Assessment
Wilkes University’s academic major programs and administrative support units regularly assess performance on their goals. For the academic programs, this means assessing student performance in relation to program and course level student learning outcomes. The outcomes state, in measurable terms, what students should be able to know or do by the completion of the course or program.
Reporting
Regular reporting on assessment process and outcomes to the University’s Assessment Committee allows for academic programs to align their program-level student learning outcomes with the appropriate set (undergraduate or graduate-focused) Institutional Student Learning Outcomes, which were developed, reviewed, and adopted by Wilkes’ faculty. Since these institutional outcomes are aligned with the University’s mission statement, this practice ensures regular reflection on how the program contributes to the mission. The academic programs and administrative units further align through regular reviews with the University’s Strategic Plan themes/goals, ensuring a clear picture of how the learning in the academic programs and the activities in the administrative units support the goals of the plan.
Oversight and Support
University processes coordinated across several committees, such as the Academic Planning Committee, Curriculum Committee, General Education Committee, Graduate Studies Committee, and University Assessment Committee help to provide oversight for the development and maintenance of academic programs as well as the assessment of student learning in academic programs at Wilkes.
Review Schedule
Academic programs and administrative units undergo a full review every three years, with annual updates provided on progress made for the years in between. Review schedules for academic program areas were developed to align with disciplinary accreditation/certification/approval schedules for impacted programs. Reviews submitted as part of Wilkes University’s overarching assessment plan are reviewed for evidence of good assessment process, to ensure the results produced can be useful for ongoing improvement. Feedback is provided on submitted reviews annually, with the aim of ensuring University curriculum, student experiences, and University processes adequately support student learning and success.