Western Nevada College Policies

Policy 14-1-1: Assessment and Evaluation

WNC Policy 14-1-1
Procedure:	Assessment and Evaluation
Policy No.:	14-1-1
Department:	Science, Math & Engineering/Strategic Planning for Institutional Effectiveness (SPFIE)
Contact:	Department Chairs
Policy:	Services and Programs should be assessed on regular basis.

Purpose of Assessment and Evaluation
Expectations

Section 1: Purpose of Assessment and Evaluation
- A. The purpose of assessment is to gather information about the impact of a program or service; the ultimate goal of assessment is to improve a program or service.
- B. Assessment of a service or program, from the development of outcomes or objectives through the use of results, is the responsibility of those who provide the services or program.
- C. Evaluation is a process used to determine the worth or significance of something, be it a person, service, program or unit.
  - 1. The purpose of evaluation is to determine whether the college will commit resources, including funding, to support the position, service, program, or unit.
  - 2. While many people should be involved in the evaluation process, the final evaluation of a program, service, unit, or individual is an administrative responsibility.
  - 3. All evaluations should occur on a regular cycle, using clear, public criteria and procedures.

Section 2: Expectations
- A. The following points clarify the expectations regarding the participation of faculty, staff, and administrators in assessment and evaluation activities as well as establishing the guidelines for how the results of assessment and evaluation activities will be used at WNC.
- B. The first five statements address the domain of academic faculty and educational programs while the last three focus on classified staff and administrative faculty working in administrative and support services.
  - 1. The administration agrees to provide the support to allow faculty to improve student learning through assessment. Support includes budget, training, and staffing to aid faculty in this endeavor.
  - 2. The administration agrees that the purpose of the initial assessment is to improve student performance rather than evaluate faculty or individual outcomes.
  - 3. The administration and faculty agree that the purpose of assessment is to improve student learning.
    - a. Improvements in student learning can be accomplished in many ways, including changes to educational programs, courses, revision of criteria of success, or altering outcomes and mission statements
    - b. It is the responsibility of the faculty within the teaching area being assessed to determine the outcomes, establish criteria for success, and develop systematic ways to improve student learning based upon the results of an assessment.
  - 4. If the program does not meet the criteria for success, the administration has an obligation to work with the faculty in the program to provide reasonable support to allow the program to improve.
    - a. Support can include budget, training, and staffing.
    - b. If reasonable support is unavailable, the administration agrees not to hold the individual faculty members within the program responsible for a failure to improve the program.
  - 5. It is the responsibility of faculty who teach in an area to use the results of assessment to improve the educational program for the area. Failure to develop and implement ways of improving the educational program using assessment results may be used in the evaluation of a faculty member unless it is clear that the reasonable support needed to make improvements was not available.
  - 6. The administration agrees to provide support for the improvement of administrative services and support programs deemed important to the college's mission and goals. The purpose of the initial assessment is to ascertain the success of the service or program and if the program or service is found to fall below the expected level of performance, this information will not be used in the evaluation of an individual or group connected with the program or service or in the evaluation of the service or program.
  - 7. If a program or service does not meet the assessment criteria for success, the administration has an obligation to provide reasonable support to allow the program to improve. Support can include budget, training, and staffing. If reasonable support is unavailable, the administration agrees not to hold the individuals or unit responsible for a failure to improve the program.
  - 8. It is the responsibility of those who provide the service or program to use the results of assessment to improve the service or program. Failure to develop and implement ways of improving the service or program using assessment results may be used in the evaluation of an individual, service, program, unless it is clear that the reasonable support needed to make improvements was not available.

Date Adopted and Dates Revised
Date Adopted	December 18, 2001	Dates Revised	September 2, 2008; May 11, 2004

NSHE and NRS Codes
NSHE Code	Title 4, Chapter 14, Sections 1 and 2

Please direct comments about this page to the Assistant to the President
URL: http://www.wnc.edu/policymanual/14-1-1.php
Date Printed: February 9, 2012

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