Assessment and Evaluation

The Office of New Student and Transition Programs engages in a number of assessment and evaluation methods to measure program effectiveness and learning outcomes.

The Richmond Endeavor

For the 2018 reaffirmation of accreditation process, the University submitted a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for an integrated, first-year living-learning program called The Richmond Endeavor. The Richmond Endeavor was developed over the course of a year through a steering committee, selection committee, and development committee - more than forty faculty, staff, and students serve on those committees.

  • Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) for The Richmond Endeavor (February 2018)
  • QEP Presentation to SACSCOC On-Site Committee (March 2018)

The Richmond Endeavor program measures four learning outcomes:

  • Students will give evidence of their growing understanding of themselves as active, independent agents demonstrating the ability to apply knowledge and skills in solving problems, reflecting thoughtfully on identity, and taking responsibility for the wellbeing of self and others.
  • Students will be able to demonstrate they have cultivated a sense of belonging and meaningful connections within a diverse and inclusive community. Students will demonstrate social self-confidence, signify the development of positive peer relationships, communicate comfortably with faculty members, and become active participants in their residential community and the campus at large.
  • Students will give evidence of positive adjustment to collegiate academics by demonstrating growing academic abilities while managing intellectually demanding activities, and exhibiting coping skills when facing the rigors of college academic work.
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to evaluate their explorations, connections, decisions, actions, omissions, and even perspectives relative to determined ethical dimensions; students will purposefully investigate phenomena with questions of meaning and value.

Sophomore Scholars in Residence

For the 2008 reaffirmation of accreditation process, the University submitted a QEP for a living-learning program designed for sophomores—Sophomore Scholars-in-Residence (SSIR). The University's QEP was approved by SACSCOC and began in 2009-10 (with an initial pilot in 2008-09). In 2014, the University submitted a QEP Impact Report documenting the successful implementation of the program. This report was approved by SACSCOC.

The Sophomore Scholars in Residence program measures six learning outcomes:

  • Students will demonstrate in-depth knowledge and understanding within the themed discipline
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to identify and apply knowledge and techniques to solve problems critically and to create a mode of inquiry
  • Students will demonstrate effective communication skills with faculty, peers, and other professionals
  • Students will demonstrate the capacity for self-reflection and self-awareness that can lead to greater independence and personal self direction
  • Students will demonstrate the ability to interact with peers and engage them in the process of learning as part of a team approach
  • Students will demonstrate respect for others, honesty, a consistently good work ethic, positive attitude, full participation and responsibility in the education process as well as in the living-learning community