Assessment Policy – Academic, Administrative, and Student Support Units
As a means of continuous improvement, the unit assessment process is designed to determine the extent to which identified outcomes are met and findings used to improve student learning, student support, and university services and operations.
The Assessment Policy applies to all academic, administrative, and student support units.
| Policy Number: | 2.1.01 |
| Effective Date: | 12/01/2020 |
| Date Reviewed: | 09/22/2020 |
| Last Review Date: | 04/15/2021 |
| Responsible Official: | Director of Assessment |
| Responsible Office: | Office of Assessment |
| Contact Information: |
Office of Assessment 210 Tillman Hall Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA 803/323-3707 |
Assessment is the ongoing systematic process of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting information to improve student learning, student support, and university services and operations.
Continuous improvement is the ongoing improvement of student learning, programs, services, or processes through incremental and data-informed actions.
Institutional effectiveness is the extent to which an institution achieves its mission and goals. IE is monitored through ongoing, integrated, institution-wide, research-based planning and evaluation processes, resulting in the continuing improvement of institutional quality.
As a means of continuous improvement, the unit assessment process is designed to determine the extent to which identified outcomes are met and findings used to improve student learning, student support, and university services and operations. An outcomes-based assessment effort allows for continual improvement of the student experience while maintaining the University’s mandatory compliance with external mandates.
Unit assessment contributes to the University’s ability to determine its level of institutional effectiveness, specifically by:
Responsibility for annual assessment of each academic, administrative, and student support unit lies with the individual unit. Student learning outcome assessment is the primary focus of academic units; process and efficiency outcomes assessment is the principal emphasis of administrative units; and student support and development assessment is stressed in student support units.
Assessment within all units occurs annually, within a specified timeline. It is expected that the unit’s faculty or staff participate in discussing and implementing the various aspects of the assessment process (i.e., outcomes, methodology, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and use of data). A common, university-wide template is used for submission of assessment reports for consistency of reporting across units. Assessment reports and supporting documentation are reviewed by the appropriate unit administrator and then submitted to either the Academic Assessment Committee, the Administrative Assessment Committee, or the Student Support Assessment Committee for review with a common university-wide rubric. The Office of Assessment, within the Division of Academic Affairs, facilitates and coordinates the assessment process at the institutional level, including the provision of educational opportunities for units and training for committee members.
Academic Units
Academic unit assessment includes academic majors and the general education curriculum. Overall responsibility for assessment of academic units lies with the College Deans and, ultimately, with the Chief Academic Officer. Each academic unit is expected to define and implement an assessment process that clearly articulates student learning and program outcomes, identifies appropriate assessment methodologies, measures the extent to which outcomes are achieved, analyzes these findings, and uses the findings to make curricular or programmatic improvements. Faculty within each department or program are responsible for determining the scope (i.e., cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains) and appropriateness of student learning outcomes in accordance with standards from their field of study.
Administrative Units
Administrative unit assessment includes services provided to and operations performed for students, faculty, staff, and administrators. Overall responsibility for assessment of administrative units lies with the senior administrative officer overseeing the unit (e.g., Vice President, Director). Each administrative unit is expected to define and implement an assessment process that clearly identifies expected outcomes, engages appropriate assessment methodologies, gathers and analyzes findings, and uses these findings for unit improvement.
Student Support Units
Student support unit assessment includes support, services, and programming that further the growth and development of students. Overall responsibility for assessment of student support units lies with the senior administrative officer overseeing the unit (e.g., Vice President, Dean). Each student support unit is expected to define and implement an assessment process that clearly identifies expected outcomes, uses appropriate assessment methodologies, gathers and analyzes findings, and uses these findings for unit improvement.
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