Back See this section in context: Criterion 3 Core Component 3A

3A.1: Faculty-Driven System

Assessment of academic achievement at Sauk is a faculty-driven system for which all of the student learning outcomes, including course outcomes, area and program outcomes, and general education competencies have been developed and are regularly reviewed by faculty. In addition, with oversight and approval by administration, the design and maintenance of the system is entirely the responsibility of two groups of faculty:

• Faculty Area Facilitators: For assessment purposes, the college faculty is divided into eight areas of related courses. Five of these contain the General Education Core Competency Areas (Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Humanities/Fine Arts, Communication, and Mathematics) and the remaining are Career Program groupings (Health Careers, Technology, and Business). Each of these areas is led by an Area Facilitator, a compensated faculty member who is responsible for calling meetings, moderating discussions, and providing leadership in assessment efforts. In 2008, the role of the Area Facilitators was expanded to include operational planning and program review for their respective areas. In addition, each Area Facilitator is a member of either the Organizational Planning and Improvement Committee (OPIC) or the Assessment Committee, providing faculty input on those important oversight committees.
• Faculty Core Team: The primary driver of the academic assessment system is the Core Team, a subcommittee of the Assessment Committee (Appendix). The Core Team consists of four faculty Area Facilitators, two or more additional faculty members, and a representative from Instructional Technology. As of 2009, the Director of Academic Development has been added in order to coordinate a developmental education assessment component of the system. The Vice President of Academic Services is an ex officio member of the Core Team, serving primarily as liaison to the President’s Cabinet. The Core Team's primary function is to oversee the assessment system, which is articulated in a formal Assessment Plan (Appendix). In addition to providing leadership, planning, and system evaluation, the Core Team coordinates assessment-related discussions, activities, and projects.