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NON-ACADEMIC UNIT ASSESSMENT

To support a culture of assessment at ISU, the Assessment Council has developed a framework to guide the assessment activities of non-academic units. The ongoing processes of assessment and evaluation are intended both to demonstrate ISU’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mission and to inform strategies for continuous improvement of its programs and services.

The non-academic assessment model parallels the framework for assessment developed for academic programs and emerged from the document Assessment at Indiana State University: A Conceptual Framework which was adopted by the Council in November 2009. Development of the model for non-academic assessment was guided by the following fundamental principles:

assessment is equally important for academic and non-academic units;
non-academic units are expected to participate fully in assessment efforts;
the primary responsibility for assessment lies with each unit; and
it is the responsibility of each unit to develop its assessment plan, methods, and strategies for improvement based on the unit's primary functions and priorities.

While the model provides the flexibility to be adapted to the specific functions of each unit, it includes the following essential components:

The unit’s Mission Statement, which should be aligned with ISU’s mission and strategic priorities;
The unit's Goals, which are aligned with the mission statement and should reflect the essential functions or activities of the unit;
The Expected Outcomes, which may be learning and/or process outcomes;
Measurable Performance Criteria, which describe the desired end result;
Program Activities/Strategies, the services, supports, interventions, and programs provided;
Assessment, the collection and analysis of evidence;
Evaluation, the interpretation of evidence; and
Planned Improvements, developed in response to assessment findings and including an implementation timeline.

Assessment information and supporting evidence will be maintained by each unit in TaskStream. During the summer, the Assessment Council will provide workshops on non-academic unit assessment and on using TaskStream as a repository for assessment information.

Additional information concerning non-academic assessment can be found in the following documents:

Memo to ISU Vice Presidents

Development of an Assessment Model for Non-Academic Units

Non-Academic Assessment Fact Sheet

Non-Academic Assessment Plans and Reports