University Assessment Committee
Comprehensive Standard (CS) 3.3.1
The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses
the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and
provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of
the results in the following area: (Institutional
Effectiveness)
• 3.3.1.1 educational programs, to include student learning
outcomes
• 3.3.1.2 administrative support services
• 3.3.1.3 educational support services
• 3.3.1.4 research within its educational mission, if appropriate
• 3.3.1.5 community/public service within its educational mission, if
appropriate
Current SACS status
• Reaffirmed in 2005 (assessment efforts
described in the 2005 CS 3.3.1 and
3.4.1 were mostly approved)
• 5th Year Interim Report (now mandated
by DoE) due March 2011
• Reaffirmation due in 2015
Goals
• Short term:
– To determine the current state of CS 3.3.1.1 across
campus in preparation for the 5th year Interim Report
– To implement an assessment plan that meets the
requirements for CS 3.3.1.1 (to be included in the 5th
year Interim Report)
• Long term:
– To create a “culture of assessment” that encompasses
all of the requirements in CS 3.3.1
– To establish policies for the campus assessment
process
UAC Representative’s
Immediate Roles
• Act as the liaison between his/her
respective college (i.e. assessment
coordinators, department heads) and
the Dean and/or Senior Vice Provost
• Serve as chair of a divisional review
committee which organizes aspects of
the assessment process by department
Short Term Goal
• To determine the current state of CS 3.3.1.1
across campus in preparation for the 5th year
Interim Report
o Action Item: What assessment process(es)
is/are currently in operation and what
information is available on educational
programs in your departments?
Short Term Goal
• To implement an assessment plan that meets
the requirements for CS 3.3.1.1 (to be included
in the 5th year Interim Report)
• The Planning Stage is described in the 2005
UCF Academic Program Assessment
Handbook (pp. 9-14, taken with permission
from the UCF OEAS website). It consists of six
steps.
Planning Phase
• Step 1. Organize for Assessment
– Identify key players (Note: eventually, it will
be critical for ALL faculty to be involved in this
process)
– Define scope of assessment; for short term, it
is defined by CS 3.3.1.1
o Action Item: appointment of assessment
coordinator(s) for each department (consider
both undergraduate and graduate
educational programs)
Planning Phase
• Step 2. Define the mission of the program.
– This is a “broad statement of the directions, values and
aspirations of the department with regard to its programs.”
• Step 3. Define the goals of the program.
– “Program goals provide the basis for assessment…”.
• Step 4. Define the intended student learning
outcomes of the program.
– “The learning outcomes of a program describe the intended
educational outcomes in terms of specific abilities, knowledge,
values and attitudes that you want students in your program to
possess.”
Taken from UCF Academic
Program Assessment Handbook
Planning Phase
• Step 5. Inventory existing and needed
assessment methods and select
assessment measures and methods.
• Step 6. Select assessment methods and
identify assessment targets.
– UCF uses at least two measures for each
outcome unless a normed measure or
standardized test is used.
Example: Biology, B.S.
• Mission
The mission of Biology's B.S. degree program is to
educate students in the fundamental concepts,
knowledge, and laboratory/field techniques and skills of
the life sciences in order to (1) prepare them for
employment in various biology-related areas and to (2)
prepare them in their pursuit of advanced degrees in
biology or health-related professional schools.
Example: Biology, B.S.
• Outcome 1
BS Biology graduates will have attained a broad-based knowledge of
Biology that compares favorably to their peers at a national
level.
• Measures:
1.1 All (100%) graduates are required to take the national ETS Exam in
Biology during their senior year. Fall-graduating seniors take the ETS
in the fall, and spring and summer-graduating seniors take the ETS in
the spring. Overall performance on the exam will be used to evaluate
student learning. At least 50% of students will score above the 50th
percentile.
1.2 Second measure requested to be waived.
Example: Biology, B.S.
• Outcome 7
BS Biology graduates in biology will be able to conduct laboratory
or field research.
• Measures:
7.1 All students enrolled in BSC 4422L Biological Laboratory Techniques will be evaluated. At
least 85% of all student researchers assessed will attain a satisfactory rating. Students will
develop a biological field-oriented or a laboratory-oriented research problem under the direction
of one or more faculty mentors.
7.2 All students enrolled in BSC 4422L Biological Laboratory Techniques will be evaluated. At
least 85% of all student researchers assessed will attain a satisfactory rating. At the end of the
research period, the faculty mentor will evaluate the student's research as unsatisfactory or
satisfactory according to the description in the University Catalog for this course. If a student
evaluation is judged as unsatisfactory the mentor will identify and correct the area of weakness
in consultation with the student. An evaluation form will be completed by each mentor for each
student.
Planning Phase
o Action Item: Define mission, goals, and
student learning outcomes for degree
programs