COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT (CAA)
MINUTES, MARCH 28, 2012
UNH 300, 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
Members present: Adrian Masters (Chair), Deborah Bernnard, Sue Faerman, Amanda Farsace, Ilka Kressner,
Greg Nowell, Sean Rafferty, Ben Shaw, Christy Smith, Brian Stephenson, Bruce Szelest, Kevin Williams
Members absent: Janelle Adsit, Gregory Albert, Jess Braunstein, Toni Naccarato
1. Call to order.
2. The minutes of the February 29th, 2012 meeting were reviewed and approved without revision.
3. Chairs’ Reports

CAA (Adrian Masters). The Chair discussed the issue of the importance of continuity
between this year’s CAA and its committees and next year.

PRC (Sean Rafferty). The Committee met on February 22nd and approved a draft report
on the Public Administration and Policy Department’s program review. The question was
raised as to whether the PRC should begin conducting the 3-year reviews approved at the
last CAA meeting; it was decided that instead, the PRC would begin developing a
process that will go into effect next year.

GEAC (Deborah Bernnard & Greg Nowell). The Committee will review the assessment
of Regions Beyond Europe at its next meeting. Greg Nowell raised the issue of lack of
clarity between inputs and outputs of the general education assessment process, and
would like to see the Committee develop a more recognizable procedure; toward that end,
he said he is willing to stay on the committee next year to help see that process through
Sue Faerman mentioned that the Senate was discussing the Federal Education Bill,
including a new requirement of a General Education Advisory Board, which we are
starting to implement, and mentioned that this Board and the Committee would be good
resources for each other, especially if the GEAC has continuity.
4. Director’s Report (Joel Bloom). The Director updated the Council on the progress of the three
program reviews (Anthropology, whose site visit was just completed, Political Science, and Art,
whose site visits will be in April), as well as the Social Sciences assessment currently taking
place. Kevin Williams was disappointed that the Anthropology Department steered the reviewers
so strongly toward their undergraduate programs. The Director will make sure that department
chairs are aware of the need to focus the site visit on all programs. The Director and Bruce
Szelest will look at possible revisions/updates to the “Practitioner’s Guide.”
5. Old Business:

The issue of encouraging departments to post their learning objectives on their web pages
was discussed. Bruce Szelest discussed this with the Provost, who likes the idea. Adrian
Masters discussed it with Susanna Fessler, who doesn’t know who has jurisdiction. It was
agreed that the CAA will put this forward as a recommendation to the Provost. Adrian
Masters will prepare a draft for the next meeting.
6. New Business

Discussion and vote on PRC’s report on Public Administration and Policy. The issue
arose as to whether it was the reviewers or students who identified the split campus as a
problem. Sean Rafferty will double check and make sure the report accurately reflects
that. The report was approved with that stipulation.
7. Adjournment: Next meeting on April 25th, 8:30-10:00 AM, in UNH 105.