Deadline for Applications: October 30, 2009

Award Information

Evidence of student achievement, student learning outcomes, plays an increasingly important role in discussions of higher education accountability, quality and effectiveness. At the same time, developing and using capacity to address student learning outcomes is a complex and significant challenge for colleges and universities, whether pursued at the level of an institution, a program or a major. This award acknowledges outstanding practices in developing and applying evidence of student learning outcomes as part of the ongoing accountability evaluation and improvement of college and university programs of study. Up to four awards will be made each year. Awards will be presented at the CHEA Annual Conference.

Eligibility

Applications may be submitted by CHEA institutional members.

Categories of Award

The application may be institution-wide, focused on a specific program or focused on a major. Each application should contain a designation of the category for which it has been prepared: institution, program or major. Applications will be judged within a specific award category designated.

Award Selection and Criteria

Applications will be reviewed by an Award Committee of individuals from higher education institutions, higher education associations, accrediting organizations and the public. Applications will be judged by the extent to which four award criteria have been met:

• Articulating expected outcomes for an institution, program or major
• Providing evidence of success with regard to outcomes
• Informing the public about expectations and success with regard to outcomes
• Using outcomes for institutional improvement: evidence that attention to outcomes has benefited the institution, program or major

In addition to the four criteria, the committee looks for evidence that outstanding practice related to outcomes (1) is embedded in an institutional culture, (2) makes good use of current technology in the methods and tools to track outcomes, (3) includes extensive use of faculty and strong faculty support, (4) is supported by institutional leadership that is dedicated to the importance of outcomes and (5) involves approaches to outcomes that can be replicated at other institutions.

Application Format

To be considered for an award, an applicant on behalf of an institution, program or major should complete the four sections of this application.

Section 1: Contact information for individual submitting the application
Section 2: Institutional endorsement by the chief executive officer or chief academic officer
Section 3: Application summary (100 words or less)
Section 4: Award criteria (response to each criterion not to exceed two pages)

Applications that do not conform to format and length will not be considered by the award committee.

Examples of Evidence for Award Criteria

Evidence can be the result of quantitative and qualitative approaches to gathering information. It should be relevant to what is being claimed, potentially verifiable through replication or third-party inspection and representative or typical of major, program or institutional performance. Evidence must involve examination of student levels of attainment (individual students or representative samples) and may include:

• Faculty-designed comprehensive or capstone examinations and assignments
• Performance on external or licensure examinations
• Authentic performances or demonstrations
• Portfolios of student work over time
• Samples of representative student work

Self-study reports and student satisfaction surveys do not constitute direct evidence of student learning outcomes.

Definitions of Key Terms

For the purposes of the CHEA Award:

• Student learning outcomes is defined as “the knowledge, skills and abilities that a student has attained at the end (or as a result) of his or her engagement in a particular set of higher education experiences.” This is distinguished from a general student outcome that is the result of attending an institution or program.
• Informing the public is defined as "providing readily available and easily understood data or analysis that informs students and others about the success of a major, program or institution."
• Major is defined as “an institution-designated concentration that culminates in a degree” (e.g., history, philosophy, mathematics).
• Program is defined as “a course of study in a career or professional area that culminates in a degree" (e.g., nursing, journalism, occupational therapy).

Suggested Reference Materials

Council for Higher Education Accreditation (2003). Statement of Mutual Responsibilities for Student Learning Outcomes: Accreditation, Institutions and Programs. Washington, DC: Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). http://www.chea.org/pdf/StmntStudentLearningOutcomes9-03.pdf

Ewell, Peter T. (2001). Accreditation and Student Learning Outcomes: A Proposed Point of Departure. Washington, DC: Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). http://www.chea.org/award/StudentLearningOutcomes2001.pdf

See also The CHEA Chronicle for 2006-2009 at http://www.chea.org/Research/index.asp#chronicle
for summaries of award-winning institutions and programs.

Award Timeline

August 21, 2009	Application released to institutions
October 30, 2009	Due date for application submission
December 8, 2009	Application review completed
December 14, 2009	Award recipient(s) notified
January 27, 2010	Awards presented at CHEA Annual Conference

Submission Methods

Applications may be submitted as email attachments in Microsoft Word or Adobe Acrobat format and sent to riggs@chea.org. Applications may be also submitted via U.S. mail or other delivery service to the following address:

Jan Riggs
Vice President for Administration
Council for Higher Education Accreditation
One Dupont Circle NW, Suite 510
Washington, DC 20036-1135

Due Date

Applications must be received by Friday, October 30, 2009. Acknowledgment of receipt of application will be sent via email to the applicant.

Additional Information

For information about CHEA, please visit www.chea.org. For questions about the CHEA Award, contact Jan Riggs at 202-955-6126 (riggs@chea.org).