Assessment Results

Aggregate summary report for the Aggie Allies Workshop Evaluations from the Spring 2017 time frame.

Off-Campus Student Services (OCSS) in the Offices of the Dean of Student Life at Texas A&M University hosts the annual Housing Fair. According to the OCSS website, during Housing Fair “off campus properties present information about their properties to Texas A&M students, faculty and staff. Students can walk around and visit the various properties’ tables and gather informational materials, as well as pick up the latest copy of the Off-Campus Survival Manual.” This event has traditionally been held during the spring semester; however, due to feedback from previous years the annual Housing Fair was moved to the fall semester and held on October 25th from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in the Memorial Student Center. OCSS wanted to assess both the students’ experience attending Housing Fair and the vendors (properties) who set up booths during the fair.

The Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) sponsor Grad Camp every fall that brings together new graduate students for a once in a lifetime learning and network experience in Aggieland. GPSC held two Grad Camps in the fall of 2017; August 17 and August 24, 2017. The summary report provides the results of the assessment of campers during both Grad Camp, and the counselors who participated in the program.

The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU), a national survey provided to all Texas A&M undergraduate students in spring 2017. Students were asked about where they worked (if at all), the relationship of employment and academic success, and social class.

The Student Experience in the Research University (SERU), a national survey provided to all Texas A&M undergraduate students in spring 2017. Students were asked about their weekly activities, the tasks they perform in organizations, the importance of their experiences, and the gains they have made in their leadership skills.

T-Camp is an extended (three day), optional orientation camp for students who have previously attended another institution and are transferring to Texas A&M University for the fall semester. Participants travel to Trinity Pines in Trinity, Texas and stay in cabins. Two sessions of T- Camp were held; Session One was held on August 7-9, 2017 and Session Two was held on August 11-13, 2017. T-Camp is led by students currently attending Texas A&M and who have familiarity with transferring. The camp student staff is made up of directors, co-chairs, teamers, and counselors. Their goal is to help new transfer students establish relationships with fellow students and learn Texas A&M traditions. This report summarizes the results of assessments of both the camper and co-chair/counselor experience with T-Camp 2017.

The Department of Residence Life was initially awarded a Division of Student Affairs College Completion Grant for the 2016-2017 academic year to create a support network for under-represented students living on-campus, specifically Black/African-American and Hispanic/Latino students. This grant was renewed for the 2017-2018 academic year. Following from the Aggie family ideal, the Black/African-American group was referred to as AFAM and the Hispanic/Latino group was named Aggie Familia.

As part of the grant, identity-conscious programs and mentoring opportunities are planned throughout the 2017-2018 academic year for these student populations. Programs include topics such as academic connections, money management, stress management, and finishing the semester strong. Through these events, AFAM and Aggie Familia students will be connected with faculty, staff, and other students to establish and build a community with people, programs, and resources. The planning committee coordinated an End-of-Semester Celebration for the students in both groups, which was held on December 5, 2017. The event included a keynote speaker, time to socialize/network with students and mentors, and the opportunity to reflect on the fall semester.

The grant planning committee worked with Student Life Studies to collect data from students reflecting on their semester. While other assessments have been conducted as part of the Aggie Familia/AFAM initiative, this was the first time this specific event or reflection was assessed.