Curricular analytics (CA) is a quantitative method that analyzes the sequence of courses (curriculum) that students in an undergraduate academic program must complete to fulfill the requirements of the program. The main hypothesis of CA is that the less complex a curriculum is, the more likely it is that students complete the program. This study…

This narrative research study was conducted to explore the experiences of full-time community college faculty members involved in student learning outcomes assessment. Prior research documented the need for more community college faculty involvement with assessment at the program and institutional levels (Grunwald & Peterson, 2003; Kinzie,…

Through its program review process, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) coordinates a statewide system of review of programs of study provided by community colleges in Illinois. The intent of this review process is to support colleges in making campus-level planning and decision-making related to the quality, cost effectiveness,…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to present observations of a EUR-ACE accreditation process in a Finnish university. The study demonstrates the effects (benefits, effort and resources required) of accreditation as seen by the university management and teaching staff. Design/methodology/approach: The material of the study was gathered by…

Globalization in the 21st century has brought innumerable challenges and opportunities to universities and countries. Universities are primarily concerned with how to ensure the quality of their education and how to boost their local and global competitiveness. The pressure from both international competition and public accountability on…

APPA's highest institutional honor, the Award for Excellence (AFE) in Facilities Management, recognizes those educational institutions whose facilities management organizations demonstrate quality in overall operations and effectiveness. Fewer than 40 institutions have received this distinct honor. The Award for Excellence is based on a set of…

This practical guide to outcomes-based assessment in student affairs is designed to help readers meet the growing demand for accountability and for demonstrating student learning. The authors offer a framework for implementing the assessment of student learning and development and pragmatic advice on the strategies most appropriate for the…

This article outlines a methodology for characterising features of programme-level assessment environments so that the relationship between features of the assessment environment and students' learning response can be studied. The methodology was developed through the detailed case study of nine undergraduate degree programmes: one in each of…

University of Central Florida faculty and administrators recently endorsed a library-initiated proposal to integrate information fluency across the curriculum. The information fluency proposal was drafted in response to a university-wide call for proposals for a quality enhancement plan, which is a requirement for reaffirmation by the…

The Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR) report is a compilation of accountability indicators, including student learning, academic programs, faculty productivity, and financial accountability. According to the December 1997 data, 91% of students enrolled in TBR universities or two-year institutions said they were "very satisfied" or "Satisfied" with…

This document addresses the 2000 institutional effectiveness report for Contra Costa Community College District. The document discusses the following ten indicators which are directly aligned with Partnership for Excellence (PFE) 2005-2006 Goals: (1) Student Goal Attainment; (2) Course Success/ Persistence/ Retention Rates; (3) Certificate/ Degree…

This article introduces the issue of articles on research assessments and rankings. It focuses on the British Research Assessment Exercises (RAEs) and New Zealand's Performance Based Research Fund (PBRF). It contrasts these with systems that are not tied to funding formulas and emphasise quality enhancement rather than quality assurance. It…

The first part of a report on a comprehensive review of the credit instructional programs offered by Pasadena City College (PCC), this volume provides a description of the evaluation procedures used, and a discussion of general issues that are major considerations for program improvement. Section I introduces the program review in terms of its…

Prepared for parents, this handbook aims to help them study and assess their public schools. An introduction presents the reasons parents should gather information on their schools and discusses planning the project, organizing the group, and conducting the evaluation. Next, 13 qualities of an academically effective school are listed. Nine…

This study builds upon prior research studies of academic drift and the diversity of higher education systems to examine how universities grow and to ask whether such growth produces greater or lesser diversity within higher education systems. The study uses data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System from 1988-89 through 1995-96…