Teaching-Learning-Assessment Committee (TLAC) Meeting Minutes
Wednesday, December 6, 2006 – 10:00 am
Gary Sherrer Room (CH 206)

Present: Anthony Ambrosio, Tim Burnett, Neal Luo, Brenda Nichols, Dennis Pelsma (chair), Rod Sobieski and Bruce Vieweg (guest).

1. Approval of Minutes:
   Minutes from the November 8, 2006, meeting were distributed and approved.
2. Title III and Data Management System:
   Some departments have expressed interest in a data management system (DMS) to manage student learning outcome data. The Accountability Management System (AMS) is being used by the Teacher’s College. It is sophisticated, expensive and requires maintenance. Bruce Vieweg was invited to the meeting discuss the potential use of Banner for a DMS. Bruce outlined the Title III Grant and how Banner can be used to align learning outcome data to its existing data set. The fifth year of the grant will focus on student data and we could use this year to develop a DMS with access through portal. We can also write a follow-up grant on the development of a DMS system. The effort to interface Banner with a data management system corresponds with a current national need. Bruce will travel to Washington D.C. in January to discuss the possibility of a follow-up grant with his project manager. He will be invited back to our March meeting to share his experience. If the granting source encourages the idea, we will begin writing a grant proposal. Bruce requested that TLAC produce a model example of the desired process. Specifically, we need to identify the type, format and use of independent data points. Banner is designed to track individual data. Data is entered into individual records. We will have to explore ways to use it for housing anonymous data that is not linked to individual student records (e.g. program evaluation assessments). Anthony Ambrosio expressed the need for a user friendly interface between faculty data input and the storage system similar to an electronic grade book.
3. HLC Meeting Membership:
   Those attending the HLC Feb 7-9, 2007 are; Dennis Pelsma, Tim Burnett, Anthony Ambrosio, and Rob Catlett. Anthony Ambrosio will contact Stacey Braun for a possible representative from Student Affairs. Rod Sobieski suggested a Graduate Program representative if a Student Affairs representative was unable to attend. Anthony Ambrosio reminded the group of the January 24th deadline for hotel reservations. He will distribute pre-meeting homework from HLC by the January 31st meeting.
4. Strategic Assessment Plan Resolution Update:
   Resolution feedback from Dean’s Council was shared and the recent resolution was reviewed. The issues involved in the discussion included the assessment day, introducing published policies, use of a multi-staged plan, developing public opportunities for faculty sharing and assessment as a scholarly activity. Due to low attendance it was decided to table our discussion until the March meeting. We will assign sub committees to develop a proposal for each independent topic area. Anthony Ambrosio will draft a position statement on the culture of assessment and he will circulate this via e-mail to the committee members for input and revision.
5. Intrinsic and Extrinsic Faculty Incentives:
   Tabled until the March meeting.
6. Senior Survey:
   Neal Lou presented the Graduating Senior Survey on General Education (FY2004-2006) results. The survey was used for 3 years to see which areas have progressed. The quality of Graduate Assistant Teaching was rated as good. Student perception ratings for “Knowledge Received” in General Education were good.
7. University Assessment Plans Update & TLAC Involvement:
   This agenda item was tabled until March. TLAC can make a decision on level involvement in evaluating department program assessment plans.
   
   Meeting adjourned at 11:32 am.
   Next meeting date: January 31, 2007, 1:00 pm, Gary Sherrer Room, Cremer Hall 206

Last Updated August 29, 2007