Assessment

As outlined in Section 8 of the SACSCOC Resource Manual, student learning and student success are at the core of the mission of all institutions of higher learning. Effective institutions focus on the design and improvement of educational experiences to enhance student learning and support student learning outcomes for its educational programs. The University of Southern Mississippi conducts annual assessments of its academic programs, certificates, minors, and general education curriculum courses. Faculty within the University’s four academic, degree-granting colleges, complete these annual assessments and record results and analysis in the WEAVE Education assessment platform. More information on WEAVE can be found here.

The process of assessing the Institution’s academic programs and administrative units is directed by the University Assessment Committee and managed by the staff in the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. This purpose of the University Assessment Committee or UAC is to support the process of continuous self-evaluation and improvement across all academic and administrative units at USM. The UAC’s primary responsibility is to ensure that the University complies with the The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement published by the Southern Association for Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges with regards to assessment as stated in Section 8: Student Achievement.

Section 8: Student Achievement:

8.1: The institution identifies, evaluates, and publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered. The institution uses multiple measure to document student success.

8.2: 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 following areas:

(a) student learning outcomes for each of its educational programs;

(b) student learning outcomes for collegiate-level general education competencies of its undergraduate degree programs; and

(c) academic and student services that support student success.

More information on the University Assessment Committee can be found here.