Information for Staff
Information gathered from students, faculty, and staff is critical to the successful operation and functioning of the Division. To support effective assessment and evaluation, staff must submit project plans to the Director of Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation for review.
The process allows us to apply best practices in assessment and evaluation to benefit the Division and the community by:
- Coordinating the timing of project implementation,
- Avoiding over-taxing certain constituents of the community (survey fatigue and oversampling),
- Using high-quality assessment methods and tools, and
- Avoiding unnecessary redundancy in information collection.
Process
Notify the Director of Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation of a proposed project at least 30 days prior to your desired launch date.
If you need support in revising an existing tool or developing a new tool, it is advised to allow for more time.
To initiate a project, complete the Assessment Planning Form:
NetID login required
Ethics and Oversight
The UConn-Storrs Institutional Review Board (IRB) reviews human subjects research to ensure that the studies conducted on campus have appropriate safeguards for the ethical, compliant, and safe conduct of research, as well as the protection of the rights and welfare of the human subjects who will volunteer for participation.
Most assessment projects conducted within the Division are for internal planning purposes only. Projects to collect information to inform program development or improvement are usually not required to go through the IRB approval process. However, there are certain conditions which may necessitate communication with or approval by IRB.
As practitioners, it can be challenging to know when to plan for consultation with IRB. Staff in the Division of SLE can complete a brief online questionnaire that will determine the likelihood of needing IRB oversight. Please note: this form is intended to be used as a guide for planning purposes and does not substitute or replace the IRB determination process.
Forms
The following forms and tools are designed to help staff within the Division to plan and propose assessment or evaluation efforts:
SLE Assessment Planning Form
Submit this form to notify the Director of Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation about an upcoming or proposed assessment project.
IRB Planning Form
Submit this form to get instant feedback on the likelihood of a project needing IRB review.
Anthology Baseline and Planning
Access Anthology Baseline (online survey tool) and Anthology Planning (Division reporting platform) using UConn single sign-on. Contact the Director of PAE if you need access to these systems.
Resources
For many, it can be hard to know where to start when engaging in planning, assessment, and evaluation work. Below are links to resources that can help during the process. Do not hesitate to contact the Director of Planning, Assessment, and Evaluation for information or support at: liza.boritz@uconn.edu.
The Campus Change Experience: Key Findings from a Needs Assessment Project, Presentation by Liza Boritz, May 2025
Using Existing Data to Assess Student Success and Engagement, Presentation by Liza Boritz, May 2025
Project Planning
This short video provides a brief overview of the recommended steps for beginning the assessment development process.
Strategies to Collect Information
Prior to submitting the Kuali form to initiate a new project, watch this 15-minute video outlining the most common forms of information gathering conducted within the Division.
CAS Learning and Development Outcomes
The Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) offers useful frameworks and tools for developing student learning and program outcomes.