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Effective: June 14, 2023
Policy Review Date: YEAR
Policy Executive: Provost and Executive Vice President of Academic Affairs
Responsible Office/Unit: Dean of Undergraduate Studies
Policy Statement:
Applicability:
Content:
Policy
(1) Responsibility for Assessment.
A. Responsibility for assessment of the general education program falls to the university and to the faculty teaching courses in the general education program. Multiple campus stakeholders have an interest in ensuring accurate and meaningful assessment data are available. The undergraduate studies dean will share information regarding current and intended assessment practices, strategies, and tools with the academic community.
(2) Collection of Assessment Data.
A. Departments and programs who offer courses for the general education program are responsible for providing the data used to evaluate the courses and program.
B. The general education assessment report for each year will be delivered to the faculty senate as an information item as well as to administrative units responsible for assessment.
(3) Levels of Assessment.
A. General education assessment ensures alignment with the general education guiding philosophy, goals, knowledge area outcomes, and theme criteria. The general education program will be assed at three levels: program, course and student.
- Program assessment takes into account course assessment and student assessment, but it also evaluates other areas such as class size, facilities, staffing, and ratios of full- to part-time faculty. Program assessment will follow the guidelines used for other academic programs (e.g., self-study guidelines and template from the associate provost’s office).
- Course assessment evaluates the alignment of individual courses with general education program and knowledge area outcomes and theme criteria (where applicable). Course assessment may include evaluation of course syllabi, course assignments, a sample of graded assignments, other artifacts as appropriate, and a summary of how the course continues to address outcomes/ criteria of its knowledge area and/or theme(s). Course accepted to and offered in the general education program shall undergo continuous review to ensure they address learner outcomes.
a. Consequences of determination of a course’s inadequate performance. If a course does not address approved outcomes, committee will notify the department of needed changes and work with the department faculty to ensure outcomes are being addressed. The course will be assessed again the next quarter it is offered. If the course fails to address approved outcomes in the subsequent review, the GEC may remove the course from the general education program (effective the next catalog year) or extend the assessment period.
b. Timeframe in cases of inadequate course performance. All decisions will be communicated to the offering department and dean within 15 days. If the assessment period is extended, the GEC will communicate with the department and/or faculty member to help ensure successful re-review. - Student assessment will be based on course and program outcomes and student learner outcomes. Design of assessment will be determined by the university general education assessment workgroup, led by the dean of undergraduate studies in consultation with the GEC. Assessments will be designed to assess student attainment of general education learner outcomes. Students will also be periodically surveyed regarding general education outcomes, specific relevant general education related issues, and the value of general education.
(4) Assessment Cycle
A. Assessment for the general education program will operate on a seven-year cycle.
- The first six years of the assessment process will constitute two rotations of student- and course-level assessment by knowledge area:
a. Year 1: First-Year Experience (184) and three (3) knowledge areas
b. Year 2: Academic Writing I and three (3) knowledge areas
c. Year 3: Quantitative Reasoning, Culminating Experience, and two (2) knowledge areas - Starting Year 4, the assessment cycle will repeat:
a. Year 4: First-Year Experience (184) and three (3) knowledge areas
b. Year 5: Academic Writing I and three (3) knowledge areas
c. Year 6: Quantitative Reasoning, Culminating Experience, and two (2) knowledge areas - Year 7 will emphasize program-level assessment.
History:
Responsibility: Faculty Senate; Authority: Cabinet/UPAC; Reviewed/Endorsed by: Provost’s Council: 05/24/22; 04/11/2023; Cabinet/UPAC; Review/Effective Date: 07/2009; 06/12/2019; 06/15/2022; 06/14/2023; Approved by: A. James Wohlpart, President
House Keeping update, January 27, 2025
Reformatted and Assigned new Policy Number - Previous Policy CWUP 5-100-060, June 2025