Northwest Commission on College and Universities (NWCCU)
Annual Update for WSQA
Academic Year 2014-2015
Due November 6, 2015
College Name: Everett Community College
Contact Person: Alison Stevens
Contact Phone: 425-388-9215
Contact email: astevens@everettcc.edu
Accreditation recommendations to the
College and year of recommendation
Actions taken by the college to address
recommendations
1 & 2: Over the last four years, EvCC has made
1. The College is engaging faculty in a number of changes to the process of
the assessment results to guide assessing core and program learning outcomes
the improvement of teaching
(CLOs and PLOs):
and learning at EvCC. The
evaluators did not find evidence
A. An Assessment Committee (AC) was
of a systematic process that
established as an oversight group led
requires all learning outcomes to
by faculty.
be assessed regularly. The
evaluators recommend that the
B. The AC annually reviews all program and
college develop a systematic
department assessments of EvCC’s 7
assessment process that ensures
CLOs, providing feedback to
all student learning outcomes
department chairs and program
(course, program, and degree)
are assessed on a regular,
managers regarding the efficacy of the
consistent basis. (2.C.5, 2.C.10,
1
Improvement results
1. A. The number of programs/departments
assessing each CLO has decreased from 13/14,
but the quality of the assessments has increased
based on qualitative scoring by the AC. This is
the result of a consistent focus on allowing
department and program chairs to focus on one
or two CLOs at a time in a meaningful process.
See attached CLO review chart.
B. Nearly expunged from the assessment reports
is boilerplate language, copy and paste
assessment language, and irrelevant data sets. A
number of reports demonstrate true analysis
and reflection – hallmarks of “completing the
4.A.3)
2.
The evaluators recommend
that the College improve the
consistency, measurability, and
analysis used to assess the
attainment and progress toward
stated
program
outcomes.
(1.A.2, 2.C.5, 2.C.10)
3. The evaluators recommend that
the College review its policies for
applying
prior
experiential
learning credit to degrees and
certificates to ensure no more
than 25% of a degree’s required
credits are attained through this
process. (2.C.7)
4. The
evaluation
committee
recommends that for each year
of operation, the College
undergo an external financial
audit and that the results from
such audits, including findings
and
management
letter
recommendations,
be
considered
in
a
timely,
appropriate and comprehensive
manner by the Board of
Trustees.
(Eligibility
Requirement 19 and Standard
2.F.7)
descriptions of assessments.
C. Deans are increasing their focus on
providing feedback on assessment
practices and results.
D. Written results of assessment of CLOs
and PLOs was separated from budget
planning in the program review process
during the 14-15 academic year to
increase the level of focus on these
assessments and to allow greater
response to results beginning each fall.
E. The reporting form and focus was
changed in the 15-16 academic year to
formalize a three year assessment cycle
for all programs/departments. Year one
for assessment design and
implementation. Year two for data
collection and analysis. Year three for
implementation of changes, if
necessary, in response to data
gathered.
circle” of assessment.
C. CLO assessments that are strengths for EvCC
are Critical Thinking, Communicate Effectively,
and Active Learning. New areas of focus with
model assessments across campus include
assessments of the Diversity outcome and the
Information Literacy outcome. The Sustainability
and Computer/Technical skills outcomes
continue to represent areas needing
improvement in assessment activity across
campus. (See Attached Sample Grid)
2. In response to department chair and dean
feedback, the reporting and design of
assessment has been changed. The hope is that
a clear, delineated timeline over three year
cycles for departments/programs will allow for
more planning and reflection time, including full
scale implementation of rigorous assessments as
well as thoughtful responses to assessment
results.
3. Ad hoc report accepted by NWCCU in
2014. Report accepted By the Board of
Commissioners at the June 25-26, 2014
meeting. Acceptance letter attached.
4. Memo sent to NWCCU and will be for
consideration at the January meeting of
the Board of Commissioners. See “Memo
to NWCCU,” attached. Note: all
requirements were met prior to the
deadline provided in the January 2015
NWCCU memo. See “NWCCU accreditation
20150210,” attached.
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