Institutional Assessment Policy

Policy Number: 01.0005

Purpose

This policy establishes the framework for institution-wide assessment at the university to ensure fair, transparent, and consistent assessment of institutional effectiveness.

Scope

This policy applies to all faculty and staff.

Definitions

Assessment is the systematic process of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting information to determine the extent to which objectives or goals are being achieved.

Responsibilities

All individuals to whom this policy applies are responsible for becoming familiar with and following this policy. All faculty and staff are responsible for upholding assessment as a shared responsibility for continuous improvement.

Executive Vice Presidents (EVPs) for Academic Affairs and Business and Operations: Overall responsibility and oversight for institutional assessment processes, ensuring high-level assessment outcomes advance strategic priorities and institutional improvement.

Responsible University Officials (RUOs) and Deans: RUOs are senior University leaders who report to the President or EVPS. All RUOs and deans are responsible for ensuring their offices or departments have assessment plans, that they are carried out on a routine basis, and submit annual reports that document improvements based on assessment results.

Chief Financial Officer (CFO): Responsible for review of assessment results as part of the annual budget process.

Human Resources: Responsible for providing annual performance review data to assist assessment stakeholders.

Curriculum, Learning, and Academic Affairs (CLAA) and Institutional Research and Decision Support (IRDS): Provide assessment structure and support on an as-needed basis. These units offer training and consultation to academic and non-instructional units on effective assessment practices. They will publish the annual calendar of due dates for plans and reports and provide templates and other assessment resources. In addition to maintaining a central repository for assessment plans and reports, they review these documents for compliance with standards, provide feedback on necessary changes, and report to the EVPs concerning policy compliance and opportunities for process improvement. IRDS also facilitates sharing of assessment plans and records with accrediting and licensing bodies.

Policy

All departments of the university commit to quality oversight by developing and implementing plans for the regular assessment of university programs, outcomes, and resource allocation to ensure institutional effectiveness, such that the campus meets or exceeds the assessment standards set by the New York State Department of Education, the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and, as appropriate, programmatic accreditation bodies.

The University requires academic programs and non-academic units to prepare and submit the following to the Executive Vice Presidents, through their RUOs:

• A long-term assessment plan that contains a mission statement; expected outcomes (that include student learning outcomes for educational programs); appropriate evaluation methods or metrics to assess these outcomes; and performance targets.
• An annual assessment report describing assessments conducted, findings, analysis of results, and a description of how the results have been used to make improvements in the program or unit.
• A school's regular assessment of its registered academic programs that shall include, at minimum, the assessment of student learning, Shared Capacities, and academic program review, to the extent necessary and appropriate.

These assessment plans and annual reports are required in addition to any other evaluation-related reporting obligations, such as those for specialized accreditation, performance reviews, reviews of centers and institutes, and sponsored research.

Assessment of progress toward goals will be a factor used to support budget prioritization and the performance management process.

Procedure

Generally, assessment should entail the following components:

1. Establish an assessment plan
1. Define clear assessment goals aligned with institutional mission
2. Identify key performance indicators and measurable outcomes
3. Develop an assessment timeline and cycle
2. Collect Data
1. Assessment data may include but is not limited to outcomes assessment, program reviews, performance indicators, peer benchmarking, and surveys.
3. Analyze Results
1. Compare results against established benchmarks
2. Identify patterns, trends, and areas of concern
3. Document limitations of the assessment process
4. Report Findings
1. Highlight key findings and actionable insights
2. Contextualize results within institutional goals
5. Develop Improvement Plans and Make Changes
1. Collaborate with stakeholders to interpret results
2. Identify specific areas requiring intervention
3. Formulate actionable recommendations
4. Use results to secure resources
5. Assign responsibilities for implementation
6. Establish timelines for improvement activities
6. Close the Loop
1. Conduct follow-up assessment to evaluate effectiveness of changes
2. Share success stories and lessons learned
3. Assess and refine assessment procedures for the next cycle
7. Maintain Records
1. Document all phases of the assessment process
2. Archive assessment instruments and raw data
3. Create a repository of assessment reports

Enforcement

N/A

Policy Administration

Responsible University Official: Provost and EVP for Academic Affairs; Chief Operating Officer and EVP for Business and Operations

Responsible Office: Compliance & Accreditation

Contact Information: pwood@newschool.edu

Policy History

Effective Date: July 21, 2025

Last Reviewed Date: July 21, 2025

Next Review Date: July 21, 2030

Revision History: N/A

References

• Functional areas
• MSCHE Criteria for Standard VI
• SUNY
• UNC
• Emory