About Assessment

"The mission of the SCSU Assessment Steering Committee is to improve student learning through facilitating, monitoring, and improving the assessment of programs across the University."

•  Co-chairs:
  • One administrative co-chair (appointed by Provost)
  • One faculty co-chair: University Assessment Director (UAD)
• Faculty membership: One FA-elected member from each college and school excluding the College of Liberal Arts, which shall have two (total: 10)
• College or School Assessment Coordinators (if different from above, e.g., professional staff)
• University Library Assessment Coordinator
• Student representative: selected by Student Government
• Director of Distributed Learning
• University College Associate Vice President or appointed representative
• Graduate Studies Assessment Director/Grad Studies Dean or appointed representative
• Center for Continuing Studies Dean or appointed representative
• Division of Student Affairs Assessment Director or representative

Members

Definition of Assessment

Assessment is the systematic, ongoing collection, analysis and interpretation of evidence of student learning in order to improve that learning. Assessment occurs on many levels, such as the individual or student level, the course level, the program level, and the institutional level. Student learning includes the knowledge, skills, attitudes and personal development attained through curricular, co-curricular and out-of-class experiences.

Charge

The SCSU Assessment Steering Committee is a university-wide committee that makes recommendations to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for evaluating and improving student learning across the University through designing, implementing and monitoring a comprehensive assessment program at St. Cloud State University. Its responsibilities are to:

• Oversee the gathering, analyzing and reporting of data related to program and institutional outcomes;
• Facilitate and monitor assessment programs of the Liberal Education Program, undergraduate, graduate and co-curricular programs;
• Provide and promote professional development opportunities related to assessment techniques and best practices;
• Implement technology to coordinate, track and report on assessment;
• Document and report on assessment activities and learning outcomes achievement as required by the Higher Learning Commission, accrediting agencies and Minnesota State Colleges & Universities Board of Trustees.

Quorum

A quorum shall consist of 50 percent of current membership plus one. In the absence of a quorum, at the discretion of the co-chairs, a straw poll may be conducted of members present and recorded. Following the meeting, the co-chairs may poll the members not in attendance to elicit an affirmative, negative or abstention response.

Memberships Terms

The term of elected members is three (3) years

• Appointees, assigned to the committee based upon position, are on the committee as long as they are in that position
• Minutes and recommendations can be approved by email vote

Membership commitment

Members shall

• Attend at least 75% of scheduled meetings during the year;
• Participate in at least 1 subcommittee each semester;
• Communicate support for ASC initiatives to respective constituencies and encourage their participation;
• Request a replacement or inform the co-chairs if no longer able to serve. Alternatively, one of the co-chairs will contact the member to discuss the matter and suggest a request for replacement.

Standing subcommittees

The UAD will serve on each subcommittee. Other members of the ASC will be assigned (by mutual agreement and area of primary responsibilities) to one subcommittee as follows. Each subcommittee will elect a chair.

1. Subcommittee on Liberal Education Program Assessment:
   1. Faculty representatives from each LEAP, Liberal Education Assessment Director
   2. Meetings are held monthly or as necessary.
2. Subcommittee on Undergraduate Program Assessment:
   1. Faculty representatives from each college or school, CCS Representative, Learning Resources Assessment Coordinator and the UAD.
   2. Meetings are held monthly or as necessary.
3. Subcommittee on Graduate Program Assessment:
   1. Faculty representatives from each college or school with graduate programs, the Graduate Assessment Coordinator, CCS Representative, Learning Resources Assessment Coordinator and the UAD.
   2. Meetings are held monthly or as necessary
4. Subcommittee on Co-curricular Assessment:
5. 1. Representative(s) from DSA/co-chairs of the DSA Assessment committee, the Graduate Assessment Coordinator, Learning
   2. Resources Assessment Coordinator and the UAD. Meetings are held monthly or as necessary.

Committee Meetings

The ASC shall meet bi-weekly or as needed, September through May, as determined by the co-chairs. Ad hoc subcommittees of the ASC may be formed to address specific issues or projects at the direction of the ASC co-chairs and by approval of the ASC.

St. Cloud State University is committed to assessment at all levels. Assessment data is used to understand, achieve, and improve student learning outcomes in support of SCSU’s commitment to continuous improvement. Additionally, assessment activities at SCSU should meet criteria and core components defined by the Higher Learning Commission.

• University Assessment Policy
• Liberal Education Assessment Policy (coming soon)
• CoCurricular Assessment Policy (coming soon)

The annual university assessment report is completed and submitted to the Vice President of Planning and Engagement on the first duty-day of the Spring semester.

The report contains three main topics:

1. A summary of assessment activities for the academic year.
2. College, school or unit summary reports, a dashboard of program plans and activities, and a summary of changes made based upon assessment results.
3. A report of Our Husky Compact activities, results and changes.

AY 2018 

AY 2019 

AY 2020

AY 2021