Accreditor Expectations

National and regional accrediting bodies are recognized by the United States Department of Education which establishes standards for program assessment.

WASC (Western Association for Schools and Colleges):

WASC, our accreditor, has reframed accreditation as a process that includes:

• Commitment to educational effectiveness and student learning-Programs need to provide data that demonstrates learner accomplishments at a level of performance appropriate for a degree. This includes:
  • A developed system for assessing performance and provide evidence that information is used to improve student learning over time
  • Clear goals and data that provides evidence of student learning
• Commitment to institutional capacity-resources, structures and processes to achieve purposes.

CSU Expectations

Responding to the call for accountability, academic program assessment was a major component of the Cornerstones project of the Chancellor's office. The CSU Chancellor's Office is asking campuses to address accountability and responsibility for thirteen fundamental institutional performance areas. Among them are the quality of baccalaureate and graduate degree programs, and post-baccalaureate program, if offered. Each campus has to report annually on progress made in the following areas:

• Identification of expected learning outcomes for students in general education and major programs;
• Development of systems of learning assessment by which the faculty will assess students' achievement of expected outcomes;
• Use of assessment results in revising and improving programs.

The CSU believes that assessment systems to review and improve academic programs need to be faculty-owned. Eventually actions taken in response to academic program assessment will be submitted to the Chancellor's Office in the annual reports of program reviews conducted during the academic year.

CSUS Expectations

Also responding to the call for accountability, the University has an assessment policy which directs departments to have an assessment plan, that includes outcomes, methods for evaluating outcomes, and responses to the outcomes. The process needs to be continuous and needs to be developed at the unit level by members of the unit.