Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville (IL) was awarded the 2022 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing & Residence Life and was recognized for significant improvements to survey scores related to community environment. SIUE’s University Housing department has enacted numerous initiatives to support community building. These include partnering to implement a peer mentoring program for students of color and members of the LGBTQ community; continued implementation of and connecting initiatives to their residential curriculum; and empowering professional and student staff to use data to evaluate performance and identify opportunities to improve the residential community. To read more about SIUE's use of insights from data to improve their housing and residence life programs, check out this article.  ... View more

On-Demand The issue of college student success and persistence is more important than ever, especially with the challenges brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing inequities. For many, the idea of new student success initiatives involves a long and complicated process. But, it does not have to be this way. In this webinar, presenters discuss five ways you can improve your existing student success initiatives, with examples and practices applicable to any campus context. View the Recording Here! View the Recording ... View more

Friday, April 1, 2022, at 1:00 PM ET Because every student matters, every moment and engagement counts. When implemented with intentionality, instructional technology and short retention surveys can be used to support first-year student engagement, retention, and help support your institution’s equity and inclusion initiatives in meaningful ways. This session will demonstrate how first-year experience programs can pair brief retention surveys that offer early alerts for better, more targeted interventions, with student response systems to engage all students in meaningful ways inside and outside of the classroom, including creating safe spaces and encouraging participation and event attendance, which can create community and foster a sense of belonging. Register for the Webinar Here! Register ... View more

Texas Christian University school logo   Texas Christian University's (TCU) School of Nursing has been awarded the 2021 Assessment and Impact Award for Nursing Education for significant improvement in their survey scores related to overall student satisfaction. Their program has implemented several initiatives driven by student feedback, including a connection culture student mentoring program, a health & wellness initiative to support self-care habits, and high-touch weekly interactions by faculty with students who are struggling academically. ... View more

University of South Florida school seal   The University of South Florida's (USF) School of Nursing has been awarded the 2021 Assessment and Impact Award for Nursing Education for high performance in learning outcomes related to professional values. Their nursing program recently made data-informed changes to their nursing curriculum to better mirror core competencies in the profession. They also added a new professional nursing course to emphasize professional values and introduced civility training into their program based on student feedback.  ... View more

Southern Utah University school seal   Southern Utah University's (SUU) School of Nursing has been awarded the 2021 Assessment and Impact Award for Nursing Education for high survey scores related to overall student satisfaction. Their program recently made improvements to their advising experience by including open advising meetings. Their program also implemented a portfolio initiative prior to graduation that not only helps students reflect on their educational experiences but also helps them get jobs before graduation and they also recently acquired new technology to support student learning.  ... View more

For the third year, Skyfactor Benchworks is recognizing nursing programs that foster data-driven cultures for  continuous improvement, with the Assessment and Impact Award for Nursing Education.  The Assessment and Impact Award for Nursing Education was established three years ago to recognize colleges that have successfully used data to analyze and make changes to better their undergraduate nursing programs. Previous winners were Bloomfield College, Colorado Technical University, Montclair State University, Roman University, Seton Hall University, and University of Scranton. Even amid massive educational changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year's award winners delivered exceptional educational experiences. For example:   Southern Utah University for High Performance: Overall Satisfaction Texas Christian University for Improvement: Overall Satisfaction University of South Florida for High Performance: Learning, Professional Values  As in prior years, award winners are selected through a careful analysis of multiple years of data from the AACN/Benchworks Undergraduate Nursing Exit Assessment. The Skyfactor Benchworks Analytics and Research Team first conducts a quantitative analysis and review of applications, followed by interviews with finalists to learn about improvements in their nursing programs. Those applications and interview notes are then blind reviewed and evaluated on a rubric by an external panel of experts in the nursing education profession.  Please drop a comment below to congratulate this year's Assessment & Impact Award Winners! ## Benchworks assessments are the most widely used programs in nursing education. Benchworks has partnered with the Association of American Colleges of Nursing (AACN) for two decades to offer benchmarking assessments that empower nursing administrators to better understand the program components that most significantly impact these important stakeholders. The various AACN/Benchworks Nursing assessments are used by more than 250 nursing programs each year, and is one of more than 50 different assessments from Benchworks on topics important to college success, including housing, orientation, and student affairs and service. The survey includes questions about student happiness, safety, diversity and inclusion, facilities, costs, sense of community, and time management, among others. ... View more

In an academic year defined by social distancing and virtual learning, it was more important and difficult than ever to keep students connected and engaged. Despite these challenges, we saw many institutions, especially their housing and residence life departments, rise to the occasion. Skyfactor Benchworks recognizes seven colleges with an Assessment and Impact Award for Housing and Residence Life.  The Assessment and Impact Award for Residence Life was established in 2019 to recognize colleges that have successfully used data to analyze and make changes to better their residence life programs. Please join me in congratulating this year’s winners:  Miles Community College (MT) was recognized for high performance on survey scores related to sustainability. MCC encouraged students to volunteer in a campus service initiative that connected students with their environment as well as their local community, bringing food-related efforts with community-building efforts together.  Millersville University (PA) was recognized for significant improvements to survey scores related to personal interactions, diverse interactions, and satisfaction with student staff. MU used data to determine the success of their new resident engagement model which included adjustments to student-staff training and an increased focus on living-learning communities.  The Oxford College of Emory University (GA) was recognized for high performance on survey scores related to diverse interactions and satisfaction with student staff. Using mindful messaging, diversity-focused training, and dynamic programming, Oxford worked to embed values of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout their department.  The University of Alaska Southeast (AK) was recognized for their significant improvement in survey scores related to residence hall environment satisfaction. UAS saw improvements to their housing and residence life department after making adjustments to their staff training, implementing a requirement for roommate agreements, and prioritizing community-building values.  The University of Central Florida (FL) was recognized for significant improvement to survey scores related to sense of community. As a result of feedback during COVID-19, UCF made modifications and changes to their residential curriculum and their system for creating student connections.   University of Northern Colorado (CO) was recognized for significant improvement to survey scores related to community environment satisfaction. UNC transitioned from a traditional programming model to one focused on one-on-one conversations that prioritize first-year residents.  The University of Tampa (FL) was recognized for significant improvement in survey scores related to academic initiatives and personal interactions. UT’s increase stems from the implementation of a new residential education model, an increase in staff engagement, and intentional conversations between residents and student staff.  The 2021 winners were chosen this spring through a careful analysis of multiple years of data from the ACUHO-I/Benchworks Resident Assessment. The Skyfactor Benchworks Analytics and Research Team first conducted a quantitative analysis and review of applications and then interviewed finalists to learn about improvements in residence life.  Send a Kudo or drop a comment below to congratulate our 2021 Assessment & Impact Award Winners!  ## Benchworks assessments are the most widely used programs in higher education housing and have been available for nearly 20 years. The ACUHO-I/Benchworks Residents Assessment is used by nearly 300 institutions each year, and is one of more than 50 different assessments from Benchworks on topics important to college success, including housing, orientation, and student affairs and service. The survey includes questions about student satisfaction with facilities, programs, dining, safety, room assignment, and roommates, as well as learning related to personal interactions, diversity, sense of community, academic success, transferable skills, sustainability, and healthy habits. ... View more

The Millersville University of Pennsylvania (MU) was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for dramatic improvements in survey scores related to personal interactions, diverse interactions, and satisfaction with student staff. MU implemented a new resident engagement model that focused on using data in a way that aligns with the institution’s core values. They made modifications to student staff training and focused on connecting living-learning communities to a broader audience.  View the overview of MU’s use of data for strategic and intentional improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below. 2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - Millersville University of Pennsylvania     ... View more

The University of Central Florida was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for significant improvement to survey scores related to sense of community. UCF used assessment data to determine residents’ needs during the pandemic, which included virtual programs, adjustments to their residential curriculum, and an emphasis on contributing to a sense of belonging and community. View the overview of UCF’s use of data for continuous improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below.  2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - The University of Central Florida ... View more

The University of Alaska Southeast was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for their significant improvement on survey scores related to residence hall environment satisfaction. The assessment data collected by UAS led to continuous improvement for key initiatives like prioritizing staff training and requiring roommate agreements, along with continuous efforts to empower residents and create a sense of community. View the overview of UAS’s use of data for continuous improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below. 2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - University of Alaska Southeast ... View more

Miles Community College in Montana was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for high performance on survey scores related to sustainability. MCC used assessment data to inform strategic planning initiatives and understand the experience and perceptions of their on-campus residents. For example, MCC hosted a service initiative that brought resident volunteers into their local community and added vegan dining options to their campus dining. View the overview of MCC’s use of data for continuous commitment to their sustainability in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below. 2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - Miles Community College ... View more

Oxford College of Emory University was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for high performance on survey scores related to diverse interactions and satisfaction with student staff. Oxford College used assessment data to track the progress of its goals to embed diversity and inclusion into their culture and understand their current population of residents. Their adjustments and efforts include diversity-focused summer training, mindful messaging rooted in student development theory, intentionally sharing results and relevant data points with campus partners, and more. View the overview of Oxford College’s use of data for continuous improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below.  2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - Oxford University at Emory University ... View more

Now On-Demand With a year like we've collectively experienced, we all deserve a win. This webinar, which features lessons and tips gleaned from the 2021 winners of Skyfactor's Assessment and Impact Award for Housing & Residence Life, delivers exactly that. Register today to hear first-hand accounts of useful assessment practices that made a significant impact on the lives of students at schools across the United States, in a year when students most needed it. View the Recording! View the Recording ... View more

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2021 Higher Education Assessment Conference hosted by New England College! And now… drumroll please… the winners of our sweepstakes, represented by their institutions! Lehigh University (PA)  Juniata College (PA) Ball State University (IN) Midland University (NE) Thanks to everyone who entered! If you have not checked out the presentation decks and session recordings from this year’s Higher Ed Assessment Conference, we invite you to check them out! Here you will find: Assessments that Drive Desired Outcomes: Early Alerts, Interventions and Improving Student Success - Recording. In this session, Glenn Skaggs and Mandy Shaffer demonstrated how institutional outcomes could be improved by pairing brief retention surveys with program assessments. Assessments that Create Connections: Fostering Deep Learning in Person and Online - Recording. In this session, Dr. Edna Ross explored the ways that student engagement tools and best practices can have a real-time impact on insight and analytics that improve key student retention factors. Watch the recording to learn more about how to use polling and asynchronous quizzes to facilitate active learning, gain student feedback, and foster connections whether online or in-person. Infographics on using storytelling to share compelling assessment data. Tips for engaging students online and in HyFlex courses. On-Demand webinars and other resources. In the meantime, if you are interested in utilizing assessment solutions to improve student engagement and outcomes, connect now with an Assessment specialist! Congrats again to the winners! ... View more