Student Development Assessment Committee

1. Student Development Assessment Committee Assessment Project Update September 18, 2008

2. Nazareth College Division of Student Development Mission Statement (1/17/08) Consistent with the mission of the college, the Division of Student Development enriches students’ collegiate experience and serves the campus community through the active involvement of students, staff, and faculty in the services, programs and experiences which it provides. The Division of Student Development assumes as its special responsibility providing co-curricular opportunities for learning outside of the classroom that support the development of students intellectually, physically, personally, spiritually, socially and professionally. We facilitate the development of students’ intellectual curiosity; emotional and physical health; autonomous independent thinking and openness to diversity and points of view. Further we prepare students to be engaged citizens, who are spiritually reflective, career aware and willing to accept personal responsibility for their actions. Attention to the overall development of students is the hallmark of the Nazareth College Division of Student Development. TheDivision of Student Development demonstrates quality, excellence and innovation by: - Providing opportunities for student involvement, leadership, service, and civic engagement. - Creating respectful and supportive learning environments beyond the classroom. - Mentoring students regarding social relationships, conflict resolution strategies, and effective use of interpersonal communication skills. - Supporting students in the process of personal growth and development through counseling and emotional support. - Espousing a perspective that students are competent, capable adults who are able to make their own choices, to self-advocate, and to accept responsibility for their actions. - Teaching respect for all peoples, cultures, religions, and lifestyles. - Assisting students with their transition to college life, particularly focusing on success in the first year. - Encouraging the adoption of healthy life practices with attention to spiritual reflection and emotional and physical well-being. - Teaching and counseling students regarding career choice, civic engagement, and the transition to professional life. - Collaborating with faculty and staff for the benefit of all students and the campus community

3. Action Steps for Student Development Assessment Project Phase I Goals (2007-2008) Develop an initial baseline of data. We would look at these data asking the following questions: - Can we find any correlation or patterns between certain participation clusters and answers regarding interpersonal skill and problem-solving development? - Can we find any correlations or patterns between length of time at Nazareth and answers regarding interpersonal skill and problem-solving development? Timeline/Action Steps

4. Survey Demographics Total Number of Respondents: 197

5. Working with the Data Weighted Involvement • Purpose: Summarize the first 10 questions of the survey (activities) into qualitative levels of involvement: • Active • Moderate • Passive • Weighted individual questions based on estimated time commitments: • Active- high time commitment occurring daily • Example: Work Study, Athletic Team • Weighted x 3 (questions 2-4, 8) • Moderate- weekly to monthly involvement • Example: Member of a Club, Community Service • Weighted x 2 (questions 1 & 5) • Passive- one time events or ones that do not require active participation • Example: Attending mixers, Exercise Classes • Weighted x1 (questions 6, 7 & 9)

6. Process Answers were multiplied by the individual question weights and summed together ~ Individuals grouped in categories

7. Analysis of Data • Breakdown of results based on demographics: • Age • Gender • Commuter v. Residential • Time at Nazareth College • Major • General trends within demographic groupings: • Level of activity • Communication skills • Problem solving skills • Correlate level of activity with: • Communication skills • Problem solving skills • Demonstrate skill development from Freshman year – Senior year

8. Where To Go From Here • Correlate level of activity with: • Communication skills • Problem solving skills • General trends within demographic groupings: • Level of activity • Communication skills • Problem solving skills • Seeking skill development from Freshman year – Senior year

9. Initial Results from Data Analysis

10. Qualitative Responses List below the activities/programs/services in which you have been involved that have contributed most significantly to your growth as a person and why? Res Life - my participation in floor programs and area programs ~ RA interacting with others listening problem solving openness ~ FYE has helped me tremendously with transition to college ~ Being a peer mentor because it has allows me to meet people and to deal with various issues Community Service/Partners - Service floor, partners for learning, Homework help with hillside ~ March of remembrance and hope work in a team to express self. ~ Partners for serving I have learned how to be more open with my thoughts and take initative ~ Relay for life Take back the night ~ services opportunities with urban plunge clairvaux farm because I looked at diversity and misfortune outside of myself and outside of the closed naz bubble Center For Spirituality - Center for spirituality furthers my leadership abilities spiritual development interreligious involvement community development Athletics - athletic team helped me develop my relationship with team and gave me better group work skills work study helped me to get to know more people around campus and helps me to better communicate ~ athletics being on two different sports teams has taught me time management skill and creating and fulfilling goals and becoming more interpersonal and solving problems by collaborating with a group. Clubs/Organizations - apply my leadership and decision making skills in a group/community environment ~ become a better leader and organizer ~ opportunity to become a part of the college and also exposed me to other students on campus understand different cultures beliefs and ideas ~ learn how to work more with others to accomplish a large goal Social Events/Trips/Orientation - develop relationships with other members of my class in a non-academic setting. ~ great way for students to meet new people. ~leaned about myself and improved my personality Music/Theatre Ensembles - more comfortable with my performance abilities ~ develop clear vocabulary and speaking skills Work Study/Student Employment - keep me disciplined and efficient with my time ~ taught leadership and work experience. ~ taught my to handle new situations and help me to think on my toes. ~helped me to be more sociable and friendly. ~ take responsibility for yourself helped me to be more confident when talking to people I don’t know and authority figures Academic - having to be on my own made me have to grow up and be independent ~ internship taught me how to better interact with people taught confidence and self reliance ~ learned to appreciate ideas from all over the world *All responses have been recorded as written. No corrections have been made to the grammar (syntax, spelling, semantics, etc.) of the residents’ responses.

11. Qualitative Responses What new programs/activities/services would you like to see at Nazareth and why? Trips/Shuttles/Off campus activities - more trips and travel opportunities ~ More interaction with surrounding colleges. more off campus events with provided transportation. ~ more trips to Rochester area events and attractions to learn about what Rochester has to offer Clubs/On-campus activities - Another game room ~ More themed weeks and activities, more campus wide activities, more mixers to interact with more people. ~ better communication between all departments offices clubs so that students can find information easier. Perhaps an online communication took that relates e mail new direction important dates. Community Service - more community service activities and emails so students are aware of the service events. ~ a group that connects back with community through senior citizens Intramurals/Club Teams/Athletics - More Nazareth spirit activities ~ Better intramurals that would allow me to participate in group sports ~ Update and expand Shultz canter fitness canter ~ Cheerleading ~ Club teams Diversity - programs that target the diversity at Nazareth ~ more diversity programs and clubs and activities because it is one thing to say we have diversity and another to accept welcome and let it grow General/Misc. - Better food ~ include a short description of a certain club when sending out e mails ~ food tasting of upcoming dishes in the DH allow people to give an opinion. Academic - mentoring program to freshman from the upper level grades ~ Unify FYE program ~ connects the students to faculty, staff, deans, and the president ~ more study abroad opportunities *All responses have been recorded as written. No corrections have been made to the grammar (syntax, spelling, semantics, etc.) of the residents’ responses.

12. Next Steps Pursuant to Strategic Plan Goals… Goal 4: Define and strengthen the College’s commitment to civic engagement, an essential ingredient of an education that prepares students for their civic responsibilities at the local and global levels. Goal 5: Enhance and enrich the quality of student life on campus in order to realize our core commitment to student success Goal 7: Develop a culture of strategic planning and assessment

13. “Students who are involved in educationally productive activities in college are developing habits of the mind and heart that enlarge their capacity for continuous learning and personal development.” (Shulman 2002)

14. Phase II - Review current results to inform work in next stage of our project. - Develop a targeted assessment process to look at student involvement and student engagement. - Use triangulation to fold in other related and useful data. - Pursue our remaining questions on involvement and development of communication and problem- solving skills (Phase III).

15. Thank You for Providing Us with this Time Questions? Comments?