COUNCIL ON ACADEMIC ASSESSMENT (CAA)
MINUTES, DECEMBER 3, 2008
UNH 107 10:00 – 12:00
Members present: Heidi Andrade, Henryk Baran, Kristina Bendikas, Zakhar Berkovich,
Irina Birman, Daryl Bullis, Sue Faerman, Marjorie Pryse, Bill Roberson, Joette Stefl-
Mabry, Bruce Szelest, Alex Xue
Members absent: Michael Christakis, Bill Lanford,
The minutes of November 19 were reviewed and adopted.
The Council began to review the data currently required in self-studies and to consider
both what was being asked for and what changes should be considered. It received an
excerpt (p. 6) from the Practitioner’s Guide, that listed the data required and where it
could be obtained. Discussion began with the observation that the requirement for course
listings should not merely include all courses, but be restricted to those pertaining to the
major and minor. Other comments followed. The outline of the self-study as presented in
the Provisional Procedures for the Joint Review of Undergraduate and Graduate
Programs (available on line, but not part of the Practitioner’s Guide) was compared to the
distributed list. After some discussion about the inconsistencies between the two
documents, the Council considered whether it would be more productive to continue to
revise the current list as a full group or to take another approach. It was suggested that
Bill Roberson and Kris Bendikas should draft a revised outline, perhaps based on a series
of questions that could be brought back to the Council for further review.
The Council was then presented with executive summaries of the General Education
Assessment Results Reports for Fall 2007, Spring 2008 and UHS 2007-08 prepared by
Kris Bendikas. At a recent meeting with the Provost the issue of how best to present
assessment results to the faculty was discussed. The Provost supported posting the
summaries on the assessment webpage. Further, she suggested that participating faculty
be invited to a debriefing session after the assessment during which the results would be
reviewed and feedback solicited from them about their experience. After reading the
summaries and offering suggestions and corrections the Council endorsed the Provost’s
suggestions.
Action steps:
1. Bill Roberson and Kris Bendikas will draft a revised self-study outline
The meeting adjourned at 11:30 a.m.
Minutes respectfully submitted by Kristina Bendikas
