University Assessment Committee (UAC)

Charge / Functions

1. Support, promote, coordinate and otherwise facilitate assessment activities and best practices to advance institutional effectiveness and student learning across the University.
2. Ensure that goals and objectives developed by University programs or units are in alignment with the mission and are used for continuous improvement.
3. Communicate relevant information about assessment activity to all constituencies of Wilkes University.

Committee Composition

One elected faculty member from each college or school and one appointed by the General Education Committee; one staff representative appointed by the Vice President of Student Affairs; and one staff representative from the Office of Academic Success, appointed by the Provost or a designee; the Director of Institutional Research; a representative of the Farley Library appointed by the Dean of the Library; up to two additional assessment experts (from among Wilkes faculty, staff or administration) appointed by the Provost; and two student representatives, one undergraduate student appointed by student government and one graduate student selected by the committee.

The Faculty co-Chair of the Assessment Committee will be elected by the Committee.

Faculty members serve three-year renewable terms.

Member Expectations

The UAC typically meets once per month. In addition to attending meetings and participating in discussion necessary for fulfillment of the UAC charge (expected of all members), faculty and staff representatives are expected to complete an evaluation of at least three academic program or administrative unit assessment reports per academic year.

To streamline and facilitate familiarity with reviewer expectations:

• Faculty/academic program representatives are asked to review three academic program assessment reports/reviews; and
• Likewise, staff/administrative unit representatives are asked to review three administrative unit assessment reports/reviews.

Within those expectations, and to the extent possible, members will only be expected to evaluate reviews/reports of the same type within their academic or administrative domains.

• That is, a single academic program reviewer will only be expected to evaluate either bridge assessment reports or reporting associated with the five-year program review/assessment model.
• Likewise, a single administrative unit program reviewer will only be expected to evaluate either full reviews or annual updates.

These guidelines ensure both familiarity and engagement of UAC members with the review processes supported by the UAC. It also distributes shared responsibility for committee progress, while also limiting, codifying and communicating workload expectations for committee members in advance.

Despite member workload expectations that may surpass those of many other committees, we believe this level of engagement is critical for developing a culture of assessment at Wilkes.

Committee Members

• Committee Co-Chairs:
  • Mr. Brian Bogert
  • Dr. Jayme Hines