Institutional Research & Assessment

Each student must:

• Develop fundamental thinking skills, includ­ing the ability to critique, analyze, solve problems creatively, and both discover and effectively use information;
• Acquire a broad base of knowledge, including the arts, history, languages, literature, mathemat­ics, philosophy, religion, and both the natural and social sciences;
• Acquire the capacity to communicate well, orally and in writing, both personally and publicly;
• Cultivate the capacity to recognize and reflect upon ethical issues;
• Use knowledge and skills to assist others in our wider communities;
• Be exposed to cultural perspectives other than the student’s own.

The functions of assessment are guided by university policy and operate under the auspices of the Assessment Council. The charges of assessment are four-fold:

• College Entry Assessment and Placement: The purpose of entry-level assessment is to assist OKCU in making decisions that will give students the optimal chance of success in attaining their academic and personal goals.
• Liberal Arts Assessment: As a whole, liberal arts assessment refers to the measurement of what is often referred to as “general education.” Assessment in this area is designed to evaluate students’ progress and learning competencies in the areas of communication, analytical and critical thinking, and quantitative resourcefulness.
• Outcomes Assessment: This charge refers to the evaluation of program goals and objectives for the major field of study. This component of the policy is designed to measure how well students are meeting stated program goals and objectives.
• Environmental Satisfaction: Perceptions of participants in the OKCU community are vitally important to the enhancement and improvement of all campus programs and services. The perceptions of students, alumni, community, faculty, and staff are valuable to enhancing Oklahoma City University.

The assessment plan at Oklahoma City University calls for continuous multi-year, multi-unit involvement. The full plan is available for review.

The Assessment Council shall consist of 12 standing voting members, plus additional members as needed. All members may vote. The members include the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs or the Assistant/Associate Provost, two academic deans or assistant/associate deans appointed by the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs, the Director of Institutional Research, the Coordinator for Assessment (ex-officio Chair), four other faculty members appointed by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, two staff members appointed by staff council, one student appointed by the Student Senate, and such other University personnel as are appointed by the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs to facilitate the Council’s effective furtherance of its purpose.

• Consultation
• Training
• Review of Assessment Plans/Objectives
• Review of Course Level Objectives
• Assessment Resources

• Program Assessment
• Assessment of General Education
• Assessment of Co-Curricular Programs
• Training for Readers of Academic Assessment Reports

• Academic Assessment Report Form
• Academic Assessment Evaluation Form
• Academic Assessment Curriculum Map Form
• Co-Curricular Academic Affairs Assessment Report
• Student Affairs Department Assessment Plan
• General Education Learning Objective Report

OCU Assessment Plan

Mark McClendon
Director for Assessment and Institutional Research
(405) 208-5088; [email protected]