In a first for Senior Assessment Day, core tests and even some of the departmental tests will be electronic this year.

Dr. Delores Honey, vice president for assessment and institutional research, said Missouri Southern had freshman tests online before, but this year marks the first time for the senior assessment tests.

“It’s new and it’s a big step forward for us,” Honey said. She said the new system will make the testing process more efficient and enable her department to get the results back faster.

“It’s just a whole new dimension to the day,” Honey said.

Another special feature this year will be Dr. George Kuh, director of the National Society for Student Assessment who will address faculty during the noon luncheon.

All seniors graduating this year are required to take the test. Seniors are tested in core areas and are also examined by their department. Some departmental tests are written, some will be online this year, some are standardized tests and some seniors take their departmental tests on a different day entirely.

Dr. Richard Miller, department head for social sciences, has three different majors under his supervision. For the first time, the history and sociology majors take a standardized test online but the political science majors will take a written test.

Miller said student results are important to the faculty.

“It very much matters to us because if our students do good, it looks like we’re doing our job,” Miller said. “If they don’t do well it looks like we are not doing our job and we are going to adjust curriculum based on their performance.”

Ioulia Shirshova, senior nursing major, will graduate in May. “I’m really excited, ” Shirshova said. “I didn’t even know that we had to take this class until I received the letter in the mail.”

Core testing centers will be set up across the campus, with computer lab technicians standing by.

“We’re doing testing in the library and in labs in just about every building on campus,” Honey said. “It really is a campus wide effort.”

David Tole, technical support specialist, is preparing for the test by checking computers and installing software. Tole said more than 500 computers across campus will be pressed into service and technicians will be on call.