Using Data to Inform our Practice

with Peer Leader Programs

Brett Bruner, Director of Persistence & RetentionFort Hays State University

2014 Peer Mentor InstituteFort Hays State University | Hays, KS

Overview of Session• Learning Outcomes• Challenges in Assessment• Foundations of a Culture of Evidence• Culp & Dungy’s (2012) Building a Culture of Evidence in

Student Affairs: A Guide for Leaders & Practitioners• Portland State University’s (2011) Division of Enrollment

Management & Student Affairs – Assessment Handbook• Application to Peer Leader Programs – You’ve

Collected Data, Now What Do We Do With it?• The FHSU Experience – Go Tigers!!• Closing Reflection/Q&A

Learning OutcomesBy attending this educational session, participants will be able to:• Articulate the definition of a “culture of

evidence.”• Identify the most important data to tell your

story with peer leader programs.• List strategies for using the data to inform our

practice.

Background of InstitutionsFort Hays State University

• Regional, comprehensive state university• 13,000 total students (5,000 on-campus

traditional undergrads)• Located in Hays, KS (halfway between Kansas

City & Denver)• New student cohort (Fall 2013)• 950 first year students• 450 transfer students• 150 international students

Background of InstitutionsBaker University

• Private, Methodist based university• 800 students• Located in Baldwin City, KS (1 hour southwest

Kansas City)• New student cohort• 235 first year students• 47 transfer students

Challenges in Assessment• What challenge(s) do you face with your Peer

Leader programs regarding assessment?• New undergraduate student leaders• Returning undergraduate student leaders• Undergraduate student staff supervisors• Graduate students• New professionals• Mid-level professionals

Foundations of a Culture of Evidence

“It is important to be clear about the aims of a culture of evidence. The goal is to use evidence to better understand our students & their experiences so we can improve our work with them.”

– Sarah Westfall

Kalamazoo College (pg. 2)

Risks & Rewards Associated with Creating a Culture of

Evidence

Challenge Risk RewardFundingAssessment ExpertiseCompeting PrioritiesBuilding CapacityDealing with Fear

What is a Culture of Evidence?

What is a Culture of Evidence?

• A commitment among student affairs professionals to use hard data to show how the programs they offer, the processes they implement, & the services they provide are effective & contribute significantly to an institution’s ability to reach its stated goals & fulfill its mission.

Source: Culp & Dungy (2012) Building a Culture of Evidence in Student Affairs: A Guide for Leaders & Practitioners

What is aCulture of Evidence?

• What’s the most important assessment data to tell our story?

RATHER THAN…

• What assessment data is available?

Application to Peer Leader ProgramsYou’ve Collected Data, Now What Do

We Do With It?

• Analyze, Interpret, Report & Use the Results• Fun part! Making sense of data• Use it to inform both your practice & decision making• Ex.: Look at the characteristics of your respondents. What can

you learn to better understand your data? Do responses vary by…• Age?• Year in school?• Cumulative GPA?

• Read through qualitative comments & reflect on its overall meaning

Application to Peer Leader ProgramsYou’ve Collected Data, Now What Do

We Do With It?

• Transparency & Reporting• Making meaningful, understandable information

about student learning & institutional performance readily available to stakeholders

• Tie to institutional goals for student learning• Draw conclusions that are well-supported & clearly-

reasoned• Future engagement in assessment cycles

Application to Peer Leader ProgramsYou’ve Collected Data, Now What

Do We Do With It?

• Transparency & Reporting• Publicly share your assessment plan• Publicly share your results• Encourage participants’ help in analyzing data• Share how conclusions impact program

development• Highlight assessment results in your annual report• Make reports available on departmental websites

Application to Peer Leader ProgramsYou’ve Collected Data, Now What Do

We Do With It?

• Transparency & Reporting

Application to Peer Leader ProgramsYou’ve Collected Data, Now What Do

We Do With It?

• Using Data – Reflection Questions• How do your results provide evidence for your outcomes?• What do your results say about your program process &

the impact of the program on students’ learning & development?

• Based on the results, what decisions will you make or what action will you take regarding programs, policies, & services as well as improvement/refinements to the assessment process?

Application to Peer Leader ProgramsYou’ve Collected Data, Now What Do

We Do With It?

• Feedback Loops

Application to Peer Leader ProgramsYou’ve Collected Data, Now What Do

We Do With It?

• Feedback Loops

“Good assessment fosters dialogue, not simply data collection.”

– Culp & Dungy (pg. 101)

The FHSU ExperienceENGAGE College

• Administered during Weeks 3-6 of UNIV 101 Freshman Seminar

• Student self-perceptions of behavioral & attitudinal characteristics related to academic success & retention

The FHSU ExperienceENGAGE College

The FHSU ExperienceENGAGE College

• Data shared with variety of campus resources:• President’s Senior Administrative Group (ISM)• President’s Extended Cabinet• Institutional College Completion Team• Division of Student Affairs – Directors• UNIV 101 Freshman Seminar Instructors

• Extended trainings with the following:• Division of Student Affairs – Student Life Cluster• Office of Residential Life• Office of First Year Experience/Persistence &

Retention – grad/undergrad staff

The FHSU ExperienceENGAGE College

• Programmatic Changes• Curricular changes in UNIV 101• Development of new extended orientation &

transition social connections• Policy Changes• Academic Affairs – mid-term grade conversations

• Partner Collaborations• Residential Life – revamped programming model

around central deficiencies

Closing Reflection

• What is the most important data to tell your story with your Peer Leader program rather than the data that’s most readily available/easily accessible?

• What is 1 area of refinement for your Peer Leader program as it relates to using the data to inform your practice?

Using Data to Inform our Practice

with Peer Leader Programs

Brett Bruner, Fort Hays State Universityblbruner@fhsu.edu

2014 Peer Mentor InstituteFort Hays State University | Hays, KS