University Assessment Council

The University Assessment Council (UAC) had it's October meeting (sorry this post is late).

Important stuff:

• Keep in mind that we are in the middle/end of University reaccreditation.
• UAC is going to be re-visioning the committee to serve the University better.
  
• I suggested re-doing the website to make it better reflect what the comittee does and to serve as a clearinghouse for data (maybe).
• UAC can visit this committee if we would like.
  

-Emily

Here is the agenda with my comments:

AGENDA

1. Welcome and introductions

2. Updates: Consortium on Financing Higher Education (COFHE) and Higher Education Act and Public Disclosure - Jocelyn Milner

· wants UW to endorse statement on assessment in higher education

o critique of standardized testing

o thinks it’s pretty non-controversial to sign on to this – don’t want every institution in the nation to be judged on the same test

o UW has already signed on to the VSA – voluntary system of assessment, need to make sure these don’t contradict each other “college portrait”

§ Three tests possible CLA, MAPP, CAP(comes from ACT, proposal to move to this at UW)

· have chosen not to do testing right now, thinks we do enough already

· higher edu act 2008 –

o went beyond financial aid

o need to report on faculty student ratios

o lots of information that is going to be needed

o mandated public disclosure of exit plans of students and info on alumni

3. UW-Madison Re-accreditation Site Visit Update – Nancy Mathews

· site visitor wants to meet with committee in April 27-29^th, concerned with details

· be prepared to talk specifically about outcomes, specific programs, changes that have been made, activity not just intentions

o going to want to talk to students this spring

· making information more accessible – putting it on the web, information on changes made

4. Criterion 3 feedback – Nancy Mathews

* Observations and responses from UAC

http://www.greatu.wisc.edu/themes/criteria.html

Please bring a copy of Criterion 3 to the meeting (see link above).

·

5. Planning for the Future and Re-Visioning the UAC

To begin our discussion about the future role/scope of the Council, below are a few questions to help start the conversation.

a. Are there specific student learning and assessment efforts in your unit that link to Criterion 3 (build on Nancy’s comments)?

b. Are there other program efforts being pursued in your unit that are beyond/outside of the Student Learning focus?

c. If you could create a wish list for the next 1-3 years, what issues or priorities would your unit want to engage in related to assessment, program improvement, student learning, etc.? How can the UAC and other resources be of support?

6. Visits to schools/colleges/units

At our last meeting, we discussed scheduling discussions within your school/college/or unit regarding the upcoming Re-accreditation site visit, program assessment in general, university-wide strategies and plans, etc.

If this might be useful for your unit, with whom might this conversation include?

We will want to schedule these discussions soon.

Adjourn