Student Affairs leader receives assessment award

Ted Elling, associate vice chancellor for student affairs for research and systems development, received the 2017 Champion Award from Campus Labs for “utilizing data to influence a change in student success initiatives across the institution and inspiring a generation of assessment professionals.”

Since introducing the Campus Labs’ survey software and assessment services to the campus in 2003, Ellis has administered more than 3,000 surveys to students, staff, faculty and community members. One of those surveys is the Evaluating Academic Success Effectively (EASE) survey that was administered from 2005 through 2016. Administered early in the academic term, it queried students about social, academic and involvement issues, including, but not limited to, their study skills, time management and social engagement. Survey results identified the areas of growth and risk factors in both academic and social situations.

“Early detection creates changes in outcomes,” Elling said. “It is important to understand how to balance and manage time, so that students are still successfully meeting their academic requirements.”

Along with other campus partners, Elling worked to condense the 82-question survey into a smaller 20-question survey that could be administered earlier, during the first three to four weeks of the semester. This information could then be shared with academic advisors so that they could assist students in making the necessary changes to become successful within their courses and make to the right connections to appropriate services on campus.

“UNC Charlotte’s willingness to try new things and dive a little deeper in issues we deem as important is a reflection of how much we want to help students,” Elling said. “Faculty and staff rally around broad issues and work together to provide services.”

Elling has conducted a number of national studies on the expertise, professional development needs, involvement and characteristics of student affairs assessment professionals. He is a frequent presenter on the creation, use and impact of various student success initiatives, including EASE administered at UNC Charlotte as well as other colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

A founding member and former co-chair of the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Assessment, Evaluation, and Research Knowledge Community, Elling is a founding member and former national chair of the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders organization. His involvement in these two organizations has helped develop, foster, connect and provide support for the 132 student affairs assessment offices across the country to enable them to provide high quality assessment services to their universities.