Faculty governance embraces outcomes assessment

Outcomes assessment of student learning typically originates with academic administrations, because they have the resources for gathering and analyzing data and usually are responsible for preparing for accreditation visits. However, for such assessment to be really effective as well as sustained, faculty buy-in is crucial. This paper describes four steps which led to responsibility at WPI for undergraduate outcomes assessment being shifted from the administration only to the faculty as well. The paper provides background on each of these steps to help other institutions in normalizing assessment work within the faculty/administrative nexus, and discusses the work to date of the faculty subcommittee formed to oversee outcomes assessment.