Millersville University, Faculty Senate
Academic Outcomes Assessment Committee
2000-01 Annual Report
Members |
Department |
Bensur, Barbara |
Art |
Fenwick, James |
Mathematics (Chair) |
Grosh, Bea |
Psychology |
Nimmrichter, Susanne |
Foreign Languages |
Ritter, Jennifer |
Elementary Education |
Shao, Zhoude |
Mathematics |
Ex officio |
|
Fred Foster-Clark |
General Education Coordinator |
Linda Suskie |
Assessment Advisor |
Carol Phillips |
Acting Associate Provost |
|
Meetings:
Fall semester the committee had 3 meetings, on Oct. 31 and Nov. 14 and 28.
The meetings were held jointly with the General Education Review Committee.
Spring Semester the committee had 7 meetings, on Jan. 30, Feb. 13 and 27,
March 13 and 27 and April 10 and 24. All meetings in the spring semester were
held jointly with the General Education Review Committee.
Motions forwarded to Senate:
None.
Other Deliberations/Actions
- In the fall semester a University-wide search was conducted to fill
the position of General Education Coordinator. The position was filled by Fred
Foster-Clark. The position began spring semester 2001.
- The Outcomes Assessment Committee (OAC) began meeting with the General
Education Review Committee (GERC) in the fall semester. It was determined the
primary responsibility of these two committees was assessment of the general
education curriculum. At the final meeting of the spring semester it was
decided to continue the joint meetings for the 2001-2002 school year.
- A pilot assessment of the Mathematics Reasoning Objective was
conducted during finals week of the fall semester.
- The committee worked with Robert Wismer, chair of UCPRC to revise the
course approval forms to match the General Education Program passes by
senate in spring 1999.
- The pilot standardized tests done to assess the Critical Reasoning
Objective were analyzed by ETS (the testing agency) and the results were
reported. It was decided that an assessment plan would be carried out during the
2001-2002 school year using this standardized test.
- A pilot test for assessment of the Communications Objective was
carried out in the spring semester. The results of this test will be determined
during the summer, 2001.
- The committee added Linda Suskie as an ex officio member to serve as
our assessment advisor.
- The committee reviewed a proposal from the Commission on Diversity to
add a D" requirement to the general education curriculum. The committee
returned the proposal to the commission asking for additional information.
- The committee passed a motion to remove the 3 credits from the G4
block, which could be filled, with any general education course. This space in the
curriculum was originally filled by the second perspectives course. This motion
was later withdrawn after reviewing a draft of the Middle States proposal for new
standards. The committee felt that the new standards may require a major
change in our general education curriculum and any change now would be
premature. We will revisit this motion after reviewing the final version of the
Middle States proposal.
- Marjorie Warmkessel from the Library presented a proposal to assess
the Information Literacy objective. The committee will continue to work
with Marjorie during the 2001-2002 school year.
- The committee created a process for faculty members to apply for grant
money which could be used to assess one or more of the General Education
objectives.
Future Plans:
The committee will continue to work on assessment of the General Education
objectives. We have made substantial progress this year in assessing the
Critical Reasoning, Mathematical Reasoning and the Communications objectives
this year. Along with Marjorie Warmkessel we will develop an assessment plan
for Information Literacy. We will need to begin work on assessment of two or
three additional objectives during the next academic year.
The biggest challenge for the next year may be interpreting the new Middle
States standards and the effect of these standards on our General Education
Program.
Additional Information/Comments:
The chair would like to take this opportunity to thank all the committee
members that gave their time this year. In particular, Susanne Nimmrichter
who co-chaired the subcommittee on assessing the Communications objective.
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