Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment

Under the leadership of Academic Affairs, the Office of Assessment and Accreditation leads and manages institutional assessments programming for Tiffin University. The office collaborates with faculty regularly to determine programmatic assessment.

Assessment Mission

Consistent with the missions of Tiffin University, The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and The Ohio Department of Higher Education, the Office of Assessment and Accreditation communicates accreditation expectations to all university constituencies and facilitates the development of outcome assessment processes to inspire a culture committed to significant student learning.

In administering this charge, TU requires that all academic programs conduct Program Outcomes Assessment to comply with the assessment mandates of the Higher Learning Commission and Ohio Department of Higher Education. Each academic unit is required to have an assessment plan on file with the Office of Assessment and Accreditation that describes expected student learning outcomes for each degree program and the methods used to evaluate those outcomes. Academic units are also required to file brief annual reports describing their assessment activity from the previous year.

Assessment of student learning in all academic units is a beneficial tool for facilitating dialogue about the curriculum and encouraging continuous programmatic improvement throughout the campus. Program Outcomes Assessment provides feedback to an academic unit on the performance of its curriculum; thereby allowing informed decisions regarding the need for changes. Assessment is, therefore an integral part of the commitment at TU to sustain and enhance academic quality and the student’s educational experience.

Office of Assessment and Accreditation supports the idea that academic units are best suited to determine how to assess their students’ learning outcomes and how to use assessment results for program improvement. The Office of Assessment and Accreditation work to facilitate assessment activities by providing information, guidelines, and other resources to conduct effective assessment and by coordinating assessment at the program and institutional level.