Department Self-Assessment Process

(Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education)

The University of Texas at El Paso Division of Student Affairs utilizes The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) self-assessment process

The CAS initiative focuses on programs and services in support of student learning and personal development with increased attention to educational functions essential to institutional effectiveness.

The CAS Standards and Guidelines were established for institutions of higher education, their student support programs and services to use for program and staff development, and for program self assessment purposes. The standards are tailor made for all departments traditionally housed in Student Affairs. The program promotes implementation, review and evaluation in the following elements:

Elements:

• Mission
• Program
• Leadership
• Organization and Management
• Human Resources
• Financial Resources
• Facilities, Technology and Equipment
• Legal Responsibilities
• Equal Opportunity, Access and Affirmative Action
• Campus and Community Relations
• Diversity
• Ethics
• Assessment and Evaluation

The CAS Standards and Guidelines were developed to provide fundamental principles in the human development group dynamics student learning, management and higher education administration that assesses the performance of student affairs administrators, student development educators and student support service providers. The purposes of participation in this program are:

• The beliefs about the excellence require that all programs and services in institution of higher education function at optimum levels

• The beliefs about collaboration require that learning be accomplished in concert by students and educators

• The beliefs about ethic require that all program and services be carried out in a environment of integrity and high ideas

• The beliefs about student development require that the student be considered as a whole person in the context of a diverse population and diversity of institution, that the outcome so of education be comprehensive, and that the total environment be structured to create opportunities for student involvement and learning

• The beliefs about responsibility require that the institution recognize the right and responsibilities of students as its citizens and that it provide an array of resources and learning opportunities that enable students to exercise their responsibility to take full advantage of them.

The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs (VPSA) organized, maintained, developed procedures, and managed the CAS materials submitted by the Division of Student Affairs’ departments. The following is a summary of procedures and documentation used to manage and administer the CAS initiative.

Step 1:       Department Directors were trained on CAS Procedures and a timeframe was established as to when the various elements were due from the departments to the Office of Vice President for Student Affairs in order to expedite review and assessment.

Step 2:       Departments completed a self-assessment form dealing with the specific element, based on the degree of written documentation compiled from department records. The self-assessment form and supporting documentation were then forwarded to the office of the VPSA for review and assessment.

Step 3:       The documentation was assigned to a “Review Team” consisting of 4 Administrative/Professional Division of Student Affairs Staff members. The team evaluated and assessed the documentation according to specific information outlined in the CAS guidelines. A quorum of 3 team members is required to render an evaluation and team assessment. The team assessments were then returned to the VPSA Office.

Step 4:       The Team Assessment along with the Departmental Self Assessment was given to the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs for compliance score determination.

Step 5:       A copy of the compliance score determination form, along with the team and self assessment are returned to the department’s director for their review. A copy is also sent to the Vice President within the line of authority.

Step 6:       The Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs has compiled “Master Files” of documentation submitted by each department for each element. Also, the master files contain compliance scores, team assessments and self assessments on each element submitted.

Step 7:       The final step is to identify and set priorities for the future direction, by preparing a “Plan of Action”. The self assessment and team review process establishes and acknowledges the program’s strengths as well as its shortcomings as it focuses on correcting deficiencies and highlighting good performance. The Plan of Action process enables comparing past performance with desired outcomes.