Cocurricular activities consist of “learning activities, programs and experiences that reinforce the institution’s mission and values and complement the formal curriculum” (Higher Learning Commission, 2020).
Student Affairs at Illinois provides quality programs, services, facilities, and living environments which support the curriculum and empower students to succeed at Illinois. Assessment in Student Affairs is guided by the Director for Assessment and Planning and the Student Affairs Assessment Committee (SAAC).
Assessment Resources
These resources are intended to help Student Affairs Departments and Units assess their work. Resources are designed to guide units in reflection on prior learning outcomes assessment work and developing future plans.
- Student Affairs Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan Template – This template can be used to identify department/unit wide learning outcomes and map those outcomes to guiding frameworks and assessment initiatives.
- Student Affairs Assessment Project Planning Tool – This form is designed to assist units in evaluating an individual program or service. The tool guides a unit through the assessment cycle and provides resources on learning outcome creation.
Current Co-curricular Assessment Activities
Student Affairs at Illinois is participating in the campus-wide effort to systematically collect and effectively use assessment information on student learning outcomes.
Student Affairs units and departments have been actively engaging in learning outcomes assessment related to their plans since the 2017-2018 academic year. Progress is tracked periodically in discussions with Student Affairs Assessment Committee, as well as annually through formal reports.
Examples of past learning outcome assessment initiatives:
- Illini Union: Student Employees
- Illinois Leadership Center: Student Participants | Student Employees
- The Career Center: Student Participants
Resources and Support
The Director for Assessment and Planning supports all Student Affairs units with learning outcomes assessment. The Student Affairs Assessment Committee (SAAC) offers professional development workshops throughout the year to assist departments and units with their assessment efforts. In addition, SAAC hosts an assessment conference every other year. You may also find helpful resources on the Student Affairs Assessment website.
More information on Student Affairs progress with learning outcomes assessment and planning can be obtained from the Student Affairs Assessment Committee.
Student Affairs Assessment Committee
The Student Affairs Assessment Committee brings together staff with assessment responsibilities from across the Division to create a community that supports staff using evidence: to improve the student experience; to assure the quality of learning through consistent and transparent learning outcomes; and to develop and maintain a culture of assessment within and across units in Student Affairs. To learn more about this committee, please visit the committee website.