January 31, 2007

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW CENTER PROVIDES A UNIFIED APPROACH TO STUDENT SUCCESS

Washington, D.C.— To increase the success of students in post-secondary education and to assist colleges and universities in demonstrating accountability for achieving desired student outcomes, NASPA–Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education and Keeling and Associates, LLC, (K&A) are launching the International Center for Student Success and Institutional Accountability (ICSSIA) in March 2007.

Under the paradigm of promoting “student success,” ICSSIA will help post-secondary institutions throughout the world develop and assess a wide range of outcomes that characterize and document the learning and experience of the whole student. While classroom learning performance and graduation are traditional measures, they alone do not adequately reflect and define student success and its many dimensions.

“NASPA is uniquely positioned and prepared to respond to calls for quality improvement in student learning and accountability for three important reasons: 1) its track record in providing resources in assessment; 2) its purpose and foundation of assisting its members in facilitating discussions and being conveners on campus; and 3) its promotion of a campus-wide focus on student learning across a spectrum of institutions” said Gwendolyn Jordan Dungy.

ICSSIA will provide policy initiatives, grant-funded projects, leadership, guidance, discussion forums and other resources to institutions, professional staff and professional organizations. It will have a digital presence that will allow educators from around the globe to network and access resources.  Already a number of projects are underway for ICSSIA including: (1) an evaluative study of several of the most commonly used standardized assessment instruments; (2) an annual International Assessment and Retention Conference; and (3) Communities of Practice, through which professionals can discuss and share materials on specific topics of interest such as assessment strategies and the retention of African American males.

Directly related to student success is institutional accountability for establishing, documenting, and achieving desired student outcomes, which recently has drawn much national attention in light of the Spellings Commission report. Accountability, however, has multiple dimensions—and represents the desire of faculty and staff to do their best work, not just a response to external demands.

 “ICSSIA will advance national and local dialogue by clarifying critical concepts like student success, the student experience, outcomes and accountability; helping institutions address the tensions between institutional autonomy and external expectations; and analyzing and providing information on various tools available for both assessment and reporting on learning,” said Richard P. Keeling, chairman and senior executive consultant for K&A.

NASPA and Keeling and Associates are committed to making ICSSIA an agile and comprehensive force for positive change in higher education.

Visit ICSSIA website for more information