Assessment FAQs

General Questions

How can I get assistance with assessment?

How do I know what kinds of assessment are appropriate for my team?

  • The Division of Student Affairs is a large division with units serving students in different ways. For instance, some units partner with academic affairs to guide student learning and development, whereas other units make sure that students are housed, fed, and healthy. Different purposes require different kinds of assessment. Please see this chart for more information on the types of assessment that your unit might be involved with.

Locating Templates and Reports

Where can I find the Annual Assessment Plan Template?

  • Click here for copies of the Assessment Plan and the Reflection templates.
  • Click here for a guided walk-through on how to find and fill out the Annual Assessment Plan
  • Click here for a guided walk-through on how to find and fill out the Annual Assessment Reflection

Where can I find my previous assessment work?

  • Go to the Student Affairs Assessment Group in Teams.
  • Go to Unit-Level Assessment
  • Select “Files” from the top bar
  • Select your Unit’s folder
  • Select the sub-folder for the year that you want to review. Any prior documentation from the previously used web for and/or Weave should be in this folder. Note: attachments/artifacts that were submitted in Weave remain in Weave and are not reproduced here.

Submitting the Annual Plan

Can I continue the assessment work that was started in the previous assessment reports?

If it is still relevant to the work you are doing and the information you want to know, feel free to conduct the same assessment across multiple years. However, if an activity, service, program or event is consistently performing at high levels, then you might want to assess this every few years and begin assessing something new this year.

Where can I submit my Annual Assessment Plan when completed?

Either email Kelly Ball or upload it in Teams:

  • Go to the Student Affairs Assessment Group in Teams.
  • Go to the “Unit-Level Assessment” channel
  • Select “Files” from the top bar
  • Go to your unit’s folder
  • Upload the template into the appropriate year’s sub-folder

What will happen after I submit my Annual Assessment Plan (September 30)?

The Assessment Committee will review the annual plan and provide any suggestions for revision to the Assessment Coordinator.

Can I make changes to the Annual Assessment Plan after it is submitted?

Yes, the Plan can be a living document and mid-course corrections are often necessary. The Annual Assessment Reflection (due July 31) is your “final” document where you share what you have learned, collect/archive any supporting evidence, and reflect upon how you will use what you have learned to grow and improve.

Alignment

How Does Student Affairs Assessment Work Connect to Other Assessment Work on Campus?

  • Student Affairs works closely with Academic Affairs to align co-curricular and curricular learning assessment efforts. See Assessment of Student Learning for additional resources on assessing student learning outcomes.

How do outcomes typically used in Student Affairs activities line up with the UW System Shared Learning Goals?

  • Please see this chart for a crosswalk linking UW System Shared Learning Goals with outcomes typically found in Student Affairs Divisions.

Additional References and Resources

What are some good reference books for assessment?

  • Bingham, R. P., D. A. Bureau, & A.G.Duncan (eds.) (2015). Leading assessment for student success. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
  • Henning, G.W. and D. Roberts. (2016). Student affairs assessment: Theory to practice. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
  • Kerr, K.G., K.E.Edwards, J. Tweedy, H.L. Lichterman, & A.R.Knerr. (2020). The curricular approach to student affairs: A revolutionary shift for learning beyond the classroom. Stylus Publishing, LLC.
  • Suskie, L. (2018). Assessing student learning: A common sense guide. 3rd ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Where can I find assessment resources at UWM?

  • Check out the Resources page for other UWM offices that have resources or can collaborate with you on your assessment project.