CAS on a Shoestring

1. CAS on a Shoestring Paul Putman Coordinator, Student Leadership Programs Jason Bergeron Practicum Intern, Student Leadership Programs

2. Introduction • Why complete the assessment process? • Survival • Quality • Affordability • Strategic Planning • Political • Accreditation

3. CAS at Cleveland State • Mandated by VP of Student and Minority Affairs • Some staff reluctance to complete process • Fear of low ratings • Too much work • Unclear with the CAS process • Seen as “obstacle” rather than “learning experience”

4. Learning about CAS • Reading of standards…multiple times • CAS Consultant workshop at CSU • Arrived with specific questions about the standards • Connections with other professionals who had completed the CAS process • Realizations of differences in processes • Conversations with Univ. of Wisconsin - Stout

5. CAS Composition • 13 Parts • Including mission, programs, human resources, ethics, etc. • Programs constitutes the largest time commitment of the assessment process • Many parts can consume little or no time • Mostly written in relevant language that can be easily understood

6. Organizing the Assessment Committee • Approach A – Staff Self-Assessment • Easier to organize, schedule meetings • Knowledge present speeds up process • Outside participant to review self-assessment and other feedback • Approach B – Review Committee (Our Choice) • Faculty, staff, & students • Chair from outside office/department • Graduate intern from other institution as chair

7. Organizing the Assessment Committee • Approach B – Review Committee • Faculty, staff, & students • Chair from outside office/department • Invite from high administrative level • Have schedule/timeline mapped out • Program/staff involvement

8. Gathering Relevant Documentation • 3-ring binder for self-assessment document • Position descriptions, résumés/vitaes for all staff • Annual reports • Program summaries • Assessment data/reports • Promotional materials • Qualitative information

9. Gathering Relevant Documentation • Mission statements • University, divisional, department, program, vision, short & long term goals • Consider how far to dig • How much should be provided v. self-research for committee • Everything needs to be documented

10. Facilitating the Assessment Discussion • JB spends ~ 10 minutes according to outline…

11. Closing the Assessment Process • Final reporting still in progress • Final reports typed directly into the CAS Self-Assessment • Will be sent back to committee for feedback • Will be used as a guide for other departmental assessments

12. CAS on a Budget • Individual self-assessment guides (RTF) $20 • CAS 2003 Book of Professional Standards $45 • 2004 CD version of self-assessment guides $150 • CAS 2003 Book of Professional Standards & 2004 CD Package $175 • Order online at CAS.edu

13. CAS on a Budget • Additional Budget Items • photocopies, notebooks • Staff time • Snacks or meals (water at minimum) • Thanks • To “do it up” • Honorariums • Travel • Lodging

14. Questions? Thanks for your participation! Jason Bergeron Paul Putman – p.putman@csuohio.edu