Program Review & Assessment Committee Minutes
November 30, 2000

Committee Members Present: E. Aboelela, C. Coron (chair), C. Durwin, B. Gelbach, B. Kottler, W. Shyam

Also Present: R. Gerber, E. O'Sullivan

Recorder: E. Aboelela

The meeting started at 11:00am.

The purpose of this meeting was to continue the discussion started last meeting and to address ideas of improving the assessment process as well as sharing of data between the committee and administration.

Gelbach began by showing the concern of the committee to see the assessment process on the right track where one can look at the assessment and say it logically addresses its goal.

Coron showed her concern regarding the importance of the coordination between the committee and the administration.

Gerber and O'Sullivan agreed about the importance of the coordination and suggested to have regular meetings to discuss the assessment process.

O'Sullivan announced that the Psychology department has a faculty meeting on Friday, December 15 from 1:00-2:00pm at Engleman 213 to discuss their assessment process. She invited the members of the committee to attend that meeting to get an idea of what they are doing.

O'Sullivan added that she sent out e-mails to the departments that are under the assessment process this fall asking them to send the CV of recommended external examiners. One of these recommended examiners will be picked to visit the department during the Spring semester.

Gelbach stated that the subcommittee needs to get back to UCF with the recommendations of improving the assessment process. His suggestions for improvement includes having the subcommittee receive copies of the outside examiner's comments as well as the assessment related memorandums between the departments and the administrations.

O'Sullivan commented that a web page with the self-assessment manual will be available to all departments.

Gerber added that only two people from the administration (O'Sullivan and himself) are involved in the self-assessment process. Additional hands will be of great help.

Gelbach replied that this point of supporting the assessment process is already addressed in the Strategic plan.

Gelbach suggested and Gerber agreed with the idea of preparing a questionnaire to be sent out to all departments to send their feed back about: What went well? What is problematic? What is your expectation?

Coron asked Gerber and O'Sullivan for an electronic version of the self-assessment related materials that were sent out to the departments. She added that these materials will be shared with the UCF members to get their comments.

Coron also asked for the possibility of publicizing the outcome of the assessment.

Gerber replied that we have to be careful about the publicizing point especially with the involvement of the "confidentiality and morality" questions.

Coron announced that on 12/14/2000 the subcommittee will go over the previously assigned task to search several Web sites regarding the assessment process and write a summary of ideas. She also delivered a request from the UCF chair to participate in a meeting that will be held on Friday, December 8th at Central Connecticut State University regarding the assessment of General Education.

The meeting adjourned at 12:20pm.