Assessment in the Division

Introduction | Why Assessment? | Guidelines | Forms & Information | Learning Outcomes | Reports

Guidelines for SACS Institutional Effectiveness

Each of these refers to a section on the "5-Column Summary Form" that is submitted to the Assessment Committee twice each year. See the Assessment Annual Timeline below for more information on when this form is due.

1) Mission Statement

2) Objective/Outcome

  • Validates (refers to) your area’s Mission Statement.

3) Assessments

Note: Two (2) forms of assessment for each Objective/Outcome are required.

  • Must be administered in a systematic manner - through random selection and/or predetermined times/dates.
  • Must be explicit - define terms, look to narrow scope.
  • Must be documented.
  • Must be measurable - not just open-ended.
  • Must be able to show a response to what we learned. (Be careful - this is the most-repeated mistake!)
  • A large scale assessment is not necessarily better - remember this will be an annual process.

4) Result/Response

  • From the results of the assessment/survey, ask is it working? What are we going to do about it? Demonstrate that it was actually done.
  • Minutes from a meeting (discussing changes in response to assessment findings) can serve as a ‘proof’ of response.
  • Any documented change (what was done in response . . . curriculum change, program change, change in target audience) should be kept on file.
  • Keep on file the survey instruments and results from the assessments and/or surveys given.
  • The Objectives/Outcomes for the next year must be set in response to the results of the current year’s assessment. The outcomes can always be adjusted. If successful, add new outcomes.

Assessment Annual Timeline:

August 1 - Pre-Assessment (Phase 1)

Departments fill out the Objective/Outcomes and Means of Assessment areas of the 5-Column Summary Form and submit the form to the Assessment Committee. What are these? Check out the guidelines for this form above.

August 2-May 31 - Assessment (Phase 2)

During the school year, departments and offices conduct assessments and gather the necessary data outlined in Phase 1. There are several ways to gather data - find some suggestions and guidelines in Forms & Info.

June 1 - Final Cycle (Phase 3)

The Completed 5-Column Summary and Assessment Record Book are submitted to the committee. Those reports are reviewed and evaluated by the committee.

The completed reports are then compiled into a notebook that includes every report from each area in the Division of Student Affairs. This notebook is kept on file by the Chair of the Assessment Committee and is used by the division in preparing any necessary reports in fulfillment of the requirements for SACS accreditation.