The purpose of this document is to define and describe Marylhurst's policies and principles around educational assessment. As such, the focus is on student learning assessment pertaining to program outcomes specifically and not other indicators of program effectiveness (such as student satisfaction, employer input, or enrollment or retention data).

Program Assessment Policies

Educational assessment at Marylhurst University is the responsibility of the provost with consultation and assistance from the University Faculty Council's assessment committee.

• Institutional strategic planning will involve a review of educational assessment activities and results to ascertain the institutional-level needs of educational programs. Program assessment data is an essential part of ongoing decision-making around institutional effectiveness. Reviewing educational assessment activities is the responsibility of the provost, who will report to the strategic planning committee and the president's administrative cabinet.
• The university will plan and budget to support the work of educational assessment.
• Each academic department must have an educational assessment plan on file. Reports about progress toward that plan, including summaries of the results of assessment activities, are periodically collected by the assessment committee and provost, and serve as evidence of progress toward meeting the goals of the assessment plan. Copies of these documents will also be kept on file in the provost's office.
• Educational assessment plans should be reviewed and the results of assessment activity should be compiled and documented in concert with the program review cycle, i.e. at least every three years.
• Changes to academic departments or programs must result from evidence from direct educational assessment. Forms of indirect educational assessment, such as environmental scans and stakeholder surveys, may also be considered. Entirely new programs or additions where no direct educational assessment evidence is available should use indirect evidence of need. Changes to existing curriculum should reference direct assessment of student learning.
• Academic departments are responsible for archiving evidence of student work to be used in educational assessment, including e-portfolios or portfolios of student work, documentation of juries, slides of work, theses or other evidence.
• Chairs and directors are responsible for creating and implementing viable assessment plans and reporting on progress and results of assessment processes. Program chairs' and directors' performance reviews will address assessment activities.

Marylhurst Assessment Principles

The following principles for developing, implementing and reviewing program assessment plans have emerged from our collective work:

• Meaningful
• Inquiry-based
• Alignment-oriented / Assessment at different levels
• Consistent and systematic, yet responsive
• Sustainable
• External review
• Inclusive / Team-oriented
• Engagement of adjunct faculty
• Departmental and cross-disciplinary collaboration