Institutional Effectiveness, Research, Assessment & Planning

Statement of Accreditation 

Tuskegee University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award baccalaureate, masters, and doctorate degrees. Questions about the accreditation of Tuskegee University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Accrediting Standards 

Tuskegee University maintains accreditation with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges by complying with the standards contained in the PRINCIPLES OF ACCREDITATION: FOUNDATIONS FOR QUALITY ENHANCEMENT and with the policies and procedures of the Commission on Colleges. The Commission on Colleges applies the requirements of its Principles to all applicant, candidate, and member institutions, regardless of type of institution (public, private for-profit, private not-for-profit).

Accreditation Liaison

Dr. Kellei Bishop Samuels
Chief of Staff and SACSCOC Liaison
Office of the President
Kresge Center
Tuskegee, AL  36088
(334) 724-4777 ph.
 

Year of Initial Accreditation: 1933
Year of Most Recent Reaffirmation of Accreditation: 2008
Year of Next Reaffirmation Decision: 2028 [read more]

Tuskegee University Student Achievement

Tuskegee University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). The SACSCOC Policy on Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure requires that member institutions publish “statements of its goals for student achievement and the success of students in achieving those goals.” Tuskegee University uses several measures to evaluate student achievement and success aligned with the University’s mission and key strategic priorities.

The University utilizes the following measures for Student Achievement: 

• Retention Rates
• Graduation Rates
• Licensure Pass Rates
• Placement Rates

University Mission Summary

Tuskegee University accomplishes its central purpose of developing leadership, knowledge and service through its undergraduate, graduate, professional, research and outreach programs. Through these programs, students are encouraged not only to pursue careers but to be of service to society and to remain active lifetime learners. The University seeks to instill a robust thirst for knowledge and a vibrant quest for wholesale patterns of personal and social ethics that have philosophical and spiritual depth. In the process, it seeks to help each student develop an appreciation for the finer traits of human personality, the beauty of the earth and the universe, and a personal commitment to the improvement of the human condition.

Key Strategic Priorities

1. Creating a Student Centered Culture, Student Success, Student Engagement and Parent-Student Satisfaction
2. Fully Inaugurating 21st Century Higher Education at Tuskegee University: (Through) Innovative Online and Expanded Academic Programming and Instruction, Infrastructure and Technology
3. Administering Efficient Resource Management: Data-Informed decision-making and Effective Human Resource Management
4. Obtaining a Marked and Increased (FTE) Enrollment: Recruitment, Retention and Persistence
5. Fostering a Culture of Advancement and Development: Diverse Portfolio of Fundraising

Goals related to Student Achievement:

Special Elements of the University's Mission

Instruction:

• We focus on education as a continuing process and lifelong endeavor for all people.
• We provide a high quality core experience in the liberal arts.
• We develop superior technical, scientific, and professional education with a career orientation.
• We stress the relationship between education and employment, between what students learn and the changing needs of a global workforce.

Research:

• We preserve, refine, and develop further the bodies of knowledge already discovered.
• We discover new knowledge for the continued growth of individuals and society and for the enrichment of the University's instructional and service programs.
• We develop applications of knowledge to help resolve problems of modern society.

Service:

• We serve the global society as well as the regional and campus community and beyond through the development of outreach programs that are compatible with the University's educational mission, that improve understanding of community problems, and that help develop relevant alternative solutions.
• We engage in outreach activities to assist in the development of communities as learning societies.

Retention and Graduation Rates

Tuskegee University uses retention and graduation rates to evaluate student success. This information is reported annually in the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS). The following table provides data for 1st and 2nd year retention rats for first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students (see Tables below).

Licensure Pass Rates

Tuskegee University uses licensure pass rates to evaluate student success. The table below reports the pass-rates of examinees for the respective licensure examination for programs.

First Destination - Placement Data

The following table depicts the percentage of recent baccalaureate graduates who are either employed full-time, enrolled in graduate/professional school or the military within one year after graduation. (Note: This information is based on a Career Development Placement Survey administered to graduates twice a year).

Through strategic planning efforts, administrators, faculty and staff can identify and prioritize the actions the university, its academic and operational units, and individual employees can take to ensure Tuskegee accomplishes its goals and fulfills its mission. The university’s fiscal plans and resource allocations are aligned with the university’s strategic plan.

Our services in support of strategic planning include:

• Developing plans and aligning with internal and external requirements
• Incorporate a systematic review of the Tuskegee University mission, goals, and outcomes
• Demonstrate the institution is effectively accomplishing its mission.  

View the 2021-2026 TU Strategic Plan

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research, Assessment, and Planning provides the following resources as a compendium of selected facts and frequently requested current and historical information about the university. These resources include the official university Fact Book, Quick Facts sheet, current, and past annual reports, and other operational data.

Fact Book

The Fact Book is a general source of information about the University. If you are part of a Tuskegee office looking for institutional data to support a specific business process or question, please submit a data request or call us at (334) 724-4873. Historical Fact Books are available for download, although they may not be accurate or consistent with current definitions and reporting practices. 

• Fact Book 2022 - 23
• Fact Book 2021 – 22

Quick Facts

• Quick Facts: Fall 2024
• Quick Facts: Fall 2023
• Quick Facts: Fall 2022

Annual Reports

• FY/CY17 Annual Report
• FY16 Annual Report
• FY15 Annual Report
• FY12 and FY13 Annual Report

Enrollment

• Historic Enrollment
• Historic STEM Enrollment
• 4-year and 6-year Graduation Rates
• Retention Rates

Financials

• Endowment Values
• Summary Statement of Financial Position

In addition to Tuskegee University's institutional accreditation, many of our degree programs in specialized fields also have their own accrediting bodies. Such specialized accreditation is under the purview of the respective academic programs. Degree programs that currently have specialized accreditations are listed below.

• The Aerospace Science Engineering B.S. Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission’s General Criteria and Program Criteria for Aerospace and Similarly Named Engineering Programs.
  
  
• The Bachelor of Architecture Degree Program is accredited by the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB). Established in 1940, NAAB is the oldest accrediting agency for architectural education in the United States. The NAAB accredits professional degrees in architecture offered by institutions with U.S. regional accreditation.
  
  
• The Andrew F. Brimmer College of Business and Information Science (CBIS) is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB).
  
  
• The Chemistry B.S. Degree is approved by the American Chemical Society (ACS). We are the only HBCU and one of nine universities in Alabama that the Committee on Professional Training of the American Chemical Society has given the right to grant ACS approved degrees.
  
  
• The Chemical Engineering B.S. Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, under the commission’s General Criteria and the Program Criteria for Chemical, Biochemical, Biomolecular and similarly named engineering programs.
  
  
• The Computer Science B.S. Degree Program is accredited by The Computing Accreditation Commission of ABET.
  
  
• The Construction Science Undergraduate Degree Program is fully accredited by the American Council for Construction Education.
  
  
• The Didactic Program in Dietetics is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 120 South Riverside Plaza, Suite 2190, Chicago, IL 60606-6995, (312) 899-0040 ext 5400.
  
  
• The Electrical Engineering B.S. Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET, and it is also responsible for accrediting Computer Engineering programs. 
  
  
• The Electrical Engineering M.S. Program is accredited through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). 
  
  
• The Food Science Program (Undergraduate) is approved by the Higher Education Review Board (HERB), Institute of Food Technologists, 525 W. Van Buren Street, Suite 1000, Chicago, IL 60607.
  
  
• The Mechanical Engineering B.S. Program is accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET.
  
  
• The Nursing Program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).
  
  
• The Nursing Program is also approved by the Alabama Board of Nursing (ABN).
  
  
• The entry-level Occupational Therapy M.S. Degree Program has applied for accreditation and has been granted Candidacy Status by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). The program must have a preaccreditation review, complete an on-site evaluation, and be granted Accreditation Status before its graduates will be eligible to sit for the national certification examination for the occupational therapist administered by the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT).

• The Tuskegee University Department of Social Work has been accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) since 1974. The Council on Social Work Education is a nonprofit national association representing more than 2,500 individual members, as well as graduate and undergraduate programs of professional social work education. Founded in 1952, this partnership of educational and professional institutions, social welfare agencies, and private citizens is recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation(CHEA) as the sole accrediting agency for social work education in this country.
  
  
• The Department of Social Work BSW Program at Tuskegee University is also a member of the Association of Baccalaureate Program Directors. The Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors, Inc. (BPD) is a voluntary, individual membership association that since 1975 has represented the interests of undergraduate education and practice in social work. The association's approximately 800 members represent BSW program directors, baccalaureate faculty and field coordinators, as well as social work educators and practitioners who have an interest in BSW education and practice.
  
  
• Tuskegee University's Online Master of Social Work (MSW) Program is currently in pre-candidacy for accreditation by the Council on Social Work Education’s (CSWE) Board of Accreditation (BOA). Pre-candidacy for a master’s social work program by the BOA indicates that it submitted an application to be reviewed for candidacy and received approval of its Benchmark 1 from CSWE accreditation staff to move forward for a candidacy review within 1-year. A program that has attained pre-candidacy status has not yet been reviewed by the BOA nor verified to be compliant with the Educational Policy and Accreditation Standards (EPAS).

• The Tuskegee University School of Education (SOE) offers five Teacher Education Programs which were reviewed and accredited by Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP):
  • Elementary Education (K-6)
  • English Language Arts (6-12)
  • General Science (6-12)
  • Mathematics (6-12)
  • Physical Education (6-12)

• The Tuskegee University College of Veterinary Medicine (TUCVM) Veterinary Teaching Hospital (VTH) has earned accreditation again from the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA). This recognition places TUCVM’s VTH among an elite group of approximately 15 percent of veterinary hospitals nationwide that have met the rigorous standards of excellence established by AAHA for quality care, patient safety, and hospital management.
  
  To achieve this distinction of veterinary excellence, hospitals must undergo comprehensive evaluations on nearly 50 mandatory standards that cover all aspects of veterinary practice—from patient care and pain management to staff training, medical record keeping, and facility safety. By earning this accreditation, TUCVM’s VTH demonstrates its continued dedication not only to excellence in patient care but also to providing veterinary students with the highest quality clinical training environment.
  
  
• The accrediting agency for Schools and Colleges of Veterinary Medicine in the United States and Canada is the American Veterinary Medical Association Council on Education (AVMA-COE). During its March 26-29, 2022, meeting, the AVMA-COE placed the College of Veterinary Medicine at Tuskegee University (TUCVM) on probationary status until reported deficiencies are removed. Although the College remains accredited, it has taken immediate and urgent steps to remove deficiencies for non-compliance with major deficiencies in finances, clinical resources, and outcomes assessment. It is important to note that the status of probationary accreditation has no adverse impact on the quality of the educational programs for our students. The COE requires that all accredited Schools and Colleges of Veterinary Medicine publish their average pass rate for the North American Veterinary Licensing Examination (NAVLE). The 2025 pass rate was 72%. Many factors affected our student performance and there are substantial plans in place for improving the NAVLE scores for 2026.

Tuskegee University’s accreditation is reaffirmed every 10 years by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). SACSCOC is a private, non-profit and voluntary organization founded in 1895 in Atlanta, where it currently operates. To be accredited and reaffirmed, the university must demonstrate compliance with the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation and prepare a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP).

Reaffirmation Leadership Team

Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, Interim President
Dr. Tejinder Sara, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Dr.  Sharon Burnett, Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer
Ms. Regina Burden, Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management
Mr. A. Zachary Faison Jr., J.D., General Counsel and Vice President for External Affairs
Ms. Barbara Owens, Assistant to the President for Special Projects and Strategic Initiatives
Mrs. Jeanette Moss-Smith, Director, Title III
Dr. Kellei Bishop Samuels, Associate Vice President Institutional Effectiveness and SACSCOC Liaison
Mr. Harold "Kippy" Tate, Vice President of Facilities and Construction
Dr. Roberta Troy, Department Head, Biology and QEP Steering Committee Chair
Mr. Michael Tullier, APR, Senior Director, Communications, Public Relations and Marketing

Quality Enhancement Plan

SACSCOC defines the Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), required as a key component of the reaffirmation process, as “a carefully designed course of action that addresses a well-defined and focused topic or issue related to enhancing student learning.” Furthermore, SACSCOC states that the QEP “should be embedded within the institution’s ongoing integrated institution-wide planning.” The QEP must be “forward looking” and "[launch] a process that can move the institution into the future characterized by creative, engaging and meaningful learning experiences for students.”

The Quality Enhancement Plan must:

• focus on student learning (changes in knowledge, skills, behaviors or values)
• enhance student success
• include broad-based participation in the identification of the topic or issue to be addressed in the QEP
• include careful review of best practices
• include clear goals
• specify realistic, measurable student learning outcomes
• include allocation of adequate human and financial resources to develop, implement and sustain
• include implementation strategies that include a clear timeline and assignment of responsibilities
• include a structure established for evaluating the extent to which the goals set for the plan are attained

Furthermore, the QEP must:

• be part of ongoing planning and evaluation
• be Linked to effectiveness, quality, mission
• be Focused on well-defined issue(s)
• be thorough and analytical
• engage the wider academic community
• be an action plan to improve student learning

Reaffirmation Timeline

2019

• January: University receives anticipated letter of reaffirmation

2018

• January: Anticipated university response, including new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for 2018-23
• February: Anticipated SACSCOC on-site accreditation visit
• March - November: Anticipated SACSCOC and university reports and responses
• December: Anticipated decision on reaffirmation bid

2017

• April: Report submission on four remaining items: CS 3.3.1.1, CS 3.10.1, CS 3.10.2 and FR 4.7
• June: SACSCOC lifts warning status previously imposed on the university
• September: Submission of 10-year decennial reaffirmation of accreditation compliance report
• November: Anticipated off-site accreditation review

2016

• April: Subsequent report on non-compliant items submitted
• June: Notified by SACSCOC of continued warning with four remaining items
• December: SACSCOC approves online degree programs

2015

• April: Subsequent report on non-compliant items submitted
• June: University placed on warning for noncompliance with Core Requirement 2.2 (Governing Board) and seven remaining items

2014

• April: University submits first-ever five-year interim report covering years 2008-13
• June: University notified of 12 non-compliant items based on fifth-year interim report
• September: University submits audit reports and financial records as requested by SACSCOC
• November: U.S. Department of Education requires the university to post a $5 million irrevocable letter of credit based upon its failure to submit timely financials for FY13

2013

• December: SACSCOC begins publishing actions against member institutions

2008

• December: Decennial reaffirmation of accreditation received

Tuskegee University uses Campus Labs as an online-based collaborative tool for administrators, faculty and staff to contribute to ongoing assessment and reaffirmation efforts. Credentialed university employees can visit tuskegee.campuslabs.com to access the Campus Labs platform.

Our team coordinates institutional-wide research and data analytics to support overall institutional effectiveness, strategic planning, assessment, evaluation and improvement efforts by contributing data, information and analysis to Tuskegee’s culture of inquiry and evidence. The university routinely participates in national and peer-institution surveys, as well as conducts its own internally coordinated research, to assess students’ satisfaction and engagement in order to better serve them. Those surveys include:

• Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory
• Tuskegee University Entering Student Survey
• Tuskegee University Satisfaction Survey
• Tuskegee University Parent Satisfaction Survey

In addition, the university participates in national and peer-institution surveys to benchmark and improve its own operations, as well as contribute to the body of knowledge that leads to higher education best practices.

Our services in support of institutional research and effectiveness include:

• Identifying institutional data needs and sources for or means to collect that data
• Assisting faculty and staff with creating, administering and analyzing qualitative and qualitative research data
• Securing and providing data and information to authorities, such as federal and state governmental agencies, as well as accrediting bodies
• Collecting data about the university’s academic and operational performance
• Improving pedagogical efforts by assisting departments with identifying, collecting, securing and analyzing data for program reviews and other assessment efforts

Create Assessment Plan/Revise Plan Based on Past Results

An assessment plan should list the student learning outcomes for an academic unit, where they will be addressed throughout that program, and what assessments will be used to evaluate student learning. After the assessments have been conducted, the data should be used to revise the plan for the purpose of improving student learning.

Review Plan

At the beginning of each semester, faculty should review their course materials (i.e. syllabi) and activities to ensure that they align with the assessment plan.

Conduct Assessments

Throughout the semester, faculty will assess student learning as outlined in the assessment plan.

Report on Assessment Data

Assessment of Tuskegee University's Undergraduate Programs

The assessment of undergraduate programs follows the broader pattern of evaluating student learning. This includes the process of identifying student learning outcomes, determining where they will be addressed, conducting assessments, and using data to improve student learning.

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness uses a curriculum map and a SLO Worksheet for degree programs to keep account of their assessment data.

Curriculum Map

The curriculum map allows academic units to determine what courses within the undergraduate program will address each learning outcome. The curriculum map lists all learning outcomes and all required courses for a degree program.

Most undergraduate courses build on each other from the level of introduction to mastery. Thus when completing a curriculum map, faculty will list if a course addresses a learning outcome at the (I)ntroductory, (R)einforcement, or (M)astery level. Only one course per learning outcome should be designated for mastery.

Student Learning Outcomes (SLO) Worksheet

The SLO Worksheet is used to report assessment data. At least one course per learning outcome should be assessed each year. This course can be at the introductory, reinforcement, or mastery level. The SLO Worksheet details important information such as when the assessment took place, what activities were used to teach the learning outcome, how students fared on the assessment, and the plan for improvement. The plan for improvement should be implemented the following year to determine the degree to which the plan impacted student learning.

Assessment of Tuskegee University's Post-Baccalaureate Programs

The assessment of post-baccalaureate programs follows the broader pattern of evaluating student learning. This includes the process of identifying student learning outcomes, determining where they will be addressed, conducting assessments, and using data to improve student learning. Within the post-baccalaureate division of assessment, we include the university's graduate and professional programs.

Yet, the assessment of post-baccalaureate programs is distinguished by their increased level of rigor and variation. Post-baccalaureate programs build on and advance the knowledge and skills that students attained during their undergraduate studies. Thus the student learning outcomes for post-baccalaureate programs need to reflect the enhanced rigor that is expected of graduate studies.

Second, the degree requirements for graduate and professional programs tend to be more varied than undergraduate programs which largely emphasize coursework. Therefore, the assessment plans of graduate and professional programs tend to necessitate greater variation. Along with coursework, post-baccalaureate assessment data can be taken from comprehensive examinations, certification/licensure examinations, internships, theses/dissertations, etc.

To aid in the process of assessing post-baccalaureate student learning outcomes, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness created a Post-Baccalaureate SLO Worksheet. It has important data such as the selected assessment instruments, assessment dates, how students fared on the assessments, and the plan for improvement.

See Post-Baccalaureate Assessment SLO Worksheet below:

What is assessment?

New to assessment? Our assessment toolkit provides helpful information, models, and best practices for the evaluation of student learning. Although the toolkit addresses foundational concepts, even someone well versed in assessment will find it useful.

Noted institutional researchers Catherine Palomba and T.W. Banta define assessment as “the systematic collection, review, and use of information about educational programs undertaken for the purpose of improving learning and development.”

Assessment of student learning does not measure what is being taught, but what is actually learned and demonstrated by students.

Course grades, while important, are generally not appropriate assessment indicators as they may not directly convey information about learning outcomes. In some cases, a student’s final grade tally can be composed of different factors (i.e. attendance, extra credit, etc.) which do not reflect actual student learning.

Though not exhaustive, a good assessment program:

• Reflects institutional and programmatic goals
• Includes direct evidence of student learning
• Encourages involvement from a wide array of stakeholders
• Leads to reflection and action
• Allows for continuity, flexibility, and improvement

Additional Resources:

• Assessment Definitions from Indiana University
• Glossary of Assessment Terms from Potsdam State University of New York
• Outcomes and Assessment Terms and Definitions from Morehouse School of Medicine Office

Why do we assess student learning?

There are both internal and external reasons to assess student learning:

Internal

• Assessment helps a university determine how well it has met its stated mission and goals.
• It helps to identify learning priorities and reveals strengths and weaknesses in educational programs.
• Assessment provides an opportunity for university stakeholders to have a say in what their graduates should look like, and ultimately participate in the overall development of the institution.
• Assessment can be used as a foundation to plan the improvement of educational programs.

External

• Beginning in 1988, the Department of Education has required all federally approved accreditation organizations to include evidence of student learning. The assessment of student learning is a core standard upheld by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), Tuskegee University’s accrediting body.
• Many of Tuskegee’s departmental units have their own disciplinary and professional accrediting bodies which also require assessment of student learning.
• In our increasingly competitive, globalized society, employers are looking for job candidates who have relevant, transferable skills and who can clearly speak to their own academic and professional competence.

Additional Resources:

• Excerpt on Student Learning Outcomes from SACS, The Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement (2017)
• Assessment Data Uses from Alcorn State University
• Guiding Principles of Assessment from Loyola Marymount University
• Thomas R. Guskey, “How Classroom Assessments Improve Learning,” Educational Leadership 60, no. 5 (2003)

How do we assess?

There are a number of ways that assessment of student learning can take place on a university campus. Some of the best practices occur when classroom practices reflect and are coordinated with the stated goals of the university and larger departmental units. For example, if a university has a goal to prepare students for the 21st century, it would be prudent for each college, department, and certain courses to assess student mastery of cutting edge knowledge bases, skills, and scholarship.

Assessment of student learning outcomes generally takes place in three steps:

• Identifying the learning outcome
• Measuring the outcome against a standard
• Using the accumulated data to develop plans for improvement

Identifying the Learning Outcome:

When first developing student learning outcomes at the unit level, it may be best to identify learning priorities. This can be based on the university mission, accrediting standards, and/or industry expectations. Faculty can also identify existing classroom practices that can be used to effectively assess student learning.

Determining How the Outcome Will be Assessed

Departmental units will have to determine which faculty and staff members will be responsible for assessing students and in what setting this will take place. Examples include course based assessments, standardized tests, capstone assignments, etc.

While it is necessary to employ direct assessments (where students display knowledge and skills through objective tests, essays, presentations, projects, etc.), some units can also gather valuable data through indirect assessments. These methods require students to reflect on learning rather than demonstrate it. Through surveys, focus groups, course evaluations, etc., students can report on the important processes and experiences that impact learning.

Most direct assessments will require a rubric, which establishes criteria and benchmarks of student competence.

Reflection and Action

After student data has been collected, it is prudent to use the results to inform any changes that need to be made at the course, programmatic, and perhaps university level. The data can highlight those practices in which a department excels and also areas in need of improvement. It should be noted, however, that if a learning outcome is reached too easily by students, the department may want to consider making either the outcome, or the assignments used to assess it, more rigorous.

Writing Student Learning Outcomes

Learning objectives should be measurable and stress what students are expected to learn and come away with after completing the class. They should not focus on what professors will teach. Faculty should use action verbs to determine what students will be able to do such as identify, compare, synthesize, design, etc. It is best for learning objectives at the programmatic or course level to have a mix between lower ordered outcomes that focus on knowledge acquisition and higher ordered outcomes that emphasize analysis and application.

Additional Resources:

• Assessment Goals and Assessment Process from Xavier University of Louisiana
• Assessments Plans from the National Institute of Learning Outcomes Assessment
• Blank Rubric from Howard University
• Bloom’s Taxonomy from the University of Central Florida
• Creating and Using Rubrics from Carnegie Mellon University
• Creating an Assessment Plan from Loyola Marymount University
• Mechanical Engineering Rubric from Howard University
• Writing Student Learning Outcomes from Florida State University
• Writing Student Learning Outcomes from the University of Wisconsin

Who is involved in the assessment process?

Ultimately, assessment provides a shared opportunity for an entire university community (faculty, staff, students, alumni, etc.) to determine what its graduates will look like. This includes the competencies, skills, knowledge bases, and experiences students are expected to attain. The Office of Institutional Effectiveness advises and helps coordinate assessment at Tuskegee University.

Of the many university stakeholders, faculty play an especially important role in assessment and should be fully involved in the process. Often times, they help determine which assessment methods and instruments are most appropriate for students. This can involve creating their own assessments or using national examinations.

Advantages of Faculty Designed Instruments:

• Allows for maximum faculty participation
• Can be easily tailored and modified for a university’s unique setting
• Generally, this would be the most cost effective option

Advantages of National Examinations:

• Less time consuming to develop
• Provides national norms to compare students across different universities

Additional Resources:

• Doug Lederman, “The Faculty Role in Assessment,” Inside Higher Ed, May 28, 2010
• Roles of Participants from San Diego Mesa College

When should assessment take place?

Assessment is an ongoing process to be taken on by a university. Reporting this data will be based on the needs of a program unit, university administration, accrediting body, etc.

For students, assessment can generally take place at the point of entry, exit, and throughout their time at the university. For example, data collected at the point of entry can determine what kind of academic preparations students come with, while assessments at the point of exit can determine what skills graduates have learned while at the university.

Within a classroom setting, faculty often offer pre and post tests for similar reasons. Nonetheless, assessment conducted throughout the course, or classroom assessment techniques, can offer immediate feedback on student learning and can help instructors modify their day-to-day classroom practices accordingly.

Alumni can also be assessed. Reflection on their professional and post-baccalaureate educational experiences can provide important information regarding how well the university has prepared them.

Additional Resources:

• Classroom Assessment Techniques from Iowa State University
• Formative and Summative Assessments from Yale University

Where does assessment happen?

Assessment often takes places within a classroom setting. Many faculty consider these course based assessments convenient as they involve assignments that were already scheduled and thus do not add to their workload.

An academic unit can create a curriculum map where they identify where the introduction, reinforcement, and mastery of their learning objectives will take place.

A university’s general education program often assesses its stated learning goals in individual courses or multiple courses representing a variety of disciplines.

Assessment can also take place outside of the classroom in specifically designated meetings. This is often the case when taking national exams or university wide assessments such as the English Proficiency Exam. Exit exams completed by soon to be graduates can also yield important data on student learning and their experiences at the university.

Additional Resources:

• Curriculum Map from Oakwood University
• Curriculum Mapping from New York University
• Curriculum Mapping Tool from Carnegie Mellon University
• Implementing Essential Learning Outcomes from Stockton University

Below are some additional resources on assessment:

• Association of American Colleges and Universities VALUE (Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education) Program
• Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education
• Association for Institutional Research
• National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment

Here are some additional references:

Allen, Mary J. Assessing Academic Programs in Higher Education. Bolton, MA: Anker Publishing Company, 2004.

Angelo, Thomas A., and K. Patricia Cross. Classroom Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Teachers. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

Baker, G.R. North Carolina A&T University: A Culture of Inquiry. Urbana: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment, 2012.

Banta, T.W. and Associates. Building a Scholarship of Assessment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002.

Blaich, Charles, and Kathleen Wise. From Gathering to Using Assessment Results. Lessons from the Wabash National Study. Urbana: University of Illinois and Indiana University, National Institute    for Learning Outcomes Assessment, 2011.

Fink, L. Dee. Creating Significant Learning Experiences: An Integrated Approach to Designing College Courses. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2013.

Middaugh, Michael F. Planning and Assessment in Higher Education: Demonstrating Institutional Effectiveness. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2009.

Paloff, Rena M., and Keith Pratt. Assessing the Online Learner: Resources and Strategies for Faculty. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2008.

Palomba, C.A. , and T.W. Banta. Assessment Essentials: Planning, Implementing, Improving. 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2014.

Suskie, Linda A. Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide. 3nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2018.

• QEP RELATED SACSCOC CORE REQUIREMENTS AND COMPREHENSIVE STANDARDS
  • Core Requirement 2.12: The institution has developed an acceptable Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) that includes an institutional process for identifying key issues emerging from institutional assessment and focuses on learning outcomes and/or the environment supporting student learning and accomplishing the mission of the institution. (Quality Enhancement Plan)
  • Comprehensive Standard 3.3.2: The institution has developed a Quality Enhancement Plan that (1) demonstrates institutional capability for the initiation, implementation, and completion of the QEP; (2) includes broad-based involvement of institutional constituencies in the development and proposed implementation of the QEP; and (3) identifies goals and a plan to assess their achievement. (Quality Enhancement Plan)
• QEP PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES
  • Resource Manual for the Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement, 2012 edition
  • SACSCOC QEP Guidelines: Indicators of an Acceptable QEP (Rubric Format), July 2012

• SACSCOC website
• Principles of Accreditation
• Resource Manual for the Principles of Accreditation
• Handbook for Institutions Seeking Reaffirmation
• Handbook for Review Committees
• 2018 Principles of Accreditation
• Resource Manual for 2018  Principles of Accreditation
• Changes to the principles of accreditation
• Staff Crosswalk from 2012 Principles of Accreditation to 2018 Principles of Accreditation
• Crosswalk for Fifth Year Interim Reports

• Substantive Change Policy Statement
• Distance and Correspondence Education

• Guidelines for Addressing Distance and Correspondence Education (2011)
• Templates for the Compliance Certification
• Web-Based Training Modules
• Rubric: Analyzing a Case for Compliance

• Tuskegee University Institutional Effectiveness Overview Presentation
• Accountability, Accreditation, Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Presentation
• Tuskegee University Institutional Effectiveness Glossary
• Tuskegee University Institutional Effectiveness Committee
• Tuskegee University Survey Procedure

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• Gainful Employment Disclosure Template