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Administrative Unit Assessment

Administrative units at NC State participate in the assessment process to sustain excellence and set goals for continuous improvement and institutional effectiveness.

Assessment at NC State is coordinated and widespread. We follow a central set of guidelines and principles, but each administrative unit, department or division is responsible for measuring and monitoring their impact and performance. Our approach to institutional effectiveness is one of shared responsibility for sustaining excellence and setting goals for continuous improvement.

REG 02.90.02 provides the framework for administrative assessment at NC State. In addition, NC State’s institutional accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) identifies three separate principles that focus on administrative and academic/student support assessment: 7.3 Administrative Effectiveness; 8.2.c Student Outcomes: Academic and Student Services; and 12.1 Academic and Student Support Services. These principles are further articulated in the 2023 edition of the SACSCOC Principles of Accreditation: Foundations for Quality Enhancement.

The university is expected to provide evidence of administrative and academic/student support assessment, with it being best practice to provide at least three consecutive years of assessment data. Centralized processes for academic and student support assessment are well established on campus. The Office of Assessment and Accreditation has recently developed a systematic, consistent and centralized way to succinctly collect assessment data from administrative units.

Administrative Assessment Process

Create a Plan

Each unit maintains an assessment plan specific to that unit. The assessment plan lists the outcomes (goals) of the unit and also when and how each outcome will be assessed. Units should assess at least one outcome per year, and assess all of their outcomes within 3-5 years.

Annual Assessment Reports

Assessment reports are submitted annually at the end of the fiscal year to dovetail with annual reporting processes. The assessment report template is designed with feedback from NC State faculty and staff, and allows for units to easily share information on outcomes/goal information from annual reports (as applicable). Administrative units should use this link to submit your report.

Workflow and Timeline

Using a process facilitated by the Office of Assessment and Accreditation in Google suite, each division/administrative unit area creates a report describing findings from the outcome assessed and actions taken for improvement. Reports are submitted using the following workflow:

  • The unit head submits an assessment report to the division head (or designee). 
  • The division head reviews the assessment report(s) from their unit(s) and approves or returns for edits (if needed). 
  • The division head (or designee) drafts a division-level summary report, responding to questions about the assessment process and how assessment findings are used for improvement. 
  • This summary report is submitted to the Office of Assessment and Accreditation.
  • The Office of Assessment and Accreditation archives assessment reports and summary reports, and submits an annual university summary to the Provost and other appropriate institutional leaders. Assessment reports that require revision are returned to the unit for edits, changes or additions, as needed.

Administrative Assessment Report Template

We have provided a template for administrative assessment reports, which are comprised of five sections:

  • Section I – Unit Mission, Objectives and Outcomes: This section includes a comprehensive list of the unit-level mission, objectives and outcomes, along with the year(s) each will be/have been assessed.
  • Section II – Annual Assessment Results for the Current Year: This section provides an overview of the two (or more) outcomes that were assessed during 2020-2021. For each outcome reported on it includes the assessment data/evidence collected, an analysis and summary of the results, how results were reported and actions taken based on the results.
  • Section III – Assessment Plan for the Next Year: The section provides an overview of a unit’s plans for how the outcomes scheduled to be assessed in the next year will be measured and analyzed.
  • Section IV – Summary Report (Unit Head): This section is to be completed by the unit head.
  • Section V – Summary Report (Senior Leadership): The section is to be completed by the senior leadership the unit reports to.

Support and Resources

The Office of Assessment and Accreditation provides guidance and workshops on the assessment process.

Individual consultations

A staff member from OAA will meet with your unit to support any aspect of the process from writing outcomes and creating an assessment plan to writing and submitting the report. Contact OAA (assessment-and-accreditation@ncsu.edu) for more information.

Workshops

Virtual workshops are offered on topics including Assessment 101, Writing and Revising Outcomes, and Assessment Report Writing. Learn more and register for upcoming sessions on the assessment resources page.

Resource Documents

The following documents are designed to help you navigate the administrative assessment process.

Contact Us

Office of Assessment and Accreditation (assessment-and-accreditation@ncsu.edu).