SURVIVAL 101:NAVIGATING THE TRANSITIONAL

TESTING WAVES

Connie P. Williams, Ph.D.September 10, 2010

National College Testing Association, Atlanta, GA

CHALLENGES

REACTIONS

ADJUSTMENTS

TO THE CHANGES FACED BY A UNIVERSITY TESTING AND ADVISING CENTER.

WHO ARE WE NOW…

CTL: Student Testing Services (STS)

Coordinate UT Austin Testing Program

Work with academic departments to establish policy on credit by examination and course placement

Advise students on credit by examination and course placement

Administer tests for credit and placement

Provide test results

Report petitions for credit to the registrar

NAME CHANGESMEC Measurement and Evaluation Center –

1967 – July 2001

DIIA Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment –

July 2001 – March 2010

DATL Division for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning –

July 2010 – August 2010

CTL Center for Teaching and Learning –

August 2010 – & Forward

GOVERNANCE CHANGES

VARYING ADMINISTRATIVE MISSIONS

ORGANIZATIONAL RESTRUCTURING

HR REVIEW

ECONOMIC FACTORS

STUDENTS TAKING CLASSES RATHER THAN TESTS

LOSS OF POSITIONS WITHIN THE WORK UNIT /

STAFF RETENTION

LOSS OF REVENUE

POLICY CHANGES

CHANGES TO REVENUE GENERATING TESTS

WRITING TEST

SPANISH TEST

MATH TEST REQUIREMENTS

LANGUAGES

COMPUTER-BASED TESTS

0500

1000150020002500300035004000

LANGUAGES

MATH/SCIENCE

LIBERAL ARTS

CLEP/CBT

DAE

OTHER FACTORS

• STRATEGIC PLANNING

• ORGANIZATIONAL REVIEW

• THE UNKNOWN

Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind.

To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse.

To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better.

To the confident it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.

King Whitney Jr.

QUESTIONS / SHARING

Student Testing Services (STS)

Connie P. Williams

Supervisor of Testing Programs

P.O. Box 7246, Austin, TX 78713

Phone 512-232-2645 Fax 512-471-3509

c.williams@austin.utexas.edu