Academic Calendar – Fall 2012 - Dakota State University

University Regulations & Policies
Madison Alcoholics Anonymous Emergency Medical Services Avera McKennan Hospital
Open Meetings Madison Community Hospital Behavioral Health Services
Sat. 10:00 pm • Sun. 11:00 am • Wed. 8:00 pm 917 N. Washington Ave., Madison, SD 57042 800 East 21st St., Sioux Falls, SD 57117
(Old Morrell Bldg. S. Highland) 256-6551 339-8041
Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment (Heston Hall 310, 256-5101)
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment (OIEA) provides services to prospective and current students, supports
the academic and administrative units in developing and assessing their institutional effectiveness plans, and assists the Assessment
Coordinating Committee in evaluating DSU’s Academic Assessment Program. The OIEA supports student success and learning by
assisting in test preparation and by providing services and information to students in a timely, efficient manner. The staff administers
the following standardized exams: ACT Residual, CLEP, DANTES, Placement (COMPASS), Praxis, Proficiency, and Major-Field
tests. The office provides assistance to the academic and administrative units in a broad range of activities including support for
regional and program accreditation, conducting and analyzing surveys, and ensuring compliance with Board of Regents policies.
Please contact the OIEA at 605-256-5101 or by e-mail at assessoffice@dsu.edu for additional information.
Assessment Policies
English and Math Course Placement Process
The South Dakota Board of Regents has developed a standardized placement process to ensure that entering students are placed into
math, English, and reading courses most appropriate for their ability and background. Entering students must show evidence of their
level of academic preparation prior to enrollment into their initial math and English courses.
Degree-Seeking Students
All degree-seeking students must provide ACT or SAT scores that were earned by the student within five years of the date of initial
enrollment within the Regental system. If students have multiple ACT scores, the highest scores are used for placement purposes.
Students who do not have ACT scores must take the COMPASS examination in the areas of writing skills, mathematics, and reading.
Non-Degree-Seeking
All non-degree seeking students enrolling in English or math courses must provide ACT scores or take the necessary COMPASS
exams.
Students who wish to enroll directly into Calculus must sit for the COMPASS math placement exam. The required ACT and
COMPASS scores for the math, English, and reading courses are set by the South Dakota Board of Regents and can be found on the
web at the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment (OIEA) website.
ACT Residual: The ACT Residual is available for students who have applied to DSU and are unable to complete the ACT on one
of the national testing dates. The scores are only valid at the six public institutions in South Dakota. Your unofficial results will be
available in 2 to 3 days. ACT will send DSU your official results in 4 to 7 weeks; you will not receive your results directly from ACT.
If you wish to schedule an ACT Residual test appointment, please contact the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment at
605-256-5101 or by e-mail at assessoffice@dsu.edu
COMPASS: The COMPASS is a computer-based placement test developed by ACT. There is no time limit on the COMPASS exams,
the scores do not affect admission to DSU, and there is no pass or fail score. Students do not receive course credit for the COMPASS
test. Students can complete the COMPASS test during a regularly scheduled registration session at DSU, or individual appointments
can be scheduled by contacting the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment Students can also schedule a test at University
Center in Sioux Falls by calling 605-367-5989 or by e-mailing testingcenter@sduniversitycenter.org. There is no fee for COMPASS
if the testing is required by the Board of Regents. Testing is required for initial placement into Calculus or if a student does not have
ACT scores. Students who challenge their initial placement must pay a $17.00 challenge fee. Sample questions are available on the
ACT-COMPASS website. Students can use a calculator on the math exam; acceptable calculators are listed on the ACT-COMPASS
website. Students are allowed one challenge using the COMPASS test.
Proficiency Testing: Satisfactory performance on the proficiency exams is required for all students seeking an associate or
baccalaureate degree from one of South Dakota’s regental institutions. The proficiency tests, produced by ACT, consist of four
separate multiple-choice exams in science reasoning, math, reading, and writing skills. Each of the exams is 40 minutes long and is
designed to test general education skills acquired during the first two years of college.
Students who meet the following criteria will sit for the exam:
- Degree-seeking students registered for credit
- Associate degree-seeking - Completion of 32 passed credit hours at or above the 100 level
28