Response to the Annual Report on the Assessment of Student Learning for 2001

It is appropriate that Emporia State University is following assessment with the NCA-HLC Levels of Implementation. Dr. Ed McGlone, Director of the Assessment and Teaching Enhancement Center, has done an excellent job presenting a review of our assessment activities. In striving to be at Level III, each department must review the requirements of this stage and take the steps necessary to implement them. Chairs need to be careful to correctly present ALL assessment activities to the Assessment and Teaching Enhancement Center so accurate data can be kept and departments will know where they need to work to improve.

Based on the report, I make the following recommendations:

1. During the last year, direct measures have decreased. Deans, chairs, and faculty must review their measures and where appropriate add more direct indicators of student learning.

2. During the last year, at the undergraduate level, there was a decrease in the number of departments utilizing "6 or more types of assessment." Deans, chairs, and faculty must review their measures and add assessment measures of student learning where appropriate.

3. The University should strive to implement Level III guidelines from NCA-HLC. One of the requirements is for an assessment committee to be appointed with appropriate representatives from across campus. This has been completed.

4. The results of assessment should be part of our decision making process. Deans, chairs, and faculty must view assessment as the basic process for acquiring the evidence to make curricular, planning, budgeting, staffing, and other decisions.

5. Students must have membership on the institutional and departmental/program assessment committees. Each assessment committee membership should be reviewed and students assigned to the committees if student membership is lacking. Associated Student Government and other student leaders must become involved in assessment.

6. Emporia State University is a leader in online course development and program offerings. It must be demonstrated that students do learn in mediated classes. The Off-Site and Distance Education staff should work with deans, chairs, faculty, and the Center for Educational Technology to develop an assessment plan for mediated courses and programs.

7. Assessment is important in all areas of campus life. All service and academic support units should incorporate appropriate assessment in their evaluations when concerned with student learning.

8. A university award structure should be developed to recognize excellence in assessment plans or projects.

John O. Schwenn

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Last Updated November 20, 2008