Graduate Committee on Assessment (GCOA)
Overview
GCOA reviews program assessment plans and reports. This review helps programs be prepared for program review and, if applicable, (re)accreditation.
Programs should expect their assessment plans to evolve. Programs need to submit their revised assessment plans to GCOA when major modifications to the assessment plan are made. Examples of activities that would result in major modifications include changing exit options, changing learning objectives, and overhaul of the program. Examples of activities that would not result in major modifications include changing the artifact used for assessment (e.g., changing from a homework assignment to a test), changing the descriptors in a rubric, and changing the course in which an assessment artifact is collected (e.g., from CRS 500 to CRS 501). These changes, however, should be reported in the annual report log.
Graduate Programs- What to Expect From a GCOA Review
The Graduate Committee on Assessment will review your most recent assessment plan and annual report before the meeting. Feedback from their review will be compiled for you to view and discuss with the Committee. After the discussion, the Committee will vote on the assessment plan. A letter with a summary of the Committee’s recommendations will be sent to the program representatives generally within a few weeks after the meeting.
Assessment Resources
GCOA Recommendations for Best Practices in Assessment [pdf]
Assessment of Academic Programs Page
Past GCOA Decisions by Program (as of Spring 2024)
GCOA Members 2024-2025
Angela Andrews, School of Nursing, term expires 2027
Barbara O’Donnell, Teaching and Learning, term expires 2025
Elza Ibroscheva, Office of Provost and VC of AA
Emily Petruccelli, Biological Sciences, term expires 2027
Kyong-Sup Yoon, Biological Sciences, term expires 2025
Musonda Kapatamoyo, Mass Communicationa, term expires 2027
Nader Panahshahi, Civil Engineering, term expires 2026
Ramana Madupalli, Management and Marketing, term expires 2025
Shelly Goebl-Parker, Chair, Art & Design, term expires 2026
Elizabeth Cali, Graduate School
Operating Papers
I. Functions of the Committee
Under the leadership of the Provost’s Office and the Graduate School, the Graduate Committee on Assessment oversees the assessment process for graduate education. The Committee is responsible for the following:
- review the assessment plans and annual performance reports for graduate programs, focusing on programs up for program review or accreditation in 2 years
- provide feedback to programs to help improve how evaluation of student learning is used to assess program performance, including if the assessment plan is out-of-date
- provide feedback to programs about their performance and make suggestions for improvement
- accept graduate program assessment plans that are effective in using evaluation of student learning to assess program performance; share information from such programs with the University community
- share its deliberations and findings to support the program review process
- coordinate with the Undergraduate Committee of Assessment and the Office of the Provost to maintain uniform assessment practices and procedures across the University
- report decisions to the Graduate Council.
Responses to departments and programs will be coordinated with the Graduate School and the Provost’s Office.
II. Membership and Number
The Committee shall be constituted of a minimum of eight faculty members appointed by the Dean of the Graduate School, one graduate student, the Associate Provost for Accreditation, Assessment, and Academic Planning or designee (as a voting member), and the Associate Dean of the Graduate School or designee (as a voting member). The Associate Dean will also serve as the liaison with the Graduate Council.
III. Selection Procedures
The Dean of the Graduate School will make appointments to this committee. The Dean may consult the Associate Provost and/or the Associate Dean to identify faculty members with expertise in assessment. Ideally, members will be knowledgeable about assessment practices and represent a broad base of disciplines.
Appointments to the Committee shall normally be for 3-year terms except for the graduate student representative, who is appointed for a 1-year term; reappointment is permitted. All members of the Committee are voting members. The Chair of the Committee shall be elected from among the Committee faculty membership and approved by the Graduate Council in consultation with the Dean of the Graduate School. The term of office as Chair shall be 2 years; reappointment of the same individual to additional terms is permitted.
Approved by Graduate Council February 2020
