Outcomes Assessment Plan

I. Developing the Plan

This Outcomes Assessment Plan was developed under the direction of Department Chair Richard Crutcher by the Department Executive Committee (Professor Icko Iben, Jr., Professor Lewis Snyder, and Professor Michael Norman), with input from the entire faculty.

II. Learning Outcomes

The Astronomy Department has the following expectations and goals for the graduates from our undergraduate programs:

A. A thorough knowledge of the basic principles of astronomy, including cosmology, galaxies and galactic structure, the interstellar medium, star formation, stellar structure and evolution, observational and computational techniques.

B. A thorough knowledge of the essential cognitive areas of mathematics and physics.

C. The ability to read, evaluate and interpret numerical, astronomical, astrophysical and general scientific information.

D. The ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

E. The ability to plan observational programs, use astronomical telescopes and instrumentation, and to process astronomical observational data.

F. The opportunity to pursue an individualized research experience as an undergraduate.

G. The expectation that students will be broadly educated in areas outside of science.

H. The opportunity to acquire the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the workplace or in professional school after graduation.

For graduate students, all of the above undergraduate expectations and goals apply (at a higher level of expectation), with the following addition:

I. The ability to conceive, plan, carry out, and publish original and significant research in an area of astronomy and astrophysics.

III. Obtaining the Data

The Astronomy Department at UIUC plans to evaluate the success of the outcomes it has set forth for its graduates in the following ways:

A. Using existing survey instruments:

1. ICES Evaluations (goals A-E)

2. Chancellor’s Senior Survey on the Undergraduate Experience (goals A-H)

B. Conducting on-going interviews of majors throughout their undergraduate careers and after graduation (goals A-H). The Astronomy Department is relatively small, with a ratio of undergraduate majors to faculty of less than five. This permits a much more personal method of helping our majors achieve our goals for the major and of assessing our success. Each entering class is assigned to a single faculty member as advisor; this same person remains each student’s advisor throughout his/her undergraduate career. The Astronomy Department requires that each major meet with his/her advisor during the registration period for the next semester’s classes (enforced by placing a hold on each student’s on-line registration that can only be lifted by the advisor). During these twice yearly meetings, faculty come to know each student personally and to learn how each student is progressing in meeting our Department’s goals for a quality undergraduate education. Faculty encourage students to keep in touch after graduation and to inform us of their progress in their immediate career or in their further (graduate) education and eventually in their career. Because of our Department’s having a small student/faculty ratio, we feel that our more personal approach to assessment (compared with formal surveys) is a tremendous advantage in assessing the effectiveness of our program.

IV. Using the Results

In the past the Astronomy Department has not required a formal report from advisors. We will require a formal report each semester from each advisor, addressed to the Department Chair. The Chair will produce an annual report incorporating the results from these reports and from the survey instruments for review by the Department. As appropriate, this annual report will include action items for addressing any deficiencies that may be uncovered.

V. Timetable

Advisor reporting requirements (item IV) will be implemented the 1999-2000 academic year. The remainder of the assessment plan is already in place.

No financial support has been requested or is required.