Mission

American University’s assessment of student learning has been led by a faculty committee on student learning assessment for over twenty years. Today, the Senate Committee on Learning Assessment (COLA) includes members from each school/college as well as a representative from the Core program. The mission of the committee is as follows:

• To focus on understanding and improving student learning. Assessment is the tool that can enable a department to determine whether it is meeting its goals in student learning, but it is not the 'end' - it is a means to an end.
• To support and facilitate assessment activities that can best improve student learning.
• To facilitate the development of learning objectives across campus and to facilitate knowledge about these objectives.
• To foster the collection and dissemination of assessment information.
• To support, foster and document the appropriate use of assessment information for program improvement and promotion.

About COLA

In AY2023-2024, COLA is chaired by Paula Weissman of the School of Communication and co-chaired by Tracey Specia.

Each year, the committee discusses assessment processes and procedures and solicits annual reports from academic programs. Committee members provide feedback on reports and meets with units to provide support in their assessment efforts. The committee also hosts a “Celebration of Assessment” event to share best practices and to thank faculty for the work done on assessment. To learn more about the committee, please email AUlearning@american.edu.

Details can also be found on the Faculty Senate website.