Three-Year College Assessment Plan

YEAR 1 (2000-2001):
Goals:
The goal for the year will be to move most departments to Level Two as outlined in the NCA Patterns of Characteristics Matrix.

These goals are:

1. For Departments:
   1. Departmental statements of purpose include a focus on improving student learning and the importance they attribute to assessing student learning as a meansto that end.
   2. Direct and indirect measures of student learning are aligned with the program’s educational goals and measurable objectives.
   3. Units have effective feedback loops so that information about assessment results and associated changes can be shared with all constituencies and used to improve student learning.
   4. Conclusions reached after reviewing assessment results are incorporated into regular departmental planning, budgeting, and included in the determination of priorities for the program.
2. For Faculty:
   1. Faculty are knowledgeable about campus assessment program.
   2. Faculty know the vocabulary and practices used in effective assessment activities and contribute to assessment discussions and activities.
   3. Syllabi of courses (old and new) include measurable objectives for student learning and how student learning will be assessed. These objectives are developed in alignment with the program’s educational goals.
   4. Faculty are increasingly involved in discussing and interpreting assessment results and recommending changes in order to improve student learning.
3. For Students:
   1. Students serve on assessment committees and are knowledgeable about institution’s assessment program.
4. For Department Chairs
   1. Ensures that implementation of plans for assessing all programs and relevant courses (undergraduate and graduate programs, and core courses) is carried out.
   2. Ensures that responsibility for assessment is shared among faculty.
   3. Ensures that good assessment is rewarded in annual evaluations and promotion and tenure decisions.
   4. Ensures that funds for release time and other assessment purposes are properly expended.
   5. Ensures that all course syllabi include learning objectives.
5. For College Administration:
   1. Strategies are devised to ensure that their academic departments/programs implement the assessment plans they developed.
   2. Verbal and financial support is provided for assessment personnel and activities and for changes in modes of instruction, in staffing, curriculum, student and academic services proposed by faculty on the basis of assessment results.
   3. Unit heads include responsibility for maintaining successful assessment programs as part of their formal position descriptions.
   4. Funds are used for professional development in assessment, for faculty release time, expenses associated with assessment activities, and for initiatives based on assessment findings intended to improve student learning.
   5. Changes made in pedagogy, curriculum, course content, and/or academic resources and support services to improve student learning are documented. These become part of the review and self-study of the programs.
   6. Assessment results are obtained for student learning in all curricular areas: general education courses, undergraduate majors, and graduate or professional programs.

Strategies:
To reach these goals over the next academic year, the following actions will be taken.

1. The first chairpersons’ meeting will be devoted to a discussion of the NCA Patterns of Characteristics Matrix. Each department will be asked to assess their assessment program in reference to these goals. They should be able to document those goals that they have already achieved. They will be asked to submit a plan before November 15th of how they will reach those goals not already attained.
2. To keep the focus on assessment of student learning at the center of our activities:
   1. Assessment updates will be included as part of department monthly reports--focused on results, not plans.
   2. Annual staff meeting will include an update on assessment.
   3. Monthly calendar will include update on assessment.
   4. Individual chair discussions at the beginning of the year will include assessment.
   5. Position requests will include a justification based on assessment results.
   6. Reassignments will be provided to at least one individual in each department to lead assessment efforts.
3. The Dean’s Office has created a standing College Assessment Team to begin Fall, 2000. It includes one member from each department with assessment experience. The responsibilities for the team will include:
   1. Recommend the distribution of resources for programs in the College
   2. Review College progress using NC implementation grid
   3. Assist in determining appropriate feedback loops for assessment information
   4. Assist departments with orientation for part-time lecturers to assessment when necessary
   5. Assist programs with assessment difficulties through specific task forces
   6. Identify programs that can function as models within the college
   7. Develop proposal for recognition and reward of programs and faculty who are leaders in assessment
   8. Assist with the Annual College Assessment Report due in September, 2001, and subsequent reports.
4. Continue the annual College Assessment Readers’ panel in May & June, 2001, to provide feedback to departments on continued progress on their program assessment efforts.
5. Special assistance will be provided for programs that may have difficulty reaching Level Two by the end of the first year. The reviewers’ panel identified Art, Theater/Dance, the BALA and MALS degrees, the BA in Economics, and the AA in Landscape Management.
   1. The Art and the Theater/Dance programs will meet with a taskforce from the Assessment Team to improve the process and, hopefully, the results of assessment activities.
   2. The College has hired a new Coordinator of the BALA program at Westark who has assessment experience. This individual will begin meetings in the Fall with the on-campus group working with the BALA and MALS. The tentative plan is to change the structure of BALA in order to bring the students the students together in an introductory course.
   3. The BA in Economics is a small program with only four students. The program was recently moved administratively to Political Science. The chair of this department, the student development specialist in the Dean’s Office, the Associate Dean, and a representative from the Economics Department will continue to work on the assessment in this area.
   4. The AA in Landscape Management is a small program. It and the urban studies minor have been moved administratively to the Political Science Department. The curriculum will be reviewed this year and decisions will be made about assessment and the permanent location of the program.

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YEAR 2 (2001-2002)
Goals:
Areas that were experiencing difficulties in the first year will be expected to move to Level 2 during the second year. Those needing further assistance will receive this from the Assessment Team taskforces and the Associate Dean.

Most programs will move to Level 3 on the Matrix. Level Three goals for individual units as outlined in the NCA Matrix include maintaining Level Two characteristics plus:

1. Every program has a published statement of purpose and goals including assessing and improving student learning.
2. Faculty speak publicly and informally in support of assessment program and educate others about its value.
3. Some faculty members explore uses of assessment in research on cognition and active learning strategies.
4. Student leaders educate peers about the assessment program.
5. Departmental assessment programs are annually reviewed and updated as data is collected.
6. Effectiveness of changes to improve student learning is evaluated and documented.
7. Where appropriate, programmatic benchmarks are established against which students’ learning outcomes can be assessed.

Strategies:
The structural arrangements and reporting mechanisms noted above will inform departments and the College office on progress toward these goals. When assistance is required, taskforces will be organized by the Assessment Team to ensure that departments make appropriate progress. This work would possibly include: work with a consultant, monthly reporting, one-on-one work with faculty, or pairing with a department that has a successful program.

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YEAR 3 (2002-2003)
Goals:
A taskforce organized by the Assessment Team and the Associate Dean will work with all programs in the College to reach Level Three by the end of the third year.

Communicating Assessment Progress
Information about assessment activities will be integrated into the regular communications of the College.

1. The Assessment Team leaders will report at the annual Assembly meeting.
2. The AHSS Monthly Calendar will provide updates on assessment activities.
3. Department meetings with the Dean’s Office (which occur each year) will focus on assessment progress.