The Voluntary System of Accountability (VSA) College Senate SUNY Oneonta February 25, 2008

Background Information  Spellings Commission Report (Sept. 2006) Extremely critical of colleges’ and universities’ attempts to measure – and report publicly – student learning Equally critical of regional accrediting agencies  Response by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC), beginning in Fall 2006

Major Features of the VSA  Standardized template for participating campuses  Highly visible and transparent system  Pilot began in November 2007 SUNY Oneonta one of 17 pilot institutions from across the country Other SUNY pilot institutions: Albany, Buffalo State, ESF, Fredonia, Purchase

Information Included on VSA Template  Institutional measures of student success (e.g., graduation/retention rates)  Student learning outcomes data from specified measures (e.g., CLA, ACT CAAP, MAPP), comparing first-year and graduating students  Student experiences/perception data from sources such as NSSE, CSEQ, CSS  Campus-specific information that allows institution to promote itself and programs

VSA Timeline  Pilot phase ending February 2008, with final templates in place by May 2008  Student perception data due within two years  Student learning outcomes data due within four years  Decisions to be made in Spring 2008 as to whether non-AASCU/NASULGC institutions may participate

Final Comments  Participation truly voluntary – institutions may withdraw at any time in good faith  VSA is not an assessment person’s “dream come true”  Provides opportunity for institutions to discuss any number of important issues What differences should an institution and an academic program make in a student’s development? What is the best evidence for those differences? What is a college’s responsibility to the public?  To access College Portrait for Oneonta: