Assessment for Middle States Association – Universidad Interamericana de Puerto Rico

Inter American University of Puerto Rico
Ponce Campus

Rationale

1.0 Introduction

The Inter American University – Ponce Campus (IAUPC) has been involved in ongoing outcome assessment since the last MSA Self-Study Report. Institutional Effectiveness and Outcomes are focused on the extent to which the IAUPC achieves its Mission and Goals. Using these goals, the Office of Planning, Evaluation and Development (OPED) developed a Master Assessment Plan that emphasizes the collection of data related to the accomplishment of the campus mission. Most importantly, it relies on faculty and administration commitment to pursue excellence in the teaching-learning process.

1.1 Mission and Goals

The mission of the Ponce Campus is to prepare direct-service professionals in the areas of education, health and management, and in technical areas for business, industry and commerce. Students are prepared to become contributing members of the society through the acquisition of technological as well as humanistic knowledge and skills. IAUPC diverse academic offerings respond to the needs of the community and the interest of its students, with particular attention to the needs of adults, handicapped and those with special skills. This Mission comprises the following goals:

Goal #1: To offer academic programs that responds to the needs of the society in accordance with the different levels of performance and with the particular characteristics of both traditional and adult students.

Goal #2: To promote an integrated education directed toward the efficient utilization of technology, the mastery in the areas of concentration, and the appreciation of nature and human creativity, promoting the formation of the person as a whole.

Goal #3: To strengthen the teaching-learning process to achieve optimum student growth.

Goal #4: To stimulate the professional development of the faculty, according to their interests and needs, and according to IAUPC’s mission.

Goal #5: To provide co-curricular activities which enrich and complement students’ academic growth.

Goal #6: To offer high quality services responding to the needs of the different groups of the student population.

Goal #7: To promote an effective administration, including a healthy financial status, in away better services can be offered.

Goal #8: To reach a higher integration between the University and the community, to achieve IAUPC’s service objectives.

2.0 Phases of Assessment

The IAUPC sees assessment as an on-going process. As needs change and programs are modified, assessment techniques require commensurate modification and development. The IAUPC-MAP was designed in four phases: design, implementation, data collection and evaluation.

The design phase includes the identification of the principal outcomes from each area and the preliminary performance indicator for each one.
Implementation phase is concerned with the development of instruments and the sequence of the process. The logistics of the plan are developed, including time frame schedules and by whom are going to be executed.
Data collection phase – Performance effectiveness is determined and measured through a variety of instruments or sources, including surveys, statistical reports, retention, graduation and transfer rates, state government reports, and satisfaction surveys among others. The System Central Office facilitates to UIAPC databases and Institutional Statistical Reports to be used for institutional analysis and comparability.
Evaluation phase is related with the calibration of the performance indicators to make proper adjustments if needed. Most of institutional decisions are tied to assessment results.

2.1 Definitions

This section presents the definitions of important and relevant terms.

Assessment– refers to the sistematic process of collecting evidence about the degree of achievement of the campus mission and goals.

Programs – refers to all academic offerings related to an associate or bachellor degree at the IAUPC. Programs complies three major components: the general education requirements, the major or specialization and elective courses.

Services– refers to all administrative or student activities provided to the campus community, including the students, the faculty and the administrative personnel. Includes the enrollment offices services, guidance, labs and others.

Students – refers to all undergraduates students admitted and enrolled at the IAUPC, according to institutional policies and regulations.

Outcomes– refers to the qualitative or quantitative expectations related with the objectives of a particular area, using validated instruments. The purpose of outcomes assessment is to measure the effectiveness of the overall performance of the IAUPC.

3.0 Master Assessment Plan Framework

3.1 Programs Level Assessment: This area comprises information about institutional goals 1 to 4. It includes all the undergraduates’ academic degrees and the General Education program (GEP). For this area, the OPED and the Office of the Dean of Academic Studies have been working together with the faculty on the development of academic outcome assessment plans for every academic program based on Nichols (1995) framework[1].
The IAUPC Master Assessment Plan (IAUPC-MAP) presents our particular design of assessment, which focuses on three general areas: programs, services and students, and its relation to the IAUPC mission and goals. (See Figure 1)

3.2 Services Level Assessment: This level comprises information about the services provided to the academic community related with goals 5 to 8. According to the Campus definition, services include all of the Campus support activities available for students, faculty, staff and the outside community. These include admission, registration, financial aid, counseling, the Information Access Center, Computer and Science Labs, Medical Services, etc.

3.3 Students Level Assessment: This level comprises information about students’ characteristics and needs. This comprises the development of profiles of first year students, distance learning students, general retention, and transfer and graduation rates, among others.

4.0 Techniqes for Data Collection

Various techniques are suggested in order to collect data of the program, services and student outcomes. Some of them are:

Graduation, retention and transfer rates- this statistics were used to explore trends related with students cohorts. The Office of Evaluation collect and publish this data.
State Boards and Certification Tests- some professionals, like teachers, nurses and radiologists, required a state or board licensing. Data about the passing rates are collected as an external evaluation of those programs. Changes and improvements to the programs are made when needed.
Student satisfaction inventory- every two years at the second semester, a student satisfation survey is conducted. The results are used to determine changes and improvements in the services areas if needed
Course evaluation- Every semester, students complete a course evaluation related with the faculty. An institutional instrument is used and reports are generated for every faculty member.
Distance Education Courses evaluation – same as the course evaluation, distance students evaluate their faculty and course. A report indicating findings is generated by the Office of Evaluation and Planning.
Alumni Survey – every year, the Office of Evaluation and Planning conducted an alumni survey. The results are used to determine satisfaction with services, faculty and future interest (if they are working or are in a graduate school or interested in graduate degree).
Employers survey – this survey collected information about our graduates and is related with their profession and curriculum. The supervisor will complete this instrument and the results will be used to determine changes and improvements in the program, if needed.
Freshman Students Survey and College Student Survey from CIRP – using a translation of the FSS or CSS of the CIRP, the campus collects information about their freshman cohort or the general population. This data compares our students with the students of the mainland.
Distance Education Students Profile – using the institutional database, distance education students information is collected. Statistics about the characteristics of this population was generated.

5.0 Communication of Results

Within the campus, educational effectiveness is communicated to community members through the Academic Senate, the Student Council, student organizations and faculty and administrative meetings, among others. Beyond the immediate campus, the Campus’ Annual Report, that describes the years’ accomplishments and indicators of success informs educational effectiveness. The Chancellor’s Advisory Board that meets three times annually is also actively involved in Campus events and accomplishments. At the same time, it allows representatives of the Campus community to communicate their concerns and priorities from a community perspective. The Campus has developed and maintains a Web page that is available to all interested community members, and expands the Campus to a community without geographical boundaries.

PROGRAMS LEVEL ASSESSMENT
Goal	Objective	Means of Assessment	Source of Information	Assessment Results	Use of Results
Goal #1: To offer academic programs that responds to the needs of the society in accordance with the different levels of performance and with the particular characteristics of both traditional and adult students.	1a. Prepare students for professions related with the services to the society	1a. About 80% of the graduates will be working in areas related to the services, according to DOL definitions.	Alumnae Questionnnaire	1a. 83% of the graduates are working in areas related with the services industry. The other graduates are working in areas related with the education and allied sciences (Alumnae Comparative Study, 1994-98).	1a. Follow up studies
	2. Graduates will find employment in their area of study.	2a. 80% of the graduates will be employed, 50% in their area of study	Alumnae Questionnnaire	2a. 79% of the graduates are employed, 57% int their area of study (Alumnae Study, 1994-98)	2a. Follow up studies.
	3. Graduates will express higher levels of satisfaction with their educational experience.	3a. 70% of graduates will express higher levels of satisfaction with their educational experience	Alumnae Questionnnaire	3a. Most of the students (75%) expressed a high level of satisfaction with the education received at IAU-Ponce Campus. 97% oth them expected to continue their education at this Campus.	3a. Follow up studies. Explore graduate offerings in the Business, Education and Criminal Justice programs.
Goal #2: To promote an integrated education directed toward the efficient utilization of technology, the mastery in the areas of concentration, and the appreciation of nature and human creativity, promoting the formation of the person as a whole.	1. Graduates will have a domain of the technology and appreciation of the nature.	1a. A least, 75% of the graduates will have an average mastery of computer technology.	Alumnae Survey	1a. After two years of graduation, 70% of the graduates expressed to have at least an average mastery of the computer technology. 1b. Of them, 93% expressed to have regular, good or excellent knowledge of word processor, 70% or more have knowledge of internet browsers and e-mail.	1a. Follow up studies.
	2. Graduates will participate in activities related with the development of the human being.	2a. 70% or more of graduates will participate in activities related with the development of the human being.	Alumnae Survey	2a. More than 80% frecuently or occassionaly attend to religious services and cultural activities, 70% or more participated in recycling activities (Alumnae Survey)	2a. Follow up studies.
Goal #3: To strengthen the teaching-learning process to achieve optimum student growth.	1. To develop and implement for each academic program its own assessment plan	1a. At the end of year 2002-03, 100% of the academic programs of the IAU-Ponce Campus will develop its own Assessment Plan	Programs Assessment Plans	1a. Except the General Education Program (GEP), all the programs developed a draft of their own assessment plan. 1b. The Teacher Education and Nursing Programs are in the implementation and data collection phases. The rest are in the desing phase.	1a. The Master Assessment Plan is in various levels of implementation. Information structured to collect and maintain uniform program data needs to be developed and implemented.
	2. Graduates will express high levels of satisfaction with the faculty.	2a. 90% of graduates will express high level of satisfaction with the faculty.	Alumnae Questionnaire	2a. 88% or more of the graduates, expressed higher level of satisfaction with the faculty and the teaching learning process.	2a. No action necessary. Continue to monitor.
	3. Students will pass licensing or certification tests at state level parameters	3a. Graduates of the Teacher Education Program performance at state level in certification tests.	Teacher Report Card	3a. In 1999-2000, the graduates of the Teacher Education Program showed 63% of passing rates at the Teacher Certification Test (Teacher Report Card, 1999-2000. 3b. In 2000-2001, the results improved to 74%. Both years the state passing rates were in the 85% level.	3a. In order to improve this results, the faculty of the Education Department developed and implemented a strategic plan.
	4. Strenghtening the Distance Education program	4a. Develop a distance learning student profile. 4b. To increase enrollment at least 25% of students from the previous semester.	Distance Learning Student Profile. Enrollment data	4a. 95% of all students taking distance education courses were also taking regular courses at the institution (Distance Student Profile) 4b. Enrollment of Distance Education Students were: · 335 in 2001-10 · 673 in 2002-10 · 895 in 2003-10	4a. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor. 4b. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor.
Goal #4: To stimulate the professional development of the faculty, according to their interests and needs, and according to IAUPC’s mission.	1. To develop and implemment a faculty development plan according to faculty and institutional needs and interests	1a. Number of developmental activities performed and % of budget used in the areas of teaching strategies, discipline actualization, recommendations as a result of faculty evaluation and other activities.	Annual Reports	1a. Annual reports evidences more than $25,000 are used in faculty development, including seminars, conferences and workshops, travels among other.	1a. Follow-up studies
	2. Increase % of faculty with doctoral degrees.	2a. 30% of the faculty completed doctoral degrees according to the Strategic Plan Guidelines	Annual Reports Statistical Reports	2a. At 2001-2002 year, 24% of full time faculty holds doctoral degrees	2a. Follow-up studies
	3. Faculty will be evaluated as established by the Faculty Manual	3a. Faculty evaluation from Students will be above 3.5 in a scale of 4.00 in the class development section and 4.60 of 5.00 in the classroom administrative processes section.	Faculty Evaluation from Students	3a. Faculty evaluations from the students showed an average of 3.57 in a 4.00 scale in the class development section and 4.64 in the administrative processes section for both, full an part time faculty	3a. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor

SERVICES LEVEL ASSESSMENT
Goal	Objective	Means of Assessment	Source of Information	Assessment Results	Use of Results
Goal #5: To provide co-curricular activities which enrich and complement students’ academic growth.	To provide services related to the academic and non academic skills of the student population	1a. At least 80% of the freshman cohort will complete the following instruments: · Students needs Questionnaire · Freshman Student Survey (CIRP)	Students Needs Questionnaire Freshman CIRP	1a. Results revealed that the new students lack of decision making skills, communication and team work skills.	1a. Based on these results, seminars and workshops were offfered 1b. Basic Skills Courses sylabus were revised
§		2a. At least 300 students will participate in personal, professional and athletic development activities in and out of PR	Deanship of Students Annual Report	2a. More than 300 students participated in professional activities in PR. Among them are the Annual Conferences of the American Marketing Association, Human Resources Association, etc. 2b. In academic year 2001-2001, eight students participated in professional actvities out of PR: Five Participated in internships in HACU and three at the Ortega y Gasset in Spain. 2c. Athletes won five championships and two subchampionships	2a. Follow-up studies
Goal #6: To offer high quality services responding to the needs of the different groups of the student population.	1. To provide student population with services of the high quality.	1a. All the Enrollment Service Offices will obtain 70% or more level of satisfaction.	Campus Satisfaction Survey Study of Focal Groups	1a. The Admission, Registrar and Financial Aid Offices obtained 70% or more level of satisfaction. Bursars office obtained 67%. 1b. In general, there is an average level of satisfaction with the campus services and facilities. Seven 7 offices received above average (70% or more) satisfaction evaluations. The Bookstore and Cafeteria concessionaries received the lower satisfaction scores. 1c. Studies revealed insatisfaction with the parking availability facilities. (Study of Focal Groups developed by Success Technologies Corporation).	1a. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor. 1b. New providers for the Bookstore and Cafeteria concessionaries were selected. 1c. Parking facilities were improved
§	2. Provide access to technology resources to the student population.	2a. Students:computers ratio will be 25:1 or better	Annual Reports	2a. IAU-Ponce has 550 computers in campus, students:computers ratio is 8:1	2a. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor.
Goal #7: To promote an effective administration, including a healthy financial status, in a way better services can be offered.	1. Tthe campus will comply with financial institutional parameters	1a. The campus will comply with the following institutional parameters · 30 students per classroom · 65% of courses teached by full time faculty · 70% or less will be used for compensation · 5% or more of the budget in scholarships	Annual Work and Budget Plan Annual Reports	1a. The average is 32 students per classroom (2001-2002). 1b. 58% of the courses are taught by full time faculty (2001-2002). 1c. 58% of the Campus budget is used for compensation (2001-2002). 1d. 7.1% of the annual budget is used for scholarships (2001-2002).	1a. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor.
Goal #8: To reach a higher integration between the University and the community, to achieve IAUPC’s service objectives.	1. Provide programs and support to the external community	1a. Number of programs and students of the external community participating in special programs.	Annual reports Number of external resources proposals Number of participants	1a. The IAUPC has strong presence in the community through various community service programs like Upward Bound, Gear UP, HEP, CCAMPIS and Continuing education. 1b. Also, the UIAPC provides services to the external community through the Alcance Project in the Municipality of Coamo and the Cybernetic Studies Center located in Plaza del Caribe Mall. 1c. More than 900 secondary school students receive services form this programs.	1a. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor.

STUDENTS LEVEL ASSESSMENT
Goal	Objective	Means of Assessment and Criteria	Source of Information	Description of Data Collection and Assessment Results	Use of Results
Goal #2: To promote an integrated education directed toward the efficient utilization of technology, the mastery in the areas of concentration, and the appreciation of nature and human creativity, promoting the formation of the person as a whole.	1. To retain and graduate students according to parameters established for the campus	1a. Students will obtain the following retention rates : · 70% of all freshman cohort will return at the second year of studies · 50% of all sophomore students will return at the end of 3^rd year · 40% will return for the 4^th year · 35% or more students graduates in at least 6 years	Retention, Graduation and Transfer Rates Report	1a. Overall retention rates are between 65-68% between the first and second year, close to 50% at the third year and around 40% for the fourth year. 1b. Graduation rates in six years are 32% with 4 to 6 % remaining studying.	1a. Retention commitee is in the process of designing an action plan to address this situation.
§	2.To provide informaton about student population characteistics.	2a. Collect information about students in a cohort of Distance Education Students Characteristics	Distance Education Student Profile	The Distance Education Students profile showed that about 95% of these students are also enrolled in other courses in the Campus, 50% are in the junior and senior study year and in average they take more credits than on site students.	2a. No action neccesary. Continue to monitor.
§	§ 3. To provide freshman students assistance to address their lack of skills or special needs.	3a. All the students in the Basic Skill Courses will receive assistance	Basic Skill lab. Reports Students Needs Questionnaire	3a. Preliminary data reveals the students who participate in the basic skills lab receive better course grades. 3b. Students Needs Questionnaire identifies needs in the decision making, communication and work group skills to bring guidance and training as needed. Results revealed that recently admitted students lack problem solving, communication and team work skills.	3a. No action. Continue to monitor. 3b. Workshops were provided

Revised January 2003

Nichols J. (1995). A Practitioner’s Handbook for Institutional Effectiveness and Students Outcomes Assessment Implementation. New York: Agathon Press.