Questions? Need assistance?
Tim Bono
Assistant Dean/Lecturer in Psychology, Campus Life and the College of Arts & Sciences
Campus Box 1068
314-935-3531
tjbono@wustl.edu
Committee for the Assessment of the Undergraduate Student Experience
The Committee for the Assessment of the Undergraduate Student Experience (CAUSE) is intended to support the measurement of student growth, development, and learning both inside and outside the classroom at Washington University.
By coordinating data collection from relevant services and programs, we aim to advance a culture of continuous improvement for the undergraduate experience.
Faculty and staff from a variety of departments meet biweekly to discuss assessment initiatives taking place across campus. Meetings focus on best practices in assessment, and opportunities for collaboration between departments.
Learn more about the creation of this committee.
Committee Roster
Cris Baldwin
Assistant Dean and Registrar, Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts
Campus Box 1031
314-935-4761
Tim Bono (Chair)*
Assistant Dean/Lecturer in Psychology, College of Arts & Sciences
Campus Box 1068
314-935-3531
Danielle Bristow*
Director of First Year Programs, First Year Center
Campus Box 1136
314-935-8350
Jim Davis*
Professor Emeritus of Political Science and Interim Director of Cornerstone
Campus Box 1063
314-935-5828
Shruti Desai
Associate Director, Residential Life
Campus Box 1250
314-935-8293
Betsy Foy
Assistant Director, Student Health Services
Campus Box 1201
314-935-7386
Larry Handlin
Assistant Director for Evaluation, Cornerstone: The Center for Advanced Learning
Campus Box 1135
314-935-8550
Jenni Harpring
Program Manager, Gephardt Institute for Public Service
Campus Box 1019
314-935-8182
Mike Hayes*
Executive Director of Campus Life
Campus Box 1068
314-935-4590
Leslie Heusted
Director, Danforth University Center & Event Management
Campus Box 1155
314-935-3964
Kris Kerth
Assistant Dean, College of Arts and Sciences
Campus Box 1117
314-935-4936
Joy Kiefer
Assistant Dean and Director of Undergraduate Research, College of Arts and Sciences
Campus Box 1026
314-935-8136
Jason Marquart
International Student Advisor, Office for International Students and Scholars
Campus Box 1083
314-935-5532
Lynn McCloskey (ex officio)
Assistant Provost for Analysis, Director of Institutional Research
Campus Box 1072
314-935-7315
Carol Moakley
Associate Director for Career Development, Career Center
Campus Box 1091
314-935-4985
Carol Mollman
Assessment Coordinator, University Library
Campus Box 1061
314-935-6465
Lanna Skadden
Assistant Dean, Olin Business School
Campus Box 1133
314-935-9095
Holly Tasker
Production Editor, Office of Undergraduate Research
Campus Box 1026
314-935-8972
Annette Unser
Market Research Director, Public Affairs
Campus Box 1070
314-935-4623
Shiloh Venable
Assistant Director, Community Service Office
Campus Box 1059
314-935-3943
Aimee Wittman
Director of Career Services, Career Center
Campus Box 1091
314-935-4435
*Steering Committee Member
Campus Beat
A few times per semester, the Assessment Committee sends a random sample of undergraduates a "Campus Beat" survey, which is comprised of questions submitted from various departments across campus. This allows faculty, administrators, and students to collect data without having to create an entire survey for only a few questions. CAUSE takes care of all aspects of survey administration and provides reports to those who submitted questions.
Undergraduate Database
Usually, you can get the information you are looking for by asking a small subset of the population instead of everyone.The Assessment Committee now maintains a database that keeps track of which students are sent which surveys to minimize the frequency with which any individual student is sent a survey request.
Workshop Series
These sessions are open to all students, faculty, and staff. Please RSVP by sending an email to tjbono@wustl.edu.
Assessment 101
Wed., Jan. 30, 2013, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., DUC 248
This presentation will introduce participants to key elements of assessment, including writing learning outcomes that are clear and measurable, “dos” and don’ts” of survey questions, and the most effective ways to capture student learning and development using data beyond simple anecdotes and stories.
Intro to Focus Groups
Wed., Feb, 13, 2013, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., DUC 239
Have you heard people talk about running a focus group, but you’re not sure how it all works? Perhaps you’ve tried running a focus group session in the past, and wondered if it might have gone better? This session will provide you with the basics of how to run a focus group, including five important steps: defining your purpose, developing questions, recruiting and preparing participants, conducting the session and analyzing the data. Take-aways include sample focus group questions, recruitment flyers, invitee tracking form, introductory remarks for the moderator, sample consent forms, and a sample data analysis format.
Using Swipe Card Systems To Track Students Services and Activity
Wed., Feb. 20, 2013, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., Cornerstone Technology Laboratory
This session will explore how to use swipe card systems to track student services and activities allowing you to monitor student interaction and quantify the level of services being delivered. We will cover types of swipe card systems and what kind of data and monitoring such systems can produce, as well as the costs and challenges associated with implementing these systems.
Intro to Campus Labs
Wed., March 6, 2013, 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m., DUC 248
Learn about the versatility of Campus Labs (formerly StudentVoice), an assessment resource that is free for all student services staff. We will go over the logistics associated with creating an account, setting up surveys, and collecting data online. In addition, we will discuss other Campus Labs services including webinars, ready-made rubrics, assessment consultation, and the ability to capture assessment data on students’ smartphones to incorporate their data in real time during a presentation or program. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own smartphones if they have them for a brief demonstration.
Additional Resources
Online Resources:
- Student Affairs Assessment Leaders
- Association for Institutional Research
- Higher Learning Commission
Scholarly Articles:
