Student Academic Achievement Committee
STUDENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT COMMITTEE
The Student Academic Achievement Committee (SAAC) is charged with the development of CNM’s Core Competencies as well as the facilitation of assessment of both Core and Exit Competencies for the college. A representative from each school serves on SAAC. This individual is responsible for communicating SAAC’s work back to the school as well as representing the school’s interests within the committee. Annually, the chair or director from each program at CNM completes a SAAC Standardized Report that details the program’s assessment efforts, results and future plans for the year. These reports are published to the school’s website and evaluated by the school’s SAAC representative using the Meta-Assessment Rubric. The results from the Meta-Assessment evaluations are presented annually in the SAAC Annual Report to the Dean’s Council in December.
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CORE AND PROGRAM EXIT COMPETENCIES
- SAAC ANNUAL REPORT TO DEAN’S COUNCIL (COLLEGE REPORT)
- SAAC STANDARDIZED REPORT FORM (PROGRAM REPORT)
- CURRENT SAAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS
- CORE COMPETENCY REPORTING SCHEDULE
- SAAC TIMELINE
- GLOSSARY OF TERMS
DEGREE CORE AND PROGRAM EXIT COMPETENCIES
The Degree Core Competencies are a set of skills that every graduate should be able to demonstrate upon completion of an associate degree program at CNM. The skills reflect the college's values through their incorporation in every classroom at some level. These competencies help ensure that our graduates will be informed and committed citizens, valued employees, and fully prepared transfer students.
The Degree Core Competencies are:
1. COMMUNICATION: Students will read, write, listen, and use verbal skills to organize and communicate ideas and information in personal group settings. COMMUNICATION RUBRIC
2. CRITICAL THINKING: Students will demonstrate the ability to engage in the process of defining tasks and evaluating problems through the examination of information, application of computation skills, and reflection on ideas for the purpose of reaching decisions. CRITICAL THINKING RUBRIC
3. INTERPERSONAL SKILLS/TEAMWORK: Students will work and interact with others at a personal, professional, and global level demonstrating respect for individual and cultural differences while practicing civility, honesty, and personal responsibility. INTERPERSONAL RUBRIC
4. TECHNOLOGY: Students will understand the limits, problems and possibilities associated with the use of technology and will have the tools necessary to evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available. This includes the ability to use computer-based technology to communicate, solve problems, and acquire information. TECHNOLOGY RUBRIC
5. LIFE SKILLS: Student’s personal behavior will demonstrate the ability to make reasoned judgments, to be responsible for commitments, and to understand the viewpoints of others. This includes professionalism, work ethic, and citizenship. LIFE SKILLS RUBRIC
6. NUMERACY RUBRIC: Students will read, interpret and utilize quantitative methods to make decisions in their program of study. They will generate, use and/or apply numerical information by solving problems, measuring, analyzing and expressing information in a manner appropriate to their degree area. NUMERACY RUBRIC
Exit Competencies are specific to the graduate’s program of study. All programs at CNM have identified Exit Competencies. Career and Technical programs have Exit Competencies that are consistent with employer expectations in the workplace. Exit Competencies for Transfer Programs reflect preparedness for the junior year of bachelor degree programs.
All degree programs are charged with assessing both Degree Core and Exit Competencies. Certificate programs are charged with assessing Exit Competencies only.
SAAC ANNUAL REPORT TO DEANS COUNCIL (COLLEGE REPORT)
Each year SAAC prepares an annual report for Deans Council detailing how the college is performing overall in assessment. The program chair or director completes a SAAC Standardized Report. This report asks for the program’s assessment plan and efforts, competency results and proposed changes in support of student learning for the next year based on assessment results. These program reports are reviewed and evaluated by the school’s SAAC representative using the Meta-Assessment Rubric.
2008 SAAC Annual Report to Deans Council
2008 SAAC Standardized Reports for each program can be found on each school’s website or by clicking on the links below:
| AT Program SAAC Reports | HWPS Program SAAC Reports |
| BIT Program SAAC Reports | MSE Program SAAC Reports |
| CHSS Program SAAC Reports |
2007 SAAC Annual Report to Deans Council
2006 SAAC Annual Report to Deans Council
SAAC STANDARDIZED REPORT FORM (PROGRAM REPORT)
In Fall the program chair or director completes a SAAC Report for the program. This report asks for the program’s assessment plan and efforts, degree competency results and proposed changes in support of student learning for the next year based on assessment results among other things. The program’s SAAC report is placed on the school’s website and evaluated by the school’s SAAC representative using the Meta-Assessment Rubric. Results from this evaluation are shown in the SAAC Annual Report to Deans Council.
Each program’s SAAC Standardized Report is evaluated by the School’s SAAC representative using this rubric. Results from this evaluation are in the SAAC Annual report to Deans Council.
This electronic form is used to report Program Exit and Degree Core Competencies for each program.
User’s Guide to SAAC Standardized Report Form
The user’s guide is designed to help those that are unfamiliar with Excel charts and embedded Excel charts in word.
CURRENT SAAC COMMITTEE MEMBERS
| Academic Advisement | Eric Garcia | egarcia77@cnm.edu |
| Academic Affairs | Xeturah Woodley | xwoodley@cnm.edu |
| Adult & General Education | Constance Gulick | cgulick@cnm.edu |
| Applied Technologies | Amy Ballard | aballard1@cnm.edu |
| Business & Information Technology | Dawn Addington | dawna@cnm.edu |
| Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences | Gail Grosso | ggrosso@cnm.edu |
| Communication, Humanities & Social Sciences | Scott Griffin | scoot@cnm.edu |
| Health, Wellness & Public Safety | Melanie Upshaw | mupshaw@cnm.edu |
| Math, Science & Engineering | Corrie Andries | candries@cnm.edu |
| Math, Science & Engineering | Mary Martinez* | mmartinez@cnm.edu |
| Planning, Budget & Institutional Research | Gilbert Escardia | gescarcida1@cnm.edu |
*SAAC Facilitator
SAAC STRUCTURE AUTHORITY & RESPONSIBILITIES
The SAAC Structure and Responsibilites are described in a policy document that is reviewed and updated each summer. This document provides details on SAAC structure and membership, and authority, guidelines on asssessment of Degree Core and Exit Competencies. The Degree Core Competency Reporting Schedule (below) is also part of this document.
DEGREE CORE COMPETENCY REPORTING SCHEDULE
Currently, two of the six Degree Core Competencies are reported each year. There is consideration to eventually ask degree programs to report on all six Degree Core Competencies each year.
| Report Year | Terms | Degree Core Competencies |
| 2010-2011 | Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Summer 2011 | Communication & Teamwork |
| 2009-2010 | Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Summer 2010 | Technology & Critical Thinking |
| 2008-2009 | Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Summer 2009 | Life Skills & Numeracy |
| 2007-2008 | Fall 2007, Spring 2008, Summer 2008 | Communication & Teamwork |
| 2006-2007 | Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Summer | Technology & Critical Thinking |
| 2005-2006 | Summer 2005, Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Summer 2006 | Communication & Teamwork |
SAAC TIMELINE
2008
~The rubric for the challenging Degree Core Competency, Life Skills is completed. In addition, Numeracy definition and rubric is completed as well.
2007
~SAAC determines that Numeracy will officially become a Degree Core Competency.
~SAAC holds a college wide conference entitled, Assessment Conversations Across Campus.
Recommendation for future professional development are compiled from conference results.
- Summary Results from Assessment Conversations Across Campus
- Detailed Results from Asssessment Conversations Across Campus
- Notes from Dessert and Conversation
2006
~SAAC develops Critical Thinking Rubric
~SAAC develops the SAAC Standardized Report as well as the Meta-Assessment Rubric. This is the first year that the SAAC Annual Report in its current format is presented to Deans Council. In prior years, each program as well as each school had no consistent direction on reporting expectations.
~All programs have developed and published Program Exit Competencies
2005
~SAAC develops Teamwork and Technology rubrics
~SAAC policy statement, Structure, Authority and Responsibilites, is created. Since then the statement has become a living document, reviewed and updated/refreshed each Spring.
2004
~SAAC develops Communication Rubric
2003
~SAAC finalizes definitions for Degree Core Competencies and surveys faculty for input.
2002
~SAAC develops the meaning of "Degree Core Competency", selection of names for Degree Core Competencies begins as well as definitions. The decision that Program Exit Competencies are required of certificate graduates and both Program Exit and Degree Core Competencies are required of associate degree graduates is made.
Prior to 2002
~Members of SAAC collaborate to come up with a list of the college's most important learning outcomes.
~According to folklore SAAC came into existence in 1991.
Past Annual Reports (Prior to SAAC Standardized Report Form)
GLOSSARY OF TERMS
These definitions help to explain the vernacular meanings of words related to assessment at CNM that have evolved over time.
