CASA Director

What is the program’s mission statement or statement of purpose? Why does the program exist?

Mission:  The Center for Academic Support and Assessment (CASA) is committed to providing excellent services to the University community to aid in student achievement. CASA offers academic support services, assesses student learning, guides students through the transition to college, and contributes to the University community's knowledge of its students and graduates.

CASA was created to bring together academic services for students and faculty, so Disability Services, the Student Success Center, Academic Advising, and the Office of Testing and Evaluation report to CASA; the Executive Director works closely with each Director on the various services and initiatives offered by each unit.  CASA is also responsible for the freshman seminar course, collaborates on issues/programs related to retention, and oversees the University-wide assessment efforts, including reporting of assessment data and responding to graduate and undergraduate assessment plans.  

Each of the above units have submitted reports on their work, so that information will not be repeated here; only work not reported by the units will be addressed here.

How does the program mission align with the university mission?

Because CASA provides academic services and offers services to meet individual student needs, it is uniquely suited to meet the University’s over-arching goal of integrating the academic and personal development of students.  CASA offers academic support services to Eastern students that contribute to educational accessibility, and many of these services take the form of one-on-one counseling for students about academic schedules, major/minor choices, graduation requirements, disability accommodations, study skills and time management, testing needs, and other issues affecting our students.  CASA administers the University Foundations course (UF), which aids new freshmen in making a successful transition from high school to college.  UF introduces students to campus resources, study skills, ways to become involved through a service learning project, and academic opportunities.  UF sponsors Academic Foundation Day in the fall and invites departments and programs to offer presentations to students concerning majors, minors, and career choices.  CASA also works with Housing on the Early Alert System to provide advice/support to students struggling in courses; faculty submit students names through PAWS and students are contacted for individual help.  CASA disburses the midterm letters each semester providing another pathway through which students can reach out for assistance.  Through CORE, the CASA sends out reminders to students about registering for classes and how to find their advisors.  Lists are given to departments at various points throughout the semester concerning students who are eligible but have not yet registered for the following semester.  The assessment data that are collected, analyzed, and disseminated also support our mission of providing a superior education because the data tell us if we have achieved our goals for student learning.  These initiatives also contribute to accessibility of services/education.

Whom does the program serve?

All graduate and undergraduate students may access our services as well as faculty and staff.  The Executive Director works with all graduate and undergraduate programs on their assessment plans and provides annual reports and individual feedback to each program.  Assessment data are collected, analyzed, and shared with departments and University councils related to student learning of the undergraduate learning goals.  CASA collects and disseminates these data:  papers collected for the Electronic Writing Portfolio, the critical thinking tests administered in Senior Seminars and freshman English courses, the rubric applied to presentations in CMN 1310G and senior seminars, and the global citizenship survey given at orientation and in the senior seminars.  The Executive Director also serves as co-chair of the retention committee, which is responsible for strategies to improve retention as well as sharing and analyzing that data.  CASA is the academic home for undecided students both native and transfer. 

What are the services provided? How do these services align with the university mission and program mission?

Information on the individual units have been submitted by those Directors.  In addition, CASA oversees the Electronic Writing Portfolio and other assessment efforts, so we work with faculty and students in assuring graduation requirements are met and submissions are rated.  Verification of students' meeting the graduation requirement is uploaded to Banner.  EWP readers are trained by the Executive Director who provides reports each semester to undergraduate departments of their students’ assessment data.  EIU 1111, University Foundations, is offered as an elective for all new freshmen each fall semester; it is required for Gateway students.  CASA hires and trains instructors and peer leaders for this course.  CASA oversees the Early Alert System and works with Housing to contact students submitted by their faculty.  Planning for enrollment of new students in relation to general education seats is also managed by CASA.   Assessment, retention, and the transition to college are factors in students being successful and persisting at the University.  Assessment also aids faculty in understanding how their students are learning and what to do to improve that learning through changes needed in the curriculum.

Describe the program’s origins (e.g. year established, purpose, expectations).

CASA came about in 1999 with some re-organization at the institution.  The units mentioned above had had a different reporting line prior to that time.  In 1999-2000, CASA was created to oversee assessment and to combine academic support services offered to students and faculty.  The current Executive Director was hired in Fall 2000 as the first Director of CASA; her title was changed 3 years ago when each of the units reporting to her had their assistant director titles changed to “Director” to better reflect the administrative work of each of those individuals.  Currently, CASA consists of the Executive Director, an office manager, and the assessment clerk.  At the time of creation, there was no central unit to oversee assessment or provide assistance to departments on creating assessment plans to monitor student learning.  CASA was also expected to provide assistance to students through academic services.  Since its inception, CASA has been given oversight of the University Foundations courses and retention.  The Executive Director is also part of the Noel-Levitz planning strategies and the E-Worx group that has been focused on enrollment issues the past two years. 

How has the unit changed or adapted over time?

CASA has taken on more responsibilities and devised new programs and strategies to help students succeed and persist at EIU in its 14 years of existence.  The current system for assessing student learning outcomes—collecting, administering, and sharing data—was established and adapted based on HLC  feedback during the last site team visit for re-accreditation.  Since its inception, CASA’s operating budget had been reduced from approximately $40,000 to $20,000 with the various budget cuts and monetary re-distribution to the units that report to CASA.  The Academic Advising Center budget has been especially tight over the years, and the Executive Director of CASA pays for travel and supplies as needed to aid that unit on a regular basis.

Since its inception, CASA has been given oversight of the University Foundations course and retention.  The Executive Director is also part of the Noel-Levitz planning strategies and the E-Worx group that has been focused on enrollment issues the past two years. 

CASA works with the other units on staffing and budget issues.  With the change in assessment, fees for the writing competency testing went away.  That budget had funded two full-time and one part-time position.  The part-time position in OTE was eliminated and appropriated funding sought to pay for two civil service positions in OTE.  Two A&P positions have been added to the Office of Disability Services to provide services to the growing number of students with disabilities:  the E-text conversionist and the learning disability specialist (see 129400 report).  When the assistant director of OTE resigned three years ago, that position was not filled.  Adjustments were made, and the assistant to the CASA director became the Director of OTE.  She kept her current duties and took on new responsibilities (see 129300 report).  With the Title III grant that funded the Student Success Center, a new 9-month A&P position was added along with 6 GA positions to staff the new center and provide new programs and services (see 129200 report).  This past year, one GA position was eliminated in order to fund the Assistant Director for 12 months.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program’s history and relevance to university mission.

Provide data, if available, on the numbers of students, faculty, staff, or others served by the program during the past four years. If no data are available, please estimate the numbers served annually.

This is difficult to estimate for assessment because faculty committees tend to work on departmental plans, so I can offer the numbers of reports replied to, but not individual faculty members who use the responses.  In June 2011, 100 graduate and undergraduate plans were submitted and responded to; in June 2012 92 plans were submitted, and in June 2013, 96 plans were submitted.  In AY11, CASA processed 6,947 EWP submissions; in AY12, there were 7,068 submissions, and in AY13, 6,031 were submitted.  The change in submissions reflects the changes in undergraduate enrollment; all undergraduate students must submit three papers to the EWP as a graduation requirement.  Although the EWP is fully electronic in terms of student submissions and faculty ratings, each submission must be checked individually by the assessment clerk to assure that the submission meets the criteria established by CASL and approved by CAA.  If submissions do not meet this criteria, students are contacted, the submission removed, and the process begins again. 

Although the number of students in the freshman class has declined each year, the percentage of the class enrolled in UF has increased with 41% in FA10, 43% in FA11, and 45% in FA12 for an average of 580 students enrolled in the course each fall.  The Early Alert System is in its third year, so only 2 years of data are available.  In AY12, 1,768 alerts were received; in AY13, 1,694 alerts were received.  Each alert represents at least 2 contacts for the student and one for the faculty member who initiated the alert.  More data are included on the annual report at http://www.eiu.edu/~casa/CASA%20Report%202013%20all.pdf. 

Does the program offer any co-curricular opportunities for students (e.g., internships, RSO support, service-learning activities)? Please describe.

Limited.  UF encourages students to become involved in RSOs and service activities sponsored by the University.  Juniors and seniors are hired to be peer leaders for UF.  We employ 2 GAs and occasionally have graduate interns from the CSA program.

Does the program contribute to the delivery of academic programs (e.g., providing professional expertise, serving as adjunct faculty)? Please describe.

The Executive Director teaches a section of UF each fall.  She serves as the assessment expert on campus and as such consults with departments as requested.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the internal demand for the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., curriculum changes made by another program) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Is the program accredited or approved by a recognized external agency or otherwise certified to meet established professional standards? Provide an executive summary of and link to the program’s most recent accreditation or certification report, if available.

No

Is the program required to meet any regulatory or legal requirements? Is the program subject to any special auditing requirements?

No special requirements other than adhering to Eastern’s IGPs and other policies and procedures established by the University and State of Illinois.

What are the most important outreach or public service activities supported by the program?

CASA is primarily a service department for the University’s students and faculty.  The outreach/public service is limited to the service learning project required in all UF courses.  In AY13, 552 students volunteered 2,107 hours in the local community through this course requirement.  Many of these hours are in conjunction with programs sponsored by the Student Volunteer Center.

How do the local community and the region benefit from the program?

Not applicable

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the external demand for the program.

What are the two or three more important measureable outcomes tracked to assess program quality? Does the program conduct an outcomes assessment, and if so, what has been the impact?

CASA does not have student learning objectives the way a program that offers majors and minors does.  Assessment is conducted in the University Foundations class through the course evaluation and retention data.  Students who elect to take UF or are required to enroll traditionally have lower gpas than their non-UF counterparts. The retention rates for students who take UF have traditionally been higher than their counterparts who do not take the course; however, this did not hold true for the 2011 cohort, which had a 80% UF retention rate compared to an 81% retention rate of those who did not take the course.  The retention rate of Gateway students was 72%. The percentage of students from ethnic minority groups rose 8% from the previous fall (44%), which was up 4% from the fall before that (2010).  Since minority students are not retained at the same levels as white students, the dip in retention for UF may be caused in part by the increase in minority students and those in the Gateway program. 

CORE conducts a registered students survey each fall and spring semester; CASA sends emails to students and departments and monitors registration through this list.  For example, in SP13 at the time of the first email reminder (2 weeks after juniors could register), 62% of juniors who could register had not; by the first day of classes that number was reduced to 25%.  These percentages are tracked each semester for certain cohorts.

Over the two years the Early Alert has been in place, we have learned that since it is a voluntary system, it is difficult to determine pre-EAS and post-EAS success.  However, we do look at the outcome for each student who receives an alert.  In FA11, 29% of students passed the courses for which they received an alert; 29% received a D or F, and 42% dropped or withdrew from that course.  In FA12, 30% received a A, B, or C; 32% received a D or F, and the remainder dropped, withdrew, or received no credit.  In SP12, 26% received an A, B, or C; 29% earned a D or F; and the others dropped, withdrew, or took an incomplete.  In SP13, 22% earned a passing grade; 31% received a D or F, and the rest dropped, withdrew or did not have grades posted.

CASA is in charge of collecting and disseminating assessment data related to the four undergraduate learning goals:  speak effectively, write effectively, think critically, and become responsible global citizens.  However, student achievement of these goals relate to the general education and major programs, not to CASA specifically since we collect data but do not teach the courses.

What are the two or three most effective best practices that the program has implemented? What benefits have been gained from implementing these best practices?

CASA adheres to best practices in assessment as defined by the Higher Learning Commission, which refers to the New Leadership Alliance’s “Committing to Quality:  Guidelines for Assessment and Accountability in Higher Education.”  The primary trait analysis feedback form that is used to measure program growth at EIU was established based on HLC recommendations for assessment.  Using this feedback form consistently across the years allows departments to see the levels of assessment maturity and to understand the feedback given by CASA each year.

CASA has also adopted the best practices as outlined by the Freshman Year Experience and Students in Transition Center for the University Foundations course.  This has given the course a strong foundation for our new students and bases our practice in research on orientation courses.  Noel-Levitz cited this course as a best practice in our retention report conducted by David Trites, who recommended that the course be changed from an elective to a requirement because of its success with students.

We also use best practices in retention through the work we do with CORE.  Our Early Alert System was based on similar systems suggested by the Education Advisory Board (EAB), for example.

What external recognitions (e.g., awards, accommodations, professional certifications, references in trade publications) have the program and its staff received in the past three years?

none

Is the program active with any regional, national, or international professional organizations?

The Executive Director is a member of the national assessment organization, The Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education (AALHE).  She is an active member of listservs devoted to assessment, common reading programs, first year experiences, and learning assistance.

Note any presentations, publications, or offices held in the last three years.

In June 2013, the Executive Director gave a presentation on Eastern’s assessment practices at the AALHE annual conference.  CASA creates and distributes 2-3 assessment newsletters and 2 retention newsletters each year; these newsletters are disseminated via campus mail to all employees and are available to external audiences through the Eastern web site.

If needed, provide supplemental comments or data sources to help the reader understand the quality of program outcomes.

Note any special benefits (e.g., personnel support, equipment, permanent improvements) that the program has received in the past three years from its grants and other sponsored programs.

none--no grants or sponsored programs

How does the program benefit from donor gifts (e.g., scholarships, endowed chairs)? Does donor support provide a significant percentage of the program’s overall funding?

None

List two or three key relationships that the program maintains with external constituencies (e.g., community colleges, other universities, government bodies). How do these relationships advance the university mission or otherwise benefit the university?

None

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the resources generated by the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., revenue pass-throughs) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

Provide an executive summary of and link to any metrics or benchmarks that the program tracks to measure productivity.

The Executive Director provides an annual report each June to the Provost.  Each report is on the CASA web site; the most recent one is here: http://www.eiu.edu/~casa/CASA%20Report%202013%20all.pdf.  

What initiatives has the program implemented to enhance staff productivity (e.g., access to training, workflow improvements)? Briefly describe the costs and benefits of these initiatives.

Each CASA staff member, has specific duties.  Civil Service staff are encouraged to take advantage of programs offered on campus.  Both have also taken courses while employed in CASA.  The Office Manager has graduated with her bachelor’s in English and the assessment clerk is working on her BGS degree.  Each maintains a handbook for their position as does the EAS GA.  Improvements to work flow are discussed individually with the Ex. Director as needed.  Most of these programs are free to Eastern employees.  Other changes require no funding, simply changing the way work is completed or addressed.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the productivity of the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., accreditation requirements, curricular changes, program restructuring) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the costs associated with the program. Note any clarifications or special circumstances (e.g., expenditures made centrally or externally, expenditures made on behalf of other units) that should be considered when reviewing the above data.

The Director of Testing and Evaluation's salary is listed under 129000 because her previous position was Assistant to the CASA Director.  She still provides computer/technology assistance to all units in CASA, but three years ago, she took on added responsibility as the Director of OTE when the current director left and that position was not replaced.  The majority of her work and initiatives have been described under the OTE budget account.  Three years ago, we added a 12-month GA position to aid in the technology duties of CASA.  A year and a half ago we added another GA position to work with students in the Early Alert program.

The student employees line shows a $500 stipend paid to peer leaders for helping teach the University Foundations course each fall.  Senior and junior EIU students are paired with a staff/faculty member to act as mentors and role models to students in their class.

The faculty line provides a $100 stipend to EIU faculty who serve as portfolio readers for the EWP.

The travel budget includes supporting 3 or 4 faculty members to attend the Assessment Institute in Indianapolis each fall.  The 2013 travel also includes reimbursements for candidates in two searches last year.

How does the program seek to distinguish itself from similar programs at other institutions?

Given the service nature of CASA’s program, this question is not really applicable.  We have used other assessment and FYE best practices as models as described above and have attempted to offer services that meet these criteria. 

Note any unique and/or essential contributions that the program makes to the university.

CASA is the only unit on campus that collects and disseminates assessment data.  The Executive Director is the only individual on campus who consults with faculty and department chairs concerning assessing learning outcomes and other aspects of their assessment plans.  She is the Provost’s designee to analyze seats needed for the new students each year for general education and to take leadership on retention in academic affairs.  CASA also offers the FYE course and tracks the success of that program as well as retention efforts in Academic Affairs; we are the only unit given these responsibilities. CASA also has responsibility for sending out midterm grades to students.  CASA and its units provide the bulk of academic services to students and provide teaching and learning resources for faculty (test and evaluation scanning, advising help/advice, disability testing center, etc.).

Provide any program-specific metrics that help to document program contributions or program quality. Examples of some commonly used program-specific metrics may be found here.

Many data points are given elsewhere; those will not be repeated here. 

AY13 was the fourth academic year for alerting students via email to their low midterm grades. Rather than sending students a letter with their submitted midterm grades, we moved to an electronic system called Campaign Monitor in AY10.  Campaign Monitor allows us to send individual emails to the students and to embed information such as their advisor’s name into the email.  It also provides links to resources on campus.  The cost was $5 for each email set-up and then 1 cent for each email sent.  We spent approximately $45-50 each semester for Campaign Monitor, and in past years we spent $2500-3000 on stationary, envelopes, printing, and mailing costs (costs varied depending on the number of on-campus and off-campus students receiving letters).  In Fall 2012, 2,402 midterm emails were sent with a total of 3,713 grades submitted; this is an increase of 176 emails and 535 grades from FA11.  In Spring 2013, 1,932 emails were sent and included 2,884 submitted grades, which shows a decrease of 308 emails and 561 grades from SP12.  For both semesters, faculty submitted grades from 3000 and 4000 level courses; in SP13, 2 fewer grades were submitted from upper division courses than in the previous spring. 

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand the program impact on the university mission.

Provide a link to or listing of the program’s goals and/or strategic plan.

Goals are given each year in the annual report.  http://www.eiu.edu/~casa/CASA%20Report%202013%20all.pdf.  The Executive Director also contributes to the enrollment plan (E-Worx document) and the retention plan, which are part of the Strategic Enrollment Planning Process (SEP).

What role will the program have in the implementation of the university’s strategic plan (provide link to strategic plan)?

CASA has already been playing a part in the SEP planning and will do what is asked as the strategic plan is enacted—especially those related to assessment of student learning.  CASL has discussed changes to the assessment plan based on funding listed for this in the Strategic Plan, but we have been told there is no money to support these parts of the plan.

In the next two or three years, what best practices, improvements in operations, or other opportunities to advance the university’s mission are likely to be implemented?

At this time, our budget and personnel are stretched to the maximum.  It is my hope to replace a staff member in the Student Disability Services Office; this position has not had an employee since February 2012, and the services to students have been cut as a result.  We hope to keep moving forward using technology to improve/enhance assessment collection, but this requires work with ITS and CATS and the time of programmers is not under our control.  We are talking to ITS about ways to allow faculty to assess presentations through PAWS.  We plan to move the global survey to Qualtrics to allow more finite data analysis.

If needed, provide supplemental comments to help the reader understand future opportunities for the program.