The University of Virginia is currently preparing for decennial reaffirmation by its regional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Since the University was last accredited in 1996, the principles and core requirements under which SACS has been operating changed significantly. The principles can be found on SACS' website. Intitutional effectiveness, the paradigm for accreditation used by SACS, requires:

"ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide research-based planning and evaluation processes that incorporate a systematic
review of programs and services that (a) results in continuing
improvement, and (b) demonstrates that the institution is effectively accomplishing its mission. (Institutional Effectiveness)."

In addition to the need to have "ongoing, integrated, and institution-wide" assessment process, there is a particular focus under the new SACS principles on assessing student learning outcomes. Two standards from the principles address the need to assess student learning outcomes:

3.3.1: The institution identifies expected outcomes for its educational programs and its administrative and educational support services; assesses whether it achieves these outcomes; and provides evidence of improvement based on analysis of those results.
3.4.1: The institution demonstrates that each educational program for which academic credit is awarded (a) is approved by the faculty and the administration, and (b) establishes and evaluates program and learning outcomes.

Recognizing that faculty are overburdened with teaching, research, and service work, the University has committed substantial resources to improving assessment practices at the University. Funding has been committed to assist schools and programs with developing and implementing useful and feasible assessment plans. IAS, the office with primary responsibility for coordinating academic assessment at the University, has put together a guide to assist faculty in implementing assessment plans for their programs:  Seven Steps To Developing And Implementing a Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Plan. Additional resources are available to programs and schools. Information to orient new assessment coordinators can be found here.

This section is devoted to helping school and program-level assessment coordinators. Please visit often for updated information and resources. Contact IAS with your suggestions. Work Session Materials on Graduate Student Assessment Using a Rubric to Produce Grades and Assessment Data Designing and Using Rubrics with Examples AssessmentUpdate Newsletter Summer 2007 Work Session Schedule for 2007-2008 Implementing an assessment plan Programs going through Program Review New program assessment coordinators Program assessment coordinators School assessment coordinators Writing student learning outcomes Questions may be addressed to the following: Architecture Lois Myers 4-3427 Arts and Sciences Social Sciences Humanities Sciences Jonathan Schnyer Lois Myers Lois Myers 4-6426 4-3427 4-3427 Continuing & Professional Studies Lois Myers 4-3427 Curry Lois Myers 4-3427 Darden Jonathan Schnyer 4-6426 Engineering Jonathan Schnyer 4-6426 Law Jonathan Schnyer 4-6426 McIntire Lois Myers 4-3427 Medicine & Basic Medical Sciences Jonathan Schnyer 4-6426 Nursing Lois Myers 4-3427 UVa Assessment Guide (.pdf) Assessment Matrix (MS word) FAQ about assessing student learning outcomes Work session information WEAVE, a web-based assessment information management system is live as of March 15, 2006. More about WEAVE. Additional assessment resources