Student Assessment Team

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Job Description

Student Assessment Assistants are responsible for assisting in the efficient operation of Residential Education Assessment Projects. Student Assessment Assistants work as part of an Assessment Team, comprised of 4-5 part-time student employees. Student Assessment Assistants report to Residential Education's Evaluation and Program Development Specialist. This will require attendance of a weekend long training session in assessment of student affairs. The main requirements and expectations of the position will be centered on Residential Education's assessment efforts and are listed below. Toward this end students may sometimes be required to provide general clerical support, place phone calls, and deliver, pick up, and distribute items across campus. In addition, this position will need to communicate University policies and procedures, as well as handle complex work projects, confidential documents and questions from students, faculty and staff.

Pay and Availability

Pay: $13/hour

Availability: 4-5 hours a week

Qualifications

Student Assessment Assistants must possess strong interpersonal skills, excellent oral/written communication, and superior organizational skills. The ability to work quickly and accurately under pressure with frequent interruptions is very important. The position requires a demonstrated ability to take initiative and use good judgment in handling unexpected situations. Ability to calmly and maturely handle complex work projects and confidential situations is a must. In addition, the ability to work successfully with a diverse group of people and interact effectively with students, faculty and staff of different ethnic, racial, religious, sexual orientation and cultural backgrounds is most important. Students must be dependable and must have experience with Macintosh computers and Microsoft Office; Word and Excel, as well as be comfortable learning new technologies. We are looking for proactive individuals with a strong willingness to learn.

Expectations

• Keep Supervisor informed of assessment activities, problems, and concerns.
• Complete tasks promptly and accurately in accordance with the request of professional staff members.
• Assume other responsibilities as designated by supervisor.
• Ability to focus on detailed and sometimes tedious tasks.
• Be on time to all meetings, interviews, and events.
• Document task progress and make sure all maintenance tasks are completed.
• Provide a helpful and professional experience for students, staff, and faculty who participate in assessments.
• Take initiative to complete tasks and proactively check in with supervisor to receive other tasks.
• Conduct yourself professionally at all times. Personal life and interactions should not interfere with your task assignments.
• Maintain organized files and documents.
• Be respectful of other staff members.
• Actively participate in Assessment Team meetings.
• Student assistants may occasionally encounter confidential situations during their time in the office; these must remain confidential and should not be discussed outside of the Residential Education office.
• Flexible hours and availability, as well as, the ability to work independently.
• Attend weekend long assessment training.

Regular Duties

Assist in Interviews

Some assessment efforts will involve one-on-one interviews between Student Assessment Assistants and other Stanford students, staff, and faculty. Students will be required to follow question routes for structured interviews and to foster a constructive discussion about various aspects of Stanford's residential life. Interviews will be recorded and be held confidential.

Assist in Focus Groups

Students will assist in designing, scheduling, and implementing focus groups. This may include co-facilitating group discussions, recruiting focus group participants, coordinating meetings, and writing follow-up letters to participants.

Survey Development and Other Assessment Efforts

Student Assessment Assistants will aide in the development of survey questions and other assessment tools. This may include photo journals, evaluating un-obstructive metrics, and observing student use of services.

Assessment Analysis and Documentation

Students will be expected to clearly document all processes and procedures. Also, students will participant in the analysis of interview, focus group, and survey results. This may include transcribing interviews, coding focus groups, and working with professional staff to interpret survey results.

Piloting New Programs

Occasionally the student will be required to participant in, or co-develop, new dorm programs. As participants they will be asked to constructive critique the program and suggest concrete methods of improvement. As a co-developer of the program, they will be asked to document procedures, lead a mock "run-through" of the program in front of a group of their peers, and solicit input on ways to improve the program.

Other Duties as Assigned

There are many assessment project possibilities. Students may be asked to assist in ways not listed above.

Applying

To apply, please answer each of the following questions in 200 words or less. Please do not go beyond the 200 word maximum. Send your responses to Cisco Barron, ciscokid at stanford, by 5:00pm on Friday, November 20, 2009.

1. Describe the last time you were excited about doing work. Feel free to interpret "work" broadly. Please detail what were you doing and what you liked about it.
2. What makes a good dorm/house community? What evidence could you point to that you live in a good (or bad) residence?
3. What role should your dorm experience play in your undergraduate experience? How will you know when your dorm is "doing its job"?
4. Compare and contrast the advantages/disadvantages of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed research methods.