This section of the report describes the elements of WSU's assessment workplan, and the current status of those activities. Only a brief description is provided of each activity, as a copy of the workplan is included in the appendix to this report. An annotated bibliography of assessment reports prepared during the past six years is also included in the appendix.
Writing placement examination: This examination was developed by English composition faculty for the purpose of assigning students to the writing composition class that is appropriate for their level of writing ability. The first administration of this examination occurred during the summer of 1991 during Freshman Orientation, with freshman students enrolling at WSU in Fall 1991. Beginning with the 1991-92 academic year, all new freshman students were required to take the writing placement examination before they could enroll in English 101. The results of this examination not only determine placement of students in freshman writing courses but also guide sectioning and staffing of those courses. Based on the results of the first few year's use of the writing placement examination, it has resulted in better placement of students into composition classes. In comparison with previous years, the placement examination led to fewer students being placed into English 100, but more students into English 101 and 102, which include additional tutorial work in writing. Writing faculty have improved and streamlined the procedures for rating the examination results. A two-tiered procedure was developed that reduced the number of reviews that had to be done on each paper, thereby reducing costs, but that was also more reliable and valid.
Mathematics placement examination: This examination is a test of algebra, geometry, and precalculus and there are two versions, an intermediate test and an advanced test. In the past this test was not mandatory and was used primarily for advising at WSU. Instructors in lower level mathematics courses had observed for several years significant deficiencies in background for many students enrolling in math courses. Often these students would drop the course after several weeks, or continue and fail the course. The result was a significant waste of student and instructor time, and state and private money. Consequently the exam is now mandatory for all freshmen students and students transferring to WSU. Exam scores are used to place students into the appropriate math courses at WSU. Students who register for a math course and who do not have a sufficient placement score for that course are told to drop the course, and to register for an alternative mathematics course.
CIRP freshman survey: WSU participates in the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), which involves a survey of entering freshman students, at over 2,000 colleges and universities . The CIRP survey provides information on freshman opinions and attitudes about their degree and career goals, their expectations of college, orientation towards college, their high school experiences, and their demographic characteristics. Most of the four-year institutions in Washington State are currently administering the CIRP survey. WSU has implemented this survey for the past several years. One of the consistent findings from this survey is that WSU's freshmen students on the average rate their mathematics and writing abilities somewhat lower than students at nationwide comparison schools. At the same time they also indicate that their most important goals during the next four years is to gain skills and knowledge in writing, mathematics, and science.
Admissions& Student Data: Each year the Office of Institutional Research provides student information to the assessment office by creating two databases of student information. One is on all students enrolled as of the 10th day after the start of Fall semester, and the other is on graduates from the previous year. These databases are used for a variety of purposes including to describe the characteristics of current WSU students and graduates, to check for nonresponse bias in surveys conducted of current students and alumni, to examine retention and graduation rates, and to conduct a study of scholarship recipients and nonrecipients. A substantial amount of information on class enrollments and grades in General Education courses has also been compiled and shared with the General Education office for planning and assessment of overall courses. The office of Institutional Research also conducts a number of analyses of student data. The NCAA Graduation Rates Disclosure reports have been completed for the past six years, beginning with the 83-84 cohort. The most recently completed cohort is for 89-90. In the six year span, the six-year graduation rate has improved over 11% from 50.6% to 62%. Retention rates of various student cohorts are also regularly analyzed and reported, as is information about freshmen cohorts.
Quantitative skills examination: This examination was designed to determine students' mastery of basic skills in arithmetic, algebra, geometry, and the application of mathematical concepts. Several years ago WSU designed and completed a pilot test, with over 800 students, of a quantitative skills examination covering four areas: fundamentals; algebra, geometry, and trigonometry; calculus; and optimization and statistics. The results indicated that WSU students, on the average, got about fifty percent of questions correct. This pilot test was administered to WSU students several additional times to determine if the test could identify changes in overall student scores, now that WSU has a math requirement in its General Education program. However, the procedures for this test have always involved voluntary participation by WSU faculty and students, which has limited the usefulness of the results achieved. Student motivation to perform well on the test is low since there are no consequences, and few faculty are willing to give up the class time for this test. We are rethinking the purposes and procedures of this examination to determine how more reliable and valid results can be achieved.
CSEQ survey: This annual study is designed to provide information on what happens to students during their freshman year at WSU. The College Student Experiences Questionnaire (CSEQ) assesses student involvement in behaviors and activities that contribute to learning and development in college. In addition to the basic information included in the survey, WSU adds questions which assess programs in the WSU residence halls, fraternities, and sororities. This additional focus allows WSU to assess the relationship between student gains and the difference kinds of living group programs as well as the quality of living group programs offered to freshman students. The survey is implemented in the residence halls and fraternities and sororities, in the Spring semester each year using a written questionnaire and scan answer sheet. The results are used by Student Affairs and Residence Life to evaluate policies and recommend changes to improve students' learning opportunities. To date the results show that students report the greatest gains in the area of personal development, and the least gains in the area of scientific understanding. Students also report that WSU places the most emphasis on the development of academic, scholarly, and intellectual qualities. Results of this survey are also used in the residence halls as the basis for discussions with students.
Writing Portfolio: Commencing with the Fall 1991 entering class, all WSU students are required to demonstrate successful performance on a writing qualifying examination prior to graduation. This examination is was given for the first time during Spring semester 1993. It involves submission of three written papers from coursework that students have taken, and taking two written essays during the examination. Papers submitted for the portfolio must be verified by faculty who sign the papers. The successful performance on a writing qualifying examination assures both student and faculty of the student's readiness to engage in upper division coursework and also assures employers of our students that graduates of WSU can communicate clearly in writing. WSU students who are graded as "needs help" on the writing portfolio examination must retake the exam after completing a prescribed amount of tutoring or remedial help. Students who demonstrate exceptional writing competency on the exam have their transcripts modified so that it notes they are exceptional writers, rated in the top ten percent of all students. Through 1995 a total of 2,360 students had completed the Portfolio exam. In two and one half years, students have submitted papers from 616 different courses taught by 880 different teachers. All signs, including performance results and faculty reaction, indicate that this innovative assessment procedure is working as intended. We are conducting research comparing the results of this portfolio examination with students' writing placement examination, as a way to assess growth and development of writing skills. A review of the first several years of the writing portfolio found the following:
- Students are complying well with the new requirement, and only a small number (less than five) have had graduation delayed because of it.
- For their portfolios, students are submitting papers from nearly every department on campus, demonstrating the strong presence of extended writing assignments across the curriculum.
- The performance rate for the first two and one half years of the examination is: 11% pass with distinction; 79% pass, and 10% needs work.
- The group most at risk with the examination is ESL transfer students, whose "needs work" rate is 36%, twice the rate of non-transfer ESL students.
- In two and one half years, students have submitted papers from 616 different courses taught by 880 different teachers.
- Continuing work on analyzing the validity and reliability of the examination and on improving the writing protocols and the training of readers of the exams revealed few problems.
- In a small telephone survey of students who had taken the portfolio exam, the findings indicated that students believed the exam was fair, no matter how disgruntled they are with the requirements or with their performance on the exam.
End-of-program assessment: In Fall of 1990 the University established a policy governing the establishment and maintenance of a system for regularly assessing the quality of students graduating from every WSU undergraduate degree program. At least once a year, starting in the 1991-92 academic year, each program was expected to apply its end-of-program assessment plan to the students expected to receive an undergraduate degree within a year's time. During Spring of 1991 all 61 academic departments developed their plans and submitted them. Departments were encouraged to identify what they saw as their educational objectives, and what they viewed as the nature of "quality" in a student graduating from their program. The assessment office developed a Guide for End-of-Program Assessment that assisted departments in designing their plans. Some departments selected standardized tests, others elected to use capstone courses, internships, interviews, surveys, and other means of assessing their graduates. All academic departments at WSU submitted end-of-program assessment plans and these plans were reviewed and summarized in a brief report. Most departments have implemented their plans, but not all are submitting reports on the results. Some colleges, for example the College of Business and Economics, the College of Pharmacy, the Intercollegiate Center for Nursing Education, require all of their graduates to participate in end-of-program assessment. Other departments are assessing only samples of students, because of the large numbers and associated costs. There is considerable variety as well in how the results of these assessments are being used. We are continuing to work with departments to assist them in implementing their plans, and to identify ways of making assessment results useful for curricular planning. All departments are being encouraged to design plans that will provide useful data for deciding on curricular improvements. We are also working with some departments that need more help in designing and implementing their end-of-program assessment plans. Additionally, members of the Assessment Review Committee at WSU have attended meetings with each of the college deans and department chairs to emphasize the importance of end-of-program assessment, and to request their cooperation in ensuring that end-of-program plans were being implemented. Each year more degree-granting units are implementing and improving their end-of-program assessment plans.
Former Student Survey: Each year the office of Student Affairs Research collects information from those students who disenroll from the University and who participate in the exit interview process. During the exit interview at the offices of Student Affairs, Financial Aid, Student Loans, and Admissions, students are administered the "Students Leaving WSU" (SLWSU) survey. The purpose for the survey is to identify reasons for leaving WSU, and satisfaction or dissatisfaction with various University services. Each year a report of the results of the survey is published and disseminated throughout the University. In a recent year, of 458 students who participated in the exit interview, 154 completed SLWSU surveys. The results of the survey suggest that female and male students have different reasons for leaving WSU. Female students were significantly more likely to indicate they were leaving due to a family, personal, or medical reason. Male students on the other hand were more likely to indicate work opportunities as the main reason for leaving WSU. For the most part, respondents indicated they were leaving WSU for reasons beyond the control of the University. The most frequent reasons that students reported for leaving WSU were that they ran out of money, for personal reasons, or that they were dissatisfied with their academic performance. The overall pattern of reasons that students leave the University has not changed greatly in the last six years. In general, exiting students were satisfied with their experience at WSU, and were leaving for reasons not related to dissatisfaction with WSU.
Annual alumni survey: Each year since 1989 WSU has conducted an annual survey of its most recent graduating class during the first year after graduation. The purpose of this survey is to obtain graduates' opinions about their educational experiences while at WSU, and to assess their employment opportunities and starting salaries after graduation. The survey also includes fourteen questions about the quality of their educational experience. These fourteen items are common to the alumni surveys of all four year institutions in the state and are reported to the HECB for inclusion in the statewide indicators report. A major early finding of the alumni survey has been dissatisfaction with WSU's advising system. Graduates felt that the advising system was not helpful to them during their undergraduate career. As a result of this finding, WSU allocated additional resources to the Student Advising and Learning Center to develop ways of improving the usefulness of the advising process to students. The following changes have been made in WSU's advising process: (1) the number of peer advisors has been increased, some peer advising is now done in the residence halls; (2) an advising system for special admits which involves five separate advising meetings during a semester has been pilot tested; (3) an advisor's handbook has been created which contains information on the course sequences and requirements for each academic program of study; (4) an individualized interactive computerized advising system has been established; and a taskforce of faculty was formed to review and recommend changes in WSU's advising system. Another repeated finding in the alumni survey was dissatisfaction with opportunities for exposure to cultural and artistic forms. The Office of Residence Life and Housing allocated resources to make changes to improve students access to cultural and artistic programming. During the 1991-1992 school year, a series of art programs was created and presented in residence halls and Greek chapter houses. Other cultural and art programs were also established in order to provide students with greater opportunities for these programs. Graduates who responded to the surveys were found to be fairly representative of all graduates of these years. Almost 75% were employed full-time, and another 13% were enrolled in a graduate or professional degree program. Of those who were employed, over 53% reported they were employed in a job appropriate to their degree from WSU. The results identified several areas that graduates were most satisfied with, including development of writing skills, ability to learn independently, and development of problem solving skills. The results also identified several areas with which graduates were less satisfied, including application of quantitative principles, effective speaking skills, and understanding scientific principles.
Departmental employer contacts: Many academic departments at WSU regularly rely on employer contacts for information about aspects of their curricula, as well as for assistance in identifying internship opportunities for their students. Over the past six years, WSU departments have been asked to provide information on the extent of their contacts with employers. Several departments reported making significant adjustments to their curricula in response to employer input including the following: (1) The Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture modified its curriculum to include a business emphasis, largely in response to horticulture industry concerns that students needed more business training. (2) The College of Education developed a summer-only Masters in Education program in school counseling after input was received from school superintendents and principals that such a need existed. (3) The department of Agricultural Engineering changed its curriculum to include more emphasis on the impact of societal concerns on engineering design, as well as more emphasis on development of written and oral communication skills, based on results of a mail survey of the food processing industry. (4) The department of Mathematics expanded some areas of its curriculum, including combinatorics, actuarial sciences, and statistics, as a result of employer desires for better trained students in these areas.
Employer survey: We have not conducted a survey employers since 1988, primarily because of employer resistance to such surveys. The 1988 survey was of employers selected from within the state to assess employer perceptions about the quality of WSU graduates. The results of this survey, showing dissatisfaction with the writing skills of graduates, led in part to the development of WSU's writing across the curriculum program.
HECB program review: These mandated reviews provide information about the effectiveness of academic programs in relation to measures of their quality, cost, productivity, and other aspects. During the past six years, WSU did not conduct reviews of established programs because the HECB guidelines were being rewritten.
Accreditation reviews: Approximately 25 academic programs at the University are subject to specialized accreditation by various agencies at various intervals. Many of these accreditations are required for licensure of graduates of these programs. Many of these accrediting agencies now routinely request information to document assessment of student outcomes. WSU, as an institution of higher education is reviewed and accredited by the following agencies:
Most recently the University was accredited in 1990 by the Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools and colleges. During Spring of 1995 the University underwent a fifth-year review by the Commission on Colleges of the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges. In response to concerns raised in the 1990 accreditation, WSU prepared a written report which described actions taken by WSU regarding the general recommendations made in 1990 by the evaluation committee and which also described significant institutional developments and changes at the University since 1990.
Collaborative Activities: There are several assessment activities in which WSU collaborates with the other four-year institutions and the community and technical colleges in the state. These collaborative activities include the following:
A. Statewide task force: WSU participates in a statewide task force on assessment, consisting of institutional representatives from each of the public four year institutions of higher education in the state, the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, the HECB staff, and the Council of Presidents. The task force meets periodically to share information about assessment activities.
B. Annual colloquy: The six four-year institutions in the state convene an annual colloquy on a topic about assessment issues, at which faculty and assessment staff meet to share information and discuss topics.
C. Annual conference: WSU participates in an annual conference on statewide assessment activities, which is held in mid-May each year. The goal of this conference is to encourage institutions to share information about assessment activities and new ideas in improving undergraduate instruction
D. WAGs newsletter: WSU contributes to an occasional newsletter on assessment activities being undertaken at the public institutions of higher education throughout the state. WAG stands for Washington Assessment Group which refers to two groups that meet independently on assessment concerns and occasionally collaborate on joint assessment projects. One group consists of the assessment coordinators from the four year institutions, representatives from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, HECB staff, and a representative from the Council of Presidents. The second group consists of assessment representatives from each of the 32 community colleges in the state.
