Guidelines for Proposing Assessment Project Funding

Funding of proposals will be ongoing; proposals will be reviewed as they are received. Submit finished proposals electronically to assessment@unomaha.edu. All proposals for funding of assessment projects must provide the following information:

  1. The department, program, school, and/or college for which the assessment data is being collected.
  2. The name and title of person directing the assessment project.
  3. The student learning outcome(s) to be assessed. Please note whether the SLOs being assessed are for the major(s), general education, or both. If both, please explain in detail.
  4. An explanation of how the assessment results will help the department, program, school or college contribute to achievement of one or more of the basic tenets of the UNO Strategic Plan:
    • place students at the center of the educational enterprise;
    • be recognized for research/scholarship, creative expression and artistic performance designed to meet the needs of the broader community;
    • provide dynamic leadership to our constituents;
    • expand the educational achievements, intellectual aspirations and horizons of the learners we serve in the city, state, nation and the global community;
    • be a place of pride, attachment and participation for students, faculty, staff and the community;
    • create programs where learning can occur regardless of distance or time;
    • reflect the dynamic and culturally rich nature of the metropolitan area;
    • be of the metropolitan community, not simply in it.

    Visit UNO’s Strategic Planning website for more information.

  5. Identify one or more of the nine AQIP categories the assessment results will address:
    • Understanding Students’ and Other Stakeholders’ Needs
    • Valuing People
    • Leading and Communicating
    • Supporting Institutional Operations
    • Planning Continuous Improvement
    • Building Collaborative Relationships
    • Helping Students Learn
    • Accomplishing Other Distinctive Objectives
    • Measuring Effectiveness

    Visit the AQIP website for more information on AQIP principles and categories.

  6. The student artifacts/work products, assessment methods, and procedures to be used for assessment. Specify the following:
    • Number of persons involved in the assessment (names, if possible).
    • Description of procedures and timeline (begin/end dates for overall assessment; begin/end dates for individual steps).
    • Methods (quantitative or qualitative) used for calculating/ensuring validity and reliability of data.
  7. A description of how informed consent will be obtained from students, if appropriate. Assessment for the internal improvement of student learning does not require informed consent. However, in the interests of good practice and transparency, it is generally a good idea to obtain informed consent from students, when their work products will be used for assessment purposes. Well-designed, successful assessments of student learning are of interest to many other scholars and institutions, and that interest is growing. If informed consent and IRB approval is not obtained prior to the collection of student artifacts/work products, presentation or publication of assessment results regionally, nationally, or internationally is not permissible.
  8. An explanation of how the data to be collected will be analyzed and interpreted, as well as how it is expected to be used to improve student learning:
    • When and how will the resulting data be analyzed?
    • Who will use the results, when will they use them, and for what purposes?
    • When and how will both internal and external constituents be informed about the results?
  9. A detailed budget.
  10. If this is a second/subsequent funding proposal: Provide a detailed explanation of the impact of the initial assessment project (i.e., what improvements were made, and how have those improvements contributed to achievement of UNO’s Strategic Plan and the nine AQIP categories?).

    Assistance is Available

    Assistance in preparing an assessment funding proposal is available, either one-on-one or for groups! Just email assessment@unomaha.edu to make an appointment. Assessment resources are available at http://www.unomaha.edu/assessment/

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