1. Assessment FAQs Director of Institutional Assessment Mark E. Radlowski mradlowski@mvcc.edu Assessment Coordinator Norayne Rosero nrosero@mvcc.edu

2. 10 Why does MSCHE have two standards on assessment? What is meant by Institutional Assessment? What is meant by Student Learning Assessment?

3. 9 Doesn’t this whole issue of learning outcomes and assessment violate our Academic Freedom? What is meant by Academic Freedom? How does it relate to Education Law?

4. MVCC Academic Freedom Policy From the Faculty / Staff Handbook - page 69 Academic Freedom Board of Trustee policy maintains and encourages full academic freedom, within the law, of inquiry, teaching and research. In the exercise of this freedom, the teaching faculty may, without limitation, discuss their subjects in the classroom. They may not, however, claim as their right the privilege of discussing in the classroom controversial matters that have no relation to their subjects. In their roles as citizens, the teaching faculty has the same freedoms as other citizens. However, in their extramural utterances, they have an obligation to indicate that they are not institutional spokespersons.

5. NYS Higher Education Law http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/rules.htm http://www.highered.nysed.gov/ocue/rules.htm § 52.2 Standards for the registration of undergraduate and graduate curricula. (e) Administration. (4) “Academic policies applicable to each course, including learning objectives and methods of assessing student achievement, shall be made explicit by the instructor at the beginning of each term.”

6. 8 What is the “Spellings Report”? How will it affect us in the area of assessment? How will it affect MSCHE requirements?

7. A TEST OF LEADERSHIP - Charting the Future of U.S. Higher Education A Report of the Commission Appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings Findings indicate that: Quality of student learning in higher education is inadequate Shortcomings in relation to graduation rates, learning outcomes and core literacy skills Employers repeatedly say graduates are not prepared for work, lacking critical thinking, writing and problem-solving skills A summary statement: “We believe that improved accountability is vital to ensuring the success of all the other reforms we propose. Colleges and universities must become more transparent about cost, price, and student success outcomes, and must willingly share this information with students and families. …” http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/hiedfuture/reports/final-report.pdf

8. Recent MSCHE newsletter headline Proposed USED Regulations May Require Minimum Standards for Colleges “The Middle States Commission on Higher Education, at its March 2007 meeting, discussed its commitment to address proactively changing expectations for accountability and transparency in higher education. It suggested pilot projects and discussed the need to involve MSCHE member institutions. Meanwhile, external initiatives to impose new requirements are proceeding quickly. New federal regulations of accreditation, as proposed by the U.S. Department of Education, would materially affect the way in which institutions must define, assess, report, and publicize their student achievement results, as well as the scope of substantive changes that must be reviewed by accreditors. They also would affect the transfer of credit and other areas.”

9. 7 Why aren’t other Colleges doing what MVCC is doing for assessment? Why so much emphasis on assessment at MVCC? Other colleges aren’t doing this much with assessment; isn’t this emphasis overkill?

10. 6 How is MVCC doing with Assessment? How are we doing with assessment: for SUNY General Education? for SUNY Academic Program Review? for MSCHE? Do all the assessments for SUNY help us with MSCHE requirements?

11. 5 Why these templates? Where did they come from? Who chose the template? Why didn’t we get to choose?

12. Mission Reference Institutional Competency Reference Program/ Activity/ Service Goal Intended Outcome Assessment Methods & Criteria for Success Assessment Results Actions Recommended/ Taken Based on Results Mohawk Valley Community College offers choice, opportunity and hope by providing accessible and affordable higher education, training and services that emphasize academic excellence, diversity and a global view. The College is committed to excellence in career and transfer preparation, business, economic and community development, and personal and cultural enrichment. An MVCC graduate will be able to: 1. Effectively communicate with others. 2. Organize information, evaluate alternatives, distinguish fact from opinion and reach logical conclusions 3. Demonstrate the ability to interact effectively within a diverse society 4. Demonstrate logical thinking and solve quantitative problems by using various computation and other mathematical techniques. 5. Demonstrate the ability to identify and locate information from a variety of sources and understand the legal and ethical uses of information. DepartmentProgram/Activity/Service Program Outcomes Assessment Report

13. 4 Why don’t we have a synchronized schedule for when assessments are due? Who made up the calendar for when assessments are due? Why isn’t there better coordination between: the program assessments and SUNY assessments? the program assessments and accrediting agencies assessments?

14. 3 Can we really effect any change with the students we have? How can we implement meaningful change when what we do is not in line with student’s goals and expectations? How can we implement meaningful change when there are so many variables which affect student performance?

15. What do we know about our students? Student goal data: (First-time F2006 students) 52.5 % of the students who reported a goal say that they intend to graduate and transfer. 22.7 % of the students who reported a goal say that they intend to graduate and find a job. National Community College Benchmark Project Report of 2006 Aggregate Data (F04 Cohort) Institution-wide Grades for College-level Courses Percent Withdrew (W) - 9% Percent Completed (A,B,C,D,F) - 91% Percent Successful (A,B,C) - 79% Percent A and B Grades - 60%

16. 2 Has anyone looked at the down side of assessment? Do they understand how much time it takes to do assessment? Why do they expect us to do “extra work” with no extra pay? Don’t they realize that assessment lowers morale?

17. MSCHE statements: MSCHE Standard 7 states that “an accredited institution is expected to possess or demonstrate the following attributes or activities: documented, organized and sustained assessment process to evaluate and improve the total range of programs and services … evidence that assessment results are shared and discussed with appropriate constituents … written institutional (strategic) plan(s) that reflect(s) consideration of assessment results. In support of Standard 14, the MSCHE document Student Learning Assessment: Options and Resources states that assessment of student learning will require release time at the onset for planning of the execution, communication of the assessment activities and results and improvements but that it “is directly and inseparably linked to teaching and mentoring and therefore should be considered part of a faculty member’s load, rather than being treated as an ‘add-on’ or as part of institutional service.” It also states that “It is reasonable to expect that the definition and assessment of student learning will become less time- consuming as they become more familiar.”

18. SUNY statements: SUNY is providing funding for aspects of Strengthened Campus- based Assessment, but only for support of training of rubric use and for 2 nd and 3 rd reliability readings of the artifacts. The SUNY letter dealing with SCBA funding states that “Faculty may not receive payment from these funds for activities that are considered part of their normal workload.” … “In contrast, it would not be appropriate to pay a faculty member for a ‘first read’ of a student artifact that would count toward a grade in that faculty member’s course. ”

19. 1 Why are we doing this – isn’t assessment just going to go away in a few years?

20. For further information contact: Director of Institutional Assessment Mark E. Radlowski mradlowski@mvcc.edu Assessment Coordinator Norayne Rosero nrosero@mvcc.edu