ASSESSMENT SUMMARY and DEPARTMENTAL PLAN REVIEWS - June 2003

 

1.        Assessment is defined as “the systematic collection and use of the results of student learning and academic program quality to determine the achievement of goals and objectives.” (Palomba, Catherine A. and Trudy W. Banta, 1999, Assessment Essentials, Jossey-Bass Publishers (San Francisco), p. 4.)

 

2.        Nine assessment principles govern WMU’s assessment program include: establishing a culture of evidence about program quality and student learning, use of continuous improvement as the standard of performance, use of action agendas with multiple types of information, and recognition that various disciplines and programs will conduct assessment work in different ways.

 

3.        The full cycle of assessment usually involves: (a) the collection of entry or baseline information, (b) the intermediate assessment of quantitative and writing skills, and the undergraduate major and or graduate concentration assessment of student learning outcomes, (c) an end-of-program assessment, (d) post-graduate assessments about the satisfaction and loyalty of alumni, graduate schools, and employers, and (e) the comprehensive and systematic program planning, accreditation, and review reports. Departments may wish to consider this range of assessment avenues when developing plans although the emphasis is on student learning assessments.

 

4.        Common uses of assessment information include: the provision of evidence about mission achievement, to help document and articulate program quality, to strengthen student learning through program improvement, to enhance advising and target curricular revisions, to improve the retention of students, to change admission criteria, to lessen time from matriculation to graduation, to increase degree completion rates, to link assessment outcomes with resource allocations, and to provide information to stakeholders including parents, employers, graduate programs, external agencies, and legislators.

 

5.        Scope of assessment at WMU includes:

a)        General Education Assessment (plan initiated in fall 2003, implementation fall 2003)

b)        Undergraduate Majors/Graduate Concentration Assessments (implementation fall 2004)

c)        Student and Alumni Engagement and Satisfaction Studies (NSSE 2002 and NSSE 2003)

d)        Targeted Assessment Projects (alumni, first-year, and departing students - ongoing)

e)        Institution-wide Studies (Library and Technology Services – fall 2003)

 

6.        University Assessment Steering Committee (UASC) serves as the university-wide assessment policy, planning, and resource coordination group with annual reports to the faculty, department chairs, deans, the Faculty Senate, Provost, and the Vice President for Student Affairs. The WMU Assessment Plan and Timetable policy, recommended by the Faculty Senate on December 5, 2002 and approved by the Provost on February 19, 2003, is posted on WMU’s web site at www.wmich.edu/poapa/assessment/mypublicplan.pdf. USAC is composed of several consultation review teams to assist individuals and departments within the respective colleges.

 

7.       Department Assessment Plans – review and approval of all department plans by the consultation teams and UASC will be completed no later than fall 2004. Plans should be submitted: (a) electronically to Linda.delene@wmich for UASC review,(b) may not be longer than 15 single-sided pages, and (c) must have a font size of “11” or above.

 

8.        Template for USAC to Review Department Assessment Plans is attached as second page.

UNIVERSITY ASSESSMENT STEERING COMMITTEE (UASC) REVIEW SHEET

 

DEPARTMENTAL ASSESSMENT PLANS

 

Department Name: _____________________________________________________

 

Faculty Recommended? Yes______ No _____.     Chair Approved? Yes ____ No _____

 

Department Chair’s Name: _________________________________Tel. # _________

 

College of: _______________________ Date of Assessment Plan: ________________

 

UASC will use the following rating system to review Departmental Assessment Plans:

 

Marginal	Lacks sufficient Information, requires clarification or additional information -Changes are required by the department
Adequate	Clear and complete
Exemplary	Well conceived and thoroughly developed

 

Criteria for UASC Review:	Marginal	Adequate	Exemplary	Not Applicable
Specific Departmental Goals and/or Program Objectives are Evident
Assessment for both Graduate and Undergraduate Programs is Included
Multiple Student Learning Outcomes are Evident
Targeted Students are Identified and Described
Timeline for Data Collection is Appropriate
Expected and Planned Uses of Assessment Information is Clear
Specific Date for Plan’s Evaluation is Included
Responsible Assessment Individual or Assessment Committee Chair is Identified	Yes:____ No_____. Name:_____________________Tel:________

Comments: (Attach additional pages if needed) __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

UASC ACTION:

Approved: Yes ______No ______ Date            _________________________________

Tabled: Yes ______No ______ Date          _________________________________

Returned with suggestions: ____ on (insert date) ______________________________

Returned with clarification requests: ____on (insert date) _______________________

Please resubmit by: (insert date) ___________________________________________

Disapproved by UASC ____ on (insert date) _________________________________