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I wouldn't be able to do that without SAAL: Importance of Building Community

Hello SAAL Blog readers! Here is the next installment of our conversation series getting to know the leaders that make up this wonderful group of Student Affairs Assessment Leaders and learning from their personal stories. I joined the SAAL blog team after starting a new role as the Director of Asse…

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Building Assessment Culture One Cup of Coffee at a Time

Hello SAAL Blog readers! Here is the next installment of our conversation series getting to know the leaders that make up this wonderful group of Student Affairs Assessment Leaders and learning from their personal stories. I joined the SAAL blog team after starting a new director role and, being new…

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Two Journeys, One Goal: A Successful Equity-Centered Assessment Training

In my recent interview with Paul Holliday-Millard at UNC-Charlotte, we connected over both having developed and piloted an equity-centered assessment professional development training for staff over the past year. Below, I expand on this section of our conversation and add more about our approach to…

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Reflecting on Our Journey: Mid-Year Reflection and Inspiration from the SAAL Board

 

As we reach the midpoint of the year, the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) Board has taken a moment to reflect on our strategies, goals, and the practice of what we preach. In a year marked by heightened tensions and divisions, our commitment to reflection, unity, and community has ne…

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Creating a Culture of Evidence with Paul Holliday-Millard

Hello SAAL Blog readers! Here is the next installment of our conversation series getting to know the leaders that make up this wonderful group of Student Affairs Assessment Leaders and learning from their personal stories. I joined the SAAL blog team after starting a new director role and, being new…

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Summer Assessment Conference Reflections

June 26th to 28th saw the convergence of Student Affairs folks at the ACPA Assessment Institute hosted in Costa Mesa, California. For those that have not been, the ACPA Assessment Institute is a professional development opportunity for all levels of assessment experience and roles. Attendees roles a…

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Dear Dan, We Need More Frankensteins: The Value of the SAAL Blog for HESA Student Learning

Hello Daniel,

You do not know me, but I feel like I know you. Okay, I do not know you, but I know your monsters. Perhaps more importantly (or more frightening), at least five cohorts of University of Connecticut (UConn) Higher Education and Student Affairs (HESA) master’s students know your monst…

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Curriculum of Research: Trends in Student Affairs Assessment Syllabi

Introduction: Origins, Purpose, and Design of the Higher Education Assessment Syllabi Project

The syllabi project began in 2023 with a simple observation: despite the growing emphasis on assessment as a critical competency area for higher education and student affairs (HESA) professionals, the ex…

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Advocacy in Assessment: An HBCU Perspective with Britt Spears-Rhymes, M.S.

Hello SAAL Blog readers! Here is the next installment of our conversation series getting to know the individuals that make up this wonderful group of Student Affairs Assessment Leaders and learning from their personal stories. I joined the SAAL blog team after starting a new role as the Director of …

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How a slow adopter is thinking about AI

I’ve always been a slow adopter. Uggs? Never had them. The curly plastic hair tie? I was gifted one once. I donated it. Pickleball? Haven’t played a single game.

So every time I hear that I should be using AI or ChatGPT at work, it’s not that I roll my eyes… but late adoption of trends is how…

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SAAL's Dynamic 1st Quarter: Progress, Initiatives, and Community Engagement

SAAL's Dynamic 1st Quarter: Progress, Initiatives, and Community Engagement
 
The journey of the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) through 2024 has been nothing short of transformative and inspiring for me as President! I am humbled to be the leader of an organization that sits at the…

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From horse-drawn carriage to advanced data visualization tools: Key considerations to keep in mind when designing a dashboard

From horse-drawn carriage to advanced data visualization tools: Key considerations to keep in mind when designing a dashboard

Shaun Boren, EdD

The term “dashboard” came from a board at the front of a horse-drawn carriage that blocked mud flying up from when the horse was dashing.

A horse drawn carriage with a couple of men

Description automatically generated

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It starts with strategy: Intentional goal setting, strategic planning, & pickleball

It starts with strategy: Intentional goal setting, strategic planning, & pickleball

Sophie Tullier, Blog Team write and Director of Assessment, Data Analytics, & Research at the University of Delaware

Hello SAAL Blog readers! Here is the next installment of our conversation series getting to know …

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AI and Assessment in Student Affairs

AI and Assessment in Student Affairs

Natasha A. Jankowski and Gavin W. Henning

While most people in higher education have likely heard of generative AI, it is useful to start any discussion of it with a brief introduction to what it is and why it is causing such a stir. Generative AI is a …

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Recognizing Great Work in Assessment: 1st Ever SAAL Awards!

The Committee for Community Development and Engagement created the inaugural SAAL Awards. The purpose of the SAAL awards is to recognize the assessment work of members that advances the field of Student Affairs assessment and furthers the mission and values of SAAL. In total, we received 29 nominat…

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Unpacking History to Understand the Future of Student Affairs Assessment

Unpacking History to Understand the Future of Student Affairs Assessment

Sydney Kayne, Blog Team writer and Assessment & Evaluation Analyst at University of Colorado Boulder

For many student affairs divisions across the United States, co-curricular assessment is a practice that feels like it’…

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Making Moves: What's Next for Our Student Affairs Assessment Journal (JSAIII)?

This year, the Journal of Student Affairs Inquiry (JSAI) Editorial Team has engaged in an exciting process of visioning and planning. First and foremost, we have given considerable thought to the journal’s unique contribution to advancing the field of student affairs assessment. Second, we have expl…

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A Year in Review: Celebrating Our Milestones and Achievements!

Photo by Matt Bango on StockSnap

In the ever evolving landscape of higher education, organizations such as Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) play a pivotal role in shaping the student experience as well as for those engaged in assessment. This year, SAAL has taken a bold step forward …

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Five Questions to Consider to Shift from Data Collection to Outcomes Measurement

Free Lots Of Numbers Stock Photo

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 …

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The only bad data you can have is the data you don't do anything about

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…

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