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Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment

Institutional Effectiveness is a key assessment strategy for Christian Brothers University. It is a cyclical process in which continuous improvements and refinements of goals and objectives are undertaken. Furthermore, institutional effectiveness is not static, but rather a dynamic and evolving process. Therefore, it needs to be revisited continuously to ensure that the needs, purpose, and mission of the University are being achieved. Together, planning and evaluation should result in a continual effort within each unit of the University to examine the degree to which the unit is fulfilling its purpose and to make improvements and reallocation of resources whenever necessary.

The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) Commission on Colleges indicates that institutional effectiveness is central to the philosophy of accreditation, and it is a core component of its Criteria for Accreditation. “The institution identifies expected outcomes, assesses the extent to which it achieves these outcomes, and provides evidence of seeking improvement based on analysis of the results in the areas below:

  1. Student learning outcomes for each of its educational programs. (Student outcomes: educational programs)
  2. Student learning outcomes for collegiate-level general education competencies of its undergraduate degree programs. (Student outcomes: general education)
  3. Academic and student services that support student success. (Student outcomes: academic and student services)” (Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, 2017, p. 20).

Furthermore, on page 4, the Commission on Colleges states, “Although evaluation of an institution’s educational quality and its effectiveness in achieving its mission is a difficult task requiring careful analysis and professional judgment, an institution is expected to document the quality and effectiveness in all its major aspects programs and services.” The Commission on Colleges membership “expects institutions its peers to dedicate themselves to enhancing the quality of their programs and services within the context of their missions, respective resources, and capacities, and to create an environment in which teaching and learning, research and public service occur, as appropriate to the institution’s self-defined mission.”

The Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness regularly administers the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). NSSE results yield important information about the quality of undergraduate learning and contribute to national benchmarks of effective educational practice. The Office of Career Services conducts a survey of all graduates just before graduation and one year later. The Educational Testing Service’s Major Field Test is used by certain majors for outcomes assessment. Additional surveys are also administered by individual departments, often with the assis-tance of the Office of Institutional Research & Effectiveness. Many of the University’s assessment activities are tied to courses and majors utilizing embedded assessments, capstone projects, and standardized exams.

To qualify for a bachelor’s degree from Christian Brothers University, students must successfully meet all conditions of the University’s outcomes assessment requirements.