University Assessment Council
I. FUNCTION
A. To provide leadership and encouragement for faculty, staff, and administration in developing and understanding the what, why, and how, of assessments.
B. To serve to interpret, review, and integrate assessment activities and their results; and to coordinate these activities across academic programs, student support services, and other campus units.
C. To collect and organize information regarding assessment activities and their results; articulate this information in a common language; disseminate this information to internal and external audiences (e.g. CBHE), based on the principle that the department/unit which collects assessment data will have the primary responsibility for the control and interpretation of that data.*
D. To require and review clear, concise, written documentation, which indicates the degree to which the unit has carried out its assessment plan.
E. To review the documentation which supports the degree to which the unit has carried out its assessment plan, with special attention given to mission, pedagogical, and fiscal accountability.
F. To review and report how the information derived from assessment activities is being used to improve teaching and learning and students' university experiences.
G. To review and recommend initial, continuing, or permanent funding for current and proposed assessment activities.
H. To meet the primary goal stated in the Preamble of the final report of the Ad Hoc Committee on University Assessment, to improve teaching and learning.
II. POSITION IN THE ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
The Assessment Council will be composed of 2 working groups, t he Academic Programs and Curriculum Group and t he Administrative and Support Services Group. Both working groups will make recommendations to appropriate executive entities and forward information to Faculty Senate and President's Cabinet for input and recommendations.
III. MEMBERSHIP
A. Composition of Academic Programs and Curriculum Group(20 members)
1. Two faculty members from each college, one representative from AE, and one representative from the Library. One faculty member from each College must represent College Assessment Committees.
2. One member of the FS University Curriculum Committee
3. One member of the FS General Education Committee
4. One member of the FS Academic Standards Committee
5. One undergraduate and one graduate student member
6. Director of Institutional Research (ex-officio)
7. Assessment Coordinator (ex-officio)
8. Director of Testing Services (ex-officio)
9. Assistant Provost for Undergraduate Studies (ex-officio)
10. Representative from School of Graduate and Extended Studies
11. Chair of Administrative and Support Services Group
B. Composition of Administrative and Support Services Group (14 members)
1. Professional Staff from the following:
A. Information Services
B. Enrollment Services
C. International Student Services
D. Advising
E. Career Services
F. Representative from School of Graduate and Extended
Studies
2. Student Affairs Market Research Specialist
3. Housing Market Manager/Residential and Greek Life Services
4. Chief Diversity Officer
5. Director-level representative from Administration and Finance
6. One undergraduate and one graduate student member
7. Director of Institutional Research (ex-officio)
8. Assessment Coordinator (ex-officio)
9. Chair of Academic Programs and Curriculum Group
C. Selection
1. Faculty members nominated by the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees and confirmed by the Faculty Senate.
2. Representatives from offices will be appointed by the appropriate administrator.
3. Undergraduate student member will be appointed by the Student Government Association and Graduate student member shall be appointed by Graduate Student Association.
4. Director of Institutional Research serves by virtue of office. (ex-officio)
5. University Assessment Coordinator. (ex-officio/non-voting)
D. Selection of Chair
Whenever possible, a second-year committee member should be selected as chair.
A secretary will be provided to each Group from Testing Services.
E. Term of Service
Faculty will serve three years staggered, with reappointments possible. After serving for two consecutive terms, a member will be ineligible to serve for a period of one year. Exceptions may be made by the Faculty Senate Committee on Committees or the Faculty Senate Elections Committee. Students can serve two years. Representatives from offices will serve indefinitely, so long as they hold the position.
IV. COMMENTS
The committee chair is responsible for creating and maintaining a Procedures Manual, a copy to be kept in the Faculty Senate Office.
*It was the intent of the ad hoc committee which proposed and the Senate which approved the University Assessment Council that the council would serve as a campus clearinghouse/collection point for assessment data which may be later sent on to external groups or state agencies (e.g., CBHE) only after such groups or agencies made a formal request for such information through appropriate university administrative channels. It was never their intent to allow off-campus groups direct contact with university or Faculty Senate committees.
The Academic Programs and Curriculum Group meets Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
**Effective Fall 09' the University Assessment Council will meet on Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.**
(Current meeting time: Mondays from 8:30 a.m.- 10:00 a.m.)
REV 2/06 ; Rev 3/08 ; Rev 01/09; REV 4/2011