Leadership and Institutional Support for Assessment
St. Louis Community College supports the use of assessment information to improve student learning outcomes and institutional effectiveness. The following is just a sample of several collegewide assessment efforts which have led to improvements in student learning outcomes.
- Based on information comparing first-time student success with entering reading scores, the college implemented a reading requirement for certain 100-level courses. Early assessment results reveal that first-time students who successfully complete their developmental reading course achieve a higher GPA and return for the next semester at a higher rate.
- Assessment information obtained through LAASIE projects has been used to revise the college’s new student orientation program.
- Career and technical education programs have used information obtained through the DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) process to assess and revise the curriculum in a number of programs.
- Assessment information regarding the success of our transfer students has been used to develop new information exchange and research projects with the University of Missouri.
- Assessment information related to the general education goal of valuing has been used to improve the College’s general education cornerstone courses.
Based on information from clients and internal associates, the Center for Business, Industry and Labor conducted several LAASIE projects, creating better processes for staff hiring, an annual regional training survey and a revitalized Web site.
The College Institutional Affairs Council (CIAC) in February 2006 and the College Academic Affairs Council (CAC) in April 2006 affirmed their support for assessment. Both councils have members on the Assessment Council as well as the various assessment committees. Assessment information is routinely shared with both CIAC and CAC.
When assessment committees, divisions, departments and individual faculty and staff need assistance in the systematic collection and interpretation of assessment data, a primary resource is the college’s Institutional Research and Planning (IRP) Office. IRP has been working closely with the Assessment Council and the related assessment committees to develop a variety of research and information services related to student learning outcomes and service examination.