Provost Office

Assessment

Harding University is committed to ensuring students a quality education that prepares graduates to have the necessary knowledge, skills, and dispositions for successful careers in their chosen disciplines. In order to assist in this commitment, Harding’s University Assessment Committee (UAC) has been creating assessment tools, educating staff and faculty, and disseminating assessment ways of thinking throughout the University system since 2001.

The UAC, at present, focuses on two primary objectives. First, the UAC encourages all university units to think about student learning or departmental outcomes for the purposes of long-term planning. While there are many parts to the university machine, all units play a role in student learning and institutional effectiveness. Appropriate assessment of outcomes is an important part of improving results.

Second, the UAC assists all university units in reporting institutional changes informed by data, whether reporting within the University system or for other agencies.  Therefore, the UAC advises units in identifying data in their areas that have led to institutional changes for the sake of student learning. Once identified, these changes will be included in assessment reports and reports for Academic Planning and Performance Review.

If you have any questions or comments about Harding’s University Assessment Committee please contact Dr. James Berry, the director of assessment (jamesberry@harding.edu). We would be more than happy to assist you with questions regarding assessing within Harding. 

The Committee

The Fall 2023 University Assessment Committee membership will be appointed soon. Please continue to check this site for updates about the committee members and their assigned roles

Academic Units

Administrator: Provost - Marty Spears
Director of Assessment - James Berry
College of Allied Health - Mike McGalliard, dean
     Dept. of Comm. Sciences & Disorders
     Dept. of Exercise & Sport Sciences
     Dept. of Physical Therapy
     Dept. of Physician Assistant
     Speech and Hearing Clinic 
College of Arts & Sciences - Dana Steil, Dean
     Dept. of Art & Design
     Dept. of Behavioral Sciences
     Dept. of Biology
     Dept. of Chemistry and Biochemistry
     Dept. of Communication
     Dept. of Computer Science
     Dept. of Engineering & Physics
     Dept. of English Language & Literature
     Dept. of Family & Consumer Sciences
     Dept. of Foreign Languages & International Studies
     Dept. of History & Political Sciences
     Dept. of Kinesiology
     Dept. of Mathematics
     Dept. of Music
     Dept. of Theatre
College of Bible & Ministry - Monte Cox, Dean
     Center for Distance Education in Bible
     Center for Family Ministries
     Center for Preaching
     Center for Spiritual Leadership
     Center for World Missions
     Mitchell Center of Leadership & Ministry     
   College of Business Administration - Allen Frazier, Dean
     Graduate School of Business, MBA
     Graduate School of Business, MSIS
College of Education - Donnie Lee, Dean
     Graduate Education Programs
     Mental Health and Wellness
     Teacher Preparation
College of Nursing - Susan Kehl, Dean
College of Pharmacy - Julie Hixson-Wallace, Dean
Honors College - Dana Steil, Dean
International Programs - Audra Pleasant, Executive Director
Harding School of Theology - Jim Martin, Vice President
Academic Resource Center - Kevin Kehl, Dean
     Academic Resources Services
     Counseling Center
     Interdisciplinary Studies
     Trio McNair Program
     Trio Upward Bound Program
     University Studies
     

Administrative & Support Units

Administrator:  Executive Vice-President - Jean-Noel Thompson

     Disability Services

     Diversity Services

     International Student Services

     Public Safety

     Student Health Services

     Student Life

Administrator:  Vice-President of Finance, CFO - Tammy Hall

     Bookstore

     Building Services

     Finance Department

     Business Office

     Budget/Payroll

     Food Services

     Harding Press

     Human Resources

     Physical Resources

     Post Office

     

 

Current Initiatives

Harding University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. www.hlcommission.org

Phone: 312-263-0456, 800-621-7440

In an attempt to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of assessment reporting, the university implemented a custom-designed software package to the university system. The user-friendly Global Assessment Tracking software, named GATE, allows assessment managers and coordinators to easily enter assessment plans and evaluations as well as print several types of reports. College deans and other administrators can access the plans and summaries of their respective areas of responsibility. Full implementation occurred during the 2011-2012 academic year, with several previous years being added in preparation for the upcoming accreditation review.

Harding’s Quality Initiative Project (pdf) - 2011-2013, which is the first part of the reaffirmation process scheduled for 2015, was based upon the Lumina Degree Qualifications Profile. The 28-page "Degree Quality Profile Report for the Lumina Foundation" is available upon request.

Success Stories

Success Stories in 2013-14

Database & System Administration

In June 2013, multiple hardware failures caused the loss of a large amount of user data (about 8 terabytes) along with our primary data backups, which were all stored in Harding's main data center on the Searcy campus. We were forced to recover the lost data from our remote data backup located in the Oklahoma Christian University data center, a process which took about a week to complete because of the long distance and limitations in internet bandwidth between our two campuses.

This experience prompted us to analyze how we could more quickly restore large amounts of data if a similar data loss were to happen again. As a result of our analysis, we have added a second set of local data backups in a different building on the Searcy campus. Now, if we have a localized failure in either building, any lost data can be quickly restored through the local network from the surviving copy of the backups in the other local building. We would only need to rely on our remote backups at OC in the event of a major disaster that compromises the backups in both of the local buildings.

Jon M. Wrye, Sr.
Manager, Database & System Administration

 

Foreign Languages

At the time our department was challenged by the administration to obtain National Recognition by our SPA, there were only 13 institutions across the US that had been able to achieve this status. Harding grads had always ranked number one in performance on National Exams in both French and Spanish (NTE and Content Praxis) at the state level but those assessments were not sufficient. Therefore during 2008-2009 we began assessing each student orally as a 20% minimum component of each class grade. We created a backward design curriculum for the entire department with what we felt were realistic stair-steps for each level. However, after the first year, assessment data demonstrated that we had set the norms too low for the beginning levels and we were able to adjust accordingly. An Advanced Conversation class and 200-level conversation labs were also added to support oral assessment. Additionally, data from pretests in our Senior Seminar showed critical needs for upper-level students and drove changes to the course content, as well as modifications for content in all upper level courses. Each upper level course must now demonstrate a minimum of a 60/40 split of course content (literary, culture) and proficiency skills (oral, reading, writing, listening, grammar, vocab). Based upon this data and the scores from our nationally administered exams, we designate a focus area for each subsequent year.

This approach to assessment has yielded dramatic results without weakening the quantity of any course content. As an example, results on the pretest in the Spanish Senior Seminar have jumped from an overall class entry performance in 2009 of 60% in skill-based tasks to an average of 77.9% in Spring of 2014. Furthermore, during the 2014-15 academic year, the department is targeting improvement of listening comprehension levels due to data from the 2014 senior exit exams in French and Spanish. With regard to the oral assessment protocol that was implemented in 2008-2009, assessment results within the first two years demonstrated a 25% improvement in performance level with an average of 95% of our 201 students performing at the 80% level and above. Over the last two years, oral interview levels have reached multiple AM recipients in both French and Spanish as compared to IM in 2009 (a difference of four steps upward). These approaches to assessment have transformed our department at all levels, encompassing faculty and students.  We truly are a multi-cultural department...with one of those cultures being assessment.

Ava Conley,
Chair, Foreign Languages

 

Carr College of Nursing

National nursing accreditation standards and state boards of nursing require that nursing program graduates pass the nursing national licensing exam, NCLEX -RN®,on the first attempt. The national accreditation organization of the Carr College of Nursing requires that the percentage of graduates passing the licensing exam to be equal to or exceed the national licensing percentage. When BSN pass rates fell between 2009 and 2011, faculty initiated comprehensive strategies to increase the passing percentage. Effective fall 2013, all nursing courses required the passing standard of ≥ 75% in order to pass the course with a final letter grade of C or higher. In addition to raising the pass standard, faculty began evaluating and revising exam questions to ensure the cognitive level was application or analysis similar to the national licensing exam. Later in 2013, the faculty formalized item analysis for the exam questions to ensure reliability. The faculty increased the consistency in clinical competency evaluations. Additionally, faculty implemented two NCLEX -RN® review courses in the final semester in the program.   These changes along with the change in the HCCN course grade policy seemed to have an important impact on the NCLEX -RN® pass rate for 2013. The National Council of State Boards of Nursing (NCSBN) published the Total, First Time, US Educated pass rate at 83.04%; the Baccalaureate Degree Program pass rate was 85.18%, and the HCCN graduate pass rate at 91.67%.

The faculty believed the decision to increase the passing standard to be validated within the first year of implementation. The first attempt pass rate percentage for Carr College of Nursing graduates for 2014 is illustrated below.

Carr College of Nursing (HCCN) and US Baccalaureate NCLEX -RN® Pass Rates 2012 to Present

Year

US Baccalaureate First Time Pass Rate/Percentage

HCCN Baccalaureate First Time Pass Rate/Percentage

2012

91.66%

86.36%

2013

85.18%

91.67%

2014

88.74%

93.7%

Susan D. Kehl, Ph.D, RN, CNE,

Dean, Carr College of Nursing

 

Academic Advising  – 2014

The biggest change that has occurred in the Academic Advising office in the 2013-2014 school year is the creation of the UNIV 150 class required for Probation students. This class used to be offered to suspension students for no credit, and because our assessments showed that we had some decent success with that class, we decided to now offer an enhanced version of the class, for credit, before students were even placed on suspension. We hoped that the creation of the UNIV 150 class would eventually reduce the number of students being placed on academic suspension. So far the numbers show that this is true. In Spring 2013, there were 66 students placed on suspension after that semester. After the Spring 2014 semester, the number was even lower with 56 suspensions. Hopefully we’ll continue to see the number of academic suspensions decline even further in the next couple of years thanks to this course and other efforts implemented by the Academic Advising office and the other offices within the Center for Student Success.

Jake Brownfield, Ed.S.

Director, Academic Advising

 

Student Health Services

The goal of Student Health Services at Harding University is to encourage total wellness for the students that seek our services. The clinic provides primary care within the scope of practice of Registered Nurses. The condition and needs of each student are assessed and addressed. They are either treated with over the counter medications and taught self-care pertinent to their situation, or given a referral to the appropriate professional health care provider, doctor, dentist, or counselor. Student Health also is charged with the responsibility of giving and entering excuses into Pipeline for any medical absences.

In the fall of 2011, Harding instituted an Excuse Policy. It limited each student to seven excuses that were not accompanied by a doctor’s note per semester. Once the student had five excuses, an email was sent by the director of the clinic informing them of their absence status and encouraging them to closely monitor their attendance. In an effort to assess the effects of this policy, data has been kept each semester of the number of patient visits, the number of cautionary emails sent, and the number of students who accumulated the maximum number of excuses, despite the emails. The following is a brief summary of that data: Fall 2011, 6546 visits, 29 emails sent, and 6 students reaching or exceeding the limit of 7 excuses; Spring 2012, 6781 visits, 42 emails, and 15 students reaching the maximum limit; Fall 2012, 6902 visits, 45 emails, and 9 students reaching the limit; Spring 2013, 6601 visits, 69 emails, and 12 students reaching the limit; Fall 2013, 6892 visits, 52 emails, and 6 students reaching the excuse limit, Spring 2014, 6495 visits, 42 emails, and 10 students reaching the maximum limit of excuses per semester. These numbers indicate that this concern for and attention to the student’s absence history has a positive effect on their attendance which correlates with their academic success.

Lynn McCarty B.S.N,

Director, Student Health Services

 

Academic Advising

In the last three years I have given an advising survey to all undergraduate students to assess the quality of advising across campus. The number of survey participants was surprisingly consistent and higher than expected, and the results are helpful. The good news is that we have seen a 3% increase in advising satisfaction over the last three years. While this increase is good, there is still much room for improvement. An advising committee will be formed this year which will be more like a task force to improve advising across campus. The committee will create a new mission for advising, create more goals and objectives for advising on campus, come up with new ways to communicate, assist, and encourage the faculty advisors, and even create a new way of assessment to measure these new goals and actions. Because the percentage of advising satisfaction is almost the same as our retention rate, we suspect that an increase in advising satisfaction will also show an increase in retention. Future assessments will need to verify.

Another area that the surveys showed needs improvement is faculty advisors contacting students to invite them to advising sessions. The first survey’s results in this area were disappointing and somewhat concerning. Fortunately there was a 9% increase in this area 2 years later, so it is encouraging that there was some improvement. Interestingly enough, students self-reported in the comments section that they would like for their advisor to invite them in for advising sessions. Thanks to these survey assessments, we know that more of an effort needs to be made by faculty advisors to invite their students in for advising sessions. Future assessments will show whether or not this will increase advising satisfaction, which in theory could increase our retention rates.    

Jake Brownfield, Ed.S.

Director, Academic Advising

 

Past Success Stories

Department of Art and Design, John E. Keller 2007-08

Early in our Assessment process, we noticed how poorly our students were doing in our Senior Knowledge Base Survey. The Survey covers content of the four classes that all of our majors have in common: Art 231 (Prehistory through the Middle Ages), Art 232 (Renaissance through Modern), Art 200 (Two-Dimensional Design), and Art 260 (Color Theory).

Our concerns over their working knowledge of major historical artists and art periods was suspect before we began giving the Knowledge Base Survey. The Survey has put an exclamation point on the problem. Early on, in our current Assessment protocol, we implemented two, three-hours Art History survey courses, to replace the two-hour Art Appreciation course for all of our Art, Interior Design, Art Education, Graphic Design and Art Therapy majors.

We have seen an increase in their retained knowledge. However, we still have a concern, as reflected in the Senior Knowledge Base Survey, over what they remember about major historical artists and art periods, as they leave Harding. We are currently discussing ways of strengthening their knowledge. The means we are currently exploring is the inclusion of more historical information in all of our studio classes. The difficulty will be orchestrating it in a methodical, comprehensive manner.

 

Success Stories in 2003-04

College of Education

In 2003 the questionnaires used to survey Harding Teacher Education Program Alumni and their supervisors were revised. A question was added to determine respondents' perceptions of the adequacy of Harding's program in training teachers to use instructional technology. Although 78% of the alumni and 81% of the supervisors agreed that Harding's program adequately prepared beginning teachers to use instructional technology, this was the only question on which the rate of agreement fell below 90%. Two faculty members requested a faculty development grant to investigate the technology competency of the students of students who had recently completed their first education course that included training in use of instructional technology. The grant was matched by funds from an instructional technology assessment corporation. The students were able to participate, at no cost to them , in an online assessment for IC3 Internet and Computing Core Certification.

Success Stories in 2002-03

Postal Services Department, Tobey Nichels

  • Based on review of daily records, trends of heavy mail volume were noted which enabled us to reschedule staff and student employees for added coverage. Resulted in: Overall workload of Cam pus Mail Employees was less stressful while improving customer service.
  • Assessment process gave real hands on evidence of our client satisfaction. If a client is dissatisfied, they may be vocal and memorable. The many positive comments and kind gestures by other clients are often forgotten. As a result of the survey evaluations: There is improved morale and renewed energy by the staff.
  • By proactively pursuing the postage discounts available for volume mailers, the Mailing Center has been able to reduce the cost per piece of mail processed by 8.25%.

Career Center, Rebecca Teague

A point of contact survey yielded the following results based on a 5 point scale:

  • Overall satisfaction: 4.5
  • Friendliness of Career Center Staff: 4.8
  • On Campus Interviews: 4.5

Due to the changes in employment and the economic situation, more opportunities for students to find employment were sought. In addition to the Business, Industry, and Government Fair, Graduate School Fair, Teacher Job Fair, Nursing Career Fair, Opportunity Day and on campus interviews, the Career Center added an e-Fair, using Monster TRAK. It is a free service to students and is useful for:

  • Locating Internships
  • Promoting opportunities to specific audiences such as liberal arts
  • Targeting geographic regions
  • Forming consortiums with other schools to share jobs and internships thereby further increasing contacts for students

Department of Student Services, Dr. Dee Carson

  • The subscore on the criteria, the dorms enhance your ability to study effectively, was less than desired by the staff. As a result, the student leadership, the Resident Assistants, and Resident Life Coordinators have implemented new strategies to make the dorms a better environment for study purposes.
  • Student Orientation programs were also areas of concern. On the senior exit questionnaire, one of the questions for response was about if being introduced to Harding through an Orientation program, Summer Experience or Student Impact, was of benefit to my success in college. Even though the 3.4 rating was satisfactory, we are really working to reorganize the orientation programs in order to better benefit the new students.

Specifically: Butch Gardner has now assumed the new position of First Year Experience Director and is working with a student/parent/faculty advisory committee to ensure the best possible program.

Timeline for Assessment

In September of each year, assessment reports for the past cycle and plans for the new cycle are due.

An Exemption Form must be completed and turned in to the Office of Testing & Outcomes Assessment Office and approved by the Provost Office, if this deadline cannot be met.

GATE location: In Pipeline - Academics

Exemption Request Form (pdf)

 

Teacher Evaluations

At Harding University we value our student's feedback and continually strive for excellence in teaching and communicating with our students. For this reason, we ask our students to complete evaluations for their courses. These evaluations are a simple online process that takes a small amount of time. The information gathered from these evaluations is reviewed and analyzed by deans and department chairs to insure that students are receiving the best possible educational experience.  The instructors also have a opportunity to review comments made by students to improve communication. All comments left by students are strictly confidential. We ask for honest, constructive feedback. The teacher evaluation process is of great value to the experience at Harding University!

Classes are usually evaluated in the last week of the class, before finals begin. The only exceptions are classes with less than 4 students, labs, and classes with guest lectures. Every year the department heads review each teacher evaluation to look for any problems that may have arisen. Teachers are not allowed access to their evaluations until student grades have been released. All comments and ratings remain anonymous, so that students are protected from any unfair treatment.

As a note of appreciation to participants, students who complete all of their evaluations are given the opportunity to register one day early for classes in the following semester.

Teacher Evaluations are administered through the Testing Office
501-279-4415
testing@harding.edu

 

 

University Learning Outcomes (ULOs) - 2017-2022

The mission of Harding University is to provide a quality education that will lead to an understanding and philosophy of life consistent with Christian ideals.  As stated in its mission documents, Harding University is a private Christian institution of higher education committed to the tradition of the liberal arts and sciences.  As a liberal arts university, the faculty of Harding University believe that the knowledge, skills, and perspectives gained through a study of the liberal arts is a key component to success in all of our programs and in any profession.

The following outcomes represent the wide variety of skills and perspectives in the study of the liberal arts.  The outcomes are introduced and assessed initially through the structured liberal arts program and all majors programs continue to develop the outcomes as appropriate to their discipline.

Title

University Learning Outcome

Biblical Knowledge and Application

ULO 1: Students will demonstrate understanding of biblical content and interpretation and their applications in ethical decision-making.

Communication

ULO 2: Students will demonstrate effective communication (e.g. written, non-written, spoken).

Critical Thinking

ULO 3: Students will examine issues, ideas, artifacts, and/or events in order to formulate or assess an opinion or conclusion.

Global Citizenship

ULO 4: Students will exhibit cultural knowledge, communicative and interpersonal skills, and other-centered dispositions necessary for responsible interaction with cultures different from their own.

Historical Perspective

ULO 5: Students will demonstrate a broad perspective on the context of the past and the development of ideas that enables them to understand and evaluate current issues.

Creative Perspective

ULO 6: Students will appreciate and produce work characterized by originality, imagination, or elegance in design or construction.

Scientific Perspective

ULO 7: Students will identify and apply the principles and processes of scientific reasoning.

Wellness Perspective

ULO 8: Students will exhibit knowledge and skills that lead to high-level personal wellness (e.g. spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, social).

Mission

The mission of the Harding UAC is to promote a cohesive, structured, dynamic assessment program consistent with the mission of the University, the criteria of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), and programmatic accreditation associations.

Purpose of the UAC

  1. To develop and sustain logistics for effective, efficient assessment.
  2. To maintain quality assurance in assessment throughout the University.
  3. To recommend assessment policies.
  4. To promote a culture of assessment among all constituencies.
  5. To ensure that the process of assessment results in improvement of student learning through a well defined feedback loop that links to and informs mission, programs, data collection and analysis, strategic planning and budgeting.


University Assessment Statement

Harding University, since its charter in 1924, has been strongly committed to providing the best resources and environment for the teaching-learning process. The board, administration, faculty, and staff are wholeheartedly committed to full compliance with all criteria of HLC. The university values continuous, rigorous assessment at every level for its potential to improve student learning and achievement and for its centrality in fulfilling the stated mission of Harding. Thus, a comprehensive assessment program has been developed that includes both the Academic units and the Administrative and Educational Support (AES) units. Specifically, all academic units will be assessed in reference to the following Expanded Statement of Institutional Purpose: The University provides programs that enable students to acquire essential knowledge, skills, and dispositions in their academic disciplines for successful careers, advanced studies, and servant leadership.

Assessment Terminology

AES Units: Administrative and educational support units.

Academic Units: Units that offer degrees.

“Closing the Loop”: A critical component of the assessment cycle by which the results are connected to strategic planning. Also known as “using the results to improve.”

ESIPs: Expanded statement of institutional purposes derived from the mission statement.

HLC-NCA: The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

Institutional Effectiveness: The extent to which the University achieves its mission and goals.

Outcomes Assessment: The systematic process by which faculty and staff identify the appropriate outcomes for specific programs, determine the extent to which those outcomes are achieved, and use the results to make changes that will improve learning and services. Outcomes assessment supports informed decision-making, self-improvement, and accountability. 

Unit Assessment Plan: The three components are:

1. Intended Outcomes: Seeks to answer the question, “What are we trying to do?”

a. Academic Units: The knowledge, skills, and dispositions that students will demonstrate upon completion of a degree program.
b. AES Units: What the unit intends to accomplish.

2. Means of Assessment: How will the outcome be measured? Seeks to answer the question, “How well are we doing?”
3. Criteria for Success: Expresses in specific, measurable terms what is the acceptable performance of a specific program or unit.

Unit Assessment Report: An annual report of the actual results obtained, the identified areas for improvement, and the specific changes that will be made for continuous improvement.

History

The UAC was formed by Dr. Dean Priest and held its first meeting September 19, 2001. Dr. Beth Wilson and Dr. George Oliver were chairpersons from the inception of the committee until 2005-06. Charter members of the committee included: faculty/staff members Deb Bashaw, Nicky Boyd, David Code, Steve McLeod, Jack Shock, Marty Spears, Sheila Sullivan, Linda Thornton and Flavil Yeakley, and student members Rachel Campbell and Aaron Henderson.

During the fall 2001 semester, all Academic Units and Administrative and Educational Support Units prepared 3-column assessment plans following the Nichols model. This was done under the direction and involvement of the UAC and with the encouragement and support of the University’s top academic administrators. The UAC reviewed each unit’s assessment plan, made suggestions for improvement and returned them for revision. All units had approved assessment plans filed and in place by January, 2002.

Dr. Cecilia Lopez visited Harding University in the spring of 2003 as a consultant in preparation for the HLC site visit in the fall of 2004.

Dee Bost, Allen Figley, Gail Fry and Ken Turley joined the committee in the fall of 2003.

In November of 2004 the self study report for Harding University was approved by the, then known as, Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. During that visit one noted strength was our assessment tools, materials, and documentation. The UAC will strive to build on this accomplishment in the coming years. The next onsite visit by the HLC is in the Spring of 2015.

Dr. Long appointed Dr. Sheila Sullivan to serve as the new chairperson in 2006-07. New committee members included Monte Cox, Mark Davis, Allen Henderson, Donny Lee, Kristin Prince and Forrest Smith.

Since its inception, the UAC has represented a wide variety of University stakeholders and departments, as reflected by it's past members (pdf)

For a list of members as of the current academic year, please see The Committee drop-down above. 

Contact Us

Provost Office

501-279-4335

provost@harding.edu

Location: Administration room 101

Mailing address:
Harding University
Provost Office
HU 10773
Searcy, AR 72149-5615