Jason Hockenberry presented an update from the Learning Outcomes and Assessment (LOA) Committee, introducing David Jordan and Nancy Bliwise, experts that could speak to the culture of assessment. David Jordan discussed the federal requirements for assessment and accreditation, as well as more specific regional standards. He commented that he believes we should move away from talking about assessment primarily in terms of accreditation requirements. Instead, he suggested that we focus on our teaching, our learning, improving our methods of assessment, and building a better culture of assessment. Nancy Bliwise provided a brief summary of Emory’s last accreditation experience. Jason Hockenberry appealed to the Faculty Council to spread the word and to recommend faculty with expertise or the desire to develop expertise in program-level learning assessment who could serve as LOA committee members.
Category: Learning Outcomes Assessment
Provost’s Remarks
In her closing remarks, Provost Claire Sterk highlighted the recent accreditation review of the Carlos Museum and the self-study review of Oxford College conducted in the fall. A self-study review of Emory College of Arts and Sciences will also be released soon. Provost Sterk commented that it was a good practice to have a mix of both internal and external reflection and review.
Faculty Governance in Unit Assessment
Jason Hockenberry, associate professor in the Rollins School of Public Health, gave an update on his committee’s work thus far on proposals to create a “culture of assessment” in response to the U.S. Department of Education and Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) feedback from Emory’s recent successful conclusion to the reaccreditation process by SACS. The goal, Hockenberry said, is to move assessment from a box-checking report to strategic planning and setting aspirational goals. “The Department of Education is looking for meaningful assessment — not designing a syllabus or tests, but can you say what Emory students look like one, two, three years out when they’ve gone through a given program? They’re interested not so much in what students learn entering and exiting the program but what happens after, what they’ve done with it,” he said. Hockenberry’s committee is looking for more faculty members to join, particularly those with program assessment expertise. The committee will make recommendations to the provost’s office on creating the culture of assessment.
Quality Enhancement Plan Rolling Out
At its February 18 meeting, the Faculty Council heard a report on the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), a required part of the university’s Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) reaccreditation in 2014. A campuswide process in 2011-12 yielded a decision to select “The Nature of Evidence” (originally named “Primary Evidence”) as the theme of Emory’s QEP plan. Since that time, a steering committee representing divisions across the campus, under the leadership of Professor Pamela Scully, has more fully developed the plan. The goal of this five-year plan, dedicated to improving an aspect of student learning or the environment for student success, is to empower students as independent scholars capable of supporting arguments with different types of evidence. The plan has three components designed to engage first-year students at Emory’s main campus 1) before they arrive on campus, 2) within the classroom (in the required first-year seminars), and 3) beyond the classroom, through co-curricular experiences. “If we can help them think about the differences between original and secondary sources, how different disciplines encounter evidence, the way new evidence or a new look at existing evidence can present ideas in a new light—this kind of basic engagement with questions of evidence would be a very good thing for our students,” Scully said.
Provost Reports on Budget Process, Reaccreditation
Provost Claire Sterk addressed the Council in February on several major processes currently underway in the life of the university. The annual “budget season” recently began, she said, offering “an insider’s perspective on challenges and how people are looking toward solutions. More and more, we hear about ways to collaborate that were not part of the rhetoric in the past. It’s shifting the way people are approaching identity in their schools and the budget consequences.” Sterk also spoke at length about the SACSCOC reaccreditation visit on March 17-19, 2014, and the extraordinary amount of preparation and effort behind the process (for example, Emory’s QEP, “The Nature of Evidence”). “I think everybody would agree that it’s important for us to do assessment,” she said. “We just want to do it in ways that fit the institution.”
Standing Committees Report on 11-12 Plans
During the October meeting, the Faculty Council heard from each of its standing commit- tees on plans for the 2011-12 year. Gray Crouse announced that the 2012 Distinguished Faculty Lecture would take place on February 6, and an announcement of the presenter is forthcoming. Speaking as chair of the Faculty Counselors to the Board of Trustees, Steve Everett introduced this year’s roster (found at this link). Pat Marsteller, co-chairing the Faculty Life Course Committee with Michael Kutner of public health, described plans to examine various faculty mentoring initiatives around campus. Ken Anderson of the Oxford faculty, chairing the Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee, described efforts to review school-based assessment plans and develop best practices that shape the culture of assessment at Emory, in particular examining the university’s strategic plan with a view to learning outcomes. Doug Bowman, chair of the University Research Committee, discussed its small, short-term research grants to Emory faculty, with attention to reaching out to junior faculty, tracking results, and external publicity for funded projects.
Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee Now Part of Faculty Council
Prompted by Emory’s upcoming reaffirmation of accreditation, last fall Provost Earl Lewis appointed a Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee to provide faculty over- sight of the University’s assessment plans. Its charge was to
- Review assessment plans from each of the schools and provide feedback
- Share best practices and strategies
- Help shape a “culture of assessment” that is uniquely Emory’s and that informs and strengthens the SACS reaccreditation process
- Report to the Provost on key opportunities and challenges related to assessment at Emory.
At the October Council meeting, Ken Anderson (Oxford) presented on the work of this committee, which he chairs, and proposed that the committee become an open-ended ad-hoc committee of the Council. After discussion, the Council voted to approve the proposal, with the committee’s membership provost-appointed but Council approved.