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Institutional Research & Assessment

Southern Utah University
Department of Business
Academic Outcomes Assessment Plan
Academic Year 2001-2002

Mission Statement:
The School of Business desires to achieve nationally recognized, high-quality Outcomes for all our undergraduate and graduate programs in Learning; Placement; Curriculum fit with market demands; and Stakeholder satisfaction. These assessments will be completed at the School level for all programs.

Learning:

The school will continuously administer the Business Field Exam from ETS in each of our Management 4950, Strategic Management, capstone course each term for the undergraduate program. For the MBA program the school will administer the Major Field Test for Masters of Business Administration programs in the Management 6300 Strategic Analysis course. The school will track the results from these exams, by assessment indicator as well as the overall score, to watch for trends that deviate downward from our long-run. Sustained improvements are also welcome, although the school will not teach to the test. In this spirit, no faculty will be allowed to preview the tests. The school desires that the overall average of test results be in the top quartile nationally (at or above the 75th percentile).

For the Masters of Accountancy program, we will track first time pass rates on the CPA exam of our graduates in both the May and November testing cycles. We would like to achieve a rate that is equal to the average of our peer institutions in the intermountain region. Our peer institutions in this regard are defined as Weber State University, Westminster College, Arizona State University - West and Montana State University - Billings.

We insure that the learning objectives stated for the school are indeed addressed by the pre-core and upper-division core courses through an evaluation of syllabi and interviewing teaching faculty for courses in these core experiences. This evaluation occurs every four years and is completed by the Dean and Program Coordinators.

We insure that the additional learning objectives stated for each degree program are addressed by courses in each respective major every two years. The faculty and Program Coordinators in each program unit complete this evaluation.

Placement:

The school surveys all graduating students at 6 months following the day of graduation (in January) as to their placement in jobs or graduate schools. Data regarding starting incomes, company name, permanent contact addresses, graduate schools and program admissions are collected. These data are then tabulated and reported by major. It is the desire of the school that our non-placement rate measured at 6 months after graduation not exceed the state unemployment rate.

Curriculum Fit:

Curriculum fit is defined as the ability of our curriculum to meet the needs of our stakeholders, including employers, students and downstream graduate programs, with the resources that we have available. The quality of our curriculum is assessed through focus groups with students, surveys of alumni of all programs, and surveys of potential employers. Each of these stakeholder groups is given the opportunity for feedback every three years, on a rotating basis. When these inputs are received, the school balances that input with the needs of external accrediting bodies, and the needs of all stakeholders, to create the best possible curriculum, both in structure and content. Specifically, it is the faculty in the program areas, together with their Program Coordinators, that take the input information, and incorporate changes as necessary.

The assessment of fit with employers needs is achieved by a survey of employers every third year wherein each program area of the school contacts a minimum of 10 potential employers of students to create an ideal profile of an entry-level employee with respect to the knowledge, skills and abilities needed to succeed in that area of employment. The advisory board for the school also reviews curriculum issues. Faculty in each program area then tabulates the data, and compares the results with the curriculum to check the validity of our efforts.

Curriculum fit is also evaluated with student opinions, which are gathered through several formal focus group interviews. The focus group discussion includes several issues, including curriculum design and structuring issues.

The alumni surveys include several curriculum design and program structuring issues for them to provide feedback on. Alumni surveys are designed by the School Assessment Committee, with input from the other faculty in the School as needed.

We insure that our curriculum offerings fit with our faculty resources by analyzing load and preparations of faculty annually to insure they comply with school policy. We also measuring FTE and SCH by teaching area, lower-division, upper-division, and graduate each semester to verify that enrollment patterns are matching scheduled courses.

. We create faculty development plans where necessary to insure that there is a strong match between the content being taught and the knowledge base of faculty.

Stakeholder Satisfaction:

Stakeholder satisfaction is primarily measured among alumni, employers, and current students. Feedback from each of these stakeholder groups is solicited every three years on a rotating basis in the form of either surveys focus groups, or the creation of ideal profiles as noted above in 3) Curriculum Fit. The Dean of the school, who sits on the Utah Business Deans Council, also solicits feedback from downstream graduate programs. When input is received, the school balances that input with the needs of external accrediting bodies, and the needs of all stakeholders, to create a caring environment that is supportive of excellent academic programs. Specifically, it is the faculty, working with administration within the school that reviews these inputs and makes policy adjustments as necessary.

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Last Update: Friday, June 06, 2003