Evaluating Success

Formal evaluation of a tobacco-free campus initiative is an ongoing activity that is necessary to assess whether the initiative has achieved its objective, and what tangible outcomes it has caused. The evaluation can also identify ways to improve the initiative. Management input can be as valuable in this phase as it is in your initial assessment and planning phases. The following evaluation guidelines are provided by the Centers for Disease and Control (CDC).

Conducting the Evaluation

Begin planning early to ensure that the data you want will be collected during all stages of the initiative. Develop a plan for evaluating the implementation and impact of the policy initiative, including the impact of the expanded cessation services. Remember to keep it fairly simple to assure that the evaluation will be conducted.

Below are some sample questions that will help you develop your evaluation design: