Planning and Assessment

Planning and assessment are the terms used to identify college-wide planning and assessment processes. College-wide planning results in the annual strategic plan and the annual department reports, both teaching and non-teaching departments. College-wide institutional assessment results in the annual completion report, which is submitted to CUNY. The department reports include both planning and assessment components.

Strategic Planning

The strategic planning process, which is a college-wide effort, produces two kinds of documents: the annual strategic plan or "goals and targets" and the annual "goals and targets report" or completion report. Strategic planning at the college is a process that produces an annual strategic plan based on the strategic priorities of the college and an annual completion report that demonstrates the degree to which the institution has met its goals and objectives for the year.

The process is informed by the input from academic departments, college divisions, HEO and student feedback, and year-long consultation with the College Advisory Planning Committee (CAPC), which comprises the senior leadership of the college, the faculty, and the students.

Department Reports

Both teaching and non-teaching departments complete annual reports that include the year's accomplishments, assessment results and findings, and planning for the following year.

Key Documents

Consultative Groups


Assessment of Student Learning

Assessment of student learning outcomes is conducted on three levels—general education, program, and course. Though assessment at these three levels combines direct and indirect evidence of student learning, the primary means of assessing student learning is through the evaluation by faculty of student artifacts.

General Education

General education outcomes assessment is based on the four general education outcomes of the college. Faculty submit student artifacts from a wide variety of courses, the artifacts are collected and organized by general education outcome, and faculty score the artifacts according to rubrics developed by faculty. Results are discussed by the General Education Task Force, and findings and recommendations are articulated in the task force's annual report, which is submitted to the Academic Senate. Faculty who submit artifacts also receive individualized reports on their students' outcomes.

Program

All academic programs undergo a program review on a roughly five-year cycle. The review is completed by a faculty member or team, the latter especially when the program is co-sponsored by multiple departments. Student data and demographics are provided to the faculty team by Institutional Research. The team completes a report following guidelines and template provided to them. When the report is completed, arrangements are made for an external reviewer to read the report, visit the campus, and provide a separate report on the program based on review of the team's report and the site visit. Following the site visit, the faculty team and department chairs meet with the president and provost and discuss next steps. The faculty team then produces an action plan, which is operationalized by the administrative response from the provost. Subsequent reporting on the action plan items appears in the department's annual report.

Course

Courses are assessed by the faculty of the department that sponsors the courses. Course assessment takes into account course-level outcomes and the corresponding program-level outcomes that the courses support. Emphasis is placed on direct assessment of student learning: artifacts of student work evaluated and scored by faculty across sections of the course, followed by analysis and discussion of possible recommendations for improving student learning as appropriate. The college provides support to faculty in this effort through the Assessment Institute, offered once in the fall and once in the spring, and a course assessment form that summarizes information in a useful and practical way.

Consultative Groups


Campus Cultural Centers

Kupferberg Holocaust Center exterior lit up at nightOpens in a new window
Kupferberg Holocaust Center Opens in a new window

The KHC uses the lessons of the Holocaust to educate current and future generations about the ramifications of unbridled prejudice, racism and stereotyping.

Russian Ballet performing at the Queensborough Performing Arts CenterOpens in a new window
QPAC: Performing Arts CenterOpens in a new window

QPAC is an invaluable entertainment company in this region with a growing national reputation. The arts at QPAC continues to play a vital role in transforming lives and building stronger communities.

Queensborough Art Gallery exterior in the afternoonOpens in a new window
QCC Art Gallery

The QCC Art Gallery of the City University of New York is a vital educational and cultural resource for Queensborough Community College, the Borough of Queens and the surrounding communities.