McKendree Achieves High Honor for Sustained Excellence in Assessment
One of Three Institutions Recognized in U.S. for Maintaining Five-Year Success
(LEBANON, Ill., August 19, 2020) — McKendree University is one of just three colleges
and universities nationwide recognized at the highest level for its ongoing achievement
in higher education assessment. On Aug. 19, 12 institutions were named 2020 Excellence
in Assessment (EIA) designees for their commitment to the comprehensive assessment of student learning
outcomes as a means to drive internal improvement and advance student success. Of
the 12, the EIA announced McKendree University, Miami Dade College and the University
of Wisconsin-Whitewater as “Sustained Excellence Designees” for maintaining their
exemplary assessment efforts over a five-year period.
McKendree began an ambitious, seven-year “Assessment 2.0” initiative in 2010 and upon
its completion in 2017, launched “Assessment 2.1” for a second seven-year cycle. Each year the initiative focuses on one of seven student
learning outcomes: engagement, effective communication, personal and social responsibility,
inquiry and problem solving, discipline-specific competence, diverse perspectives,
and lifelong learning. Leading the effort is Dr. Tami Eggleston, associate provost
for institutional effectiveness, the Student Learning, Assessment, and Teaching Effectiveness
Committee (SLATE), and its outcome-specific subcommittees.
“Dr. Eggleston has worked tirelessly to help us build a culture of assessment at McKendree,” said Dr. Chris Bahr, provost. “Numerous faculty and staff, and several
students, have been involved for more than a decade in assessing student learning and using the data to inform decisions about curriculum and instruction. I am so proud of Dr. Eggleston, the faculty, and many others who have contributed
in big and small ways to this collective effort.”
“At McKendree University, our mission is to provide a high-quality educational experience
to our students,” said Eggleston. “Assessment activities allow us the opportunity
to measure and improve what we do in the classroom, in our majors, and across the
entire campus. We have many faculty and staff committed to continuous improvement
including Dr. Guy Boysen chairing the SLATE committee and Dr. Alan Alewine leading
efforts to revise our general education program. I am so proud of what we do at McKendree
and I was excited to share our story."
Nine other institutions recognized for “Excellence in Assessment” in 2020 are Davenport
University, East Carolina University, Florida A&M University, Messiah University,
Northwestern State University, Oregon Health and Science University, the University
of Florida, the University of Texas at Arlington, and Wayne State University.
The EIA designation, the first national recognition of its kind, highlights colleges
and universities that successfully integrate assessment practices across the institution,
providing evidence of student learning and using results to guide decision-making
and improve student performance. Now in its fifth year, a total of 39 institutions
have received the designation, including this year’s group.
The EIA program is sponsored by NILOA, VSA Analytics, and the Association of American
Colleges & Universities and endorsed by the Council of Independent Colleges.
-McK-
