August 23, 2006

3:00 p.m.
Livingston Lord Library 120D

Present: Jean Sando, chair; Ellen Brisch, Tim Decker, Ellen Hill, Rajiv Kalra,
Margaret Sankey, Brian Smith, Stacy Voeller

Sando circulated a copy of the June 2, 2006 Chronicle of Higher Education noting that Charles Miller, chair of the federal commission on higher education and co-author of the issue paper entitled Accountability/Assessment was featured on the front page.

Discussion opened on College LiveText, a software product being considered by both the School of Teaching and Learning and the School of Business to assist in gathering student assessment information for use in their respective accreditation visits. The possibility of MSUM’s Information Technology department creating a software program was also discussed.

Members attending the AAC&U summer meeting shared items they found most beneficial:

• Discussion/information on learning styles;
• Necessity of communicating assessment feedback to the campus;
• Necessity of pointing out where specific learning outcomes are being taught;
• Numbers/data is fine, but we need to explain in an understandable manner and communicate the information to the campus and stakeholders;
• Need to promote MSUM in a positive way to both the campus and stakeholders.

Sando encouraged the committee to become familiar with each of the Dragon Core Competency Areas, to understand and be able to explain the connection between the Foundation Four and the Inner Cluster, as well as the distinctions between the Inner, Middle and Outer Clusters. Members were asked to share with the committee any particular questions/comments they receive from colleagues regarding the Dragon Core. It was announced that training sessions on Dragon Core Advising will be held early this fall.

Assessment planning for the Critical and Multicultural Thinking courses was discussed. Sando noted that questions are being raised regarding the testing methods and when the test(s) should be administered. Some of the faculty teaching C&MT courses this fall want to wait until spring semester to assess students. Hill stated mathematics faculty have agreed to use common questions in the MATH 102 sections. She added that if the committee insists on portfolio assessment for MATH 102 the faculty will do it.

Discussion ensued on how to assess freshmen in the Foundation Four courses when a number of the courses, in particular ECON 100, have a high number of non-freshmen enrolled. Extra credit is to be used as the incentive to complete the test. Test cost is $7.00 each. Since all students should be given the opportunity to receive extra credit it was agreed to test all students, but to break the data between non-freshmen and freshmen. The necessity of allowing dual designation (both Dragon Core and Liberal Studies), for existing courses was reviewed.

The Foundation Four Assessment Planning document was reviewed and it was agreed to share the document with the campus community.

Sando distributed and reviewed Fall 2006 Enrollment Trends with the committee.

Next meeting: Wednesday, August 30, 2006, at 8:00 a.m. in LI 120D. Members were asked to bring their Spring 2007 schedules.

The meeting adjourned at 4:10 p.m.

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