In an age where information is abundant and storage is cheap, it's tempting to equate volume with value. This is especially true in academic institutions, where the pursuit of knowledge is relentless and often equated with progress. But there's a stark difference between collecting data for the …
Hello SAAL Blog readers! My name is Sophie Tullier and I recently joined the SAAL blog team after starting a new role as the Director of Assessment, Data Analytics, and Research at the University of Delaware. Being new to the Director role, I thought it would be a great time to reach out to others w…
The SAAL Board continues to make progress on implementing our strategic plan and building connections and partnerships to enhance our community. After large updates to the bylaws last year to align with our new organizational structure, the SAAL board has identified additional updates that will pro…
Graduate school is a transformative journey, providing students with the opportunity to delve deeper into their chosen fields, cultivate skills, and make valuable connections. For graduate students engaging in assessment within a division of student affairs, a unique set of skills and training is of…
In an exciting development, two prominent organizations in the higher education space, The Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS) and Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) have joined together to enhance the landscape of higher education through collaboration and shared resources. This c…
On day one of a typical Stats 101 course, your subject’s introduction likely revolves around these foundational concepts: the pursuit of statistical significance and generalizability. We’re taught, fifteen minutes in, that good data must meet specific criteria, including: an n > 30, p-value < 0…
Have you ever had a light bulb go off in your head after a couple years of doing the same thing? That’s what happened to us, and ultimately, what led us to creating something that turned out to be a valuable experience.
Our assessment office was roughly two years old and housed fi…
In a previous blog post, I recommended assessment professionals develop four documents that can help to guide their work. The guidance was meant to focus our efforts, especially as we get pulled in a million directions. More to the point, these documents also offer a consistent source of reflection …
The Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) has been hard at play this summer. You can keep up with all our meeting notes and minutes. We are definitely leading the charge during a very tense time in higher education where campuses are being forced to chan…
Surveys play a pivotal role in assessment, allowing us to connect with a large number of students simultaneously to gain valuable insights into their needs, experiences, perspectives, and knowledge. When intentionally designed and utilized, surveys provide powerful data that can drive continuous imp…
