Institutional Effectiveness

Academic Program Review (APR) is a process of regular, systematic evaluation of academic programs at Freed-Hardeman University (FHU). All academic programs offered by FHU are reviewed on a seven-year cycle. The purpose of this process is to enhance the quality of each program through an evaluation of how well it is accomplishing its mission and goals. Decision makers use the results to shape institutional goals, guide university planning, determine program directions, allocate resources, and promote institutional effectiveness. The APR process includes five major steps: (1) initial planning, (2) self-study, (3) internal/external review, (4) discussion of findings and (5) a final report submitted to the Vice President for Academics. In consideration of the regular, systematic evaluation of programs that is mandated by specialized accreditations, the Vice President of Academics, at his or her discretion, may elect to modify the program review process for programs that have achieved such accreditations.

Click 2022-2029 Academic Program Review Cycle to view the most recently published schedule.

The following programs have been scheduled for academic program review during the 2022-2023 Academic Year:

• Biology (B.S.)

• Communication (B.A.)

• Kinesiology (B.S.)

• Law & Politics (B.A.)

• Physical Science: Pre-Engineering (B.S.)

• Spanish (B.A.)

The APR Workshop for program coordinators has been scheduled for Wednesday, September 14, 2022.

The following table identifies important dates in the APR process:

Please contact Mr. A.B. White to request a copy of the most recent APR template.

Educational programs at Freed-Hardeman University (FHU) engage in an ongoing cycle of planning and assessment activities that are designed to continually improve upon student learning. Programs establish program-level student learning outcomes (SLOs) and develop assessment plans to measure student learning. Annually, program coordinators review assessment results from the previous year and develop Educational Program Assessment Plans (EPAPs) for the upcoming year. These plans identify anticipated outcomes, pedagogical strategies and techniques to improve learning, and measurement tools for assessment. At the end of the academic year, assessment results are compiled and reported to the Office of Academics in the form of an Educational Program Assessment Report (EPARs). The assessment results contained in these reports are used to guide the development of the next EPAP, which facilitates an ongoing cycle of continuous improvement.

EPARs for the previous year and EPAPs for the upcoming year are due annually on June 1.

Click full report to view the complete 2022-2023 Assessment Matrix and Timeline that identifies educational programs participating in the planning and assessment process.

Please contact Mr. A.B. White to request a copy of the EPAP/EPAR template.

The Liberal Arts Core (LAC) identifies the knowledge, skills, values, beliefs and habits-of-mind that Freed-Hardeman University (FHU) aspires for its undergraduate students to obtain. The University's general education requirements are embodied in the outcomes identified in the LAC. These Essential Learning Outcomes (ELOs) were crafted by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Liberal Education and America's Promise (LEAP) Initiative. According to LEAP, these outcomes are "essential" to a liberal arts education. In addition, LEAP initiated the VALUE (Valid Assessment of Liberal Undergraduate Education) Initiative to facilitate the assessment of these ELOs. In collaboration with faculty across the country, rubrics were designed to assess student achievement across the four-year undergraduate experience.

FHU has identified two assessment points for the Liberal Arts Core: Baseline and Endpoint. Baseline assessments are administered during First-Year Experience. Endpoint assessments are administered during the student's senior year. Data collected from these assessment points will be used to track student achievement over time. Teams of faculty have been organized to score student work. These same teams will also review assessment results and make recommendations for improvement to academic leadership.

A total of six ELOs were adopted by the University to be assessed on an annual basis. The following table identifies each ELO and assessment team members:

In the above table, click on the ELO name to view its VALUE rubric.

Click full report to view the complete 2022-2023 Assessment Matrix and Timeline.

Please contact Mr. A.B. White to request a copy of the ELO Assignment Form.

VALUE rubrics reprinted with permission from "VALUE: Valid Assessment of Learning in Undergraduate Education."  Copyright 2018 by the Association of American Colleges and Universities. http://www.aacu.org/value/index.cfm.

Freed-Hardeman University (FHU) has implemented a Unit Action Planning and Assessment process that facilitates continuous improvement efforts among Administrative, Academic and Student Support Services units. For this process, a unit is defined as a division, center, or office identified on the University's Functional Organizational Chart. Each unit is responsible for creating a Unit Action Plan at the beginning of the academic year that identifies objectives, planned actions and anticipated outcomes in support of the University's strategic plan. At the end of the academic year, each unit develops a Unit Action Report that summarizes actual results achieve by the unit in relation to the objectives outlined in the original unit plan. These results are used to guide the development of unit plans for the upcoming academic year, thereby facilitating a cycle of continuous improvement.

Click full report to view the complete 2022-2023 Assessment Matrix and Timeline that identifies units participating in the unit planning and assessment process.

Please contact Mr. A.B. White to request a copy of the Unit Action Plan/Report template.