I. IDENTIFIED MEASURABLE EDUCATIONAL GOALS
Mission Statement
The mission of the program is to provide an education in criminal justice
using a multidisciplinary approach that will empower students as critical
thinkers, effective oral communicators, and competent writers in subject
matters of crime and criminal justice. The program will prepare students
to think critically about the problems of crime and justice as citizens
that, in turn, will enable them to perform effectively and ethically in
the criminal justice arena.
Goals
1. Exhibit an understanding of and the ability to apply criminological
theories in explaining social policy and crime
2. Demonstrate the ability to critically analyze public policy issues
as they pertain to criminal justice issues
3. Increase knowledge of the structure, function, and operation of police,
courts, and corrections
4. Apply basic techniques of research methodology in the study of criminal
justice
5. Understand how criminal justice agencies function from a broader perspective
of public affairs
6. Demonstrate the ability to apply communication, computer, and mathematical
skills to content specific information in criminal justice
7. Demonstrate the ability to integrate various learning experiences from
required core courses
II. METHODOLOGY FOR MEASURING THE ATTAINMENT OF EDUCATIONAL GOALS
The Criminal Justice Program uses several methods to assess students
in the major including course embedded assessment, senior exit surveys,
alumni surveys, and employer surveys. In combination these methods allow
us to better understand whether students have gained discipline specific
knowledge and skills, personal development and career preparation, and
basic academic skills. Assessing the student's development in higher order
thinking skills and academic achievement comes predominately through assessment
of students' performance on individual course assignments including essays,
papers, projects, presentations, and examinations. For example, the capstone
course (J439) requires students to use higher order thinking and academic
knowledge in responding to essay questions designed to have them integrate
information gained from previous courses, current events, and life experiences.
The research and statistic courses (J202 and K300) require students to
demonstrate the ability to apply communication, the application of basic
research methodology techniques, computer, and statistical analysis skills
to content specific information in criminal justice. Assignments in the
introductory course (J101), the policing course (J321), and the corrections
course (J331) require students to demonstrate their understanding of the
structure and basic functions of the three general criminal justice components
- police, courts, and corrections.
The senior exit surveys are administered every semester and results are
tabulated and distributed in report form in the third year review. This
will be done in 2007. The areas of questions include:
General feedback on course content on eight required courses
Offerings of electives
Rotation of classes
Advising assistance
Strengths and Weaknesses of the program
Involvement in internship
Participation in and attendance at Criminal Justice Program sponsored
events
Employment goals
Plans for graduate school
The alumni and employer surveys are administered every third year and
the results are tabulated and distributed in report form every third year.
This will be done in 2007. The areas of questions for the alumni survey
include:
Employment after graduation
Use of degree in current employment
Enrollment in graduate programs
Academic preparation
Usefulness of Criminal Justice Program sponsored events
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Program
Involvement in Internship while a student
The areas of questions for the employer survey include:
Importance of areas of knowledge or skills for employment success
Work behavior emphasis
Preparedness of IU South Bend Criminal Justice graduates in specific skill
and knowledge areas
Use of interns
Plans have also been made to establish pre/post measurements for all
eight required courses of the major. It is anticipated that these instruments
will be ready for use starting in the fall of 2006. The data results from
this method of analysis will be helpful in developing and revising course
objectives, requirements, and assessment measures.
III. PROCESS FOR USING ASSESSMENT FOR PROGRAM IMPROVEMENT
Reports on all assessment activities are shared with all criminal justice
faculty and Division Dean. These reports include the assessment grant
reports which provide the results of the surveys and the annual and third
year reports. Faculty meetings and retreats are used to discuss the results
and to make changes in the curriculum based on assessment. For example,
both exiting senior and alumni survey data indicated that students were
dissatisfied with what they saw as a lack of career preparation and assistance.
This feedback was used in the development of a course on Career Development
(V252) which was offered first in the spring of 2005 and is on the plan
to be offered each spring semester. Employer feedback indicated that graduates
were weak in writing skills. This information led to the increase of writing
assignments in several classes and referrals for writing assistance to
the campus writing resource. A Self-Study was conducted in the summer
of 2005 utilizing the services of an outside peer reviewer. The reviewer
was provided with assessment reports and this information, as well as
interviews with faculty, students, and administrators led to several recommendations
for improvements in the program. The faculty has met several times to
discuss these recommendations and make plans for implementation of changes.
A review of the advising protocol has also been conducted and led to a
change in assignment of transfer students and sophomore through senior
students to faculty advisors. Feedback from the senior exit and alumni
surveys led to discussions between full-time faculty and adjunct faculty
on course objectives.
IV. PARTICIPATION OF ALL CONSTITUENCIES
Faculty
All full-time faculty are involved in the development of assessment activities
through discussions held at monthly faculty meetings as well as annual
retreats. Adjunct faculty are involved in assessment activities through
annual meetings between full and part time faculty and the Division Dean.
Students
Students are involved in assessment activities through their participation
in responding to surveys. Students also complete course evaluations every
semester which is a two part process: 1) an objective scoring of course
information, instructor characteristics, and overall rating and, 2) a
narrative feedback form asking about what the students liked best and
least about the course/instructor and additional comments.
Alumni
Alumni are administered a survey every third year and the Alumni Advisory
Board meets annually. Next round of surveys will be in 2007.
Employers
Local, regional, and national employers are administered a survey every
third year. Next round of surveys will be in 2007.
Advisory Boards
The Community Advisory Council meets 2-3 times per year and reviews policy,
helps with plans for recruitment of students, and assists in fund-raising.
V. RECORD KEEPING
All assessment related documents and materials are kept by the assessment
committee liaison as well as having been sent to the University Assessment
Committee.
The Criminal Justice Program plans to develop a web-link for assessment
reports through the SPEA Home Page.
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