Academic Program Assessment


Academic degree programs at Hostos Community College provide students with the preparation necessary for students to succeed in a diverse and changing work environment, enabling them to develop the skills and specialized knowledge critical for future academic pursuits and careers.

Assessment of academic degree programs focuses on assessing the program learning outcomes (PLOs) affiliated with each degree program. Degree programs undergo assessment of one of their PLOs each academic year. The assessment process for academic degree programs is supported by the faculty-led Degree Program Assessment Committee (DPAC). This committee consists of faculty members and administrative staff who facilitate communication and provide guidance to the program coordinators as they undergo program learning outcome assessment throughout the academic year.


Types of Academic Program Assessment Activities


There are two interrelated categories of assessment that have aligned assessment guidelines: annual planning and assessment and academic program review. Below is a brief summary of each, with links in the menu to the left providing access to additional information and related resources.
 
  Annual Assessment Periodic Assessment
Assessment Activity Annual Planning and Assessment
Reporting Process
Academic Program
Review (APR) Process
Who engages? All academic departments, including activities within units and assessment of degree programs All academic departments and degree programs
How frequently? Every academic year Once every four years
General timeline Planning in the early Fall semester; reporting by the end of the academic year Planning in the spring semester; self-study completion in the subsequent academic year; external review in the following fall semester
What's being assessed?
  • Results and learnings from departments’ annual activities
  • Identified program learning outcomes (PLOs), including identification of the aligned institutional learning outcome (ILO)
  • Results of changes implemented in degree programs based on assessment results
  • Impact (over time) of major departmental activities on goals and mission or implementation of changes based on assessment of programs
  • Department’s or program’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats
  • Progress toward achieving department’s identified objectives and/or goals or student success in degree programs


Supports for Academic Assessment


Currently, there are 2 primary entities that provide assessment support for academic departments and programs. Below are the entities and the types of support offered:

Office of Institutional Effectiveness, Research, and Assessment (OIERA)

OIERA provides institutional oversight, guidance, and support to academic departments regarding the use of assessment results for the enhancement of student learning.  OIERA is responsible for:
  • Developing and communicating resources to support academic assessment
  • Providing training and support to unit, department, or program leadership undertaking assessment activities
  • Providing data guidance and support
Degree Program Assessment Committee (DPAC)

DPAC's purpose is to provide support, guidance, and assistance of the assessment process to program coordinators for all of the academic degree programs throughout the college that undergo annual assessment and periodic assessment processes. DPAC members are responsible for:
  • Promoting a culture of assessment through regular communication and collaboration
  • Supporting program coordinators in their assessment process
  • Reviewing and providing feedback on the Annual Planning and Assessment Reports
  • Providing guidelines and support for the Academic Program Review process