Up to 20 "retreat grants" available Departments have a this-year-only opportunity to apply for “closing the assessment loop” retreat grants, for retreats to be held this spring, summer, or early fall. Departments may apply to receive Bush-funded grants of up to $500, which can be used for food (consistent with University guidelines), duplicating, and/or faculty stipends for pre-retreat organization, retreat facilitation, or data analysis. The best assessment work is usually done in departments where there’s a mechanism for yearly conversations about data collected, in conjunction with planning for the next academic year. Receiving a retreat grant will enable faculty in your department to have this kind of retrospective/prospective discussion. Several purposes can be served by a retreat: (1) sharing of data makes productive faculty discussion possible – results become part of the departmental conversation about teaching, learning, and curriculum; (2) discussing findings prior to a departmental planning session means that responses, as needed, can be identified and built in to the next year’s plans; (3) faculty have a built-in opportunity to reach consensus about program, curriculum, and assessment work to be done in the next year; (4) by the end of the retreat, all relevant assessment work for the year, including any loop-closing plans, will be recorded in minutes and/or in handouts, so the work of collecting and organizing assessment data for the annual report is complete. To apply for a retreat grant: Please submit a one to two page proposal that includes a proposed retreat agenda and budget, as well as a narrative description of both. Also include a letter of support from the chair (unless the chair is submitting the proposal). Send to Joan Hawthorne, Box 8176 or joan_hawthorne@und.nodak.edu. Retreat proposals should be received by April 10, and departments will receive responses within one week so there’s time to plan for end-of-term retreats. -- Joan Hawthorne, Assistant Provost, Provost Office, joan_hawthorne@und.nodak.edu, 7-4684