frame for the KC to use when choosing programs for national and regional conferences and workshops.
Serve as a guide to assist Professionals in choosing educational opportunities that will provide them with the most useful information for engaging in assessment. 
Provide those in Student Affairs that did not receive any assessment education through academic programs an opportunity to learn assessment “skills”.
A curriculum format may allow us to implement programs in such a way that completing it will provide a resume item/documentation of training.