Codes:

R

required element of assessment reports or self-study

I

implied by written standards or by way in which standards have been implemented. For example, feedback from the College of Arts & Sciences Assessment Committee concerning department plans reflected criteria in addition to those specified in the original guidelines. In the case of accreditation, the criteria may be reflected only in examples or suggested evidence listed in the published guidelines.

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Notes:

1. Because this information is based solely on written documents, it does not take into consideration the degree of rigor with which standards may be applied by review teams. A conservative approach is to take the standards seriously: if criteria are specified in writing, you may be held to them, even if they have been overlooked by review teams in the past. This is especially true of standards which have only recently incorporated expectations related to student outcomes assessment. Review teams will probably show considerable flexibility in the early years following changes in the standards, but over time, expectations are likely to be raised.
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2. Many programs also undergo review by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education (CCPE). CCPE program review criteria do not require specific forms of assessment. "The institution defines how the educational success of the program is measured. Reports on the reviews of existing programs include data regarding the achievements of the program according to those success indicators." (Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education, Rules & Regulations Concerning Review of Programs of Public Colleges and Universities, 1997).
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3. Criteria I, Scope of Assessment, has not been included in this table. To the extent that an accrediting body requires ongoing assessment of student outcomes, it requires them for all specializations and all degree programs offered. With respect to UNL's internal documents, the College of Arts and Sciences has asked that departments develop plans for assessment of graduate programs as well as undergraduate. None of the documents specifically requires that CEP (general education) outcomes be assessed at the program level, though several of the accrediting agencies include goals such as understanding of how a discipline relates to other disciplines or being able to put a problem into its social context in their program requirements.
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4. ACEJMC (Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism & Mass Communications) - this agency's guidelines do not incorporate any formal type of outcomes assessment, but include traditional indicators such as curriculum requirements, student interviews, class visits, and course assignments (all conducted or reviewed by the external review team). Learning outcomes are not specified.
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5. These associations have been combined because their standards concerning student outcomes assessment are virtually identical.
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