Assessment Process

The assessment process at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) is an on-going, research-based, systematic process that embodies training, a framework for data collection, and internal report review to examine and document effectiveness across education related support services and degree programs on an annual basis in an effort to seek improvement of desired outcomes. The process is managed by the Office of Assessment in the Office of the Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs.

The assessment process is coordinated through assessment cycles that align with the reporting calendar best suited for the program, an instructional program (IP) assessment cycle and an administrative-educational support (AES) unit assessment cycle. Both assessment cycles consist of an assessment planning phase and a results phase. The instructional program (IP) assessment cycle is conducted throughout the academic year, and the administrative unit and academic and student support (AES) unit assessment cycle is conducted throughout the fiscal year (July 1-June 30). Both assessment cycles have been implemented to demonstrate continuous quality improvement in student learning/achievement outcomes and support service performance. These assessment cycles have also been put in place to document compliance with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) comprehensive standard 8.2.

Areas/departments that support standards 7.3 and 8.2c are assessed in the administrative-educational support (AES) unit assessment cycle, while units that support standard 8.2a (which outcomes in undergraduate programs that meet 8.2b) are assessed in the instructional program (IP) assessment cycle.