FAQ on Institutional Learning Outcomes Project
What are institutional learning outcomes?
Institutional learning outcomes (ILOs) describe the knowledge, skills, and aptitudes an institution expects all of its
graduates to demonstrate, regardless of major or type of degree. They represent our commitment to students about
what they can expect to learn at UNC and serve as a foundation for the curricular and co-curricular experiences we offer.
Does UNC have institutional learning outcomes?
Yes. UNC’s institutional learning outcomes are described in the university’s mission and values statements, which can be
found here: www.unco.edu/pres/mission.html.
If we already have institutional learning outcomes, why are we revising them now?
The current institutional learning outcomes were developed nearly 20 years ago, first appearing in the 1996-1997
Catalog. Minor revisions occurred in 2002-2003, but the current institutional learning outcomes have remained
essentially unchanged since their adoption in the mid-1990s. During our recent HLC self-study, UNC identified revising
and updating the university’s mission and related documents, including the institutional learning outcomes, as an area
for improvement. Several factors contributed to this finding.
1. The current institutional learning outcomes are not widely known or used as a foundation for curricular and cocurricular offerings.
2. Many of the current institutional learning outcomes are not written in measurable terms, making it difficult to
evaluate whether and to what extent students are achieving the goals the university has established.
3. While many of the values expressed in the current institutional learning outcomes are important and enduring
goals for students, significant changes in society require revisiting these learning outcomes to ensure they
reflect current values and describe the knowledge and skills today’s college graduates need to live and work in
the 21st century.
4. Revising our institutional learning outcomes provides an opportunity for the university to communicate our
learning expectations for all students and to clearly describe what it means to hold a degree from the University
of Northern Colorado.
5. To continue meeting the HLC criteria for accreditation, UNC must clearly articulate and regularly assess the
institutional learning outcomes we intend for our students (see Criterion 4.B). As currently written, the
institutional learning outcomes are difficult to assess.
Who is involved in revising the institutional learning outcomes?
Provost Robbyn Wacker charged the University Assessment Council to lead the campus in revising the institutional
learning outcomes. As she stated in her message to the campus, the University Assessment Council is a representative
body responsible for advising the campus on issues related to assessment and making recommendations for
improvements. The Assessment Council modeled the process for revising the institutional learning outcomes on similar
processes used to develop other university-wide documents such as the Community and Civic Engagement Plan and the
Research, Scholarship, and Creative Works Plan.
While the Assessment Council is responsible for leading the project, all members of the campus community will have
multiple opportunities to provide input throughout the process. The Assessment Council will use an iterative process in
which drafts are shared with the campus for feedback through surveys, open forums, and a website until a final
document is adopted.
How was the first draft developed?
Members of the Assessment Council researched and reviewed current institutional documents, national models, and
publications on the purposes and goals of higher education including the following:
•
•
UNC Mission and Values
UNC Strategic Framework and Nine Core Plans
•
•
•
•
LEAP Essential Learning Outcomes
Degree Qualifications Profile
Examples from other colleges and universities
The book, What Is College For? (Lagemann & Lewis, 2012)
The first draft represents a starting point based on common ideas for which there is general consensus among higher
education faculty and professionals across the nation. As UNC faculty, staff, and students provide feedback, we expect
the document to evolve to reflect the values and learning goals deemed most important by the UNC community.
What assumptions were adopted to guide this process?
The Assessment Council adopted a set of assumptions to develop the first draft of institutional learning outcomes that
will also inform subsequent revisions.
UNC’s institutional learning outcomes should
• Reflect UNC’s mission, values, and priorities
• Be broad enough to apply to all curricular and non-curricular programs responsible for advancing student
learning and development
• Be stated in measurable terms
• Be applicable to undergraduate and graduate students where possible
What are the specific ways faculty, staff, and students can provide feedback?
Members of the UNC community will have multiple avenues for providing input and feedback, including the following:
•
•
•
•
Complete a survey
Attend an open forum
Leave comments on the website
Contact a member of the University Assessment Council
What is the project’s timeline?
Spring 2016
• Publish website on
project
• Distribute draft ILOs to
campus
• Collect feedback via
survey
• Analyze survey results
Summer 2016
• Post survey results to
website
• Revise ILOs
• Distribute revised ILOs to
campus
• Conduct open forums
with staff
Fall 2016
• Conduct open forums
with students and faculty
• Analyze feedback from
open forums
• Post results to website
• Revise ILOs and
distribute
Spring 2017
• Collect additional
feedback as needed
• Prepare final version for
adoption
• Secure endorsements
from campus governance
groups
What will happen after the new institutional learning outcomes are adopted?
Phase 1 of this project will result in a revised set of institutional learning outcomes that reflect the shared values of the
UNC community. As noted, our continued accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission requires the university to
regularly assess our institutional learning outcomes. The Assessment Council will continue working with the campus to
develop an assessment plan that will inform faculty, staff, administrators, and students about student performance in
relation to these outcomes and to demonstrate to the HLC that we continue to meet the criteria for accreditation.