Small grants of up to $500 per year are available from the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment to support expenses for gathering, analyzing, discussing, and acting on evidence of student learning in departments and programs.
Assessment grants for academic departments and programs are intended to support evidence-informed improvement of teaching and learning in majors and concentrations. Funds may be used for expenses related to the collection of assessment data, the consideration of assessment data, or both. Examples include:
- Subsidizing an assessment consultant to help the department design a plan for collecting and analyzing evidence of student learning from its majors
- Paying expenses for a half-day department retreat on- or off-campus
- Purchasing commercial instruments for administration to a sample of majors, such as Major Field Exams
- Providing modest material incentives (e.g., bookstore gift certificates, additions to students’ Ole Cards) for students who participate in assessment activities
- Purchasing meals for a series of assessment-focused department meetings
- Supporting faculty participation in an assessment conference or workshop.
Grant funds may be used to fund expenses only. They cannot be used to fund faculty compensation or student work.
Departments can apply for grant funding by submitting a brief application form to thomps22@stolaf.edu. Applications are considered as they are received until the budget is fully expended. Grant funds will be transferred to department accounts once the department has submitted a brief report on project findings and implications to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment. Reports must be submitted within one month of the conclusion of the grant period, or no later than June 15 for projects that are completed by May 31.