Purpose of Assessment

The purpose of institutional assessment at Mountain State University (MSU) is to improve the services we offer to our stakeholders through developing and measuring attitudinal (what students perceive), behavioral (what students can do), and cognitive (what students know) outcomes. With the movement toward setting more challenging academic standards, institutional assessment is playing an increasingly greater role in decision-making at MSU.

The University community views assessment as an essential activity that provides vital information on how best to honor its commitments. Our dual approach of assessing both academic programs and administrative support departments evaluates not only how much and what MSU students learn, but also the structures within our University that foster their learning. Assessment at MSU provides information about programs in addition to individual students. Programmatic assessment allows us to document the overall learning, growth, and development of groups of students as a result of their educational experiences.

MSU's assessment program provides a vital link between our mission and strategic planning. Virtually every activity of the university, from its overall administration and strategic planning to its individualized assessment plans, is based on our mission statement and its eleven commitments.

• Assessment Model and Schedule of Implementation
• Program Assessment Reports
• Common Data Set (CDS)
• Best Practices for Electronically Delivered Degrees