Minutes of the Information Resources Committee
for December 7, 2007

The Academic Achievement Assessment Committee met on Friday, Dec. 7, at noon in Communication Arts 233. Members present were William Blanchard, Bob Canary (chair), Theresa Castor, Linda Crafton, Chi-Wing Fok, and Denise Widup. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved as distributed with the correction of the date of this day's meeting.

Professor Castor shared some upcoming campus events and workshops relevant to assessment.

The committee discussed the Provost's interest in seeing some clarification of last year's recommendation for a restored Director of Assessment. The committee decided to postpone a response till next semester, by which time the impact of VSA should be clearer and the committee itself should have a clearer view of its own role.

The committee discussed the on-going campus response to the Voluntary System of Accountability initiative.

The committee reviewed alternative models for its own operation. Members saw the committee primarily in terms of attempting to coordinate campus efforts to incorporate assessment and establish an overall campus assessment plan. This would not exclude some advocacy functions when its review of current efforts reviewed loopholes and in cases where new initiatives were being undertaken without measurable objectives being established as part of the planning process. Some changes in committee membership might help the coordination process, including some built-in liaison with General Education and the Committee on Academic Planning.