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