Assessing the General Education Program
CWU measures the effectiveness of our General Education program through the systematic collection and evaluation of information about student learning. We consistently strive to ensure the General Education program is operating in a manner that will be most beneficial to our students. Responsibility for assessment of the General Education program falls to the GEC and to the faculty teaching courses in the Gen Ed program. The program is assessed every seven years. Data collection, review, and consideration for areas of continuous program improvement for specific component area elements happen annually on a three-year cycle, repeating twice within the seven-year period. This work focuses on student-level and course-level assessment and informs program-level assessment in the seventh year, as represented in the General Education Assessment Plan Overview.
-
University General Education Assessment Workgroup
The University General Education Assessment Workgroup consists of the following members.
·Undergraduate Studies Dean, workgroup chair
·FS General Education Committee chair, or designee
·University Assessment Committee representative
·NWCCU Liaison
Must be at least half teaching faculty
The University General Education Assessment Workgroup will take the following initiatives in consultation with the General Education Committee.
·Talk with GEC regarding the assessment plan for the next academic year during the Spring quarter
· Provide assessment data to GEC for their review at least once a year
·Develop a communication plan for the deans, department chairs, and faculty regarding the GE assessment -
Program Assessment Policy
Assessment of the Gen Ed program is outlined by the university policy CWUP 5-100-060(3).
(C) 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.
-
Program Assessment Timeline
Assessment for the Gen Ed program will operate on a seven-year cycle per CWUP 5-100-60 as represented by the General Education Assessment Timeline.
-
Program Assessment Plan
The General Education Assessment Plan is created and maintained by the General Education Committee (GEC) to guide and inform assessment practices at all levels to identify, collect, and prepare data for analysis. Findings are discussed and disseminated by the GEC to inform General Education program decision-making.
The General Education Committee framed the assessment plan as an inquiry, emphasizing the process as a dynamic learning opportunity, the results of which can be used to inform decision-making designed toward continuous program improvement.
The plan begins with questions of interest to the GEC to solicit the supporting data from sources as needed, review and explain the data collected, connect the results where appropriate, justify the findings, and make recommendations for improvement.
AY 2023-2024 General Education Assessment Q&A
-
Program Assessment Reports
In alignment with the CWUP-5-100-60 General Education Program annual assessment timeline, each year’s report will be accessible through the following links.
Reports
General Education Assessment: Pilot Study 2017–18
General Education Assessment Annual Report AY 2021–22
General Education Assessment Annual Report AY 2022–23 (1 of 2)
General Education Assessment Annual Report AY 2022-23 (2 of 2)
CWU News
Professor Jennifer Serne’s curiosity guides her pursuit of success
April 1, 2026 by Rune Torgersen
NAC nearing completion as faculty, staff prepare for fall opening
April 1, 2026 by David Leder