1. SACS 102 A-B-Cs of Assessment
Pam Johnson
June 2017

2. Why the A-B-Cs?
USP
SLO
QEP
KPI
APR
E-I-E-I-O!

3. What does the Alphabet Mean?
USP
SLO
QEP
KPI
APR
(Unit Strategic Plan)
(Student Learning Outcome)
(Quality Enhancement Plan)
(Key Performance Indicators)
(Annual Performance Report)

4. Why do we Assess? To see if our students understand
To improve our services
To determine what is working or not working
So we can get money
To change curriculum or class offerings
To make SACSCOC happy

5. Answer: All of those!
We have Student Learning Outcomes and General Education Competencies to assess student learning.
Divisions that provide services have USPs and conduct surveys to determine the satisfaction level with services.
We have surveys and statistics from reports to assess what is working or not working (for example: technology meets your needs).
Grants must complete Annual Performance Reports each year and they earn points toward grant renewal based on their performance.
We conduct surveys before applying for new programs.
SACSCOC does require “ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation that…result in continuing improvement in institutional quality.”

6. Student Learning Outcomes
Specific
Measurable

7. General Education Competencies
Threshold to measure against
Activity to measure the competency
Six General Education areas that we measure competency in:

8. General Education Competencies
Communication Quantitative Reasoning (Math) Humanities Scientific Reasoning (Science) Social Diversity Technology Literacy

9. Communication
Students will demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively in a style appropriate to the subject, occasion, and audience.

10. Quantitative Reasoning (Math)
Students will demonstrate the ability to use appropriate mathematical tools in the solution of problems.

11. Humanities
Students will demonstrate an understanding of arts and humanities.

12. Scientific Reasoning (Science)
Students will demonstrate the ability to understand, construct, and evaluate relationships in the natural sciences.

13. Social Diversity
Students will demonstrate an understanding of how social and behavioral sciences discover, describe and explain the behaviors and interactions among individuals, groups, institutions, events, and ideas.

14. Technology Literacy
Students will demonstrate a functional knowledge and application of appropriate technology.

15. Unit Strategic Plans Mission of unit/division
Three to five long range goals
Goals
Measurable objectives
Assessment of findings
Use of Results (the -ed rule)

16. QEP Required by SACSCOC and must relate to student learning.
Everyone must know the topic by the time of the visit, including staff and students.
Tutoring for Success

17. Key Performance Indicators
Required part of SACSCOC report and the federal requirement on Student Success
GSCC has 10 and they are in your folder
If the State proceeds with Performance Based Funding, KPIs will be a method of determining our funding from the state.

18. Strategic Plan
What is the college going to do for the next three years?
It contains the goals and objectives of the college.
It is like the USP but for the whole college.
It is the college’s most public assessment document.

19. Mission
Every assessment we do should ultimately relate back to the mission.
Each unit/division should know how it helps fulfill the mission of the college and its goals.
It is the umbrella we all stand under!