“The effectiveness of an institution rests upon the contribution that each of the institution’s programs and services makes toward achieving the goals of the institution as a whole.” (Middle States Commission on Higher Education)
QTA continues its contributions to that end through accomplishments that include:
- Assessment of non-academic divisions - Assessment serves the dual role of demonstrating institutional effectiveness to internal and external constituencies and guiding continuous improvement of programs and services. To gauge the progress of non-academic divisions’ assessment activity since the self-study, QTA’s 2015-16 work included a goal to “Evaluate the assessment processes and reporting mechanisms of institutional effectiveness of non-academic units.” Using a common set of questions, QTA members conducted interviews with the vice president of the following non-academic divisions; Financial Operations, College Services, Student Affairs, Workforce Development, Institutional Advancement, Public Relations & Marketing, and Information Technology. Across the board, leaders’ demonstrated assessment was happening, however, the formal documentation was lacking for some divisions. Based on the outcomes of the interviews, a more formalized process was instituted which includes an annual Executive Summary Report. This report highlights key assessment outcomes and actions that were taken to improve services, improve student learning, and the impact of assessment on planning and resource allocations.
- Institutional Effectiveness Resources -QTA established a link on their portal site for Institutional Effectiveness that includes the assessment requirements, sample template, additional resources, and the archived Executive Summary reports.
- Periodic Review Report - QTA members supported the work of the Periodic Review Report Committee as they began the initial phases and writing of the PRR. Members provided data and examples of improved student learning and services as evidence for this noteworthy report.
- Professional Development - The transition to a 5-year program review cycle commenced during the 2015-16 academic year. To assist in making an effective transition, QTA members provided numerous professional development workshops for faculty and school leaders. The Academic Program Review Series is offered on an annual basis and included a session on implementing the new templates. QTA sponsored an Assessment Academy in the Fall 2015 with thirty faculty members in attendance at this seven-hour professional development. Course-level assessment presentations were delivered at the Summer Teaching Institute and New Faculty Orientation. Individual QTA members were contact points for individual school questions and concerns that could be addressed by the committee.
- Core Curriculum Assessment - During the 2014‐2015 Academic year, the Core Curriculum Assessment Sub‐Committee (CCASC) coordinated and monitored the assessment activities in three core areas: Critical Thinking, Citizenship and Cultural Sensitivity and Physical and Mental Fitness. QTA reviewed the results of the 2014-15 Core Assessments, and supported the recommendations to examine other methods of assessing Critical Thinking in the classroom; and to involve Social Sciences & Humanities, Exercise Science, and other Health Science faculty in development of direct assessment methods for Citizenship & Cultural Sensitivity and Physical & Mental Fitness.
- Core Curriculum Assessment Sub‐Committee (CCASC) the initial objectives of the CCASC have been met and there is no longer a need for this committee. In the early stages, CCASC, had faculty representative from each of the school. In 2014/15 QTA increased its membership to have faculty representatives from the six schools. Some of the members on CCASC were also members of QTA. The Core Review Committee also had some of the same membership. The CCASC committee was dissolved at the end of the 2016 Summer semester. The Core Review Committee will work closely with QTA and ARP as the assessment of our core curriculum moves forward.
- Assessment Award - QTA received 4 well-qualified applications for the President’s Award for Outstanding Assessment of Student Learning. The assessment projects included:
- Mathematics Placement Testing-Retesting Process – examined the percentage of entering students who were able to improve their placement level as a result of a remediation activity;
- identification of success indicators of the “flipped” classroom;
- a library tutorial that exemplified the closing of the loop in the assessment cycle; and
- a capstone rubric designed by nursing faculty that demonstrated linkage of course, program and professional standards of nursing.