August 2020 OPA Blog

Preparing Follow-Ups For Your 2019-2020 Assessment Report

As you start thinking about your upcoming assessment report, due October 1, 2020, our office wants to provide some helpful information with regard to follow-up statements. Over the course of the Summer 2020 terms, we've received some feedback about the confusing nature of a follow-up statement.

So, you might ask, what is a follow-up statement? A follow-up statement is a brief response to an action for improvement. Specifically, for this year's assessment report, you will provide a response to an 18-19 action for improvement. A follow-up statement is a short, anecdotal reaction to whether your action for improvement was:

• Effective
• Failed
• Inconclusive
• Need more time to evaluate
• Faculty decided to take a different approach

Remember, your follow-up statement is anecdotal.It should tell a story about what you tried to do to improve student learning within your degree program. It's not a promise of what you're going to do; rather, it's a reflection of what you tried to do and the description of that effort.

Our office has received some common questions regarding follow-ups, and here is a short FAQ for your reference:

• Does every action for improvement require a follow-up?
• No
• Can I use a "blanket statement" for all of my follow-up statements?
• We prefer that every follow-up statement is unique to the action for improvement.
• Why is OPA taking such a hard stance on follow-ups?
• Documenting follow-up statements are the final steps in the assessment process, so it makes sense that each degree program would want to complete the assessment process. Follow-ups truly "close the loop."
• Why does OPA care so much about follow-ups?
• Our office is working to ensure that every degree program's assessment report is in tip top shape, especially as we prepare a case for compliance with the university's SACSCOC Fifth Year Interim Report (due March 15, 2021).

As you consider your follow-up statements, feel free to reach out to our office. We're always happy to review your assessment report and provide feedback. We're in this together, and we want to make this report not just something to check off your busy list, but a worthwhile and meaningful report to you and your faculty.