Assessment of Success

Institutional accreditation ensures the quality of an NC State education for all undergraduate and graduate students. Assessment creates accountability for the achievement of goals for all units at NC State, including learning outcomes for each academic program. Dr. Fashaad Crawford, the university’s new associate vice provost for assessment and accreditation, oversees these processes that are vital to NC State’s health.

Crawford received his bachelor’s degree in history from South Carolina State University and his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Louisville. There, he began teaching strategic planning courses, which propelled him to pursue a career in assessment and accreditation.

“In assessment and accreditation, you have to ask ‘Is the organization mission-driven, and if so, what is your evidence?’,” said Crawford. “That evidence keeps universities accountable to their stakeholders, including faculty, staff, students and, for public institutions, taxpayers.”

Evidence provided to the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)— NC State’s accreditor and the oldest organization of its kind in the nation — covers the achievement of student learning objectives, effective teaching, qualified faculty and more. Crawford works with a team of staff members, including Dr. Mike Carter, associate dean for program evaluation at the Graduate School, Dr. Duane Larick, senior vice provost for academic strategy and resource management, and Dr. Carrie Zelna, associate vice provost in the Office of Assessment in the Division of Academic and Student Affairs, to oversee these facets of assessment.

“Through our work, we’re building a systematic culture of assessment that demonstrates our academic strength and progress to the SACSCOC,” said Crawford. “The accreditation and assessment process, along with our academic progress, aligns with the university’s strategic goal of comprehensive organizational excellence.”

Crawford, who joined the staff in August 2016, will continue to lead the next reaffirmation of accreditation process for the university. Colleges and universities go through reaffirmation of accreditation every 10 years, and the current cycle for NC State began in the 2015-2016 academic year. A mid-term progress report on this cycle is due to the SACSCOC in 2020.

This mid-term report will also focus on progress made toward improvements requested by the SACSCOC during the last reaffirmation of accreditation cycle. For NC State, this includes advancements made in the university’s culture of assessment for all divisions, academic departments and programs.

“The Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost has enacted a number of policies, regulations and operating procedures to positively impact our culture of assessment,” said Provost Warwick Arden. “We are confident in our progress in this area and our ability to surpass the standards set forth by SACSCOC, and we look forward to the results of the upcoming mid-term report.”

Mid-term reports and the 10-year accreditation process provide a way for universities to affirm that they are moving in the right direction. The success of these proceedings also help avoid sanctions, such as loss of Title IV funding, which grants higher education institutions the right to distribute financial aid.

In addition to highlighting NC State’s academic progress, Crawford will oversee any substantive changes to departments and degree programs throughout this accreditation cycle. Substantive changes cover everything from new individual and joint/dual-degree programs to approval of off-campus class sites and online courses. All of these facets of NC State academics must go through an appropriate approval process from assessment and accreditation all the way up through the SACSCOC, a multi-year process.

“Moving forward, we will continue to work proactively to ensure that all academic programs, policies and procedures align with SACSCOC regulations to move smoothly through the reaffirmation of accreditation process,” said Crawford. “Assessment and accreditation play an integral role in the continued success of NC State, and help make the university a world-class institution for faculty, staff and students.”