Core Component 4.B | SIU Carbondale HLC Accreditation | SIU

DRAFT

4.B The institution demonstrates a commitment to educational achievement and improvement through ongoing assessment of student learning.

1. The institution has clearly stated goals for student learning and effective processes for assessment of student learning and achievement of learning goals.
2. The institution assesses achievement of the learning outcomes that it claims for its curricular and co-curricular programs.
3. The institution uses the information gained from assessment to improve student learning.
4. The institution’s processes and methodologies to assess student learning reflect good practice, including the substantial participation of faculty and other instructional staff members.

Argument

4.B.1. The curricular and co-curricular programs have developed clearly stated learning outcomes and goals defined by the faculty responsible for delivering the relevant curriculum. The faculty determine what is expected of students at each level of achievement. Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) identified by degree programs and student affairs programs are stated within the programs' assessment plans, which are kept on file in the Office of the Associate Director for Program Review and Assessment. Three types of assessment plans are collected from across campus: core curriculum course assessment plans, degree program assessment plans, and student affair program assessment reports.

Each of the nearly 300 University Core Curriculum (UCC) courses is required to submit an assessment plan to the office of the Director of the University Core Curriculum. The assessment plan indicates which UCC Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) essential learning outcome(s) are measured in the course during a particular semester and the method by which the data will be collected.

The Student Affairs office has identified four student learning outcomes that various services (i.e. housing, Disability Support Services, Saluki Cares, the Achieve program, etc.) measure. The outcomes are listed here.

Students who engage in Student Affairs programs, activities, and services will

1. progress their practical knowledge and skill set to enrich their career development;
2. explore and develop ethical responsibility to themselves and others;
3. enhance their knowledge, skills, and attitudes towards understanding diverse views and people; and
4. learn how to develop meaningful relationships while also navigating through their own personal development. 

An objective from the Pathways to Excellence states, "Every academic and support department will articulate knowledge and learning outcomes necessary to be a successful student." Feedback shown in the 2017-2018 Campus Climate Survey: Final Report indicates that learning outcomes are articulated to students. As shown in Table 79, 72.3% of students “strongly agree” or “agree” that faculty connect course assignments to learning outcomes. A high percentage of faculty (89.3%) responded “strongly agree” or “agree” that goals for learning outcomes of students are clearly defined for courses and for the program (Table 157).

During the 2018-2019 academic year, SIU faculty members and student affairs personnel developed a set of institutional learning outcomes for the undergraduate students. In the spring of 2018, the Core Curriculum Executive Committee and the deans engaged in a review of the Degree Qualifying Profile (DQP) Framework as a potential starting place for the development of institutional learning outcomes and how the DQP aligns with our current use of the LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes within the core curriculum. We believe the ILOs will:

• Enable us to develop intentional connections between our mission, our institutional effectiveness, and our program effectiveness;
• Reinforce our mission to focus on student success;
• Enable us to define the Saluki standard using common language;
• Encourage communication among disciplines in search of solutions for complex or wicked problems;
• Align our work with best practices in higher education as defined by AACU, HLC, and NILOA.

The Institution Learning Outcomes evolved from the current Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) listed in degree programs' and student affairs' assessment plans. A small group of faculty engaged in a qualitative analysis of all of the SLOs listed for all programs and identified common categories across the campus. These categories were presented to the Campus-wide Assessment Committee and the ILO Task Force for further conversation about the institutions' priorities. The categories were also compared to those developed by peer institutions. Finally, the ILO Task Force drafted the final version of the ILOs and submitted them to Faculty Senate for approval. With the ILOs approved by the Faculty Senate, degree programs and student affairs programs can begin to align their program goals to the Institutional Learning Outcomes. The ILOs will enhance communication among programs across campus regarding our expectations for student learning.

4.B.2. Curricular and co-curricular programs at SIUC assess the achievement of learning outcomes. At the end of the semester, UCC course instructors are required to submit their assessment data to the office of the Director of the University Core Curriculum. The assessment of learning outcome data are integrated with final grades and student demographics in a final report, and the report is returned to the UCC instructor for consideration. To close the assessment loop, the UCC instructor completes a 1-page reflection document based on the assessment report, including what changes will be implemented the next time the course is taught to improve student learning.

The Core Curriculum Director prepared a report based on three years of data collected in core curriculum courses. The LEAP learning outcomes assessed most in the core curriculum are Critical Thinking, Inquiry and Analysis, Problem Solving, Written Communication, Information Literacy, Intercultural Knowledge and Competence, and Quantitative Fluency. Based on a qualitative analysis of degree programs' and student affairs' assessment plans, the areas most assessed by faculty and staff are Discipline Knowledge, Communication, Application of Discipline Knowledge, and Critical and Creative Thinking. While there is some overlap in areas being assessed most across campus (Communication and Critical Thinking), it is not surprising that the categories of Discipline Knowledge and Applications of Discipline Knowledge were referenced more in the assessment plans of degree programs.

One of the services offered by Student Affairs is Disability Support Services (DSS). In their 2018 assessment report, they focused on the following objectives:

• Students will be able to identify how their disability impacts them in the college classroom.
• Students will be able to notify their professors and explain their accommodations.
• Students will be able to utilize services and understand where to go for help with their accommodations.
• Students will be able to select offices where they can go for academic and personal services like tutoring and counseling.

To assess these objectives, all 642 students receiving support by DSS were surveyed and 108 students responded. The results indicated that 62% of students agreed that after meeting with DSS staff they better understood how their disability impacts them in a college setting, 81% agree that after meeting with DSS staff they know how to discuss their disability with professors, and 84% agree that after meeting with DSS staff they know how to utilize the services and where to find help regarding their accommodations. Eighty percent of the students were able to identify offices and programs where they could go if feeling overwhelmed or stressed: counseling 63%, a professor 48%, DSS 41%, an advisor 30%, and the Clinical Center 27%. The DSS staff is using this data to improve their training for the new student interviews and engaging in a comprehensive process utilizing academic coaching techniques. As well, the staff at DSS will develop a new student meeting protocol to ensure there is consistency among their interactions and instructions to students.

One of the SIU Strategic Goals states, SIU will "provide every student with the opportunity to engage in research, creative activity, and service learning". A primary objective for this goal states that the university will "expand service-learning opportunities to include apprentice models, internships, externships, and volunteer projects". Every College and School on campus has opportunities for students to engage in organizations, clubs, fraternities/sororities, and/or competition teams that are specific to their major. In total, there are over 300 registered student organizations available on campus. SIU has established an Office of Student Engagement that serves “to engage students on campus through meaningful involvement opportunities that enable students to gain leadership experience while also serving the campus community”. In 2015, the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching awarded SIU its prestigious 2015 Community Engagement Classification. SIU is now one of just 361 colleges and universities --among the more than 4,000 nationwide -- to earn the distinction, which is valid for 10 years.

"The Carnegie Foundation classification includes two sets of activities: partnerships and outreach. The university’s hundreds of partnerships include local schools and governments, state and federal agencies and a wide variety of groups and organizations, such as the Women’s Center and the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale. Dr. Allen noted that 18 different academic programs serve the Boys and Girls Club, and students in a number of degree programs, including social work, women’s studies, and criminology and criminal justice, assist at the Women’s Center." 

The School of Medicine’s many community partnerships are coordinated through its Office of Community Health and Service. The medical school partners with hospitals and clinics throughout the state to provide specialty and primary care. The school’s physicians and other health professionals also provide community health outreach and education programs such as disease prevention and screenings in partnership with community organizations." (Wolf, T. January 2015, SIU News)

Results shown in the 2017-2018 Campus Climate Survey: Final Report indicate that improvement can be made relative to getting students involved and engaged in community service. Of those responding to the survey, only 40.5% (Table 9) indicated “strongly agree” or “agree” to the statement that “most students are strongly committed to a community of service”.  A higher percentage, 60.1, (Table 10) “strongly agree” or “agree” that SIU values outreach to the local community. 

In addition to service learning, SIU strives to "enhance its reputation for providing cutting-edge graduate and undergraduate research opportunities". The objective for this goal states that we will "promote the unambiguous integration of our teaching and research missions by demonstrating that research facilitates student access to and participation in the creation of knowledge and promotes interaction and mentorship among faculty and students that enhances learning and provides valuable hands-on training and paraprofessional experience (Pathways to Excellence, p. 11). 

For undergraduates, SIU's Research Enriched Academic Challenge (REACH) initiative provides competitive one-year grants to carry out a research, scholarly, or creative arts project under the guidance of a faculty or staff mentor. The students who participate in this initiative have an opportunity to share their research with the campus in the spring at an open forum. The Creative and Scholarly Saluki Rookies provides funds on a competitive basis for high-achieving freshmen interested in conducting research and learning more about their intended major. The Illinois Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation provides paid, mentored research experiences for underrepresented minority students in science, mathematics, and engineering. Undergraduate assistantships give students paraprofessional experience in their chosen fields, and approximately 80% of the positions are research-oriented. The University Honors program offers a thesis option based on a research project. The Council on Undergraduate Research offers programs and publications to promote undergraduate research participation and to help faculty involve undergraduates in research.

For graduate students, the Graduate School supports seven fellowship opportunities (Graduate Dean's Fellowship, Doctoral Fellowship, Master's Fellowship, Morris Fellowship, PROMPT Assistantship, Post-doctoral Fellowships, and Dissertation Research Fellowships) and over $1.2 million in assistantships funding to the colleges. This Graduate School support is in addition to the provost's allocation  to the colleges and any research assistantships supported by research grants.The PROMPT Program (Proactive Recruitment of Multicultural Professionals for Tomorrow) is an initiative developed by the Graduate School to increase the number of individuals receiving advanced degrees in the United States from families which have traditionally not had access to the opportunities of higher education and who, through their life and/or cultural experiences have unique and potentially positive contributions to make to the program, the discipline, and in the larger academic community. Similarly, the Graduate Dean's Fellowship is designed for individuals from underrepresented groups who have overcome social, cultural, or economic conditions that have adversely affected their educational progress. The McNair Scholars Program is a federally funded program that prepares first-generation, low-income and underrepresented minority students for doctoral study. Research opportunities have been identified by students as an important aspect of academic and professional growth, with 82.1% indicating “strongly agree” or “agree” in the Campus Climate Survey (Table 42). 

4.B.3. The most effective practice for improving student learning is for course instructors to provide ongoing feedback regarding student progress throughout a course and/or a program. The Early Warning Intervention Program described in the previous section ensures that all students in core curriculum courses are receiving feedback at week 4 regarding their progress. Administrators are discussing how this practice can be initiated in all courses across the campus (2019 Retention Task Force Meeting).

A program engaged in the Core Curriculum that has a positive impact on student learning across the SIU campus is our Mathematics program. In an effort to improve the DFW rates, they have used assessment of learning in their core curriculum courses to explore pedagogical practices that have yielded greater retention and better student performance. In the 2018 Mathematics Self Study, the faculty shared how they began to focus on their delivery methods in gateway courses like College Algebra. They implemented computer-aided instruction, developed a "parachute" course (2012-2017), implemented more intrusive advisement (2014-present), and used a strict placement testing protocol (2014-present).

Prior to these interventions, more than 40% of the students were not meeting expectations. After the interventions, only 10% of the students were not meeting expectations. This has led to a campus-wide initiative in the core curriculum to formalize an "Early Warning Intervention Program" where struggling students are contacted in week 4 and 8 of each semester by their instructors, and the following campus resources are also notified of students' needs: advisement, housing, and Saluki Cares.

In the fall of 2015, the mathematics faculty developed an enhanced version of College of Algebra (Math 106), which is based on collaborative learning utilizing discussion groups, workshops, and videos to extend the classroom experience. The students in the enhanced course also attend class one additional day each week, but they take the same common exam as the students in the traditional, lecture-based course. While the students in the enhanced course have lower placement test scores prior to the course, they perform as well or better than their peers in the traditional course demonstrating greater gains in performance. One group in the traditional College Algebra course had an average score of 82.5% and the comparable group in the enhanced College Algebra course had an average score of 93.1%. Given these results, the mathematics faculty have begun to apply similar pedagogical practices in other mathematics courses, like calculus.

Faculty responses to questions regarding assessment of learning outcomes in their programs are favorable. A high percentage of faculty responded “strongly agree” or “agree” that student-performance data they collect is used to assess learning outcomes, 87.1%, (Table 158), that student-performance data is used to improve course or curriculum design, 81.7%, (Table 159), and that student-performance data collected in the past has been used to improve curriculum design, 67.8% (Table 161). 

4.B.4. In response to the Higher Learning Commission’s Assurance Report in 2010, SIU focused on developing a culture of assessment for student learning. Administration created an office and appointed a full-time Director of Assessment and Program Review who reported directly to the Provost. The following July, this office also hired a full-time Assistant Director, who worked closely with the Director, now the Associate Provost for Academic Programs (APAP). In the fall of 2018, the APAP hired an Associate Director of Program Review and Assessment to provide continued assistance to programs completing Self Studies and to oversee assessment activities.

The Campus-Wide Assessment Committee consistently provides the Associate Provost for Academic Programs' office with feedback regarding assessment tools, processes, templates, and topics for future assessment conferences on campus. The composition of this group has varied over the years. At first, each college was asked to appoint a faculty member to be a representative on the committee. The committee is currently composed of Associate Deans from each college, because they are in a position to lead faculty committees in the development and management of learning outcomes and program review reports.

The institution's participation in the HLC’s Assessment Academy led to the creation of a standard template for programs to submit assessment plans every four years and assessment reports every year. Programs use the template to report the assessment of outcomes to the APAP office for compilation and review. Within the report, program faculty provide an analysis of student learning evidence tied to the program's SLOs and describe how they are using the analysis to improve learning at the course and/or program level. The format for this template has also evolved over the years based on feedback from faculty, administrators, and state level requirements.

 The Assessment Plan template requests that programs describe how faculty are engaged in developing the student learning outcomes (SLOs), as well as the collection and analysis of data based on the SLOs. The program faculty collect data from the fall and spring semesters, and they report their findings to the office of the Associate Provost for Academic Programs the next fall in an annual assessment report. This is their opportunity to note trends they are tracking in the data or to describe how they are closing the assessment loop by making changes to courses, assessments, pedagogical approaches, etc.

Through the establishment of a comprehensive university-wide assessment plan, incorporating institutional learning outcomes, and oversight by the APAP office to facilitate reporting of assessment outcomes, SIU will be better positioned to identify and address deficiencies in learning. The information presented in the annual assessment reports establishes priorities for academic changes and resource allocation to improve student learning, aligning with the institution’s retention, persistence, and completion rates. 

Sources

• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 24)
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 25)
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 35)
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 48)
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 73)
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 74)
• SIUC 2017-18 ARC Campus Climate Survey (page number 75)
• SIUC Assessment Plan
• SIUC Assessment Report
• SIUC Categories Assessed by Undergraduate Programs 2019
• SIUC Core Currciculum LEAP Data 2017-2019
• SIUC Core Curriculum Course Assessment Plan
• SIUC Disability Support Services Assessment Report and Survey 2017.18.pdf
• SIUC Institution Learning Outcomes for Faculty Senate 5.1.2019
• SIUC Institutional Learning Outcomes FINAL
• SIUC May 14 2019 FS Minutes
• SIUC Strategic Plan - Pathways to Excellence
• SIUC Strategic Plan - Pathways to Excellence (page number 11)
• SIUC Student Affairs Assessment Report Template 2019-2020
• SIUC Student Creative Activities and Research Forum Flyer