Symposium
Save the date! The 7th annual UCSC Symposium will be held on Friday, November 14, 2025 at the Arboretum
2024 Symposium on Assessment of Learning
The 6th annual Symposium for the Assessment of Learning was held on Friday, November 8, 2024. The topic this year was: Empowering Educators: Innovative Assessment Approaches to Advance Equity.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER: ADRIANNA KEZAR
Keynote Address: Improving assessment and student success efforts by supporting VITAL faculty
VITAL (Visiting, Instructors, Temporary, Adjunct, Lecturers) faculty teach the majority of introductory courses on college campuses but are given little support for this important role. Teaching and learning reform efforts and regular assessment typically lack involvement of VITAL faculty. Our campuses need to rethink the way they involve and support VITAL faculty so they have the opportunity to perform optimally, support student success and campus teaching and learning mission.
Adrianna Kezar is Dean’s Professor of Leadership, Wilbur-Kieffer Professor of Higher Education, at the University of Southern California and Director of the Pullias Center for Higher Education within the Rossier School of Education. Dr. Kezar is a national expert of student success, equity and diversity, the changing faculty, change, governance and leadership in higher education.
Dr. Kezar is well published with 25 books/monographs, over 100 journal articles, and over a hundred book chapters and reports. Recent books include: Higher education leadership: Challenging tradition and forging possibilities (2024) (Johns Hopkins Press), Shared leadership in higher education (2021) (Stylus), and The Gig Academy (2019) (Johns Hopkins Press).
PROGRAM & MATERIALS
8:30 – 9:00
Breakfast & Coffee
9:00 – 9:05
Welcome by Suzanne Alonzo, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, and Anna Sher, Director of ALEE Center
9:05 – 9:20
Opening Remarks by CP/EVC Lori Kletzer
9:20 – 10:35
Keynote Address
Improving assessment and student success efforts by supporting VITAL faculty by Adrianna Kezar
10:35 – 10:45
Coffee Break
10:45 – 12:00
Session 1: How assessment can help programs and faculty improve equity: Ideas, tips, and resources
UCSC faculty will share practical strategies they developed to seamlessly integrate assessment into their courses and explain how they used results to improve equity in student learning.
Speakers:
- Large-scale Learning Outcomes Assessment: Lessons from College 1. Sean Keilen, Professor of Literature, Associate Dean & Chair, Council of Provosts (slides)
- Are students prepared for mid-level courses? Robin Dunkin, Associate Teaching Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Director of Teaching and Learning Center (slides)
- Designing General Chemistry for a Hispanic-Serving Research University. Alegra Eroy-Reveles, Associate Teaching Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry (slides)
12:00 – 1:00
Lunch
1:00 – 2:15
Session 2: Exploring how assessment can promote equity and success in graduate education
We invite you to join a conversation about how our campus can use assessment to increase equity, improve graduate student learning experiences and outcomes, and refine our graduate programs. There will be a brief introduction to graduate program assessment followed by a structured conversation in which you can provide your insights, feedback, and ideas.
Facilitator: Suzanne Alonzo, Associate Vice Provost for Academic Affairs, Professor in Ecology & Evolutionary Biology
2:30 – 3:45
Session 3: Practical tips for using technology to understand gaps in student learning
Canvas and Gradescope are powerful tools for student feedback and assessment when rubrics are designed strategically. Join us for hands-on workshops and learn how to effectively use these technological tools to identify gaps and areas for improvement in students’ skills. Real examples and templates from UCSC courses will be shared.
Facilitators: