Instituional Research & Assessment

An electronic publication for communication to the campus community about assessment and institutional effectiveness, the Newsletter is published by the Provost's Office.

Assessment's Year

I. During this past academic year, much has happened to systematize the University's effort in assessment and institutional effectiveness.

• The official assessment plan is about half-finished and is expected to be completed next year.
• Unit assessment plans have been received from each academic department.
• The assessment outline and matrix was completed and approved-it is the University's guide for assessment.
• Surveys of entering freshman, graduates, alumni, withdrawing or non-returning students, and public opinion about SUU were conducted, and a marketing survey through the College of Business was supported.
• A new data warehouse was designed and began its phased implementation.
• A proposal for academic support-first-year experience for students, advisement, and a senior-year experience is being developed based on survey data and anecdotal information.

II. The Biennial Assessment and Accountability Report to the Regents and Legislature found the following:

• SUU's graduation efficiency (average credits taken by graduates divided by the number of credits required for the bachelor's degree) was 1.26. The average for the system was 1.23.
• SUU's graduation efficiency for the AAS degree was 1.63; for the system it was 1.47.
• For the reporting year 1998-99, SUU awarded 39 associate and bachelor degrees in computer information science and engineering-related fields or 2.6% of the total awards in these fields in the state of Utah.
• On the Graduate Record Examination, 33 SUU students took the exam with the following average scores: verbal, 473 (national average, 478); quantitative, 550 (national average, 562); analytical, 578 (national average, 565). Law School Aptitude scores averaged 150 (national average 151.4). Medical College Aptitude scores were not reported this year.
• Of course work taught during the reporting period (Fall 1999), 76.4% was taught by regular full time faculty (USHE average, 57.6%), 8.9% was taught by regular faculty overload (USHE average, 4.1%), and14.7% was taught by part-time adjuncts (USHE average, 35%).
• Teaching loads in both credit hours and contact hours met the Regent's standard: credit hours averaged 12.95 (standard, 12), contact hours averaged 13.24 (standard, 13).
• Of 270 institutions nationally with master as the highest degree, SUU and Weber State rank 236^th in average tuition and fees per FTE student and 165^th in average state appropriations per FTE student.

III. Performance indicators specific to SUU were reported to the Regents and to the Legislature. Here's the status on both indicators:

1. Increase access to bottleneck general education courses.

Measure: Accommodate 1,500 new freshmen in general education courses. Reduce general education compression for upper division students with a margin of 10% more seats per year.

Data Collected: Data from 1998-99 determined general education capacity by registrants, courses, and SCH. Input from the office of student development identified pressure points in the general education curriculum for 1999-2000. Based on these data, the general education model for 2000-2001 increased the number of openings by 9.7%, to handle about 1,300 new freshmen. A margin of about 5% was allowed to reduce compression.

Delivery innovations: Delivery of selected survey courses was changed in communications, biology, music, chemistry, theatre arts, and art for larger sections and more openings. Additional sections in English and Spanish were also added.

Current Status: The general education model for 2000-2001 is the framework for the general education curriculum and schedule for the next academic year. Further movement toward the goal of 1,500 new freshman and less compression will depend on resources.

2. Increase the number of academic programs that seek and acquire specialized accreditation.

Measure: Increased number of programs receiving specialized accreditation after 1998-99.

Data Collected: The University's music program is accredited by NASM. In the base year, this was the only program with specialized accreditation. In 1999, handbooks were received for specialized accreditations in the arts, teacher education and chemistry. Further, in business, the University's program was given candidacy status by AACSB.

Current Status: In teacher education, the University has filed its notice for accreditation through NCATE and that process is underway. Second year candidacy status in business was affirmed this year by AACSB. Full accreditation is expected next fall. The University is pursuing accreditation in art, graphics arts, theatre arts, and dance. New standards for computer science accreditation are expected to be issued this summer, and a new curriculum in computer science is being designed around the draft of these standards. Accreditation in chemistry is also moving forward. In general, the chemistry curriculum is already structured to meet ACS standards.

IV. The Deans' Council and the Faculty Senate agreed to establish a committee on curriculum planning and resources to recommend curriculum revisions, general education revisions, and instructional resource needs. The committee will begin operating during the next academic year. While relieving the Deans' Council agenda of curriculum details, the new committee also provide opportunity for greater input from faculty on curricular issues.

V. Finally, academic prioritization began in April and May and will continue into the next academic year. Programs in the departments of business and physical science are being evaluated first. Through the course of this past year prioritization definitions, programs and criteria were approved by the Deans' Council and the process was approved by the Board of Trustees. Outcomes and recommendations will be submitted to the deans and to the Faculty Senate, as provided by SUU policy.

Expected Activities of the Coming Year

• Prioritization of academic programs will be fully engaged.
• A new survey of graduates will be initiated. It will be nationally scored and normed.
• A survey of employers will be conducted.
• Unit assessment plans will be engaged and evaluated.
• The assessment plan will be completed
• The University's new data warehouse will be operational.
• The first year of the academic support program will be functioning and evaluated.
• SUU will participate in the national survey of student engagement.
• Research on post-tenure review policies will be engaged.
• The Committee on Curriculum Planning and Resources will begin examining general education.
• Faculty evaluation in connection with the Faculty Senate, faculty development center and the University Leave, Rank and Tenure committee will revise policies and procedures for the annual, third-year, tenure, & rank advancement evaluation of faculty.