The institution identifies expected outcomes for its educational
programs and its administrative and educational support services;
assesses whether it achieves these outcomes; and provides evidence
of improvement based on analysis of those results.
[Compliance]
Narrative:
The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) is in compliance with Principle 3.3.1 because all of its educational programs and administrative and educational support services identify unit outcomes, assess whether they are being achieved, and make improvements based on analyses of those assessments. UAH historically has maintained institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes that incorporate a systematic review of programs and services including the identification and assessment of outcomes. These processes include a system of annual reports and reviews, in some cases five-year reviews or accreditation reviews. Each unit of the University is required to submit an annual report. These reports present relevant metrics for the unit performance. Academic programs that do not have external accreditation are also reviewed every five to eight years. The Manual for Comprehensive Academic Program Reviews describes the process for these reviews, including the use of external evaluators. Academic programs in the Colleges of Science, Engineering, and Nursing, and Music in the College of Liberal Arts, and Computer Science in the College of Science are accredited by their respective professional review bodies.
To systematize an integrated and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes that incorporate a systematic review of programs and services, UAH has established a system for documenting the assessment, achievement, and improvements in unit performance as identified by unit, program, and learning outcomes. The University document Guidance for Developing and Assessing Unit, Program, and Student Learning Outcomes was developed to provide a more consistent framework for organizing and reporting outcomes evaluation that has long been in place. That document describes the role of outcomes in the planning process. It also defines the major administrative, academic, and service units of the institution. Unit outcomes, results of outcomes assessment, and improvements based on analysis of those outcomes are summarized in unit profiles provided on the UAH Online Profile System (UAH OPS). A unit profile includes basic information identifying the unit, the unit mission, unit outcomes, program outcomes, and learning outcomes with their assessment, as appropriate, and improvements based on the assessments. These profiles are now an integral part of the UAH strategic planning and assessment process.
All unit profiles include:
Basic information identifying the name of the unit, supervising administrator, campus location, telephone numbers, URLs, and email addresses
Unit mission statement
Unit outcomes
Unit results of assessment
Unit improvements based on assessments
In addition, unit profiles for units with educational programs also include:
Program outcomes
Program results of assessment
Program improvements based on assessments
Learning outcomes
Learning results of assessment
Learning improvements based on assessments
The assessment process is cyclic; changes that result from assessment are subsequently assessed in the next round of assessment and further changes, if necessary, are implemented.
Evidence of assessment and resulting improvements can also be found in the annual reports of departments, colleges, and other units; program accreditation and reaccreditation reports for the Colleges of Administrative Science, Engineering, and Nursing, and the Departments of Music and Computer Science; and program review reports.
A detailed description of the University's planning and evaluation processes, including supporting documents, is included in the response to Principle 2.5
#
Source
Location
1
Guidance for Developing and Assessing Unit, Program, and Student Learning Outcomes
