Advisory Committee for Academic Assessment (ACAA)

Purpose of Committee

The purposes of the Advisory Committee on Academic Assessment are to serve the university as the primary advisory body to the Office of Accreditation, Assessment and Learning. Members serve as liaison for assessment ideas and issues to their constituencies while fulfilling their committee responsibilities as university citizens. Members may also provide leadership to academic units as they help foster the implementation of a comprehensive academic assessment plan for the university.

Leadership

The Assistant Provost for Accreditation, Assessment and Learning will chair the committee. A co-chair, elected from the members, will serve a one-year term that is renewable.

The chair and co-chair are responsible for scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, minutes of all meetings, and other responsibilities requested by the committee. Agendas will be sent to members in advance of a meeting and minutes will be published in a timely fashion. Agendas and minutes will be published on a website so they are available to the campus community as well as the members of the committee. They may also be communicated by electronic mail.

Membership

In recommending and appointing members to this committee, attention shall be given to representation that includes faculty, students, and administrators from the following units, with recognition of the primacy of faculty, who are among those most directly and extensively involved in the undergraduate and graduate academic achievement of students. At least half of the committee members shall be faculty. The Assistant Provost for Accreditation, Assessment and Learning will prepare a slate of nominees for appointment by the Provost upon the recommendation of the head administrator in consultation with the relevant faculty advisory body of the following units:
 

• College of Aeronautics and Engineering
• College of Applied and Technical Studies
• College of Architecture and Environmental Design
• College of Arts and Sciences
• College of the Arts
• College of Business Administration
• College of Communication and Information
• College of Education, Health and Human Services
• College of Nursing
• College of Podiatric Medicine
• College of Public Health
• Honors College
• Graduate Studies
• University College
• University Libraries

To recognize the direct support to students' educational development, one representative from the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs will be appointed upon the recommendation of the Vice President of Student Affairs.

To recognize the importance of distance learning and its assessment, one representative from the Division of Information Services will be appointed upon the recommendation of the Vice President for Information Services. 

A minimum of three faculty members representing the faculty at large are appointed by the Chair of Faculty Senate upon the recommendation of the Committee on Committees. Additional faculty may be appointed to assure the desired faculty representation.

One graduate student representative will be appointed and submitted by the Graduate Student Senate Executive Board. 

One undergraduate student representative will be appointed and submitted by the Undergraduate Student Government Executive Cabinet.

Member Terms

Members are appointed for three years and consecutive appointments are permitted. In the initial years of the committee, appointments should be staggered to provide for continuity. A random process shall be used to determine one-, two-, and three-year terms.

Meetings

The committee will meet at least once each semester, but often enough to fulfill the responsibilities of the committee. Meetings can be scheduled at the call of the chair and co-chair, or upon the request of four committee members.

Subcommittees

Ad hoc subcommittees deemed useful to the work of the committee may be formed. Each subcommittee will recommend a chair, whose appointment will be confirmed in writing by the chair or co-chair of the committee. The chair of each subcommittee will set meeting dates, prepare agendas and minutes, which will be published on the committee website.

Decision Making

Committee recommendations are decided by a simple majority vote of the membership.

The co-chairs shall give appropriate consideration to majority, plurality, and minority aspects of issues recommended by the committee. The committee should work toward incorporation of all points of view whenever possible to ensure a sense of voice and community for all constituencies.

All members of the committee shall have voting rights. In the event that a member of the committee is unable to attend a meeting of the committee, he or she may designate an alternate from the same constituency by notifying one of the co-chairs prior to the meeting. The alternate shall have all the rights and privileges of the regular members for the designated meeting.

Changes in Operating Procedures

These operating procedures may be amended by a two-thirds vote of the entire committee membership.