Guilford College

Annual Assessment Report

Each May, after the spring term ends, the Academic Dean’s office requires every program to submit an Annual Assessment Report that lists each of the program’s student learning outcomes (SLO) and identifies those that were assessed during the academic year. For each of the outcomes that were assessed, the department indicates the methodology used to assess the SLO and reports the findings from the assessment. If the findings warrant, the department identifies a change to the curriculum or to the program that will likely lead to an improvement–this is called “closing the loop.”

The 2012 Annual Assessment Reports for each major follow.

Assessment Committee

In higher education terminology, the term “assessment” implies continuous improvement. The role of the Assessment Committee is to make sure that Guilford’s general education curriculum is achieving the student learning outcomes established by the College. Specifically, the Committee regularly reviews the standards and requirements of the general education program and provides assessment-related guidance to the College’s academic departments. Based on these reviews, the Assessment Committee makes recommendations to the Curriculum Committee.

Guilford College Assessment Committee

The Assessment Committee is responsible for administration and oversight of the assessment of student learning with respect to the curriculum at the College, including the improvement of student learning in the general education curriculum. The Assessment Committee also assures compliance with academic standards for accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS).

For 2012-2013, members of the Assessment Committe include:

• Betty Kane, chair and representative from the division of Business and Policy Studies
• Kent Grumbles, director of institutional research and assessment
• Chris Henry, representative from the division of Social Sciences
• Adrienne Israel, Dean of the Faculty
• Caryl Schunk, representative for the division of the Arts
• Sylvia Trelles, representative from the division of Humanities
• Megan White, representative from the division of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
• James Parrigin, representative from the division of Humanities

Assessment Resources

• Creating Student Learning Outcomes
• Assessment Methodologies
• Student Learning Assessment: Options and Resources. Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• ePortfolio: Constructing Meaning Across Time, Space, and Curriculum (Carmean, 2002)
• Do Grades Make the Grade in Program Assessment? (Rogers, 2002)
• Colleges, Accreditors Seek Better Ways To Measure Learning (Golden, 2006)
• Seven Principles For Good Practice in Undergraduate Education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987)

Association of American Colleges and Universities (AACU) Assessment Resources

Over the last two decades of increased attention to assessment in higher education, many campuses have found creative and sophisticated ways to gather evidence of student learning, discover the degree to which courses and programs accomplish intended outcomes, and probe the achievement of institutional goals and mission. AAC&U works with campuses to set clear goals, plan instruction and curricula to achieve the goals, assess student accomplishment, and revise and improve the whole learning/teaching cycle. Visit their website.

Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master’s or doctoral degrees. The Commission on Colleges is the representative body of the College Delegate Assembly and is charged with carrying out the accreditation process.

To gain or maintain accreditation with the Commission on Colleges, an institution must comply with the standards contained in the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement and with the policies and procedures of the Commission on Colleges. The Commission on Colleges applies the requirements of its Principles to all applicant, candidate, and member institutions, regardless of type of institution (public, private for-profit, private not-for-profit). Visit their website.

Other Resources

Colleges That Change Lives, Inc.

Colleges That Change Lives, Inc. (CTCL) is a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement and support of a student-centered college search process. They support the goal of each student finding a college that develops a lifelong love of learning and provides the foundation for a successful and fulfilling life beyond college. Guilford College has been selected as one of these colleges.

View Guilford College’s Report.

U-CAN

The National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU) has developed U-CAN (the University and College Accountability Network), a free, consumer-informed college information Web site. For the first time, institutions of higher education have come together to develop and deliver key college information directly to consumers. With U-CAN, we will take an important step toward better educating consumers, and fostering student satisfaction and success.

View Guilford College’s U-CAN Profile.