Overview

The U.S. Department of Education has called for colleges and universities to engage in a process of continual self-examination and reflection with the goal of improvement. The Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) has elected to use SLOs as an integral part of its accrediting standards. The review criteria most relevant to the Outcomes and Assessment Committee can be found in Standards 1.3 and 2.9. (ACCJC Standards):

1.3. The institution holds itself accountable for achieving its mission and goals and regularly reviews relevant, meaningfully disaggregated data to evaluate its progress and inform plans for continued improvement and innovation. (ER 3, ER 11)
2.9. The institution conducts systematic review and assessment to ensure the quality of its academic, learning support, and student support services programs and implementation improvements and innovations in support of equitable student achievement. (ER 11, ER 14)

ASCCC Resolutions and Faculty Evaluations

The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) has affirmed its opposition to using SLO assessments/results as the basis for evaluation or disciplinary action for faculty members. However, as part of the regular professional duties of faculty, instructors are expected to participate in the SLO process (CTA Contract). See below:

Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges affirm its opposition to including the attainment of student learning outcomes as an aspect of individual faculty evaluations; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges and with other concerned statewide faculty organizations to ensure that accreditation recommendations do not use student learning outcomes in any manner that would undermine either local bargaining authority or the academic freedom of individual faculty members.

The complete ASCCC Resolution 02.01 can be found here: ASCCC Resolution 02.01