Institutional Research & Assessment

The functions of assessment are guided by university policy and operate under the auspices of the Assessment Council. The charges of assessment are four-fold:

• College Entry Assessment and Placement: The purpose of entry-level assessment is to assist OKCU in making decisions that will give students the optimal chance of success in attaining their academic and personal goals.
• Liberal Arts Assessment: As a whole, liberal arts assessment refers to the measurement of what is often referred to as “general education.” Assessment in this area is designed to evaluate students’ progress and learning competencies in the areas of communication, analytical and critical thinking, and quantitative resourcefulness.
• Outcomes Assessment: This charge refers to the evaluation of program goals and objectives for the major field of study. This component of the policy is designed to measure how well students are meeting stated program goals and objectives.
• Environmental Satisfaction: Perceptions of participants in the OKCU community are vitally important to the enhancement and improvement of all campus programs and services. The perceptions of students, alumni, community, faculty, and staff are valuable to enhancing Oklahoma City University.

The assessment plan at Oklahoma City University calls for continuous multi-year, multi-unit involvement. The full plan is available for review.

Institutional research is a significant administrative support function that is vital to Oklahoma City University. It provides necessary oversight for the institution by providing comparative, input, and productivity data. Summarized data reports are posted for review by the university community.

• Consultation
• Training
• Review of Assessment Plans/Objectives
• Review of Course Level Objectives
• Assessment Resources

The Assessment Council shall consist of 12 standing voting members, plus additional members as needed. All members may vote. The members include the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs or the Assistant/Associate Provost, two academic deans or assistant/associate deans appointed by the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs, the Director of Institutional Research, the Coordinator for Assessment (ex-officio Chair), four other faculty members appointed by the Faculty Senate Executive Committee, two staff members appointed by staff council, one student appointed by the Student Senate, and such other University personnel as are appointed by the Provost and Vice-President for Academic Affairs to facilitate the Council’s effective furtherance of its purpose.

CHAIR: Mark McClendon

• Program Assessment
• Assessment of General Education
• Assessment of Co-Curricular Programs
• Training for Readers of Academic Assessment Reports

• Academic Assessment Report Form
• Academic Assessment Evaluation Form
• Academic Assessment Curriculum Map Form
• Co-Curricular Academic Affairs Assessment Report
• Co-Curricular Student Affairs Assessment Report
• General Education Learning Objective Report

OKCU Assessment Plan

Strategic Planning is a dynamic process at Oklahoma City University. It began in the fall of 2001, when newly appointed President Tom McDaniel named a four-person group to coordinate a long-range strategic planning effort for the university. Today, a group of approximately twenty members representing all constituencies of the university, the University Planning Steering Committee, coordinates and facilitates the strategic planning process. The university remains committed to its vision and mission as outlined in the five strategic initiatives:

1. Provide an excellent and challenging, personalized educational experience, led by distinguished faculty and grounded in the liberal arts tradition, which encourages servant leadership, personal responsibility, and spiritual growth.
2. Cultivate a welcoming, inclusive, culturally rich and diverse, safe campus community.
3. Engage in committed service and learning for social and ecological responsibility at local, national, and international levels.
4. Increase the university’s visibility and financial strength.
5. Encourage a planning culture, including systematic and empirically grounded assessment, to foster and reward excellence among faculty, administrators, and staff and to improve student learning.

Oklahoma City University, a private, church-related institution, aspires to be a premier university for the liberal arts and the professions, with respect to:

• Academic excellence that cultivates character,
• Student success and welfare,
• Personalized education that encourages service, leadership, and spiritual growth,
• Local community and economic development, including the use of global relationships, and
• Cultural leadership in our community and state.

Oklahoma City University embraces the United Methodist tradition of scholarship and service and welcomes all faiths in a culturally rich community dedicated to student success. Men and women pursue academic excellence through a rigorous curriculum focused on students’ intellectual, moral, and spiritual development to prepare them to become effective leaders in service to their communities.

Mark McClendon
Director for Assessment and Institutional Research
(405) 208-5088; mbmcclendon@okcu.edu