Assessment at PennWest is a cornerstone of its commitment to student-centered educational excellence. By systematically collecting, analyzing, and applying resulting data, the university enhances students’ academic success, improves support services, and boosts overall institutional effectiveness.
PennWest’s comprehensive approach focuses on the achievement of student learning outcomes (SLOs) at the academic program level and ensuring the effectiveness of non-academic administrative, educational, and support (AES) units at the operational level. This holistic strategy ensures continuous improvement of both academic and non-academic programs, supports accreditation efforts, informs institutional budget and planning processes, and demonstrates accountability to stakeholders.
Through assessment, PennWest fosters a culture of data-informed improvement and transparency, advancing its mission to promote academic excellence, career readiness, and student success.
Academic Assessment
Academic program-level assessment is an ongoing, systematic process that ensures students develop the knowledge, skills, and values necessary for academic and professional success. By examining student achievement of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)—clear, measurable goals that define what students should know, be able to do, and value—assessment provides insights into program effectiveness and highlights areas for targeted improvement. This commitment to continuous improvement underscores PennWest’s dedication to maintaining high standards, fostering curricular innovation, and meeting accreditation requirements.
Faculty play a central role in driving the assessment cycle. They define measurable SLOs, design appropriate assessment measures, collect and analyze data, and propose action items for improvement based on the results. Programs then “close the loop” by reassessing their SLOs, evaluating the impact of the implemented action plans, and making further adjustments as needed. This iterative process ensures continuous improvement of academic programs and the ongoing success of PennWest’s students.
Sustainability and alignment with broader university goals are at the heart of PennWest’s assessment approach, which is both simple enough to be efficient and meaningful enough to drive improvement. By standardizing expectations while allowing flexibility for individual program needs, PennWest’s Student Learning Outcomes Assessment (SLOA) promotes consistent quality, adaptability, and a culture of continuous improvement.
All academic programs – accredited and unaccredited undergraduate and graduate (including doctoral) majors, concentrations, and certificate programs for which a degree or other recognized award is conferred by the institution – are expected to participate in annual, program-level assessment of student learning outcomes (SLOs).
Programs follow an annual academic assessment cycle that mirrors the academic year, beginning with the fall semester and ending with the spring semester. Some programs may need to adjust this timeline to suit their programmatic or specialized accreditation needs.
At least one SLO is assessed each year by at least two means of measurement (one of
which must be a direct measure), for which a criterion for student success is pre-established.
Reports
The comprehensive Master Assessment Plan (MAP) is a roadmap for assessment developed by each program on a timeline of every four years or fewer. The MAP includes program information; the program’s Mission Statement; SLOs, measures and criteria for success; SLO alignment mapping to broader university goals; SLO curriculum map; and an SLO rotation schedule, delineating which year(s) each SLO will be assessed. Programs determine their own rotation schedule, but all SLOs must be assessed at least once within four years. This timeline encourages swift implementation of action plans for improvement and ensures SLOs will be reassessed for impact, thereby closing the loop.
Each spring, programs complete an annual Assessment Results Report on that year’s assessment activities and the resulting data. It includes a summary of the data, analysis and interpretation, reflection and discussion, actions planned for improvement, and an update on previous action plans (closing the loop).
In early fall, programs complete a brief Annual Assessment Improvement Plan template designed to reacquaint faculty with the year’s planned assessments, follow up on past improvement efforts, review new or ongoing action plans being implemented, and outline how they will close the loop that year.
All reports are entered into the Nuventive™ Solutions Improvement Platform (Nuventive)
to ensure accurate recordkeeping and facilitate analysis.
Roles
Assessment Cycle/Timeline
Alignment Map
AES Assessment
Administrative, Educational, and Support (AES) Units
Assessment of AES units occurs on both an annual and a periodic (program review) basis.
The AES assessment framework is for all non-academic units overseen by the Office
of Institutional Effectiveness. AES units are required to establish annual outcomes
to demonstrate the effectiveness of their programs and/or support services. Assessment
leaders participate in this two-step process. Annual assessment plans are aligned
with the University’s mission and strategic plan and are intended to assist units
in defining strategies (goals) and outcomes (support and student learning). The AES
evaluation cycle consists of developing an assessment plan report and an assessment
results report. All annual outcomes over a five-year reporting cycle will serve as
inputs for the five-year program review process. Units employ the Council for the
Advancement of Standards (CAS) in Higher Education evaluation criteria.
Roles
Reports
Assessment Plan Report
The assessment plan report is part of the annual process whereby each AES unit identifies an outcome that aligns with the university’s strategic plan and MSCHE standards or MSCHE essential skills.
An outcome can be identified as either a support (operational) outcome or a student learning outcome (SLO). All units will have at least one support outcome, and additionally, some will also have student learning outcomes.
Assessment Results Report
The assessment results report is part of the annual process of evaluating the area’s assessment plan to determine if criterion meets, exceeds, or falls short of expectations. These disparities lead to analysis, evaluation, and proposed action plans. The report also asks assessment leads if they have sufficient resources to implement the action plans, and if not, to identify specific areas of need to improve assessment outcomes. The annual results report allows units to reflect on performance and document improvements in support of the unit’s strategies (goals).
The data from both reports is entered into Nuventive™ Solutions Improvement Platform (Nuventive) to ensure accurate recordkeeping and facilitate analysis.
Assessment Timeline Cycle
Annual Assessment Cycle: Year 1 (2023-2024)
| Date | Activity/Task |
|---|---|
| June 28, 2024 | Finalized assessment results report needed to be submitted to Institutional Effectiveness |
Annual Assessment Cycle: Year 2 (2024-2025)
| Date | Activity/Task |
|---|---|
| September 27, 2024 | Submit assessment plan to Institutional Effectiveness |
| October 2024 - May 2025 | Collect data |
| May-June 2025* | Analyze the results/action plan |
| June 27, 2025 | Finalize assessment results report and submit to Institutional Effectiveness |
* The date might change depending on when the results are expected.
Five-Year Program Review
(No annual assessment will need to be submitted to Institutional Effectiveness if area/unit is in the review year)
| Date | Activity/Task |
|---|---|
| By end of fall semester | Draft self-study report utilizing assessment data |
| By December 30 | Submit report to Institutional Effectiveness and VP/AVP |
| By start of spring semester | Select program review committee |
| By end of spring semester | Conduct unit program review |
| By June 30 | Create final report |
Program Review
Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education requires a 5-year review process for
the review of individual academic degree programs and programs in support of the student
experience (AES).
Resources
Academic 5 –Year Program Review Cycle
AES 5 –Year Program Review Cycle