The Assessment Committee will continue to work on this, as suggested by the team. We believe strongly in assessment as a fundamental tool for program improvement, and do not see a division or contradiction of this approach with the view of assessment as a tool to improve student learning. We want to improve programs by improving student learning in those programs. Nonetheless, Washburn will continue to develop its understanding and practice of assessment of student academic achievement. We anticipate that every department will have by the end of the 1998-99 academic year assessment programs for majors in place.
Work continues on general education assessment.
The suggestions about methods to establish funding support for these activities are already being considered. We agree with the team that this represents a major challenge for many institutions, including our own. The process of simplifying transfer policy has begun. We continually evaluate the effectiveness of these programs and their relationships with one another. At the present time we plan to continue to use the RPPC as part of the planning and budgeting process.