Program Evaluation 1

Running head: PROGRAM EVALUATION

Program Evaluation Kate Louton

Walden University December 20, 2009

Program Evaluation 2

Abstract Change can be an integral portion of an educational system. However, creating an environment of positive, productive change can be challenging. Conducting a program evaluation can give administrators a more solid foundation from which to create forward thinking plans. In addition, carefully considering program outcomes, learning transferability, and program transfer are all important steps when putting together a conference, or other type of learning forum. Lastly, programs should be put together within the fiscal means available, and yield measurable results which demonstrate the outcomes were worth the investment.

Program Evaluation

Program Evaluation 3 The purpose of a program evaluation is multifaceted. The evaluation allows an individual to fully understand all of the aspects of the organization, the schematics involved in running a successful organization, and hopefully, a positive plan for moving forward. Before a program evaluation can truly be complete, there are many aspects which must be considered. Social & Organizational Context of your Learning Environment My former employment was with a two year, public, open enrollment community college. There are many stakeholders within the institution, including but not limited to the following: students, faculty, staff, alumni, board members, and the community itself. Each stakeholder has their own sets of concerns, issues, and trends; however, often times, those issues are overlying. Students are typically surveyed on what makes them happy, and things they wish would be improved. Two years ago, the student survey said they were most upset about parking and food. Administration built a parking deck and contracted with a major vendor for restaurant options within the food court. Last year, students reported they were happy with the parking and food, but upset about advising. So, this entire year has been focused on changing the academic advising center. The major problem with the actions described above is they are reactive, and sometimes over the top. There were many options for providing parking for students; however, building a multilevel, multi-million dollar parking facility was big news. In the end, it made the president look good. Politics is a major component of higher education.

Program Evaluation 4 Another issue within the institution is the idea silos existing between faculty and staff. There are many reasons why this could be a reality. For instance, for the last five years, faculty members have received yearly raises. Staff members have not received a pay increase, aside from cost of living, in eight years. Resentment is building. In addition, the vice president of services position was eliminated in July. The administration put everyone reporting to the vice president of learning. He then turned around and brought in his best friend, an individual who has coincidently worked a level beneath the vice president, at the same schools, for twenty-five years. Though, they both insist, it just worked out that way. When the restructure was announced in July of this year, it had the potential to be a truly positive, up lifting situation. Instead, it was greatly mismanaged. Higher administrators did not talk to anyone. The vice president of learning had his assistant send out an email that everyone was to meet in the auditorium on Friday morning at 8 a.m. At this meeting, he announced he was letting go of the vice president for services in an effort to realign and create cohesiveness between faculty and staff. He then informed everyone of his decision to bring his best friend on board. In addition, he had selected individuals to be moved to dean positions. He announced who those individuals were at this meeting but had not had a prior conversation with them. It was awkward to say the very least. The poor management demonstrated through this leader is by far the greatest opportunity my current employer exhibits. The strength of this organization is the perseverance and dedication levels of the individuals who work on both sides of the school. There are some highly dedicated people who come to work

Program Evaluation 5 every day, deal with the politics, and still care about the student. At the end of the day, it is the student who makes the job worth while. My program proposal comes out of the student survey asking for better academic advising. I am proposing a mixed model. Giving students accurate information, in a reasonable time period, promotes completion. Completion is tied to funding. Thus, the two are highly connected. A Needs Assessment Plan Before redesigning the advising center, I need to fully understand what areas the students are having a hard time with. The first assessment Ill do is develop a checklist for students to follow when getting started in college. In addition, I am going to give students who see an advisor a survey. Their feedback will help shape the changes which occur in the advising center. From the survey population, I am going to select a targeted population of students for formal interviews. Checklist The checklist is a comprehensive brochure which explains enrollment and advisement options to students. Please see Appendix A for a sample checklist created for students who are going through the enrollment and registration process. Each student who applies for admissions receives this brochure. The brochure is updated each semester in an effort to work towards continuous improvement. Survey The next assessment is a survey. The survey will be conducted both on paper for students who come into the advising center and do not wish to complete it

Program Evaluation 6 electronically. It will also be available on surveymonkey. NWACC has an institutional membership with surveymonkey, and utilize the service quite frequently. Students are emailed the link and asked to complete it. We would only email the survey to students who had been to the advising center and completed the comprehensive checklist. The next tool is a survey which utilizes the Likert scale (Lodico, 2010, p. 107). Please see Appendix B for a survey which was completed with coworker Brooke Holt, as a tool to be utilized at the end of each semester. The final student evaluation document is an interview, Appendix C. After meeting with students, and having students complete the survey, I would like to sit down and interview students who have received advising at NWACC. Students would be randomly selected from the individuals who completed the survey. While this limits the data, it also ensures the students who are interviewed have experience with the advising center. The three instruments utilized to measure student satisfaction with the advising center are just the beginning of moving to a more effective academic advising model. These documents are continuously changing, evolving, and hopefully continuously improving. Sharing this information with my staff is as important as collecting it from the students. Therefore, results from each of the assessments will be shared with my employees at our weekly staff meetings on Friday mornings. In addition, feedback from advisors is just as important as feedback from the students. Both parties have to be happy in order for the model to work. Program Outcomes

Program Evaluation 7 The field of academic advising is full of theories and models which imply, if correctly utilized, students are more likely to succeed. Many of the models focus on offering students developmental advising. This theory of developmental advising requires careful planning, buy in from employees, and a positive campus-wide attitude. The program outcomes for this program evaluation include establishing a solid, developmental advising center, training employees on how to be good developmental advisors, and producing data which demonstrates increased retention rates. My first program outcome will be to train employees on how to be strong, well trained developmental advisors. This is the first step because one cannot implement a program without trained staff in place. Training will occur in two different modalities: in person and online. In person training will consist of information on the academic advising center, how to deal with difficult students, and how to run complex degree audits. In addition to the in-person training sessions, a series of online modules will be required. Advisors will receive certificates as they complete each training module. Having a well trained, knowledgeable staff is just the first learning objective which will lead to a success program. Transfer of Learning Philosophy touts the importance of propostional knowledge an epistemological form of truth. It is complicated jargon which simply asks, How do we know what we know? There are many complicated ways to broach the topic; simplicity is what is necessary. Higher education boasts knowledge. We are always thinking, and always

Program Evaluation 8 striving towards a more sophisticated, comprehensive knowledge base. But there is something else which must be considered. What is the point of learning all of this if we cannot utilize it in everyday situations? How does one learn, either through some type of educational institution, or even experiential learning, and then apply that knowledge in new situations? This program evaluation is geared towards training individuals to be successful developmental advisors. This position is a difficult one. There are many factors to consider. What types of institution is represented? What types of degrees are available? What are the requirements for each of those degrees? And a whole host of other academic based questions. However, that is not the end of this position. Developmental advising requires a human aspect. Individuals almost need a background in counseling to truly appreciate, and successful conduct, developmental advising. Relationships should be built with each student. A case management system is almost mandatory for this type of advising setting. In theory, an advisor should be limited to know more than 350 students. That number has been recommended by NACADA, a leading research authority on academic advising (nacada.ksu.edu). However, most public institutions cannot afford staffing for these types of ratios. Quite often, the advisor-student ratio is substantially higher. Thus, there are some important skill sets which are necessary when hiring staff, before the training even begins. Developmental advisors, for the purpose of this study, are in a two year, public, open enrollment, community college setting. State funding has recently been cut so the

Program Evaluation 9 advisor ratio is approximately 1000 students per 1 advisor. Staff members need complete familiarity with the workings of a two year community college: from admissions to financial aid, student records, testing, and degree requirements, a strong knowledge base of the institution is necessary. In addition, multitasking is necessary. Quite often, in this situation, advisors have other duties along with their advising requirements. A cool, calm demeanor is necessary. But more importantly, a love for student success is critical. Employees who love what they do, and believe in their positions, are far more productive than those who loath their work. Finding truly dedicated people to join the team is going to be the first requirement of a successful program. Once these individuals have been selected, training can begin. A well thought out training program is crucial for both employee and student success. The trainer needs to break information down into several units. An entire overview of this knowledge base is an information overload. A majority of the knowledge would not be retained. A senor advisor, or someone who has direct experience working with students, is the individual who needs to conduct the training. Someone who is disconnected from day-to-day practices would not be a trainer for these types of positions. The training program itself is very important and should be conducted in a mixture of modalities. General information should be delivered in a lecture or discussion mode. Degree plans, policies and procedures should be available either in paper or electronically. Real life simulations should be conducted online. After successful

Program Evaluation 10 simulations have been completed, trainees should shadow a professional advisor. Then the trainer should sit with a new advisor while they advise students. Once a specific number of students have been accurately advised, the new advisor would be allowed to advise on their own. This is a comprehensive training program which ensures employees are comfortable working with students, and students are receiving correct information. Program Structure College is a challenging, sometimes scary, journey for most college students. For community college students, often times, there are additional challenges. Nontraditional, first generation, and academically challenged students tend to attend community colleges to begin their collegiate educations. In many collegiate environments, students are assigned to an academic advisor. It is the responsibility of the advisor to ensure the student has accurate information about many aspects of their upcoming experience. This role is vital. College is expensive, time consuming, and challenging. Wrong information from an advisor to a student can cost the student tremendously in both fiscal and time resources. Because this student population does not have additional time or money to waste, accurate information is essential. In the end, it can ultimately ruin a students dreams of a college education. Training for academic advisors should be conducted initially in a variety of modalities. The dissemination of information should occur in person upon hire. The new

Program Evaluation 11 advisor should attend orientation and go on a tour of the campus. Understanding what a student goes through, and where the student needs to go for each step, is an important aspect of the job. After orientation, advisors should receive a significant of information either in paper or electronic format. Everything from the admissions processes to graduation requirements must be thoroughly covered. These trainings should also be held intermittently as refreshers. A series of academic advising training modules, completely electronically, should be completed each year to remain an active academic advisor. Training should be held at least three times a year, which would coincide with the three academic terms which are typically present at academic institutions. Before registration begins, advisors should attend a day long workshop which allows for program review, employee feedback, and recognition. Recognizing good employees for their hard work is crucial. Because academic advising can be tied directly to collegiate success and retention rates, and funding for colleges is now determined based on retention rates, these positions are very important. Thus, a decent ratio should be present within an institution. In addition to personnel, there are other necessary resources. Technology is a crucial aspect of this position. There are several very good software programs which can assist an advisor and help both the employee and the student. Often, these programs can also interface with the schools database program.

Program Evaluation 12 A solid software program can help advisors and students with appointments, email degree plans, course requirements, and other information. Along with staffing and technology, a need for privacy is very important. Student information is federally protected via the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act, or FERPA. Anytime a student is in an advisors presence, it needs to be in an office with the door closed. Of course, safety for all parties is a major concern. Security, video cameras, panic buttons, and windows on the office doors should be in place. All of these components are crucial to the success of both the college and the student. If training and academic advising is completed successfully, retention is likely to improve, which increases revenue. Research has show retention can be improved so much that the generate revenue stream can actually pay for all of the necessary advising resources with fiscal means left over. Measureable Program Evaluation Business philosopher Peter Drucker once said, There is nothing as useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all. When it comes to program design and evaluation, there are no truer words. The intentions of a program and its designer should be thoroughly examined before the project is ever approved or funded. Once the decision has been made to conduct a program, regardless of the nature, a set of outcomes should be established. In addition to outcomes, a measurement tool should be created or utilized to ensure the goals of the program were in fact achieved.

Program Evaluation 13 Academic advising is one of the most important, and overlooked, areas of a college students collegiate career. Because of the complexities of attending college, an academic advisor has to be knowledgeable in a vast array of topics. Several theories and models have been created around the field of academic advising; however, none are as well received or respected as Crookstons theories of developmental advising. Crookston laid the foundation for academic advising as more than just a mere quick chat between two people concerning which courses should be taken in a given semester. With academic advising as not only a registration and enrollment function, but also as a retention function, programs for training individuals to accurately perform as a developmental advisor are crucial. There are several aspects which must be evaluated when looking at developmental advising from multiple perspectives. The task of simply training an individual for the position can be overwhelming. Not only does the advisor have to feel knowledgeable, in addition, the student has to feel he or she received correct information; the departments have to see classes filling up because students were placed correctly; and the states have to see solid graduation numbers in order for schools to receive retention incentive payments. With all of those things at stake, solid program design and evaluation is crucial. Questions Once the decision has been made to hire and train developmental advisors, the school should make a commitment to the advising center that those individuals will be

Program Evaluation 14 fully trained and receive periodic professional development. Determining if all of the constituents are making satisfactory progress requires a series of evaluations utilizing both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. To begin, advisors have to feel as they are fully prepared to deal with most any situation presented. This evaluation can be conducted in the form of a survey, or a formal interview. Thanks to technology, surveys can be distributed electronically. In addition, the responses can be quickly calculated. This survey should be conducted not as a Likert scale or other quantitative data set which requires a numbered response. Instead, it should be of the qualitative nature. Responses, thoughts, words, and feelings are crucial. Questions such as these should be asked: 1. What type of professional development is needed for you, as an academic advisor, to feel more secure in your position? 2. What types of situations have you encountered from which you feel most prepared to handle? 3. What types of situations have you encountered from which you feel least prepared to handle? 4. In regards to the last question, what can your employer offer to you which would enable you to feel prepared for the situations you were not prepared for? While these questions could be asked utilizing a Likert scale, and the results could conclusively demonstrate an advisor would or would not like more training the results would not offer the answers to questions such as when, why, or how?

Program Evaluation 15 In addition to the satisfaction of the employee, customer satisfaction must also be identified. In this case, the customers are the students. Measuring if a student is happy with their academic advising is important. This should be done utilizing a Likert scale. A standard set of questions should be offered to each student. Typically, students must have an incentive to return these types of data sets. Thus, handing them out at a function, offering a prize, or otherwise rewarding the student for completion is going to help increase participation and ultimately offer better data. The final evaluation should be a more comprehensive, formal document which would detail the number of students served, their student success rates, satisfaction, and overall retention. This document is crucial to the funding of the college. Evaluating this information should be completed with the help of tracking technology for the advising portion, database technology for the graduation and retention pieces, and the institutional research department of the college for the student satisfaction data. Several graphs should be present through out the report including pie charts, frequency polygons, and histograms. Collecting, interpreting, and disseminating the data is as important to programming as planning the event itself. Understanding areas of strength, challenges, and overall impact are aspects which help programs improve. However, there is one other important task which must be done communicating the findings. Quite often, administrators conduct surveys, evaluate programs, and make decisions without ever having shared that information with those who perform the work on a daily basis. Top down communication damages an institution. Institutions with open communication

Program Evaluation 16 lines, open door policies, and track records of disseminating information are higher functioning and more successful. In the end, it is those who perform the work who need to know the results. Program Evaluation Document One Advisor Survey This document is an informal, written survey for academic advisors who serve all students at an open enrollment, two year community college. The survey is distributed utilizing Surveymonkey, a web-based survey company with whom the college has an account. After completing a brief demographics section, the advisors will respond to a series of questions which are meant for qualitative responses. In addition, informal evaluations will occur between the advisor and the advisors supervisor which will discuss the survey; however, not the individuals specific responses because the survey will be conducted anonymously. Questions 1. Please select the most appropriate response regarding the time you have served as an academic advisor a. < 6 months b. 6 months to 1 year c. 1 year to 5 years d. > 5 years 2. What is your current level of education? a. Associates degree b. Bachelors degree c. Masters degree d. Doctoral degree 3. What type of professional development is needed for you, as an academic advisor, to feel more secure in your position? 4. What types of situations have you encountered from which you feel most prepared to handle? 5. What types of situations have you encountered from which you feel least prepared to handle?

Program Evaluation 17 6. In regards to the last question, what can your employer offer to you which would enable you to feel prepared for the situations you were not prepared for? 7. Are you satisfied with your current level of training? 8. Would you like to offer any additional comments? Once the data has been collected and returned to the supervisor, the information should be organized and a team retreat should be planned. This type of information can be plotted based on the number of individuals with similar responses. If a significant number of advisors mentioned they were uncomfortable with a particular area, training could then be planned around those needs. Program Evaluation Document 2 Student Satisfaction Survey The ultimate goal for any educational institution should theoretically focus on student success. A students success is directly tied to the information they receive from their academic advisor. If there is a problem with this crucial relationship, a students success could be negatively impacted. Thus, frequently asking students for their opinions is an important task for any academic advising center. The following questions will be asked of students after he or she logs in to the registration screen. The student will not be allowed to proceed until the data has been submitted.

Questions Demographic Information 1. Please select the appropriate age range. a. >18 b. 18-24 c. 25-34 d. 35-65 e. 65< 2. Please select the appropriate gender a. male b. female c. prefer not to respond

Program Evaluation 18 3. Please select your current level of education a. Less than 15 credit hours b. 15-29 credit hours c. 30-45 credit hours d. 46-65 credit hours e. More than 65 credit hours Survey Data 4. How many times have you met with an academic advisor? a. never b. 1-2 c. 3-4 d. 4-5 e. 6 or more 5. Please rate how satisfied are you with the information you received regarding admissions and enrollment processes? a. very dissatisfied b. dissatisfied c. neutral d. satisfied e. very satisfied 6. Please rate how satisfied are you with the information you received regarding registration. a. very dissatisfied b. dissatisfied c. neutral d. satisfied e. very satisfied 7. Please rate how satisfied are you with the information you received regarding your degree plan. a. very dissatisfied b. dissatisfied c. neutral d. satisfied e. very satisfied 8. Please rate your overall satisfaction level with your academic advising experience. a. very dissatisfied b. dissatisfied c. neutral d. satisfied e. very satisfied During each registration period, students would be required to complete the survey before the registration screen would open in Luminas. This survey would be completed once an academic year to avoid stale responses. The data from the survey would be categorized based on mean, median, and modal scores. Areas with strong student satisfaction would be praised and recognized. Areas with consistently week results would be targeted for staff improvement. Program Evaluation Document 3 Retention Report

Program Evaluation 19 Every year, the state of Arkansas requires retention data from all of the colleges. The information is broken down further than just degree completion. It also requires certificate completion, degree plan, major, and numerous other areas of data. This data is typically collected through an organizations Institutional Research department. Technology is required in order to accurately gather this data; otherwise, its a good estimate. With the right fiscal resources, accurate data becomes much more possible. One way to go about the collection is through scan technology. With bar codes on student IDs, each time a student goes to a department to inquire about anything, he or she must sign in by scanning his or her card. This creates a footprint of the students activities. It also allows for more accurate data which can assist program designers create the most practical, and useful programs geared for student success. In order to do so, technology must be utilized to collect specific data. Thus, a formal checklist would be most practical in this situation. Retention Data Checklist _____1. List the degrees and certificate programs currently offered at the institution. _____2. What is the current first-time entering (FTE) ratio? _____3. What is the current returning student ratio? _____4. What is the current transfer student ratio? _____5. What is the gender ratio of the institution? _____6. What is the racial diversity ratio of the institution? _____7. What is the age bracket ratio of the institution?

Program Evaluation 20 _____8. What is the percentage of collegiate success for students who visited Student Services numerous times verses those who did not seek assistance from Student Services? _____9. What is the percentage of collegiate success for students who attended student functions and participated in officially sanctioned activities verses those with little or no participation? _____10. What is the percentage of collegiate success for students on federal financial assistance verses those who are not receiving federal financial assistance? Because this is a state report, there are numerous other questions which must be addressed; however, this example is limited to ten. This document takes a great deal of research, data collection, and evaluation. Once complete, it should offer an overview of areas of success and areas of weakness for a particular institution. If accurately complied, reviewed, and utilized, the report can offer areas from which programs would be most beneficial. Typically, state reports are sent electronically, and a hard copy is also mailed. Once the report is accepted by the state, it goes on file in the Institutional Review department, and is available to all citizens because of the nature of state laws. Most institutions publish the data online on their websites. Conclusion Program evaluation is a complex process which takes careful thought and planning in order to yield successful results. There are five essential steps to program evaluation: initial planning, outcomes, the transfer of knowledge, program structure, and measurability. All aspects of program planning require great attention to detail. Continuous improvement must be sought. Although a program might have been successful, it could always be better. We, as educators, should strive for innovation and

Program Evaluation 21 improvement. True change comes about when one has the courage to see their own mistakes, learn from them, and try something new.

Appendix A

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A. First-Time College Student Application for Admission - $10 fee Placement Scores ACT, SAT or COMPASS (See back for COMPASS availability) Online Orientation for a First-Time College Student at: www.nwacc.edu/orientation Advisement in the Advising Center Student Center or Washington County Center advisor will provide PIN for online registration (See back for advisor availability) Register Online for your classes through My NWACC Connection at www.nwacc.edu New Student Evaluation http://www.nwacc.edu/orientation/newstudenteval.php Student Photo ID in Learner Development Center (See back for ID hours) Pay or make payment arrangements (See back for payment dates) Buy Books at the bookstore (See back for book availability information) Turn in completed Official High School Transcript or GED and Proof of Immunization. If you have not started your Financial Aid, do so immediately! If you are a Veteran or need information about Veterans benefits please see the Veterans Representative in the Advising Center or call 479-619-4231. B. Transfer Application for Admission - $10 fee Receive PIN for online registration when you turn in your application Placement Scores ACT, SAT or COMPASS If you have not completed college level Reading, Writing & Math courses (See back for COMPASS availability) Advisement in the Advising Center Student Center or Washington County Centerbring a copy of your transcripts from other institutions (See back for advisor availability) Register Online for your classes through My NWACC Connection at www.nwacc.edu Student Photo ID in Learner Development Center (See back for ID hours) Pay or make payment arrangements (See back for payment dates) Appendix A, continued Buy Books at the bookstore (See back for book availability information)

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Turn in completed Transcripts from other institutions and Proof of If you have not started your Financial Aid, do so immediately! If you are a Veteran or need information about Veterans benefits please see
the Veterans Representative in the Student Center Advising Center or call 479619-4231. C. Returning Application for Admission - $5 fee Advisement in the Advising Center Student Center or Washington County Center bring a copy of your transcripts from other schools (See back for advisor availability) Register Online for your classes through My NWACC Connection at www.nwacc.edu Student Photo ID in Learner Development Center (See back for ID hours) Pay or make payment arrangements (See back for payment dates) Buy Books at the bookstore (See back for book availability information) Turn in completed Transcripts from other institutions if you have been anywhere since NWACC. If you have not started your Financial Aid, do so immediately! If you are a Veteran or need information about Veterans benefits please see the Veterans Representative in the Student Center Advising Center or call 479619-4231. D. Continuing Advisement in the Advising Center Student Center or Washington County Center (See back for advisor availability) Register Online for your classes through My NWACC Connection at www.nwacc.edu Pay or make payment arrangements (See back for payment dates) Buy Books at the bookstore (See back for book availability information) If you have not started your Financial Aid, do so immediately! If you are a Veteran or need information about Veterans benefits please see the Veterans Representative in the Advising Center or call 479-619-4231. Appendix A, continued E. International Contact Dale Montgomery, Director of International Student Services at 479-6194234 or dmontgom@nwacc.edu Application for Admission - $35 fee Immunization.

Program Evaluation 24 Placement Scores ACT, SAT or COMPASS (See back for COMPASS availability) Online Orientation at www.nwacc.edu/orientation Unless you are enrolling in College Intensive English Advisement in the Advising Center Student Center (See back for advisor availability) Register Online for your classes through My NWACC Connection at www.nwacc.edu New Student Evaluation http://www.nwacc.edu/orientation/newstudenteval.php Student Photo ID in Learner Development Center (See back for ID hours) Pay or make payment arrangements (See back for payment dates) Buy Books at the bookstore (See back for book availability information) Turn in completed Official High School Transcript or GED, Proof of Immunization and Proof of T. B. (Tuberculosis) Testing. Compass Testing Information Testing on a walk-in basis $10 testing fee Photo Identification Required Sample Questions at www.act.org/compass

Appendix B Please answer the following questions about NWACC ADVISING 1. Which type of interaction did you have with Advising at NWACC? (Check your most recent encounter)

Program Evaluation 25 In person By telephone By e-mail Online Through Facebook Indicate your level of agreement with each statement below 2. I was treated with respect by the staff in the advising office Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 3. I was made to feel welcome at the advising office Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 4. I was served in a timely manner at the advising office Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 5. I was given accurate information at the advising office Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 6. I was satisfied with the services provided by the advising office Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree Indicate how important each of these criteria are to you during a typical service encounter with the NWACC Advising Office. 7. I was treated with respect by the staff of the advising office Very Important Important Not Important 8. I was made to feel welcome at the advising office Very Important Important Not Important 9. I was served in a timely manner at the advising office Very Important Important Not Important Appendix B, continued 10. I was given accurate information at the advising office Very Important Important Not Important 11. I was satisfied with the services provided by the advising office Very Important Important Not Important

Program Evaluation 26 Answer the following in regard to how the service(s) of the advising office met your expectations 12. The advising office operated efficiently Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 13. The actions taken by staff of the advising office met my needs Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree Please answer the following questions about the NWACC Orientation Process 14. Which type of interaction did you have with the Orientation Process Online On Campus Both Indicate your level of agreement with each statement below 15. I was treated with respect during the orientation process Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 16. I was made to feel welcome during the orientation process Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 17. The orientation process was delivered in a timely manner Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 18. I was given accurate information during the orientation process Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 19. The information provide during orientation is helping me to succeed at NWACC Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree Appendix B, continued Indicate how important each of these criteria were to you during the orientation process 20. I was treated with respect during the orientation process Very Important Important Not Important 21. I was made to feel welcome during the orientation process

Program Evaluation 27 Very Important Important Not Important

22. I was served in a timely manner during the orientation process Very Important Important Not Important 23. I was given accurate information during the orientation process Very Important Important Not Important 24. I was satisfied with the services I received during the orientation process Very Important Important Not Important Answer the following in regard to how the service(s) you received during the orientation process met your expectations. 25. The orientation process operated efficiently Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree 26. The actions taken by the orientation staff met my needs Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Agree Learner Services Survey 27. What is your age? 28. What is you gender? Male Female 29. Do you live: Less than 10 miles away from campus More than 10 miles away from campus Appendix B, continued 30. How many hours are you enrolled in this semester? 1-6 7-11 12 or more 31. How do you prefer to receive important advising information? E-mail Letter

Program Evaluation 28 Test Message Facebook Twitter Other 32. How many semesters have you taken classes at NWACC? This is my first semester 2-4 semesters 5 or more semesters 33. Why are you at NWACC? Planning to get a degree at NWACC, then get a job Planning to get a degree at NWACC, then transfer Taking basic courses to transfer Just taking some courses

Appendix C Interview 1. What is your name 2. What is your major 3. How many times have you been in the NWACC advising center? 4. How did you feel about the level of attention received from your academic advisor? 5. Did you receive accurate information from you academic advisor? 6. Would you return and ask for the same advisor?

Program Evaluation 29 7. What could be done differently to ensure you have a better advising experience?

References Caffarella, R. (2002). "Designing and Assessing Learning Experiences." John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Crookston, B. B. (1994). A developmental view of academic advising as teaching. NACADA Journal, 14(2), 59. Drucker,P. Leading and Learning for the 21st Century, Retrieved December 13, 2009 from http://www.leading-learning.co.nz/famous-quotes.html.

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Lodico, M., Spaulding, D., & Voegtle, K. (2010). Methods in educational research: From theory to practice (Laureate Education, Inc., custom ed.). San Francisco: John Wiley & Sons. SurveyMonkey.com, (2009). Survey website. Retrieved on October 16, 2009 from www.surveymonkey.com.