Overview

Good assessment in higher education depends on sound principles, systematic practice, and institutional reflection. Without each of these, assessment activities are either poorly planned, poorly executed, or inappropriate for the needs of the institution. The Howard Assessment Committee (HAC) gives a "voice to the university" in determining what assessment strategies are best to work towards continuous improvement across academic and non-academic programs. The HAC is purposefully diverse, inviting faculty, administrators, students, and alumni. The HAC serves as both a feedback loop for current assessment activities as well as  a laboratory for new Howard-specific assessment activities that will support the larger goals of assessment at the university.

History

The HAC replaces what was formerly referred to as the University Outcomes Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness (OAIE) Committee. As both the hosting office and the purpose of the committee have changed since the 2001 inception and 2009 reformation, HAC revitalizes and re-envisions how the larger Howard community can fully engage in assessment conversations. In short, a new era of assessment and a rapidly changing higher education landscape mandate a more flexible and streamlined institution-wide assessment committee.

Charge

The charge of the HAC is to review all assessment activity at Howard University and offer recommendations for improvement. The HAC is not a decision-making body, but its “voice” is considered to be the opinion of the university at large and is respected as such.

Activity

The HAC will meet once each quarter of the year (January, February, and March (Q1) April, May, and June (Q2) July, August, and September (Q3) October, November, and December (Q4)). Ad-hoc meetings may be called by the Chair to address a time-sensitive issue. All meetings (except those called ad-hoc) will be planned on an academic in advance, and agenda items will be shared at least two weeks before convening. 

During each meeting, attendance will be taken. Members who cannot attend are welcome to send a representative in their stead. 

Smaller working groups will form at the discretion of the Chair, and membership to those working groups will be voluntary.