Chairing a Project Assessment

Thank you for agreeing to chair a Doctor of Ministry assessment event. These guidelines are meant to assist you in the task. They are provided with the assumption that you have participated in a Doctor of Ministry assessment. They also are presented with awareness that flexibility to a given context will be required.

It would be rare that a project dissertation would not conclude successfully. The participant has received feedback from their advisor and second reader, completed the project proposal seminar, and a copy of their written work has been reviewed by an editor. The assessment is seen as a time for organizing description of learning, affirming the project, and qualifying its contribution. Improvements that may be characterized as minor revisions usually result.

One of the administrative assistants in the Doctor of Ministry office is responsible for documents relating to the assessment event and for the communication of graduation detail to the participant. You will want to be certain to receive materials from this person the day of the assessment, prior to the event.

The Process

1.       Check the readiness of the room 10 minutes prior to the start of the assessment event. One of the DMin staff is assigned to prepare the room, but a final check is helpful. Be certain the room is free from any litter, the whiteboard clean, lights and heat adjusted properly, and chairs arranged properly. There should be six chairs distributed evenly on two sides of the table, three on each side. The remaining chairs should be neatly arranged around the perimeter of the room.

2.      Greet the participant and his/her spouse if present, 5 to 8 minutes before the assessment time. Spend a final minute reviewing the process with them. The DMin office reviews the process with them prior to the assessment, but this will be reassuring to the participant.

3.      Invite the participant and spouse to sit in the center on one side of the table, and observers to sit around the perimeter of the room.

4.      Gather the committee in the hallway for a one-minute word of inquiry regarding any special circumstances. Place in their hands the evaluation papers provided you by the DMin office for use in the assessment event. Should a committee member have a unique concern or comment it needs to be heard in private and thus provide guidance and forethought to you as you chair the event.

5.      Enter the room again and have all seated properly, with observers around the perimeter of the room. Welcome all, tactfully greeting the observers and affirming that they not verbally participate in any way.

6.      Review the process very briefly.

7.      Have the advisor pray.

8.     Receive the presentation of the participant, generally 6 to 10 minutes.

9.      Guide two rounds of questions and comments. Each committee member is provided 15 minutes in each of the two rounds. Characterize the second round as follow-up and not needing to take the full 15 minutes. Participate in the questions or comments after the third reader if you feel it is helpful. Proceed in this order; advisor, second reader, third reader.

10.  After the two rounds of questions are completed, provide the participant the opportunity to address questions he wishes the committee had asked or to summarize comments.

11.   End this formal section of the assessment event with prayer.

12.  Now explain that the committee will leave the room, proceed to a nearby office for conversation, and return in a short time to the assessment room. Invite the participant and observer to take a break but be back in 7 or 10 minutes to the room.

13.  Take the committee to a nearby room, after a quick break.

14.  Facilitate the following decisions of the committee in this order:

a.      Each committee member should reflect on the evaluation sheet in their hands and carefully qualify the project as outlined on the evaluation sheet

b.      Ask the committee if in their judgment the project rises to the level of acceptable for a DMin project. The sheet for recording the action provided to you by the DMin office guides you in the level of action in this regard: accepted as is, or with revision, or rejected.

c.       If it does, ask the committee if in their judgment it rises to the level of affirmation for digital cataloguing. If the committee affirms this, the participant will then be provided a document by you placed in your hands by the DMin office that they may use to provide digital cataloguing. Thus, the decision is made by the participant on an opportunity granted by the committee in those cases where quality of work warrants such cataloguing. The participant is only informed of this action if their work is so affirmed.

d.      Finally, ask the committee if the quality warrants nomination to the annual Excellence in Doctor of Ministry Research Award. This is an award of $1,000 given annually to a DMin participant whose research has warranted this nomination. A committee meets and determines how the award is distributed after the May graduation each year. The participant is not informed of this nomination.

e.      Be certain that any requested revisions are clearly known and understood by the advisor. Any editing comments should be placed in the hands of the advisor.

15.   Return to the assessment room and inform the participant of the decision, providing warm congratulations. Describe that there are revisions required if appropriate. Thank the committee for their service.

16.  Communicate that revisions are provided to the advisor. When done the advisor informs the DMin office, and in turn the participant is cleared to graduate.

17.   Remind the participant to speak immediately to the DMin office regarding the process of providing copy for the project dissertation editor and other details for graduation. Have them get all communication regarding graduation details directly from the DMin office.

18.  You are now ready to excuse people from the room. Invite the participant and observers to the reception, if one is provided. Serve as a host, asking that someone have a blessing, and assuring that all are comfortable with seating and arrangements. Often the participant and group will want pictures at this time.

19.  During the reception conversation ask the participant to be an ambassador for the program, sharing the transformational impact in their experience with others.

Thank you for your help!

6/28/2011