Access to Results

Iowa State University regularly communicates student learning assessment results, both for purposes of external accountability and continuous improvement. As described earlier, Iowa State assesses learning outcomes at the course, program, college and institutional levels, and provides this information to multiple constituencies.

The Board of Regents, State of Iowa, develops periodic strategic plans and mandates the universities under its governance also develop strategic plans that are consistent with the Board’s overall planning policies. The outcome of each planning process is an institutional Strategic Plan that provides direction and procedures to monitor and evaluate progress towards planned initiatives. An Annual Progress Report that includes data on key indicators of progress is prepared and submitted to the Board of Regents.

At the program and course level, the Board of Regents requires Iowa State to submit an annual governance report on the policies, practices, and results of academic program review and student outcomes assessment (SOA). The contents of the document include a departmental report for each academic program reviewed during the respective year with information about student outcomes assessment. This process encourages routine review of both student learning assessment and academic program effectiveness. In an effort to demonstrate accountability to the public and to improve academic programs, Iowa State promotes a benchmarking for the best philosophy, which highlights practices of top ranked programs to guide external review.

In addition to programs undergoing review, departments and colleges also have procedures for measuring student outcomes. These results, which are posted on the web sites of each college, are used for continuous improvement of learning and instruction.

Iowa State provides information regarding student outcomes assessment in multiple formats. Annual progress reports to the Board of Regents offer detailed information about institutional progress toward planned strategic initiatives as well as areas of concern. For example, results in 2001 indicated successful progress in recruitment and retention efforts, including an all-time high in enrollment of minority students (7% of student population). However, increases in FTE students accompanied by a decrease in the number of faculty members resulted in a higher student-to-faculty ratio. This result highlights the benefit of balanced performance indicators, which present an accurate representation of institutional progress in multiple areas.

Information on student learning outcomes is also shared at meetings of the President’s Council. A recent (November 2005) meeting highlighted progress in retention and graduation rates at the institution. As seen in the table below, there is encouraging evidence of increases in one-, two-, and three-year retention rates. Over the past decade, the one-year persistence rate for first-year students has made steady progress toward the institution’s goal of 90%. A common indicator of student success, the six-year graduation rate, indicates progress with a current rate of 68.0%, up from 66.5% the previous year and approaching the goal of 70%. The continuing improvement and high retention and graduation rates are particularly notable in view of relatively open admissions policies.

Similar to the example presented in the Board of Regents’ strategic plan progress, information on student outcomes assessment is examined from multiple perspectives. For example, while these results indicate progress toward the overall institutional retention and graduation goals, comparison of retention and graduation rates by race/ethnicity indicated lower rates for minority students.

The President also provides important information on institutional progress at the annual fall convocation. In the fall 2005 address President Geoffroy explained the necessity for clear institutional priorities and communication regarding progress: “We need to keep the five priorities of the Strategic Plan in front of us and continually assess our progress; that we always keep in mind what motivates us to excel and what fuels our passion as a university family; that we keep focused on those areas where we truly have the potential to be best in class; and that we work to enhance our key revenue sources.” This philosophy ensures that the institution maintains its focus on strategic planning areas and makes progress assessment information widely available throughout the University.

Iowa State is committed to enhancing learning through exceptional learner-centered teaching, services, and enrichment opportunities. This requires a routine review of program effectiveness and student learning assessment.

Several examples characterize efforts to enhance both program effectiveness and student learning assessment. The College of Design recently completed an Envisioning Process that reviewed the fundamental structure of the college. One result of this process, the creation of a design core, reflects the college’s effort to provide a rigorous academic environment, maximize cross-disciplinary opportunities, and develop a culture of innovation in design education. The Core Design Program offers a rich, rigorous, and inclusive base for the professional degree curricula and life-long learning. It brings together all first-year design students and faculty from all four departments within the College, creating a common language and shared learning experience for all College programs, faculty, and students. The Core Design Program exposes students to all disciplines within the College, allowing them to make more informed degree choices and experiment with interdisciplinary work.

An example of recent efforts to enhance student learning assessment is the creation of a Director of Assessment for the College of Engineering position in July 2005. The director serves as chair for the Student Learning Task Force and works with the associate and assistant deans to coordinate assessment activities for academic programs in the college in concert with departmental and university efforts. The director will work with faculty and staff to leverage best practices, joint activities, and resources, focusing on a common goal of helping students succeed. Similar efforts of college assessment committees can be found on the outcomes assessment websites of individual colleges.