Student Roles in Program Assessment

In all its curricula, programs and services, the University is accountable to its students and external audiences for providing a liberal arts education consistent with its mission. Thus, as part of its comprehensive assessment process, the University routinely measures student attitudes, achievement and satisfaction University wide and within academic and nonacademic departments. The focus of these efforts is program evaluation rather than measurement of individual student attitudes or performance. Some examples of the types of questions asked are: Do students display intellectual growth related to completion of the core curriculum and their major? Do our classes create effective and efficient learning communities? Do specific student affairs programs meet students' needs? What are the unique advantages of a liberal arts education at St. Catherine University?

The confidentiality of individual students' responses is guaranteed. Participation in assessment activities at the University-wide level (e.g., focusing on core curricular outcomes and nonacademic programs and services) is expected of all students. Not every student is selected for participation in every activity. However, individual students will be involved in one or more assessment activity. Participation in assessment efforts is a graduation requirement of all academic programs and majors. The information obtained through all of these assessment procedures is used to evaluate and improve the quality of the educational experience at the University. It is through cooperative participation in the assessment process that the University can better understand itself and adapt to better serve its students.