Assessment

The Foundational Studies program gives students the opportunity to take courses in a variety of areas that will better prepare them to be well rounded citizens and employees. The program includes courses and learning outcomes in 12 categories, including areas like Composition, Global Perspectives and Cultural Diversity, Quantitative Literacy, and Historical Perspectives. The Foundational Studies program is assessed on a 6-year cycle that allows faculty and staff to understand how and to what extent students are meeting our learning outcomes, which are based on the AAC&U and LEAP standards for a liberal education. The powerpoint below, as well as the information found elsewhere on the Assessment pages, will help you understand how the 12 categories of Foundational Studies are assessed.

Foundational Studies Assessment PowerPoint

University College Council 2019-2020 Assessment Report (PDF)

 Historical Studies Assessment
 Communication Assessment
 Laboratory Science Assessment

About Assessment

AAC&U
Glossary
HLC
Higher Learning Commission’s Statement on Assessment of General Education
LEAP
University assessment

Assessment Timeline

Timeline Spreadsheet

Current Categories Being Assessed:  Global Perspectives and Cultural Diversity and Literary Studies

September 2019- Faculty teaching in these categories are selected to serve on assessment teams

                             Syllabi for courses in these categories are collected

                             Workshops on assessment of the two categories take place with selected faculty

October 2019- Syllabi in courses in these categories are reviewed by the University College Council

                         University College Council communicates with chairs regarding courses meeting or not meeting requirements

                         Faculty revise syllabi that do not meet requirements

November 2019 – Report on syllabi is distributed to faculty and chairs by the University College Council and University Assessment Council

December 2019 – Course planning based on syllabi results

                              Artifacts tied to learning outcomes for the 2 categories assessed are solicited and collected

January-February 2020 – Weekend workshops take place where faculty and assessment personnel review artifacts

March 2020- University College Council, assessment personnel, and University Assessment Council analyze results of artifact review

                      Report-out on results of artifact assessment for the 2 categories assessed

April 2020 – Reflection and planning based on the completed assessment cycle for GPCD and Literary Studies