SLOA Handbook
Review the College assessment cycle, committee processes, course outcomes, curriculum maps, plans, and reports.
Open the SLOA HandbookStudent Learning Outcomes Assessment (SLOA)
Academic assessment and continuous improvement
Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Committee
The SLOA Committee supports meaningful assessment of student learning across Yavapai College. The committee reviews assessment policies and procedures, curriculum mapping, assessment plans and reports, program-review rubrics, Assessment Day, and faculty professional development.
Committee co-sponsors
Dr. Doug Berry, Provost
Dr. Marylou Mercado, Vice President of Workforce Development and Health Sciences
Start with the assessment tools
Faculty and program leaders can use these core documents to plan, document, and report student learning assessment.
Curriculum Map
Align course-level outcomes with program, department, and institutional learning outcomes.
Download the curriculum map templateThree-Year Plan
Identify outcomes, assessment methods, benchmarks, courses, and responsible faculty for the assessment cycle.
Download the assessment plan templateAnnual Report
Record student results, identify strengths and weaknesses, and document actions for improvement.
Download the annual report template| Date | Agenda or status | Minutes |
|---|---|---|
| August 22, 2025 | Agenda | Minutes |
| September 12, 2025 | Agenda | Minutes |
| September 26, 2025 | Assessment Day | No minutes available— |
| October 10, 2025 | Cancelled | No minutes available— |
| November 14, 2025 | Agenda | Minutes |
| December 12, 2025 | Agenda | Minutes |
| January 16, 2026 | Agenda | Minutes |
| February 13, 2026 | Agenda | Minutes |
| March 13, 2026 | Cancelled | No minutes available— |
| April 10, 2026 | Agenda | Minutes |
| May 8, 2026 | Agenda | Minutes not currently available— |
Academic student learning assessment follows a repeating three-year cycle. Each program or department maps its curriculum, creates an assessment plan, and completes annual assessment reports.
Detailed guidance on the committee, assessment cycle, course outcomes, and curriculum mapping is available in the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook .
Program and department assessment cycle
Update the curriculum map
Align course-level learning outcomes with program or department outcomes and applicable institutional learning outcomes.
Create the three-year plan
Identify the outcomes, courses, assessment methods, scoring methods, benchmarks, and responsible faculty or staff.
Complete annual reports
Record student performance, evaluate strengths and weaknesses, and identify next steps and actions for improvement.
Curriculum Map Template Aligns course-level outcomes with program, department, and institutional learning outcomes.
Three-Year Assessment Plan Template Documents the outcomes, methodology, scoring approach, benchmarks, courses, and participants.
Annual Assessment Report Template Records results, strengths, weaknesses, next steps, and actions for improvement.
What the three-year plan includes
- Program-level learning outcomes: Faculty identify the outcomes to be measured. All program-level outcomes should be assessed during the three-year cycle.
- Institutional learning outcomes or General Education competencies: Programs identify applicable institutional outcomes or General Education competencies. Certificate-only programs are not required to assess institutional outcomes.
- Course-level learning outcomes: Faculty align courses and course outcomes with program outcomes, assessment methods, scoring methods, benchmarks, and participating faculty or staff.
General Education assessment
General Education assessment follows a three-year cycle covering five competencies:
- Written Communication
- Quantitative Literacy
- Scientific Literacy
- Diversity Awareness
- Critical Thinking
Faculty identify courses aligned with each competency, submit student work products, and score those products using faculty-developed rubrics.
General Education assessment results
Cocurricular assessment
Review the process and supporting information for assessing learning that occurs through cocurricular programs and student experiences.
Each year, the committee reviews completed assessment reports, curriculum maps, and three-year assessment plans using established rubrics. The resulting summaries show trends and opportunities for improvement.
2023–24 assessment summaries
2022–23 assessment summaries
2021–22 assessment summaries
SLOA Committee Chair end-of-year reports
Assessment leadership end-of-year reports
SLOA Committee Charter Review the committee’s purpose, membership structure, and responsibilities.
Voting members
- Dr. Bambi Pish-Derr Chair and Academic Division 2 faculty representative
- Bob Moon Academic Division 1 representative, AUT
- Megan VanDermeer Academic Division 2 representative, NSG
- Vacant Academic Division 3 representative
- Jennifer Jacobson Academic Division 4 representative, SOC
- Aderemi Adedokun Academic Division 5 representative, BUS
- Eric Hall Academic Division 5 representative, BUS
- Sean Holmes Academic Division 5 representative, CNT
- Jennifer Riley Academic Division 5 representative, CNT
- Vacant Adjunct faculty representative
- Stacey Hilton Dean of Instructional Support
- Kim Howell Curriculum and Assessment Specialist
- Cal Peterson Student Development
- Kelley Maerz Student, CHP representative
Non-voting members
- Dr. Douglas Berry Executive Leadership Team representative
- Dr. Marylou Mercado Executive Leadership Team representative
- Sarah Southwick Curriculum and Assessment Manager
- Shelly Gilliam Student Support, Library
Yavapai College resources
- Academic Program Review
- Curriculum Committee
- General Education Assessment
- School Canvas shells, available in Canvas
- SLOA Handbook
Guiding practices and publications
- Nine Principles of Good Practice for Assessing Student Learning
- James Madison University Assessment Skills Framework
- Barkley, E. F., and Major, C. H. (2016). Learning Assessment Techniques: A Handbook for College Faculty. Jossey-Bass.
- Fulcher, K. H., Good, M. R., Coleman, C. M., and Smith, K. L. (2014). A Simple Model for Learning Improvement: Weigh Pig, Feed Pig, Weigh Pig.
- Fulcher, K. H., and Prendergast, C. O. (2021). Improving Student Learning at Scale: A How-to Guide for Higher Education. Stylus Publishing.
- Maki, P. (2017). Real-Time Student Assessment. Stylus Publishing.
- Souza, J. M., and Rose, T. A. (2021). Exemplars of Assessment in Higher Education. Stylus Publishing.
- Suskie, L. A., and Ikenberry, S. O. (2015). Five Dimensions of Quality. Jossey-Bass.
- Suskie, L. (2009). Assessing Student Learning: A Common Sense Guide. Jossey-Bass.
- Walvoord, B. E. F. (2010). Assessment Clear and Simple. Jossey-Bass.
Assessment support
Sarah SouthwickCurriculum and Assessment Manager
(928) 776-2015
Sarah.Southwick@yc.edu