Date:August 31, 2010
To:Deans, Department Chairs, and Subject Area Directors
From:Willard Gingerich
Subject:Phase II of Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan for Middle States
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As you are aware, during the past academic year (AY 09-10),webegan the development of routine and systematic assessment of student learning across curricula in accordance with guidelines stipulated by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). During its 2007 visit, the MSCHE visiting team required that we move forward on this task in a uniform manner and by doing so develop a centralized repository of assessment plans, data, and resultant improvements. In our 4/15/2009 Progress Letter to the Commission we promised Middle States that all degree programs would have routine assessment plansand direct[1] evidence of data from those plans in place by the 2012 Periodic Review Report.
In order to meet this deadline, all degree programs must develop an assessment plan to be approved by the Provost’s Officein accordance with the timelines specified in the attached document. As AY 2009-2010 focused primarily on the submission of Undergraduate assessment plans, the focus of AY 2010-11 will be the development of assessment plans for Graduate programs.Alldegree programs (both undergraduate and graduate) must have an approved learning assessment plan with data collection in place no later than Spring 2011.
To facilitate this process, we are pleased to announce the development of an intranet-based Assessment Database located at: All assessment plans, assessment instruments, and collected data will be entered in this database for review by the Provost’s Office. Please bear in mind that, for security purposes, the Assessment Database is only available to users on campus. Additionally, instructional resources, templates, and examples are available at the “Assessment Circle”Blackboard Community.
Finally, a five-year schedule for the development and implementation of these Assessment Plans is provided in the attached document. This schedule moves toward a steady-state process in which the plan and its outcomes are incorporated and reviewed twice in each Five-year External Review (FERC) cycle.
As in the past, Associate Provost Joanne Coté-Bonanno and Ms. Barbara Ritola of my office are available to assist you in this process. Please feel free to contact them with any questions or concerns you may have.
Assessment of Student Learning Mandate & Planning Template
September 2010
Introduction and Purpose:
In order to meet accreditation standards for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, an institution must demonstrate its excellence and effectiveness in a variety of ways. The most recent MSCHE standards (2002) have incorporated and emphasized the assessment of student learning as key to demonstrating an institutional commitment to educational effectiveness. Specifically, in order to meet standards for reaccreditation, we need to systematically evaluate student learning and use this data to inform curriculum planning. For many degree programs on our campus and on campuses across the country, assessment of student learning across a curriculum represents a significant change over what has been required in the past. A second significant change is the type of evidence that Middle States and many other accrediting bodies now require: direct evidence of student achievement on the learning goals that the degree program faculty identify.
While accreditation makes assessment a mandate, it should be something that we embrace wholeheartedly. In our roles as educators, what can be more important than knowing what our students have learned? Although we have a strong awareness of learning at the course level, evaluating learning across the curriculum is a new focus for many programs. Assessment of what our students actually learn through our academic programs, through their Gen Ed and major sequences, provides us with valuable feedback data we can use in returning to the classroom with better focus. Further, it provides us with the confidence that we are, in fact, stimulating the learning we expect.
MSU Requirement for Assessment of Student Learning for Degree Programs
All degree programs (both undergraduate and graduate) must submit an assessment plan including learning goals, measures, assessment schedule, and plan to use data for improvement.
Undergraduate Program Deadlines and Expectations:
The Assessment Plan template must be completed for at least all Bachelors programs, and submitted to the Provost through the Assessment Databaseby September 30, 2010. The following link will take you to the electronic Assessment Database: Assessment tools will be submitted by the Departments to the Associate Provost through the Assessment Database by November 5, 2010. Program directors and/or department chairpersons will be notified on the status of their plans and the need for modification by December 6, 2010. Final plans incorporating needed modifications must be submitted to the Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Assessment via the database by January 31, 2011. Datacollection will continue through Spring 2011 and all data collected will be compiled and submitted to the Provost’s Office via the Assessment Database by May 16, 2011.
Date / Submission of Learning Assessment PlansforUndergraduate Programs
Sept. 30, 2010 / Assessment plans due in Provost’s Office via Assessment Database
Nov. 5, 2010 / Assessment tools due in Provost's Office via Assessment Database
Dec. 6, 2010 / Feedback/approval from Provost’s Office to departments
Jan. 31, 2011 / 1) Assessment plan w/modifications submitted to Provost’s Office via Assessment Database
2) Data collected from Fall 2010 semester for 2 learning goals to be completed and submitted to Provost’s Office via Assessment Database
May 16, 2011 / Data collected from Spring 2011 semester for 2 learning goals to be completed and submitted to Provost’s Office via Assessment Database
The following chart details the timeline for Undergraduate Program Assessment Plan development
Graduate Program Deadlines and Expectations:
AY 2009-2010 focused primarily on the submission of Undergraduate Assessment plans. Now that the Undergraduate assessment plans are well underway, the focus of AY 2010-2011 will be the development of Assessment plans for Graduate programs.
The following chart details the timeline for Graduate Program Assessment Plan development
Date / Submission of Learning Assessment Plans for Graduate ProgramsDec. 17, 2010 / Assessment plans due in Dean's Office
Feb. 9, 2011 / Assessment plans due in Provost's Office via Assessment Database
Apr. 11, 2011 / Feedback/approval from Provost Office to departments
May16,2011 / Assessment plan with needed modifications and some data collection due to Provost's Office via Assessment Database
Assessment and the Five year External Review (FERC) process
Assessment of learning will also continue to be incorporated into the Five-year External Review Committee (FERC) process (formerly known as Visiting Committees). Departments scheduled for Five-year External Reviews in Academic Year 2010-2011 will need to include their assessment plan, including instruments, and data from at least two (2) learning goals in their self study report. Furthermore, the FERC will be expected to ask questions about the assessment of student learning, and how it will inform curriculum planning in the future. (The Departmental Self Study Preparation Guide and the Charge to the Five-year External Review Committee documents have been revised to reflect this change). Departments scheduled for review in AY 2011-2012, will be required to include assessment data for all learning goals and a modification plan including a schedule for proposed activities. In AY 2012-2013, assessment data for all learning goals, including the discussion of modification actions and activities, must be provided. In AY 2013-14 and moving forward, all learning goals will be expected to be assessed, and evidence provided of its use to improve curriculum. These expectations are summarized in the table below.
Minimum Expectations for Assessmentin Five-Year External ReviewsAY / Departmental self-study assessment requirements
2010-2011 / Complete assessment plans and assessment data for at least two (2) learning goals.
2011-2012 / Assessment of all learning goals completed. Modification plan including schedule for proposed activities.
2012-2013 / Assessment of all learning goals completed with the subsequent modification actions and activities.
2013-2014 / From this year forward, departments must assess each learning goal twice in the five-year cycle, and report on modification actions and results from these actions.
As mentioned previously, an assessment database has been designed to assist faculty with entering data and is located at: Faculty entering data will work through the following items in order to complete the template:
a)Student Learning Goals –Please provide your academic program’s student learning goals. There should be 3-6 learning goals for each degree program. Learning goals should be based on expectations of what knowledge, skills, and competencies all students should/will achieve as a result of completing the required curriculum. Learning goals should be clear, specific, and measurable. They should be stated in terms of expected student outcomes and achieved competencies.
b)Assessment Measures – For each learning goal, identify a DIRECT assessment measure that will be used to systematically and routinely evaluate student achievement on each goal[2]. Ideally, instruments (including rubrics or other grading schemes) should be attached. If developing original measures, note who has responsibility for developing measures, and completion dates.
c) Assessment Schedule – For each learning measure, describe data collection: when will assessment be administered? If it is a course-embedded method, in what class? What sampling methodologies will be used? If it is a demonstration measure, how will it be administered?
d)Dissemination – Describe how you plan to share and discuss the assessment results with your faculty and others concerned with your program.
e) Potential Use of Data:“Closing the Circle” –The purpose of assessing student learning is to improve curriculum. To keep that focus, note potential improvement strategies if student achievement falls below faculty standards and expectations.
f)Curriculum Alignment –For each learning goal identified in your program (see item “a” above), stipulate the courses in the required curriculum in which it is taught, developed, and/or applied. Complete the required Curriculum Matrix for your program which can be found within the database for that program.
Further Assistance with Database Template Completion:
Consulting assistance with assessment plans and implementation is available through the Provost’s Office. Please contact Associate Provost for Academic Programs and Assessment, Dr. Joanne Coté-Bonanno,who is available for consulting appointments at your convenience. Dr. Coté-Bonanno can be reached via e-mail () , by calling extension 6234, or by calling Barbara Ritola at extension 7290. Additionally, several additional hands-on “Data-Entry Days” will be scheduled for faculty during the month of September.
External Five-Year Review Calendar
AY 2010-2011 / AY 2011-2012 (Projected) / AY 2012-2013 (Projected)Accounting, Law, & Taxation / Art & Design / Anthropology
Chemistry and Biochemistry / Broadcasting / Communication Sciences and Disorders
Economics and Finance / Biology & Molecular Biology / Early Childhood, Elementary, and Literacy Education
English / Counseling and Educational Leadership / Justice Studies
International Business / Educational Foundations / Modern Languages and Literatures
Management and Information Systems / Family and Child Studies / Philosophy and Religion
Marketing / Health and Nutrition Sciences / Political Science and Law
Mathematical Sciences / Sociology
NJ School of Conservation
Spanish Italian
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[1] For definition see page 4.
[2] “Student learning assessment should yield direct – clear, visible, and convincing – evidence of student learning, that is, student work products that could only be produced by direct practice of the competency the student is considered to have learned. Tangible examples of student learning, such as completed tests, assignments, projects, portfolios, licensure examinations, and field experience evaluations, are direct evidence of student learning. Indirect evidence, including retention, graduation, and placement rates and surveys of students and alumni, can be vital to understanding the teaching-learning process and student success (or lack thereof), but such information alone is insufficient evidence of student learning unless accompanied by direct evidence. Grades alone are indirect evidence, as a skeptic might claim that high grades are solely the result of lax standards. But the assignments and evaluations that form the basis for grades can be direct evidence if they are accompanied by clear evaluation criteria that have a demonstrable relationship to key learning goals.” Characteristics of Excellence in Higher Education. Eligibility Requirements and Standards for Accreditation. Middle States Commission on Higher Education. Page 68.