Let me begin by stating how pleased I am with our progress in assessing the quality of learning in our academic programs. In this memorandum I would like to follow-up on my "College Assessment Endeavors" memorandum to you of 10 November, 1999 by reviewing once more how we should be approaching this year’s assessment reporting from each program and each college of the university. This year’s reports will serve "triple duty:"

1. They will, first and foremost, provide the campus with its second year of data regarding student learning and regarding how these data are being used for program improvement
2. They will provide documentation for our self-study for WASC reaccreditation
3. They will help us be responsive to the new CSU Board of Trustees-mandated accountability process

In order for us to accomplish all of the above, I need to ask the colleges to submit their annual assessment reports to me by September 10, 2000. These reports, which are discussed below, should have three components:

1. Individual program reports
2. College inventories of assessment activities
3. College summary statements

With the attached format as a guide, each program report should include, for each undergraduate and graduate program:

1. The learning objectives being assessed
2. The strategies being used to collect information regarding the attainment of these objectives
3. The findings from the assessment endeavors
4. The use of those findings for program improvement

Program reports should cover assessment activities for academic year 1999-2000 and should not exceed ten double-spaced pages.

Once program reports have been submitted to college offices, the colleges should complete the attached Inventory of Program Assessment Activities for 1999-2000. These inventories, together with the college summary statements, will be included—as submitted—in the Assessment Volume of our WASC self-study. [The program reports themselves will be bound and made available to the WASC visiting team members during their visit.]

These statements should, in narrative form, summarize the college’s assessment endeavors for the three-year period from Fall 1997 through Spring 2000. The statements might include:

1. How the college organized itself to implement assessment
2. Highlights of what was learned from the various program assessment activities
3. What was learned from any college-wide assessment activities
4. How the information is being used for program improvement in the college
5. Plans for future assessment endeavors

College summary statements should not exceed ten double-spaced pages.

In order for us to be able to meet various CSU and WASC deadlines, program reports, college inventories, and college summary statements must be submitted to my office no later than September 10, 2000, both in hard copy and electronically. The electronic versions—preferably as MS Word documents—should be attached to an email message to giardina@sfsu.edu.

As you proceed with your assessment endeavors and prepare your reports, please call upon Richard Giardina [ext. 82073 or giardina@sfsu.edu]  in the Office of Academic Planning and Assessment for any questions you may have or assistance you may need. You may also find our campus assessment website to be helpful:

http://www.sfsu.edu/~acadplan/assessment.htm

The excellent work the colleges are doing in the assessment arena is very much appreciated. I am certain that it will prove to be tremendously important as we demonstrate—to ourselves and to relevant external constituencies—both our commitment to and our successes in enhancing the quality of student learning at our institution.

Enclosures: Assessment Reporting Format Form

Inventory of Program Assessment Activities Form