ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

                                         

Office of International Education
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered

July 31, 2004
Date Submitted

Expanded Statement of Institutional Purpose Linkage:
Institutional Mission/Goal(s) Reference:
Texas A&M International University, a Member of The Texas A&M University System, is committed to the preparation of students for leadership roles in their chosen profession and in an increasingly complex, culturally diverse state, national, and global society …  Through instruction, faculty and student research, and public service, Texas A&M International University is a strategic point of delivery for well-defined programs and services that improve the quality of life for citizens of the border region, the State of Texas, and national and international communities.

Administrative or Educational Support Unit Mission Statement:
The Office of International Education (OIE) assists students and faculty who wish to participate in a Texas A&M International University approved study abroad program. The office offers an arrays of services, which include but are not limited to: student and faculty study abroad advising; student admission and registration; orientation of domestic and international exchange/study abroad students and faculty; faculty workshops on study abroad related subjects; promotion and recruitment; program development; creation of materials (forms/handbooks); and health insurance coverage.

Intended Administrative Objectives:

1. The Office of International Education will determine the effectiveness of the annual study abroad fair.

2.  The Office of International Education will determine the effectiveness of the study abroad advisement process.

3. The Office of International Education will determine accessibility and usefulness of study abroad library materials.

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

Office of International Education
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered

July 31, 2004
Date Submitted

Intended Administrative or Educational Support Objective:
NOTE:  There should be one form C for each intended objective listed on form B.  The intended unit objective should be restated in the box immediately below and the intended objective number entered in the blank space below

1. The Office of International Education will determine the effectiveness of the annual study abroad fair.

First Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
1a. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
The means of assessment will be study abroad fair survey and office records.  The criteria for success will be an increase of 25% in student attendance, and an increase of 10% in study abroad providers/directors attendance.

1a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
In a comparison of the 2002/2003 Study Abroad Fair survey, there was an increase of 31.04% of student attendance.  A decrease of 26.32% of study abroad providers/ directors attendance to the study abroad fair was noted in office records.

1a. Use of Results to Improve Unit Services:
Student attendance met and exceeded expectations. This was likely due to a better venue for the fair (inside the student center rather than outside), better promotion of the fair (in addition to announcements, flyers, e-mails, etc., interested students were identified and called one or two days prior to the fair), and improved logistics (more efficient location and additional assistance from Division of International Programs colleagues). A significant decrease took place in the number of 3^rd party provider or faculty-led program director participants. There were two last minute cancellations and at least three third party providers did not participate this year. This was likely due to the fair being offered in spring rather than fall, and conflict with the travel schedules of study abroad recruiters. Outcome of the assessment has resulted in a rescheduling of the study abroad fair to the fall semester, selection of same location to offer the fair, and coordination with study abroad providers and the Texas study abroad fair swing, which is a coordinated tour to Texas campuses by study abroad recruiters.

Second Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
1b. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
The means of assessment will be student in-take cards.  The criteria for success will be 10% of FY 2004 students will note on the in-take cards that they have heard about study abroad by visiting the study abroad fair.

1b. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
A total of 100 in-take cards were reviewed, of which 7% (7) of students that visited the OIE during FY 2004 noted that they had learned about study abroad by visiting the Study Abroad Fair. In a previous assessment (academic year 2003), we compared the promotion of study abroad. In this comparison, 4.58% of students indicated having heard about study abroad through means of a Study Abroad Fair.

1b. Use of Results to Improve Unit Service:
While there is an increase in student study abroad fair attendance, that is not as much reflected by the in-take cards. As indicated in the 2003 assessment, most students have heard about study abroad through friends, faculty, banners and posters. The study abroad fair appears to be a follow-up in their initial interest, rather than a first time introduction. For this reason, we need to quantify if students have attended a study abroad fair in follow-up to their first contact/visit with OIE, rather than seeing it as the first tool for students to find out about study abroad. A question has been added to the in-take cards to identify (other than how they heard about study abroad) if they attended the study abroad fair after they had come for the first visit to OIE.

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

Office of International Education
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered

July 31, 2004
Date Submitted

Intended Administrative or Educational Support Objective:
NOTE:  There should be one form C for each intended objective listed on form B.  The intended unit objective should be restated in the box immediately below and the intended objective number entered in the blank spaces.

2.  The Office of International Education will determine the effectiveness of the study abroad advisement process.

First Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
2a. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
The means of assessment will be a peer study abroad questionnaire.  The criteria for success will be 80% of peers will indicate similar advisement processes and issues as OIE.

2a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
A Study Abroad Advising Survey was sent to the NAFSA: Organization of International Educators’ Section on US Students Abroad (SECUSSA) list-serve, to institutions with a student body of 10,000 or less. 17 responses were received, many describing the initial advisement process; whether they conducted information session prior to individual advisement; how students conduct research/make use of the library; average number of contact hours with study abroad students; usage of peer advisors; common issues in study abroad and peer advising. Some answers were hard to quantify, therefore the assessment review was conducted with the objective to determine if the major points of the advisement process were similar. Some conclusions drawn from the assessment: An equal number of respondents indicated that the initial advisement/recruitment process started with a general information meeting or general orientation (43.75%), after which appointments were made with the study abroad advisor. In some of the smaller offices, students met directly with the study abroad advisor (43.75%) or a faculty member (12.50%). 64.71% answered that they had a resource library for students to conduct program research, and 41.18% listed use of the web as their primary resource. On average, advisors met/spoke with study abroad students 2 to 3 times prior to program acceptance, 3 to 4 times after acceptance, and about 3 to 4 times while the students were abroad (primarily via e-mail). The total time spent on advisement was 5 to 6 hours. Some offices use peer advisors through incoming J-1 exchange students, study abroad alumni and applicants. These peer advisors were used in various capacities, some very limited (for example, to provide assistance at the annual study abroad fair), some very involved (students holding their own pre-departure orientation, work in the office on the newsletter, website, etc.). The general consensus is that peer advising works best for general questions but not for specific advising duties. Most common issues covered during student advisement (study abroad advisor to student) are academic advisement (47.06%), finances (29.41%), program selection (17.65%), and other (5.88%).

2a. Use of Results to Improve Unit Services:
It was difficult to benchmark the survey, as there were too many variables because the survey was too broad. Overall the advisement process and issues that arise with it are very similar as experienced in the OIE. Due to the nature of the survey, it is difficult to concretely state that 80% of peers have a similar advisement process and issues. Therefore the initiative is to re-design the survey and make it much more target specific, and to identify only one or two more specific areas within advisement that are of concern to the OIE. The assessment in advisement for the next cycle are 1) how to make advisement a more independent process for the student, and 2) how to make better use of peer advisors to recruit and advise study abroad programs. In respect to concern 1; as of fall 2004 greater responsibility will be given to support staff to conduct initial advisement, the OIE webpage will allow for more individual research and handouts will be created to guide the student through the first few steps of study abroad research. In respect to concern 2; returning study abroad students are being actively recruited to participate in class presentations at the beginning of the fall semester, to assist in the annual study abroad fair and to attend pre-departure orientation sessions to inform students about the study abroad program.

Second Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
2b. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
The means of assessment are student evaluations.  The criteria for success will be student evaluations will indicate a 90% satisfaction rate of good or excellent with the advisement process.

2b. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
Of the collected evaluations (12 total) for academic year 2004, 58.33% listed the advisement process as excellent, and 41.67% listed it as good.

2b. Use of Results to Improve Unit Service:
The results of the survey indicate a very high level of satisfaction among students regarding the advisement process. Our goal for the next year is to increase our excellence rating to 90%. If students check fair or less on the survey, they will be asked to list what can be done to improve our advisement services.

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

Office of International Education
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered

July 31, 2004
Date Submitted

Intended Administrative or Educational Support Objective:
NOTE:  There should be one form C for each intended objective listed on form B.  The intended unit objective should be restated in the box immediately below and the intended objective number entered in the blank spaces.

 3. The Office of International Education will determine accessibility and usefulness of study abroad library materials.

First Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
3a. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
The means of assessment are peer questionnaire at other institutions with 10,000 students or less.  The criteria for success will be 80% of peers will make study abroad materials available in a similar fashion (printed materials, partner school binders, other appropriate information such as scholarships, travel, etc.).

3a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
17 responses were received from a peer questionnaire posted on NAFSA: Organization for International Educators’ Section on US Students Abroad (SECUSS) list-serve. 11 (64.71%) answered that they had a separate location/area where written materials were posted. Most often those were organized by country or continent. Petersons and the International Institute of Education (IIE) guides were often listed as library materials, as well as recommendations to search IIE or studyabroad.com websites. 7 respondents (41.18%) listed the web as their primary information tool, of which most had their own website or used program provider or partner school website. Very few mentioned developing their own promotional materials or handouts. There was some mention of making additional resources available, such as travel information, international internships and volunteering.

3a. Use of Results to Improve Unit Services:
The library materials at OIE consist primarily of detailed binders of partner schools, the IIE guide, and written materials (most by provider, and one study abroad brochure by OIE) categorized by country/region. In addition it has detailed scholarship information as well as travel, international internships, volunteering, and foreign language program information. From the assessment data it appears a significant number of peer institution make printed materials and related program information available in a resource center. However, many also use web sites or other electronic resources to provide resource materials to students. OIE has not fully utilized the web to provide program information, and will have to do so to maintain current in its program information. A computer has been installed in the resource library to give students direct access to the web.  Additionally, OIE has posted a list of study abroad favorites on the PC, updated the OIE webpage, and also posted signs regarding studyabroad.com to increase its research options to students and maintain a more current inventory of materials.

Second Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
3b. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
The means of assessment will be student evaluation.  The criteria for success will be student evaluations will indicate a 90% or higher satisfaction rate with the user friendliness and accessibility of library.

3b. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
Of the collected evaluations (12 total) for academic year 2004, 25% indicated customer service/advising process (both which include library and program materials/web page) to be fair, 25% listed it as good, while 50% listed it as excellent. That is a combined result of 75% of rating our services in those areas as good or excellent.

3b. Use of Results to Improve Unit Service:
The result of this evaluation was below expectations.  The evaluation measure used in this survey is one that combines various services, and it is hard to determine what specifically the student is basing his/her evaluation on. A more specific library/program materials/web site survey has been developed and completed by students prior to their program departure.