All DSA departments are expected to:

• identify and regularly update Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) that measure the performance and progress of their primary functions and contributions to achieving the unit’s mission. 

DSA departments that provide student engagement and programming opportunities are expected to: 

• prioritize and measure student engagement by tracking student interactions using unique-university identifiers  
• Records of involvement opportunities offered: This data segment includes records of all the involvement opportunities offered by DSA departments and programs, such as events, activities, or services (e.g., clinic sessions, drop-ins meetings).
• Records of individual student interactions: This data segment includes students interacting with DSA programs and services, such as participation in events, utilization of services, and engagement with staff.
• Rosters of high-engagement student groups: This data segment includes rosters of current intense-contact student groups, such as student councils or board groups, leadership development programs, mentorship programs, and service organizations.
• adopt RamsConnect to manage and promote all open-access involvement opportunities via a RamsConnect group profile

DSA departments and major programs or operations are expected to identify and regularly update a set of metrics, known as Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), that measure the performance and progress of their primary functions and contributions to achieving the unit or program’s mission. KPIs should summarize the unit’s work as a whole while focusing on the aspects that have a significant impact on daily operations.

Units’ KPIs provide a quantifiable way to convey the success or impact of the unit and help track progress toward desired outcomes. Each unit should have KPIs for the following categories:

• Utilization and engagement. These KPIs measure the size and scope of units’ program, service, and operation, such as the number of events, total participation, unique participants, service utilization, and other support (i.e., access to monetary support or facility usage). 
• Quality and effectiveness of the program or operation. This category of KPIs measures the degree to which the programs or services achieve their intended goals and objectives, such as user satisfaction or reduced processing or waiting time.
• Impact on student learning and development. This category of KPIs measures the program or operation's contribution to student learning and development outcomes. Indicators of success include a positive change in student outcomes measured (i.e., increased awareness or attitude of a desired value, increased confidence in a skill), retention rates, term-to-term persistence, job placement rates, and internal or external accomplishments.
• Impact on university environment and climate. These KPIs include those broad and high-level measures of campus-wide culture, climate, perceptions, and phenomena, as well as those capturing the program or operation's contribution to creating a supportive and inclusive university environment. Examples include increased perception of inclusive campus climate and practices, and improved community awareness or engagement in critical aspects of supportive institutional climate (must be directly linked to the unit’s programs and services).

For more information about how to identify and create your program or unit’s KPIs and how frequently to measure and update them, check out the DSA KPI definitions and examples.  

Divisional Data Collection and Reporting

The current priorities for divisional data collection and reporting are centered on standardizing, implementing, and populating the DSA Programming Records database, a home-grown relational database that comprises three key data segments:

• Records of involvement opportunities offered: This data segment includes records of all the involvement opportunities offered by DSA departments and programs, such as events, activities, or services (e.g., clinic sessions, drop-ins meetings).
• Records of individual student interactions: This data segment includes students interacting with DSA programs and services, such as participation in events, utilization of services, and engagement with staff.
• Rosters of high-engagement student groups: This data segment includes rosters of current intense-contact student groups, such as student councils or board groups, leadership development programs, mentorship programs, and service organizations.

By standardizing, implementing, and populating this database, the DSA aims to improve its ability to collect and report on key data related to student engagement and involvement, as well as provide insights into the effectiveness and impact of its programs and services. It is expected that this database will serve as a valuable resource for DSA staff, campus partners, and other stakeholders involved in student affairs assessment and planning.

DSA departments are expected to: 

• prioritize and measure observable student engagement. When appropriate (e.g., no confidentiality concerns), units should track student engagement with VCU eID or other unique-university identifiers as much as possible (e.g., student V number). Using the unique university identifier(s) allows DSA Assessment to connect student engagement data with existing institutional data on demographic/academic characteristics and enrollment records.  
• adopt RamsConnect, DSA’s student engagement platform, by creating department or program group profiles and using the system to manage and promote all involvement opportunities, especially programs, and services that do not require group membership and are not specific to any individual. 

Units are highly encouraged to establish a multi-year schedule that rotates assessment priorities over time. The following assessment priorities are recommended:

• Needs Assessment. Regularly assess needs and satisfaction pertaining to the programs and services offered by the unit to ensure that the evolving needs of students (or their targeted serving population) are being met 
• Benchmarking. Implement benchmarking projects as relevant to a unit’s work. These projects can be implemented individually by unit or in collaboration with the Assessment Office
• Internal Program Review. Complete internal department/function program review using the Self-Assessment Guide (SAG) published by the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (the CAS Standard)
• External Program Review. Complete external department/function program review as determined by DSA leadership team

While assessment may be formally included in someone’s role, every staff member is responsible for improving and enhancing current operations, programs, processes, and administrative functions.   

Specific leadership of assessment resides with a variety of stakeholders including: 

• The VPSA provides overarching leadership for assessment in the division. 
• The AVPs provide guidance and support for assessment initiatives within their respective areas. AVPs work with units to ensure assessment is integrated with operations and resource allocation, and that DSA assessment expectations are met.
• Directors are responsible for their unit’s assessment work. They ensure their unit has an assessment plan and carry out assessments that meet prescribed standards.
• Assessment Representatives are responsible for assisting the director with implementing the unit’s assessment activities and ensuring activities align with assessment expectations.  Reps also:
• Maintain regular check-ins with the Office of Assessment
• Serve as members of the DSA Assessment Council and participate in Council activities
• The Office of Assessment is a crucial resource for all units and programs in the division by offering guidance and support for units’ assessment activities, as well as leading divisional and institutional projects that support the division’s strategic priorities.