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MATHEMATICS DEPARTMENT ACTION PLAN

1. For your summer 2016 action plan (from now to August 2016):

TEAM: Mathematics

MEMBERS: Fe Evangelista, Angela Harlan, Julie Letellier, Khyam Paneru

GOALS: Our primary short-term goal is to move forward to “close the

loop” on assessment.

• Review and summarize existing assessment data: MFT,

Senior Outcomes Survey, Calculus
• Suggest possible ways the data can be used to improve
the program.
• Prepare for presentation of some of our findings at the
department Fall retreat.
• Create a timeline when data will be presented and
discussed in the department throughout academic
semester. Note: Only part of the data can be presented
at the dept. retreat and so we will have additional
meetings with the department to discuss assessment
data.

ACTIONS with TIMELINE: Meeting 1 - Finalize action plan.

Meeting 2 – Review and summarize MFT Data
Meeting 3 – Review and summarize Senior Outcomes Survey
data
Meeting 4 – Review and summarize Calculus data.
Meeting 5 – Prepare for presentation to the department.
Note: We have already met twice after the Assessment Institute.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS & No assessment tools will be developed for the summer.
STRATEGIES:

DISCUSSION & DATA USE: Discussion on the use of data will be held at the Fall dept. retreat
and at subsequent meetings.

MOVING FORWARD: The plan ensures that data that has already been collected is
used to inform student learning. This gives us a better idea on
how the assessment cycle can be implemented in the
department and will allow us to move forward in the assessment
of other SLOs.

RESOURCE NEEDS: There are resources in our packet that pertain to the
presentation of data and structuring data conversations. We will
start with those resources and decide if we need to learn more.

BARRIERS/DIFFICULTIES: 1. Scheduling meetings given members’ other commitments.

2. The department has very little time to devote to other

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activities like assessment in the fall. The Mathematics
Department has 14 tenured faculty, 2 tenure-track faculty and 13
instructional academic staff. Every fall, the tenured faculty
conduct reviews for all academic staff; tenure-track faculty
undergoing 2nd, 4th, or mandatory tenure reviews; and tenured
faculty undergoing PTR or review for promotion to full
professor. This requires a significant amount of time on the part
of the tenured faculty. Each instructor being reviewed will be
visited once or twice for which the observer(s) must write a
classroom visitation report. A summary report of the instructor’s
activities for the period under review must also be written. Many
meetings are held by these committees to determine the
logistical details of the reviews and then discuss the summary
reports in advance of the reviews in order to make
recommendations to the tenured faculty. Adding to these
demands is the fact that many of our instructors teach an
overload to accommodate the increasing numbers of incoming
freshmen. (Last fall all but four instructors taught overloads.)

2. Explain your action plan for the 2016-2017 academic year (May 2016 through April 2017):

TEAM: Mathematics

MEMBERS: Fe Evangelista, Angela Harlan, Julie Letellier, Khyam Paneru

GOALS: Develop a sustainable assessment plan that includes

• a systematic process for gathering data on student

learning outcomes
• a plan to track how data is used to make course and
program changes (how can we utilize what
instructors are already doing?) We are thinking of
developing some forms that instructors can complete
easily to track course changes.

Follow-up on the use of the plan for Spring 2017.

ACTIONS with TIMELINE: List and describe the actions you’ll take to achieve these
goals, including a timeline for the actions.

2016-17: Discuss existing data in the department, subject to

the timeline to be developed in the summer. Fall is always a
very busy time for the department (see comment on Barriers)
and so we may have to spread out these discussions
throughout the year.

Jan. 2017 – complete the assessment plan and develop

assessment tracking tools.

ASSESSMENT TOOLS & STRATEGIES:
DISCUSSION & USE OF DATA:
MOVING FORWARD:
RESOURCE NEEDS:
BARRIERS/DIFFICULTIES:
SUSTAINABILITY:
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Spring 2017 – pilot tracking tools, and summarize data
Our long-term plan is to answer this question. For example,
we are thinking of developing some forms that instructors can
complete easily to track course changes. The department
assessment plan also calls for a survey of faculty, staff, and
students as a baseline on the current department status.
How does your plan ensure meaningful discussion and use of
data on student learning?
Our long term plan is to develop a sustainable assessment
plan that will also answer this question.
How will your plan help your program make meaningful
progress in its assessment of student learning? How does
your academic year plan make use of and/or build on the
summer project?
Our long term plan is to develop a sustainable assessment
plan that will also answer this question.
Discuss what you need to achieve the goals, e.g., budget,
time, additional learning.
We have discussed the possibility of a department assessment
summit and it would be nice if we an offer a small stipend for
participants.
See “Barriers” under short-term plan.
How will the efforts and benefits from your plan continue
onward after Spring 2017 to foster sustainable assessment of
student learning?
Our long term plan is to develop a sustainable assessment
plan that will also answer this question.