AESS Unit Assessment

Mission

The mission of the Administrative, Educational, and Student Support Assessment Committee (AESSAC) at York College is to oversee a systematic and continuous process of assessment aimed at improving the functions, roles, and services of York’s AESS units (non-academic units).

Goals

1. Support the sustainability of assessment efforts by establishing assessment processes and cycles
2. Cultivate the use of assessment results for improvement among AESS units
3. Promote best practices in AESS unit assessment with the College community by sharing and documenting assessment activities
4. Initiate college-wide discussions, provide opportunities for professional development, and offer other related efforts that cultivate best practices in AESS assessment

Membership

• Eight to ten full-time staff members, preferably with representation from each division: Academic Affairs, Administrative Affairs, Enrollment and Retention Management, President's division, and Student Affairs
• The Committee Chair and/or Co-Chair who is/are appointed by the Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning
• The Director of Assessment from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning

Members will serve three years on a rotating basis to ensure continuity with year three serving as the transition year. Nominations for membership will be requested by the end of the spring semester with the anticipated start date in summer.

Members

• Nazia Naeem, Committee Chair, Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning
• Lindsay Demsen, Office of Student Academic Services
• Rashid Kenon, Student Financial Services
• Reginald Madden, Pre-College Programs
• Kim M. Melendez, Counseling Center
• Savitrie Rampersaud, Student Development
• Yanike Steele, Information Technology, Interim Chair
• Natalie Walker, Welcome Center

Activities

• Review and provide recommendations on AESS unit assessment plans and reports
• Provide assessment consultation to units as needed
• Maintain records on AESS unit annual assessment submissions
• Meet every three weeks throughout the academic year
• Collaborate with OIESP in offering professional development workshops

Reporting and Communication

• Communicate with unit directors/heads and VPs as needed
• Communicate annual processes, procedures, and deadlines to the College community
• Distribute a committee report to IEC and post it on the College’s assessment website as requested
• Present results and recommendations to the Institutional Effectiveness Committee

Committee Resources

• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) Standards & Requirements of Affiliations

Annual Assessment Process

All units are required to engage in ongoing annual assessment.

AESS units engage in an annual process to identify and examine ways to improve the overall student experience by assessing support outcomes and/or student learning outcomes. The AESS assessment process at York is internally driven and designed to:

• be meaningful and manageable;
• transparent;
• lead to data-driven decision-making;
• maximize the effective use of institutional resources;
• ensure continuous improvement; and
• be relevant to the unit.

Assessment is cyclical and activities reoccur to ensure data is used for continuous and sustained improvement of measurable outcomes. In connection with the unit mission and goals, there are six critical activities units will undertake in the assessment process:

1. Identify outcomes for each goal
2. Identify activities for each outcome (steps to achieve the outcome)
3. Identify target (what define sucess %, #, etc.)
4. Identify assessment methods to measure each outcome
5. Gather, Analyze, and interpret data
6. Identify next steps and use results to make improvements

AESS Annual Assessment Process (September through August)

The AESS unit assessment cycle is governed by an annual timeline that requires units to engage in specific assessment activities throughout every year. Units submit assessment information using the York Assessment Management System (YAMS).

• Each year, units are required to submit Annual Assessment Plan in the York Assessment Management System (YAMS). The annual plan allows units the flexibility to modify the plan based on assessment findings of the previous year and/or other changes.  Each year, units are required to use data to assess at least one goal and two measurable outcomes connected to that goal. Due to additional program requirements, some units (e.g., SEEK, Male Initiative Program) are required to assess all goals every year.  
• At the end of the academic year, units are to submit an Year-End Annual Assessment Report in YAMS describing their findings and how they plan to use the results.  Units describe in detail outcomes assessed, methods used to collect data, target met/not, findings, and how the findings will be used to guide improvement. If applicable, units also share results mapped to student ILO(s). The report provides units with the opportunity to discuss factors that may have impeded or accelerated assessment efforts, celebrate assessment accomplishments and concisely communicate outcomes for the following next year.
• The plans and reports are submitted by the unit director/head. They are reviewed and approved by the divisional VP and submitted to committee to be internally published. The AESS Assessment Committee randomly evaluates plans and reports each year and provides  feedback to AESS units. The purpose of committee feedback is to ensure quality of assessment. 

AESS Periodic Unit Review (7-Years)

The Periodic Unit Review is a comprehensive self-study process used to evaluate and strengthen each Administrative, Educational, and Student Support (AESS) Unit. The College’s Mission and Strategic Plan drive the Institutional Effectiveness Process, which is supported and informed by the annual assessment and PUR process. For more information, please review the guidelines below.

Periodic Unit Review Guidelines

Periodic Unit Review Schedule

The Administrative, Educational, and Student Support Unit Assessment Committee (AESSAC) includes members from each division. The committee’s role is to facilitate, coordinate, review, and provide recommendations on AESS unit assessments across the college. It reports to the Institutional Effectiveness Committee.

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Strategic Planning (OIESP) guides and supports units across the college as OIESP staff: 

• Consult on all assessment matters including planning, executing, and implementing assessment activities
• Provide templates, guidelines, and relevant resources
• Assist in identifying and recommending appropriate measures
• Conduct professional development workshops
• Recommend best practices
• Help with data analysis and presentation, etc.

Mission and Goals for each AESS Unit

Internal Resources

• AESS Annual Assessment Process (September through August)
• How to Write Mission, Goals and Outcomes
• Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Strategic Planning, AC 3H10
• CUNY Assessment 101 Course (FREE)
• AESS Assessment Guide August 2025

AESS Templates and Rubrics

• AESS Unit Assessment Rubric

York Assessment Management System (YAMS)

• Instructions for creating assessment plan/report in YAMS (coordinator, directors)
• Instructions for approving assessment plan/report in YAMS (department reps & VPs)
• Instructions to Upload PURs on YAMS

External Resources

• Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education

Professional Organizations

• National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC)
• National Academic Advising Association (NACADA)
• Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education (NASPA)