Student Affairs Learning Outcomes VCSU’s assessment framework includes the assessment of student learning in co-curricular areas of campus life. All Student Affairs programs developed Student Affairs Learning Outcomes (SALOs), appropriate to their programmatic goals, and further developed them into an overall assessment plan for the Student Affairs department following the program assessment template. They are listed below under the appropriate department. All SALOs are aligned within the Personal and Social Responsibility ILO. Each program tracks assessment results similar to those of academic areas and reports assessment results to the assessment director through the campus assessment system each January and June and will be included in overall ILO results. The Vice President for Student Affairs reviews all annual reports for student services units. Athletics: Student athletes will function autonomously in taking responsibility to achieve team membership expectations. Career Services: As a result of internship participation, students will assume responsibility for setting goals, self-reflection, and modifying behaviors to prepare for their career. Students will take advantage of services in preparation for post graduate plans by accessing appropriate tools. Counseling Services: Students engage in strategies that enhance personal mental and emotional wellbeing. Students will demonstrate increased recognition of the consequences of university policy and effects of personal use after completing the CHOICES education program. Enrollment Services: Viking Ambassador will facilitate a tour responding to needs that will allow a visitor to leave VCSU with a positive experience. Financial Aid: Incoming students will be able to navigate to their financial aid and account information on Campus Connection during and after a Viking Voyage presentation. Graduating students will increase their awareness of their rights and responsibilities of their federal loans, along with repayment options, after participating in exit counseling. Health Services: Students will demonstrate personal responsibility to follow-up on recommended action on health concern/problem after being seen at the Health Services. After attending the annual health and wellness fair, students will be motivated to make positive health behavior changes. Learning Center/Student Support Services: Students who are referred to Student Academic Services (SAS) will demonstrate a level of responsibility by meeting/working with SAS staff. VCSU “At Risk” and “In Danger” students (last term GPA under 2.5) will utilize learning center services for academic improvement. Residence Life: Students will engage with peers and staff through programming in the residence halls which will enhance their academic and co-curricular experience as a student at VCSU. Resident Assistants who participate in RA Training will demonstrate readiness for responding to a variety of scenarios. Viking Voyage students will enhance their collaboration skills and expand their knowledge of civic engagement through participation in a service-learning project. Students with conduct citations connect behaviors to resulting consequences and implications to self-care and community. Student Activities and Leadership/Memorial Student Center: VCAB members will modify action plans and adapt to ensure a successful event.

All VCSU programs have determined learning outcomes they will assess throughout their program to improve student learning. The attached file will provide a listing of each program and the learning outcomes included in their program assessment plan. Each PLO aligns with one of VCSU's Institutional Learning Outcomes, which is noted after each statement.

The Biennial Program Update (BPU) informs strategic plan, curriculum, assessment, budget, and staffing decisions. The Director for Institutional Effectiveness and Planning and the Academic Assessment Committee will review submissions and provide feedback to programs. Information about the required sections and rubric follow. All programs will submit either a full Program Review or BPU following the determined schedule approved by Academic Affairs.  BPUs will be submitted in SPOL. See the OneStop solution for guidance on how to submit them through SPOL. 

Each academic program maintains an assessment plan designed to address program-specific student learning needs. These assessment plans also outline any course-level assessments that are used to meet Program Learning Outcomes (PLO). The template linked in this solution is provided as a guiding template to use as an assessment planning and reporting tool. 

Program review is an essential process in the continuous improvement of academic programs. During program review, members of the department analyze and discuss data associated with strategic planning, budgeting, and assessment as they relate to the current and future direction of the department. Program review is meant to allow department faculty to assimilate a broad array of data points to think systematically about curricular improvement and academic quality. The linked document provides the Valley City State University Guidelines for Program Review Self-Studies. Program reviews are due October 15 of the designated year according to the program review schedule approved by Academic Affairs.

The attached document shows the revised schedule of Program reviews and BPUs as of Fall 2019. The new model has changed the frequency of BPUs to every OTHER year to provide time for programs to work on strategic initiatives and improvements as well as providing for a larger data population on which to base decisions. Programs should update data on an annual basis to submit a biennial report that reflects data-driven decisions for continuous improvement. Updated 10-19-2022.