Assessing and Improving Student Organizations

This Assessing and Improving Student Organization (AISO) program is intended as a guide for leaders of student-led college organizations. It is designed to promote the assessment of their organization by leaders and members, help them with planning and improvement, and assist them in responding to reviews by governing bodies and national chapters. Apart from affording their members a structure for engaging with peers in activities of mutual interest, collegiate organizations provide them with hands-on opportunities for enhancing understanding of groups and organizations, and how they operate, and for acquiring and practicing the leadership, communication and collaborative skills that are so important for personal and professional effectiveness throughout life. This Guide provides you with a structure for analyzing the workings of your organization. It will generate insights to help you determine how effectively the organization is functioning, identify strengths and weaknesses, devise priorities and plans for future improvement, and in the process, promote your reflective learning.The AISO process constitutes an ideal laboratory to practice and refine your capabilities for analyzing and improving groups and organizations.Purpose and Elements of the AISO ProgramThe Assessing and Improving Student Organization (AISO) program is intended as a guide for leaders of student-led college organizations. It is designed to promote the assessment of student organizations by their leaders and their members, to help them with planning and improvement, and assist them in responding to reviews by governing bodies and national chapters. Apart from affording their members a structure for engaging with peers in activities of mutual interest, collegiate organizations provide them with hands-on opportunities for enhancing understanding of groups and organizations, and how they operate, and for acquiring and practicing the leadership, communication and collaborative skills that are so important for personal and professional effectiveness throughout life.In addition, the AISO leadership process – unlike comparable programs – provides students with immediate and authentic feedback to evaluate their leadership, and how they impact their organization, community, and campus. The program consists of three elements: a Guide for Students, a Student Workbook, and a CD-ROM for facilitators.AISO has been developed under the auspices of NACA and ACPA by two authors who are experts in organizational and leadership development, student affairs, and human resources management.This is a unique, easy to use, and effective process that reflects input from student leaders.An ACPA Publication