The Academy for Assessment of Student Learning 

The Academy experience is intended to develop institutional culture and increase institutional commitment to assessing and improving student learning. Participation in the Academy is designed to generate evidence for accreditation evaluations and follow-up.

Connections to Accreditation

Participation in the Academy:

• may serve in place of mandated

progress reports, monitoring reports,

and focused visits on assessment of

student learning (PEAQ)

• may serve in place of one or more action

projects (AQIP)

• is intended to produce evidence for

Criteria and Core Components for

accreditation evaluation.

Year 1:

Apply, Propose Action Portfolio with Student Learning Projects, Attend Academy Roundtable

An institution joins the Academy, proposes one or two coordinated Student Learning Projects related to assessing and improving student learning, and sends a team to the multi-day Academy Roundtable. At the Roundtable, institutions critique and improve their own and other institutions’ Student Learning Projects in consultation with Academy mentors and HLC staff.

Years 2 & 3:

Complete Annual Progress Analyses, Participate in Optional Learning Exchange & Showcase, Conduct Optional Events & Interventions

Institutions implement their Student Learning Projects and receive mentoring, critique, and validation through Annual Progress Analyses and participation in the Academy’s Electronic Network, which serves as a gathering place for resources and meetings throughout the four year Academy experience. Institutions may customize the Academy with optional Events and Intervention Strategies (e.g., on-campus consultation, on-campus conversation day facilitation, visit to good practice site, open space facilitation, etc.). Institutions may choose to participate in the annual Student Learning Exchange and Showcase.

Year 4:

Complete Results Report, Participate in Results Forum, Prepare Sustainability Plan, Complete Academy

Each institution writes a brief Results Report and sends a team to the two-day Academy Results Forum to showcase accomplishments, compare and share good practices and to define post-Academy strategies to sustain their efforts. Each institution receives a Results Response from its reviewers. In addition, HLC intends to compile a compendium of case studies for Publication that showcase accomplishments and inventory good practices.