At UW-Stevens Point, the assessment of student learning is intended to provide the foundation for all academic planning and decision-making. The ultimate goal of assessment is to ensure the continuous improvement of student learning by refining the courses, programs, and policies that make student learning possible.

The review and evaluation of student learning in academic programs of study is the responsibility of the Assessment Subcommittee, which resides under the Common Council's Academic Affairs Committee.

The reporting procedure for program assessment has been revised. Rather than a five-year reporting cycle harmonized with each department's 10-year review cycle, we are switching to annual reporting of individual learning outcomes for each program. The goal will be to assess and report all learning outcomes within a five-year cycle. Consequently, programs with more than five program learning outcomes may need to report on multiple learning outcomes in a given year to meet that goal.

As explained in the Handbook, each annual report will have the following components:

1. Program Learning Outcomes: Verify all the listed program learning outcomes and select the focal program learning outcome to be assessed.​
   

2. Current Curriculum Map: Include the program curriculum map depicting the ways in which courses, activities and requirements support all program learning outcomes.
   

3. Summary of Previous Results: If the focal learning outcome has been assessed previously, provide a brief (<250 words) abstract of those results.
   

4. Brief Description of Departmental Improvements and Changes as related to Assessment: If the focal learning outcome has been assessed previously, describe specific changes that have been made (to curriculum, assessment methods, etc.), based on that previous assessment.
   

5. Assessment Strategies/Measures/Techniques/Methods: Include brief descriptions of assessment methods used in the program to assess student learning. Examples of assessment methods include exams, portfolios, pre- and post-­ tests, direct observation of performance, surveys (current students, alumni, employers), focus groups, and national exams.​ Also, specify the target percentage that represents the programmatic benchmark for the focal PLO—that is, the percentage of students expected to meet or exceed expectations for this outcome.​
   

6. Assessment Results/Findings/Interpretation: Describe specifically what the assessment results reveal about student learning in the context of the stated focal program learning outcome.
   

7. Implications: Describe how results will be used by the department to enhance student learning, including changes to the curriculum, assessment techniques, and/or learning outcomes.
   

8. Dissemination of Findings: Describe how the findings of the departmental assessment work will be disseminated, to whom, and for what purpose.
   

9. Five-Year Assessment Plan: An updated plan that describes when each PLO will be assessed and reported within the five-year cycle.
   

2025-2026 Annual Reports' Submission:

According to the University Handbook, annual program assessment reports are due the first Friday in February, i.e., 02/06/2026.

Useful Documents: ​

• Annual Assessment Report Checklist (updated in April 2025)​
  
• Annual Assessment Report Curriculum Map Example & Template​
• Annual Assessment Report: 5-Year Assessment Plan Example​
• 2021-2022 Sample Report with the Assessment Subcommittee's Feedback Rubric (Forestry Program, PLO 3)
  

For assistance or advice on matters related to the assessment of student learning outcomes associated with undergraduate majors or graduate programs, please contact: