SMU University Assessment Committee

Purpose and Mission: 

The goal and purpose of the SMU University Assessment Committee (UAC) is to encourage and create a culture of assessment as SMU, ensure that the SMU Common Curriculum and academic programs and support units across the institution have a mission, outcomes, and goals that are aligned with the SMU Mission and Strategic Plan, and that both academic and support units clearly articulate their learning outcomes and operational objectives, assess the extent to which these outcomes and objectives are met, and use the results to seek improvement.  Finally, the UAC works to promote alignment among assessment, strategic planning, and budgeting at the institution.

 

Reporting Structure:

The SMU University Assessment Committee is located in the Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness and reports to the Provost.  All recommendations and decisions of the SMU University Assessment Committee are sent to the Provost for review and approval.

 

Scope:

The role of the SMU University Assessment Committee is to ensure that all academic programs at the university have clear, relevant learning outcomes that are published and available to students, that those outcomes are regularly assessed, and that the results of assessment are used to seek improvement.  The UAC further works to ensure that Academic Program Reviews are an integral part of academic program assessment, and that they reflect the efforts to improve student learning.  The UAC also works to ensure that support units across the institution have clear objectives and goals that support the SMU Mission and strategic plan, and these that units also assess the extent to which their objectives and goals are achieved and that the results of assessments are used to seek improvement.  Finally, the UAC will work to create a culture of assessment at SMU as well as to foster better alignment among assessment, strategic planning, and budgeting.    To that end, the committee is charged with:

  • Ensuring that the SMU Common Curriculum has clear outcomes and goals, and that these are regularly assessed.
  • Ensuring that all academic programs and support units have clear outcomes and goals, and that these are regularly assessed.
  • Reviewing assessment results from academic programs and support units and offering improvement-oriented feedback.
  • Providing academic programs and support units with expert guidance on best practices in assessment.
  • Working to better align academic program reviews and academic program assessment.
  • Fostering communication across units about assessment, assessment results, and improvement opportunities.
  • Creating, promoting, and sustaining a positive climate of assessment at SMU.

 

Authority:

Recommendations of the SMU University Assessment Committee are sent to the Provost for review and final decision-making.