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Our mission is to facilitate a culture of continuous improvement in the Division of Student Affairs. We support Division staff in collecting, analyzing, reporting, and sharing meaningful data that inform and enhance their programs, services, and physical spaces. We lead Division-level strategic planning to prioritize and align the work of our diverse units with campus-level priorities.

The Office of Assessment and Planning supports Student Affairs units in gathering and analyzing data to inform meaningful changes to their activities, services, and facilities. We provide the following services to the Division of Student Affairs:

  • Consultation with Student Affairs units to develop and implement unit-level assessment plans
  • Providing expertise to units on outcomes, methods, instrument development, analysis, reporting, and use of results to drive improvement
  • Leading the Division’s Strategic Plan development, implementation, and reporting processes
  • Disseminating relevant data and reports to Division, campus, and other stakeholders
  • Coordinating requests for institutional data
  • Representing the Division on committees related to assessment, planning, institutional data, campus surveys, and accreditation

The Division of Student Affairs is excited to share the work individual units are doing to impact student success through the use of data to drive continuous improvement in their programs, services, and facilities at CU Boulder. The 2016-2017 assessment highlights capture some of the outstanding work units have completed in the past year to shape tomorrow’s leaders, be the top university for innovation, and positively impact humanity.

Services

The Office of Assessment and Planning works closely with staff in the Division of Student Affairs to support assessment planning and practice. Assessment consultations can be team-based work on specific initiatives within or across units, as well as individual staff members working on behalf of their units.

Your consultant will seek a comprehensive understanding of your assessment needs, asking questions such as:

  • What are the key questions you want to answer?
  • How would you be able to act upon what you learn from this assessment project?
  • What data, if any, do you already have available about this program or service?
  • How does this project align with your unit’s mission, goals, and outcomes?

Consultants then provide recommendations, offer technical and content expertise, assist with data collection and analysis, and offer additional services to support the specific project and unit. 

The Office of Assessment and Planning has set the following calendar for 2017-2018 deadlines.   

OAP conducts a number of trainings during the year. We highly recommend that Division staff who are interested in learning more about assessment begin by attending Assessment 101. In this foundational training, participants will learn the cornerstones of assessment at CU Boulder.

Specifically, participants will learn the assessment language used in the Division, understand the expectations of assessment for the Division, and begin the conversation for their unit’s assessment plan.

Upcoming Training Opportunities

Assessment 101
This training is an introduction to the assessment framework used in the Division of Student Affairs. Specifically, the training will cover assessment terminology, methods that are appropriate for student affairs, and the reporting framework that is used in the division.

 Tuesday, Jan. 9, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
 Thursday, March 22, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Outcomes Primer and Mapping
This workshop will provide an overview of learning and process outcomes. We will spend time developing learning and process outcomes that meet the needs of your individual program. This workshop will also utilize various mapping strategies to illustrate how your programs and services fulfill the outcomes designed by your unit.

 Wednesday, Jan. 17, 1–3 p.m.  

Using Student Development Theory in Writing Outcomes
We will translate student development theory into learning outcomes. A variety of examples will be provided, but individuals who plan to attend should prepare by bringing a student development theory they use in their daily work.

 Thursday, Jan. 25, 9–11 a.m.                              

Data Management and Storage
Learn a variety of strategies for managing and storing your data in order to efficiently analyze and use it in the future.

 Wednesday, Jan. 31, 1–3 p.m.                       

Quantitative Analysis Using Microsoft Excel
This training is a quick introduction to using some basic data analysis features in Excel, primarily pivot tables and charts/graphs. Please bring a laptop to the training with Microsoft Excel installed. You will also need a mouse that connects through a USB port (not just the mousepad on your laptop).

 Thursday, Feb. 1 10 a.m.–12 p.m.         

National Survey for Student Engagement (NSSE) Findings
The results of the most recent NSSE administration will be available in spring 2018. This informational session will provide an overview of the results from the most recent NSSE administration, and review a multi-year report that looks at change over time. Additionally, we will review areas where Student Affairs plays a significant role.

 Thursday, Feb. 8, 9 a.m.–10:30 p.m.
 Thursday, April 19, 9 a.m.–10:30 p.m.

Qualitative Coding**
The qualitative coding training will provide a foundation for participants to analyze qualitative data. **(Must have completed the Qualitative Assessment Methods training)**

 Wednesday, Feb. 28, 1–3 p.m.

Survey Design** 
Participants will learn about the relationships between outcomes and survey items, the survey development process, and will have the opportunity to draft survey items. **(Must have completed the Assessment 101 training)**

 Wednesday, March 28, 1–3 p.m.

Qualitative Methods**
The qualitative methods training will help participants identify assessment inquiries that are well suited to a qualitative approach, understand the type and purpose of various qualitative methods, and review qualitative analysis and reporting. **(Must have completed the Assessment 101 training)**

 Thursday, April 5, 9 a.m.–12 p.m.

Register  

 

  • OAP serves as the Division of Student Affairs liaison to the Office of Data Analytics and Institutional Research. We coordinate Division data requests out of the office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. Please review the data request policy and contact us to discuss your needs and timeline.
  • The Office of Assessment and Planning serves as the advisory and consulting unit for Division staff as they plan and administer large-scale campus surveys. Please review the campus survey administration policy and contact us to discuss your needs and timeline.

The 2017-2020 Division of Student Affairs Strategic Plan is available here. Our plan aligns closely with the Chancellor’s Strategic Imperatives and will serve as the Division’s guiding framework to accomplish the Imperatives and contribute to other high-level university initiatives, such as Inclusive Excellence.

During the summer of 2017, all units within the Division are engaged in action planning to articulate how they will contribute to the Division priorities. The Office of Assessment and Planning will ask all units to provide updates for the actions they submitted. Review the calendar for specific deadlines regarding the strategic plan.

Qualtrics

  • General: Qualtrics is licensed to the University of Colorado Boulder to support staff and students. The Office of Information Technology provides several resources, including an FAQ and guide to activating a Qualtrics account.
  • Webinars: There are a number of webinars available for all users, such as “Advanced Survey Building,” “Reporting Your Insights Using Qualtrics,” and “Quick Start with Qualtrics.” 
  • Qualtrics Support: Do you have a question about Qualtrics that you have not been able to answer? Contact OAP staff or the Qualtrics support team.

External Assessment Organizations & Resources

Contact

Kimberly Kruchen, Manager of Assessment and Planning
 kimberly.kruchen@colorado.edu
303-735-6642