John Purdie II, Ph.D. Assoc. Dir., Residence Life Western Washington University

Participant Outcomes In order to be able to conduct a CAS self-study, by the end of this session participants will be able to: Articulate the purpose and benefits of the self-study Articulate the purpose and benefits of the self-study Feel increased self-efficacy Feel increased self-efficacy Use SAG tools to evaluate compliance with standards & guidelines Use SAG tools to evaluate compliance with standards & guidelines Document and present the results of the review Document and present the results of the review

Have you ever had to “get a physical” before you could play a sport, travel, or engage in some other activity?

"If you don't know where you are going, you will wind up somewhere else.“ ~Yogi Berra

A CAS self-study tells you how well prepared you are to succeed, not whether you are successful or not. Together we provide an environment for our diverse student population to reach their greatest potential through inspiration, accessibility, and support. UAA Student Affairs departments and staff are committed to providing student-centered services and programs that support students' academic and social integration into the UAA community, engage students in active learning, and foster the growth and development of each student.

What is CAS? The mission of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) is to promote the improvement of programs and services to enhance the quality of student learning and development. CAS is a consortium of 40 professional associations who work collaboratively to develop and promulgate standards and guidelines and to encourage self-assessment.

CAS Self-Assessment Process 1. Establish and prepare the Self-Assessment Team 2. Compile and Review available information 3. Evaluate Congruence with standards 4. Determine appropriate Corrective Action 5. Recommend Steps for Program Enhancement 6. Prepare an Action Plan

The Self-Study Team Training the Team: Establish team ground rules Discuss meaning of each standard Establish team’s inter-rater reliability Encourage team discussion; expect disagreements; commit to consensual resolution

Team Actions Decide whether to include guidelines or other measures that go beyond the standards Gather and analyze quantitative and qualitative data Individuals rate every criterion measure they have agreed to do Obtain additional documentary evidence if required to make an informed team decision Complete the assessment, ratings & action plan worksheets

Organization of CAS Standards Mission Program Leadership Human Resources Ethics Legal Responsibilities Equity and Access Diversity Organization and Management Campus and External Relations Financial Resources Technology Facilities and Equipment Assessment and Evaluation

CAS: Standards and Guidelines STANDARD (BOLD TYPE; AUXILARY VERB MUST) must must Financial Aid Programs (FAP) must have adequate, suitably located facilities, adequate technology, and equipment to support its mission and goals efficiently and effectively. Facilities, technology, and equipment must be evaluated regularly and be in compliance with relevant federal, state, provincial, and local requirements to provide for access, health, safety, and security. GUIDELINE (LIGHT-FACED TYPE; VERB SHOULD) should The program should have facilities or have access to: private office or space for confidential counseling, interviewing, and other meetings office, reception, and storage space and security sufficient to accommodate assigned staff, supplies, equipment, library resources, and machinery conference room or meeting space

Rating Scale Using this scale, consider the evidence available and decide the extent to which each criterion has been met. ND1234NR Not Done Not met Minimally Well Fully Not Rated MetMetMet

Assessment Criteria Example Part 6: FINANCIAL RESOURCES Financial Aid Programs (FAP) must have adequate funding to accomplish its mission and goals. Funding priorities must be determined within the context of the stated mission, goals, objectives, and comprehensive analysis of the needs and capabilities of students and the availability of internal or external resources. FAP must demonstrate fiscal responsibility and cost effectiveness consistent with institutional protocols. ND NR Not DoneNot Met Minimally Met Well MetFully MetNot Rated PART 6. FINANCIAL RESOURCES (Criterion Measures) Rating ScaleNOTES 6.1 The program has adequate funding to accomplish its mission and goals. ND NR 6.2 Funding priorities are determined within the context of program mission, student needs, and available fiscal resources.ND NR 6.3The program demonstrates fiscal responsibility and cost effectiveness consistent with institutional protocols. ND NR Part 6: Financial Resources Overview Questions A. What is the funding strategy for the program? B. What evidence exists to confirm fiscal responsibility and cost-effectiveness?

CAS: Work Form A Assessment, Ratings, and Significant Items CAS Work Form A Assessment, Ratings, and Significant Items INSTRUCTIONS: This work form should be completed following individual ratings of the participants. For each of the 13 Parts, identify (circle) the criterion measure item number(s) in the column labeled for which there is a substantial rating discrepancy (two or more ratings apart). Items not circled should reflect consensus among judges that practice in that area is satisfactory. Items where judgment variance occurs need to be discussed thoroughly by team members. Follow this action by determining which practices (criterion measures) can be designated as “excellent” or “unsatisfactory” and record them in the Step One column. In Step Two, list the items requiring follow-up action including any criterion measure rated as being unsatisfactory by any reviewer. Step One PartItemsExcellentUnsatisfactory 1.Mission1.1a b c Program d e a 2.8f b c Cross out un-rated items 2.Circle items everyone rated low, Triangle those rated high 3.Discuss remaining items (varied ratings), seek consensus 4.Discuss High and Low items to determine “Fully Met (i.e. Excellence)” or “Not Met (i.e. Unsatisfactory)”

CAS: Work Form A continued Step Two: List item number(s) for each Part determined to merit follow-up and describe the practice weaknesses that require attention

CAS Work Form B: Follow Up Actions INSTRUCTIONS: The purpose of this work form is to begin the planning for action to be taken on the practices judged to merit follow-up (See Step 1, Work Form A). In Step Three, transfer short descriptions of the practices requiring follow- up and detail these items using the table format provided. Step Three: Describe the current practice that requires change and actions to initiate the change Practice Description Corrective Action Sought Task Assigned ToTimeline Due Dates Include additional staff as needed

CAS Work Form C: Summary Action Plan Step Four: This form concludes the self-assessment process and calls for action to be taken based on the study results. Write a brief action plan statement in the spaces below for each Part in which action is required. Part 1: Mission Part 2: Program Part 3: Leadership Part 4: Human Resources Part 5: Ethics Include additional staff as needed

Reporting your results Discuss with Steering Committee your draft report of Findings and Recommendations Include completed SAGs & data (as feasible) Prepare executive summary of: The self-study process, Identified excellence and needed improvements, Action plan for program enhancement

An iterative Cycle… 1. Purpose & scope of study is defined 2. Self-study team is created and trained 3. Evaluative evidence is collected 4. Discrepancies & Excellence are identified 5. Appropriate actions are determined 6. Action plan is developed and approved 7. Plan is communicated and enacted 8. Repeat (i.e., step 1 = check if improvement achieved)

Status Report!

Participant Outcomes In order to be able to conduct a CAS self-study, by the end of this session participants will be able to: Articulate the purpose and benefits of the review Articulate the purpose and benefits of the review Feel increased self-efficacy Feel increased self-efficacy Use SAG tools to evaluate compliance with standards & guidelines Use SAG tools to evaluate compliance with standards & guidelines Document and present the results of the review Document and present the results of the review The next session is a follow-up with the pilot teams

We hold these truths to be self-evident…

Evaluative Evidence STUDENT RECRUITMENT MATERIALS: Brochures & other program information Participation policies & procedures PROGRAM DOCUMENTS: Mission statements; program purpose & philosophy statements Catalogs & related materials Staff & student manuals; policies & procedures ADMINISTRATIVE DOCUMENTS: Organization charts; student & staff profiles Financial resource statements & budgets Annual reports

Evaluative Evidence (cont.) STAFF ACTIVITY REPORTS: Curriculum vitae & resumes; professional activity Service to other programs, departments, or community STUDENT ACTIVITY REPORTS: Portfolios, developmental transcripts, resumes Reports of student service RESEARCH & EVALUATION DATA: Needs assessments & self-studies Program evaluation; graduate & follow-up studies

Quantitative Data Summary of objective responses on a questionnaire or program evaluation Statistics about use by students and various population subgroups Needs assessments, follow-up studies, and self-study reports Institutional research reports and fact books Comparative or benchmark data at local, regional or national level

Qualitative Data Focus group information Written summaries of responses to open-ended questions in interviews and on evaluations Client satisfaction surveys, self-reports, and written comments, both solicited and unsolicited Team Discussion – what would be useful and where can you get that