"The Assessment, Evaluation, and Research competency area (AER) focuses on the ability to use, design, and conduct, and critique qualitative and quantitative AER analyses; to manage organizations using AER processes and the results obtained from them; and to shape the political and ethical surrounding AER processes and uses on campus" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 8).



Growth within Competency

The University of Auckland:  New Student Transition Report

It was during a two-month, full-time internship at The University of Auckland in Auckland, New Zealand that I gained significant experience in assessment and evaluation.  Myself and a doctoral intern from the  Higher Education Administration program at BGSU were hired to consult with the university and the Campus Life Division on first-year transition initiatives through the use of both quantitative and qualitative methods.  Our final product was the development of a 40-page report detailing our finds and providing recommendations for both the Campus Life Division and the university overall, relating to the advanced work in Assessment, Evaluation, and Research of leading "the writing of assessment and evaluation reports...that include translation of data analyses into goals and action" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 9).

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Quantitatively, I analyzed data from a recently completed study by the Colmar Brunton research firm on the how well students had transitioned into the institution.  After examining their results, I identified and reported out on four key findings from the study using specific facts and figures generated by Colmar Brunton.  This collaboration with Campus Life staff and Colmar Brunton was valuable experience in analyzing quantitative studies and "writing and disseminating statistical reporting for audiences of varying levels of statistical expertise" (ACPA & NASPA 2010, p.9).



Qualitatively, we were tasked to interview over 40 academic and administrative staff across the institution to learn about how they were already working with first-year students, spotlight best practices at the university, and build support for coming discussions on first-year transition opportunities.



Although the report was generated for internal use only, I, the doctoral intern (Vivienne Felix), and our director supervisor Marie-Jo Wilson will be presenting broad findings from the report at the NASPA International Symposium on March 17th as part of a Pre-Conference offering prior to the start of the 2013 NASPA Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida.  Upon completion of the presentation, a copy of the PowerPoint will be available for view on this page.  Until then, please feel free to see the cover page and table of contents of the New Student Transition Report.







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NASPA Region 4E Conference: New Professionals Institute Assessment

In preparation for the NASPA Region 4E Conference in November of 2012, I served as a volunteer for the Special Events committee and worked on preparing for the New Professionals Institute (NPI) being offered immediately prior to the start of the conference.  I, along with a fellow committee member, were tasked with creating and implementing an assessment tool to measure the effectiveness and satisfaction with the institute.  The goal in designing this method of data collection mirrored that of the ACPA and NASPA professional competencies as we aimed to be thorough, "unobtrusive," and technologically current by allowing mobile access (2010, p. 8).  After we generated a list of questions and reviewed them with the NPI coordinators, I generated a survey using Qualtrics.  The survey included questions designed to measure understanding, satisfaction, and interest in helping coordinate NPI for the 2013 conference.  One of the co-coordinators of NPI distributed the survey link while I monitored and tracked the results, providing me expeirence in "facilitating appropriate data collection" (ACPA & NASPA, 2010, p. 8).  After all attendees completed the survey, I generated a report of the results and submitted them to chairs of the Special Events committee.  Please click here for the NASPA Region 4E NPI survey.