Recommendation 6 (Outcome assessment and data, primarily for student service areas)

In order to address this recommendation, in early 2018 the College’s Assessment Coordinator met with the Student Services Leadership Group (SDLG) to review and offer guidance in order to systematize student services outcome assessment. A number of issues were discussed at these meetings, including: reviewing the four-year cycle and timeline for assessment; reviewing the process to revise student service outcomes; explaining how to engage with the cycle of assessment-planning-reassessment, colloquially known as “opening and closing loops”; and the importance of dialog with colleagues about assessment findings. The Assessment Coordinator met with student development area leaders to assist them with revising outcomes and other elements of the process (R.6.1, R.6.2, R.6.3, R.6.4). SDLG members also attended meetings of the Assessment Committee to receive feedback from that group about their outcome assessments (R.6.5, R.6.6, R.6.7). Lastly Dr. Nathan Rexford, an external reviewer, delivered a final report entitled “College of the Redwoods Student Development Outcomes Notes” that offered additional guidance on outcomes assessment for each of the student service areas (R.6.8, R.6.9, R.6.10).

Student service areas have measurable outcomes and establish an assessment reporting plan to ensure that the outcomes are assessed in accordance with the College’s assessment cycle (R.6.11, R.6.12, R.6.13). The dialog about assessment results leads directly to area planning that is located in the program review document, along with an analysis and dialog about “program indicators”, which are also data-driven metrics. For example, the College’s Academic Support Center (ASC) assessed one of its outcomes, determined that a change was necessary, cited the assessment and discussed the plan in the program review report and evaluated the effectiveness of the plan in the subsequent program review report (R.6.14, R.6.15, R.6.16, R.6.17). The CalWORKS program offers another example of how student services assessment informs the creation of programmatic plans that are then evaluated for their effectiveness. In the same way as the ASC example, this process appears both in assessment reports as well as in the program review reports for the program (R.6.18, R.6.19, R.6.20).

In an effort to streamline and systematize this process even further, the Assessment Committee recommended changes to the program review reporting template for student services areas by including outcome assessment among the list of program indicators, directing student services groups to document assessment results and dialogue, and to develop action plans out of that effort. These recommendations will be implemented in fall 2021 (R.6.21).

Analysis and Evaluation:

Upon receiving this recommendation, the College promoted efforts to connect the Assessment Coordinator with student services personnel for the purpose of creating data-oriented outcomes that could be assessed meaningfully on a regular cycle. As a part of that effort, the College enlisted the services of an outside expert to review the student service areas’ outcomes for efficacy. As a result of those efforts, student service areas plan to assess outcomes consistent with the College’s assessment cycle and to document the dialog and planning in the respective area’s program review report. Because of the change in the student service program review report in fall 2021, the structured timeline for outcome reporting in student service areas will be embedded in the program review process.

Evidence Sources Below