Assessment in Student
Affairs: The Why, What and How of Assessing the Co-Curriculum
Assessment is a tool through
which institutions accomplish important goals. Assessment has a long
history in Student Affairs including assessing student satisfaction with
experiential learning opportunities, production of service utilization data and
reporting of student demographics across various programs. Assessment
efforts have expanded in the past decade to include a focus on learning.
Assessing the kind of learning that occurs in higher education – both inside and
outside of the classroom – is central to the ability of educators to do their
best work. Panel members will provide an overview of why assessment is
critical to Student Affairs, the variety of assessment activities undertaken,
and how the work is grounded in the literature.
Cal State Fullerton
Panel Members:
Kandy Mink Salas, Dean of
Students
Kandy Mink Salas has been a university student affairs professional for 22
years working the areas of student affairs administration, student life, and
leadership training and development.
She currently serves as the Dean of Students at California State
University, Fullerton where she has oversight responsibility for Judicial
Affairs, Student Life, New Student Programs, Leadership and Multicultural
Education, Honors and Scholars Support Services, and the Assistant Deans for
Student Affairs. Prior to this
position, Ms. Mink Salas served at California State University, Fullerton as
the Acting Associate Vice President, the Assistant Vice President for
Student Affairs, the Associate Director of Student Life, and at the
University of San Diego as the Assistant Director of Student Activities.
Ms. Mink received her B.A. in English with a specialization in
Women's Studies from UCLA and her M.S. in Counseling and Human Development
from Minnesota State University, Moorhead.
She is currently a doctoral student at the Claremont Graduate
University studying Higher Education Administration.
Ryan
Alcantara is the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs, overseeing
budget, human resources, and technology functions within the Division.
Throughout his career, he has coordinated a variety of student programs,
including honors and scholars support services, orientation and transition
services, leadership programs, volunteer programs, and Greek Life. Ryan
has a Master of Arts in Educational Leadership from the University of
Connecticut and is completing his Ph.D. in Public Administration from the
University of Southern California.
Dr.
John L. Hoffman spent 10 years working in administrative roles in academics,
student affairs, strategic planning, and fundraising before transitioning to
a faculty role. He spent 6 years as
a dean of students in private Christian universities.
John has experience in the development of programs that enhance the
success and retention of students of color; early intervention efforts for
students who are at risk academically or emotionally; and the assessment of
student learning in the co-curriculum.
John was honored in 2001 with WACUHO's diversity and affirmative
action award for his leadership efforts as a dean of students.
His research interests focus on the
impact of college involvement on student success as well as assessing
student learning in the co-curriculum.
John came to California State University, Fullerton after teaching
for 4 years at California State University, Long Beach in their master's and
doctoral programs in higher education.
He earned his Ph.D. in Higher Education Policy and Administration
from the University of Minnesota.
Ryan Alcantara, Assistant Vice
President for Student Affairs, Budget & Human Resources
Dr. John Hoffman, Assistant
Professor of Higher Education
Lea M. Jarnagin, Assistant to
the Vice President for Student Affairs
Lea Jarnagin joined the campus in April of 1998 as the Assistant Dean for
Student Affairs in the College of the Arts, assuming responsibility for
enrollment management and student leadership programs within the college.
In March of 2001, Lea moved to the
Dean of Students Office as the Associate Dean for New Student Programs where
she was responsible for overseeing student transition programs for
first-time freshman, their family members and incoming transfer students.
In March of 2005, Lea joined the
Vice President's Office and assumed oversight for budget, human resources
and technology functions for the Division of Student Affairs.
In her current role, she provides leadership in the areas of student
learning outcomes, divisional communications, policy review, space
allocation and staff development programs.
Lea earned her Master's degree in Counseling with an emphasis in
Student Development in Higher Education from CSU Long Beach and is currently
working on her Doctorate in Education at UCLA.
Anthony Ragazzo, Director,
ASI/TSU Office of Program Support
Anthony Ragazzo serves as the director of the ASI/TSU Office of Program Support,
which provides for leadership education, organizational development, risk
management and assessment for the Associated Students Inc.
Prior to coming to the CSUF campus in 1997, Anthony worked in a variety
of student affairs positions at The American University, where he received a
master of arts in student development and a bachelor of arts in sociology.
