Post-secondary Assessment in the News

The Chronicle of Higher Education published a series on the importance of measuring student learning. Find it here.The Lumina Foundation publishes a report on an alternative way of measuring college outcomes, The Degree Qualifications Profile. See Lumina's Tuning USA project results in which faculty committees come together to agree on primary outcomes. Here's an example from Utah.

AACC's Voluntary Framework for Accountability

The leading lobbying organization for the 1,200 U.S. community colleges released this winter a list of new ways to track their students' progress. The list includes data outcomes that are better aligned with the mission of these colleges. This mission does not solely focus on graduation, but on transfers to 4-year universities and completion of work credentials and certificates. The outcomes may be found here and the pilot campuses using the measures may be found here. Preliminary results are expected at next month's convention of the American Association of Community Colleges.

College presidents report cost-cutting strategies

Inside Higher Ed study shows 4-year college presidents trimming support and full-time staff, some programs, and raising fees, but stopping short of using online technology, forced retirement, and cuts to faculty pensions and benefits to work within tighter budgets. Community colleges and for-profits use more online programs and part-time faculty to control costs. Some worry that college presidents fail to see permanence of downturn in funding.