AES Planning and Assessment

The AES assessment cycle was developed to mirror the assessment of learning outcomes done by academic programs, but with additional flexibility to accommodate the breadth of activities encompassed therein. While the OAE administers AES assessment, it is important that the staff of each AES unit lead the development of its assessment plan so that the documents authentically reflect the priorities and activities of the unit.

Assessment Cycle for Administrative and Educational Support (AES) Units

Administrative, Educational and Student Support units (AES) are assessed on an annual basis. Units complete their AES cycle in two stages: planning, and reporting.

The AES plan consists of a mission statement, goal statements that are explicitly aligned to pillars of the College Strategic Plan support outcomes that operationalize the goal statements, and specific, concrete measures aligned to each support outcome. Many units, such as Educational Support Services and Student Development, also align their assessment to divisional goals. In the planning stage of the cycle, staff and supervisors for each unit review its existing AES plan in order to update it or to reaffirm that it adequately reflects the current year’s plans and priorities. OAE staff also assists new units or units that have not yet developed plans in doing so. Staff from the OAE provide feedback on AES plans to help units with documentation, with developing assessment methods, or with any other aspect the unit requests.

The second stage, reporting, is when the unit enters its assessment data, analyzes the data, and develops action plans for the coming year. In this second stage, units are also asked to note any budgetary implications that its assessment findings may have, and to provide updates on progress made on prior years’ action plans. The second stage of the AES cycle may be completed either during the summer session from May-September or in an ongoing way as units collect their assessment data. Again, during this stage, staff from OAE meet with units as needed to assist with development and documentation. AES reports are due to OAE at the end of September, at which point final reviews are conducted to prepare for the following years’ AES planning.