Assessment is defined at Christopher Newport as the ongoing, circular process of gathering, interpreting and discussing empirical data from multiple and diverse sources in an attempt to quantify or qualify any gains the university has made through continuous improvement. Further, it allows the university to determine the degree to which students are able to demonstrate mastery of learning outcomes and to determine the extent to which each administrative or student support service unit is meeting its goals.
Assessment liaisons, appointed by each department or unit, guide the assessment process within academic programs, the Liberal Learning Core Curriculum, and administrative and student support service units. The university is able to use the gathered assessment data to inform decisions leading to improvements upon students’ subsequent educational experiences and improvements in the effectiveness of each administrative or student support service unit.
Assessment at CNU
Academic Programs
Every three years, the academic assessment liaisons from each department will submit a triennial assessment report to the Office of Assessment and Accreditation. The report should include:
- Three years of findings related to each student learning outcome
- An action plan that specifies how faculty members intend to improve mastery of the stated student learning outcomes
- A discussion of the impact previous action plans had on student learning
Liberal Learning Core Curriculum
At Christopher Newport University, general education is satisfied through the Liberal Learning Core Curriculum. Assessment of the Liberal Learning Core is guided by the Office of Assessment and Accreditation and the Liberal Learning Council.
In accordance with a policy established by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV), CNU has established a six-year assessment reporting plan that identifies critical competencies for student success and describes how each is measured. The achievement of those competencies is updated annually in the Evidence of Student Learning Report.
Administrative and Student Support Service Units
Every two years, the administrative and student support service units will submit an assessment report to the Office of Assessment and Accreditation.
The report should include:
- Findings related to each unit’s key performance indicators (KPIs) (outcomes)
- An action plan that specifies how each unit intends to improve its effectiveness on each KPI
- A discussion of the impact previous action plans had on unit effectiveness