St. Cloud State University Policies & Procedures

St. Cloud State University is committed to assessment at all levels. Assessment data is used to understand, achieve, and improve student learning outcomes in support of the University’s commitment to continuous improvement. Additionally, the University’s assessment activities should meet criteria and core components defined by the Higher Learning Commission.

This policy articulates and establishes the expectations, structure and principles that will:

Underpin the expectations for quality assessment at St. Cloud State University.

• Support students’ development and progressive demonstration of the institutional outcomes in the Our Husky Compact.
• Inform the development of curriculum, both academic and co-curricular, and program quality and
• Encourage faculty to use participation in assessment activities as part of the documentation of personal and professional growth.
• Encompass program review and programmatic accreditation.

St. Cloud State University’s Assessment policy applies to all coursework in programs offered at the University, assessment tasks at unit and program or course level, and those who administer and oversee those assessment tasks. All academic programs, co-curricular programs, and St. Cloud State University’s Our Husky Compact (institutional learning outcomes) will have an active and complete assessment plan on file with the Office of Strategy, Planning and Effectiveness.

Acquiring assessment data to continuously improve academic programs, student learning outcomes for both current and future students, and student services will require periodic measurement of student intellectual abilities, personal growth, and perceptions related to the St. Cloud State University (SCSU) experience. All students are expected to participate in assessment activities, including but not limited to:

• examinations in general education
• test of intellectual skills specific to major/minor fields of study
• opinion surveys regarding specific services and/or the total university experience

Assessment Steering Committee  (Committee is under review through AY 23)

Leadership, oversight and coordination of assessment is managed through the SCSU university-wide Assessment Steering Committee, which meets regularly during the school year. University-level responsibility for implementing and reporting SCSU’s Assessment Policy and staffing the Assessment Steering Committee resides within the Office of Assessment & Accreditation.

The Assessment Steering Committee is expected to:

• Support programs and units in the implementation of effective assessment including ongoing continuous improvement and regular program review;
• Oversee the gathering, analyzing and reporting of data related to undergraduate, graduate and co-curricular programmatic outcomes;
• Facilitate and monitor assessment of the Liberal Education Program (LEP) and Our Husky Compact (OHC);
• Provide and promote professional development opportunities related to assessment techniques and best practices;
• Implement technology to coordinate, track and report on assessment;
• Regularly provide assessment reporting feedback and guidance to Deans and programs via meta-assessment and other communications;
• Liaise between the university committee, college/school/unit committees, deans, department chairs, faculty, and staff within their unit;
• Document and report on assessment activities and learning outcomes achievement as required by the Higher Learning Commission, accrediting agencies and Minnesota State Colleges & Universities Board of Trustees.

College/School/Unit Assessment Committee

Each area responsible for curricular and co-curricular activities will have a College/School/Unit Assessment Committee to ensure the regularization and coordination of annual assessment processes including programmatic, LEP and OHC reporting, training and other forms of support within the unit, and annual reporting on outcomes. Representation from each unit committee will serve on the university-wide Assessment Steering Committee.

The College/School Unit Assessment Committee is expected to:

• Support programs within the unit in the implementation of effective assessment including ongoing continuous improvement and regular program review;
• Oversee the gathering, analyzing and reporting of data related to undergraduate, graduate and co-curricular programmatic outcomes;
• Facilitate and monitor unit-wide assessment of the LEP and OHC;
• Facilitate the implementation of university-wide assessment policies, procedures and initiatives at the unit level;
• Provide and promote professional development opportunities related to unit-specific assessment needs;
• Liaise between their unit and the Assessment Steering Committee, regularly providing feedback and guidance;
• Document and report on assessment activities and learning outcomes achievement as required by program review (APIP), and unit and program-level accreditation.

For information about committee membership for both the university-wide and the college/school/unit committees, see the Supporting Documents section of this policy.