Attending: Katie Greeno, Judy Erlen, Patty Beeson, Andy Blair, Ellen Cohn, David Crossman, Amy Knapp, Neepa Majumdar, Tony Silvestre.

Minutes approved

Assessing student learning initiative: Patty Beeson. Dr. Beeson presented the plans for systematic assessment of student learning at Pitt. Comprehensive information is available from: www.pitt.edu\~provost\assessment.html. Some points made include:

This effort fits well with the existing climate of assessment at Pitt, which encourages regular feedback and reflection to maintain strength, and strengthen where necessary.

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education (Pitt's accreditation body) is beginning to require such assessments.

The Council of Deans developed the basic plan, including university-wide learning goals that will set the frame for the degree-specific goals.

Student learning will be assessed separately for each degree or certificate program. For each degree or certificate, the academic unit will develop 3-5 goals, and will document assessment of one or more goals as part of their yearly report to the Provost's office. Means for developing goals and the manner of assessing goals will be left to the academic unit, with input from the Provost's office. Assessments can include both direct (e.g., review of course assignments) and indirect (e.g., job placement) information.

Efforts are being made to keep assessments of student learning in line with on-going accreditation efforts made by various academic units.

Assessing Student Information Literacy Competencies: Amy Knapp. Amy Knapp briefed the committee on the University Library System's participation in a program for assessing student information literacy competency. The Association of Research Libraries and the Association of College and Research Libraries have collaborated on developing the Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills (SAILS). Based on the Middle States Commission on Higher Education requirements for information literacy, SAILS includes both curriculum and test questions. It includes a bank of about 150 questions; when students are tested, 45 questions are randomly selected. Amy and other library staff have worked with Engineering, Arts and Sciences, CGS, and other units to tailor curricular information specifically for them, and are available to work with other units to design instructional assessment tools for them.

Meeting adjourned