Development, Progress, and Accomplishments of Institutional Assessment at Western Washington University 1990 to 1996
Richard Frye, Western Washington University
Carl Simpson, Western Washington University
Development, Progress, accomplishment, institutional, assessmnet, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1990-1996, change
Report 1996-02: Development, Progress, and Accomplishments of Institutional Assessment at Western Washington University-1990 to 1996 The fall of 1996 marked six years of assessment efforts at Western. In December, 1996, the Office of Institutional Assessment and Testing produced a six-year retrospective of its work. The original purpose of the Washington State's assessment movement was to improve the quality of programs and provide performance accountability. These basic tenets have changed little in six years. Moreover, assessment did not just begin at Western in 1990. Before the statewide mandate for assessment, Western was already carrying out assessment activities: for instance, end-of-program assessment through capstone experiences, and surveys of in-coming freshmen. After the formalization of assessment, these activities provided a valuable basis from which to begin a much more encompassing and thorough approach to assessment. For instance, surveys on incoming freshmen had begun in 1971, which provided a rich statistical base for comparative longitudinal analyses. In its fledgling stages, Western Washington University's Office of Institutional Assessment and Testing (OIAT) simply gathered information. A Student Tracking System was established. Numerous surveys and studies were conducted, and continue to be conducted. Indeed, OIAT researchers have created a vast and remarkable collection of survey and study findings, adding to it yearly. Surveys have been administered to students, faculty, staff, and administrators; to alumni, employers, and would-be employers of Western students; to non-matriculated former students, students admitted to Western who chose not to enroll, students who are the first in their family to attend college, and students participating in special programs. The OIAT has conducted analyses of English 101 writing samples and Fairhaven College student portfolios, compared various cohorts of native and transfer students.
Educational tests and measurements--Evaluation
Title of Series
Technical and research reports (Western Washington University. Office of Institutional Assessment and Testing) ; 1996-02
Trimble, Joseph E.; McKinney, Gary (Gary Russell); Frye, Richard; and Simpson, Carl, "Development, Progress, and Accomplishments of Institutional Assessment at Western Washington University 1990 to 1996" (1996). Office of Institutional Effectiveness. 593.