Assessment Plan Guidelines

Assessment Cycle

Academic programs and identified co-curricular units engage in annual assessment of student learning outcomes.  Reports of assessment practices, findings, and the way findings were used and shared are submitted annually.  These reports are evaluated and returned with feedback to encourage ongoing improvement of our collective assessment practice.  

Assessment Plans 

Academic programs and other units develop and implement assessment plans best suited to the requirements of the discipline and/or accrediting agency and the expectations of the faculty and students. They then summarize this information via four documents:

• The outcomes library, which identifies all of the student learning outcomes the program assesses and connects them to undergraduate or graduate learning goals;

• The curriculum map, which identifies the courses and experiences that address each of the outcomes (not required for co-curricular units); the

• The assessment plan, which may be a mutli-year document that maps out the assessment cycle over time (likely for academic programs) or a one-year document that maps out the assessment just for that academic year (likley for co-curricular programs):

  • Sample multi-year template: 

    academic-program-assessment-plan-template.docx
    assessment-timeline-template.xlsx

  • Sample academic year template: 

    co-curricular-ay-assessment-plan-template.docx

Assessment Reporting

The Student Outcomes Assessment and Success Report (SOAS Report) is submitted to the Office of Assessment and Accreditation annually.  For academic programs, the due date is October 15, though college deans may set earlier internal deadlines.  The due date for co-curricular programs is determined annually.  

The SOAS Report includes information on 1) student learning outcomes assessment, 2) student success indicators, and 3) career readiness practices.  Faculty and staff reflect on their practices, student achievement, and ways to use findings for continuous improvement.  

Academic Program Report Template	22-23-soas-report-form.docx
Academic Report Evaluation Rubric	22-23-soas-report-form.docx
Cocurricular Unit Report Template	22-23-cocurricular-report-template.docx
Cocurricular Report Evaluation Rubric	AY 20-21 Cocurricular SOASR Rubric.docx

Accredited academic programs undergoing accreditation review may be eligible for alternate reporting. Guidelines: 

soasr-alternate-reporting-for-programs-undergoing-accreditation-review.docx

Timeline

August/September - Program Chairs will be asked annually to verify that the learning outcomes library, curriculum map, and assessment plan on file with the Office of Assessment and Accreditation are current.  Updates can be made at any time, and the Assessment and Program Effectiveness Director is happy to provide guidance. Student performance data relative to outcomes will be collected throughout the academic year.  

Early September - Program Profile student success data that is needed to complete part 2 of the academic SOAS Report will be distributed within a few weeks after fall census. Department Chairs will receive these and responsible for distributing them to the faculty. 

November 17 - Student Outcomes Assessment & Success Reports (SOAS Reports) are due from each academic program.  College deans may set earlier dates for initial review.  Please refer to college-based communications for more details. 

January/February 2024 - SOAS Reports are evaluated and returned to program chairs to recognize strong practices and assist with improvement of overall assessment capacity and practice.  

If you have questions, please contact Kelley Woods-Johnson, Director, Assessment and Program Effectiveness, at Kelley.Woods-Johnson@indstate.edu or 812-237-7975.