Mission & Goals

Mission
The mission of the Office for Curriculum, Assessment and Accreditation is to provide leadership and assistance to the University for the development of curriculum and for development of a program of evaluation to enhance effectiveness of programs. The CAA Office provides guidance for reaffirmation requirements and monitors compliance with the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS) Principles of Accreditation.

Office Responsibilities and Goals
CAA is primarily responsible for three important functions of the University: Curriculum, Accreditation, and Assessment.

Curriculum:
CAA provides leadership and assistance in developing a culture of evaluation to enhance the effectiveness of the programs and services of Northern Kentucky University and monitors the curriculum process.
A goal of the Office is to elicit faculty, staff, and student involvement in the development and utilization of assessment techniques that enhance the quality of:

• Learning and teaching in the academic environment;
• Experiences beyond those from the classroom which nurture student's intellectual, emotional, physical, social, cultural and spiritual development;
• Scholarly and creative activities and services that support meaningful curriculum.

Accreditation:
The Office of Curriculum, Accreditation, and Assessment is charged with initiating institutional effectiveness programs in preparation for the SACS reaffirmation process.
Specific actions and strategies to fulfill this goal include:

• Supporting the Program Review process by providing data, explaining format, and facilitating communication between the Program Review Steering Committee and programs under review.
• Creating checklists and timetables of activities leading up to the self-study process and the anticipated 2009 reaffirmation by SACS.
• Collecting and organizing a handbook of academic policies and post them online for general access in preparation for the SACS self-study and reaffirmation.
• Developing a University Assessment Plan by working closely with Faculty Senate.

Assessment:
Additionally, the Office keeps abreast of national areas of emphasis in assessment and maintains a working library of publications on assessment and assessment related topics. The library is available as a resource for use by all members of the campus community.
Current efforts in the area of assessment include:

• Dissemination of information about student learning outcomes to facilitate their development in every course offered at NKU.
• Working alongside departments, colleges and schools to develop assessment plans as evidence of continuous improvement for SACS accreditation
• Collaborating with the University Curriculum Committee to implement a General Education Assessment plan that aligns the evaluation of General Education courses/requirements with Departmental, College, School, and University mission and goals.