Mission Statement for Assessment Services Assessment Services is comprised of a committee of staff members from the division of Student Development who volunteer to support the division’s assessment program. The committee provides leadership, guidance and consultation to Student Development departments and functional areas on all matters related to assessment. The committee accomplishes this by assisting departments with building assessment capacity, developing and refining skills, and managing the annual assessment cycle (defining annual goals, assessing them, and integrating these results into programs and subsequent goals). The committee also guides departments undergoing the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) self-study review process, as well as provides division-wide training and professional development resources, and advice regarding the management of assessment programs and work. Ethical Statement regarding Assessment The Student Development Assessment Team serves as a consultant on assessment procedures and makes recommendations on best practices to Student Development staff members when assessing and collecting student data on programs and services. These practices are consistent with our Institutional Review Board’s requirements for university assessment practice. These practices may include obtaining informed consent, maintaining confidentiality of student participants, and addressing and reporting anticipated problems, among others. The Student Development Assessment Team is committed to transparency that ensures the trust, safety, and security of vulnerable populations and all students being assessed (e.g., regarding their opinions, beliefs, perspectives, or learning outcomes). Assessment Services is committed to maintaining ethical standards that respect and embrace the diversity of our student and staff populations. We aim to collect and disseminate data that is free of judgement and bias, is culturally inclusive and that reflects the University’s mission promoting academic integrity, student learning, and quality improvement of assessment work carried out by our division.
