University of Rhode Island
Student Learning Outcomes Oversight Committee
(LOOC)
Meeting Agenda
March 20, 2017
1:00pm – 2:30pm
Room 205 Pharmacy Building
Meeting start time: 1:00pm
In attendance:
2
Norma Owens (chair)
Peter Adamy
Laura Beauvais
Gary Boden
Elaine Finan
Mayrai Gindy
Diane Goldsmith
Brian Heikes
Kristin Johnson
Jim Kinnie
2
I. February 2017 Minutes
· Minutes approved
II. Announcements
· New programs/certificates recently approved by LOOC
o New degrees in Data Science Program (BA, BS, Minor)
- Approved by SLOAA and LOOC and forwarded to CAC
o Harrington School still in the process of completing their application for an interdisciplinary communications program
o Request to share new program proposals with the entire committee for informational purposes, not explicitly for direct involvement in the approval process (due to typical timelines for proposals)
- Possibility to create a Google Folder with proposals to share with LOOC members
· Assessment Showcase on March 31, 2017 12 noon – 2 pm (old) University Club
o Kristin Johnson (and Marc Hutchinson) will speak at the Showcase discussing Poli Sci new dual degree program that involves international studies and diplomacy and the connection with interdisciplinary assessment
o Chairs and deans of participants have received invitations, but more reminders will be going out
· The LOOC report is on the Faculty Senate agenda for April 20th
o Contents of LOOC Report Discussion - consider:
- Committee Actions
- Chairs Survey Results (Fall 2015)
- SLOAA Reporting / Recognition (this year will have accredited reports noted separately)
III. SLOAA Update (Elaine Finan)
· NEASC Summary Highlights available on uri.edu/assessment
o Final report due beginning of September; site visit October 2017
· Report compliance and performance on the assessment process, reviewed by (12) peer faculty report reviewers, on two different levels of review and oversight of the process
· Cohort I 2016 Undergraduate Reporting Results:
o Nonaccredited:
- 96% of undergraduate programs reported on new outcomes assessment work
- 87% of (expected) undergraduate programs followed up on prior recommendations for change
o Accredited:
- 100% (11) undergraduate programs reported
· Cohort I Graduate Reporting Results:
o Nonaccredited:
- 83% of nonaccredited graduate programs reported on new outcomes assessment work
o 100% of (expected) nonaccredited graduate programs followed up on prior recommendations for change
o 50% (1/2) of accredited graduate programs reported
o Cohort I compliance is lower than Cohort II, but 2016 was a great improvement on the previous cohort cycle…
· Any Assessment queries around Campus?
o Engineering, graduate:
- Redo of assessment plans – encouraged, and expect updated plan sent with report
- Non-thesis MS student outcomes are different from PhD student outcomes (especially with comprehensive exams being eliminated), but not reflected in current assessment plan
- Want to see other graduate programs who have similar frameworks
- Grad Council voted to remove the requirement for comprehensive exams for non-thesis masters programs: Kristin will be sending a note to all (like) programs who have included comprehensive exams as their culminating assessment piece to encourage plans to be adjusted to reflect new assessment opportunity.
· New 2017-2018 Graduate Student Assistantship positions available in Assessment and Online Learning offices
· Also, potential for new staff position in Assessment Office
· Call for report reviewers to apply coming soon (April)
· RFP for funding to use assessment work in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL) out now – due April 17
o More details here: http://web.uri.edu/assessment/files/SLOAA-SoTL-RFP-2017.pdf
· Further discussion about posting of confidentiality statement on SLOAA website, endorsed by LOOC:
o “Program assessment is a university-wide responsibility and commitment to curricular and student learning improvement. Data and results from learning outcomes assessment are examined in the aggregate only and are not used to evaluate individual faculty or students.”
IV. General Education Update (Elaine Finan, on behalf of Rachel Diciccio)
· Phase I of Assessment: Fall 2016
o Survey data in from faculty responses about process and rubric
- Will be provided to SAGE (March 21, 2016) during a working meeting, to begin to compile a report of recommendations to the General Education Director and Committee
o Annotated assignments and course assessment data also in, to be analyzed over the summer
· Spring 2017 student lists have been provided to instructors
· Fall 2017 Assessment Academies to be held in May; instructor lists to be published week of 3/27
· Pilot of assessment technology also in the works for next fall:
o TaskStream/TK20 merger: outcomes-based assessment product discussion
V. Graduate Programs Update (Kristin Johnson)
· Increasing the depth and breadth of the reminders that go to programs, which are prompting many plan and/or student learning outcome revisions
· Also, prompting the necessity of additional toolkits or resources for varying graduate programs
Next Meeting: Request for LOOC members to attend April 20 Faculty Senate meeting in lieu of a formal meeting to support recognition of programs who will be acknowledged for their work.
Meeting adjourned: 2:30pm
2