Jennifer Hughes, Ph. D.
Managing Director
Office of Planning and Assessment
Email:jennifer.s.hughes@ttu.edu
Jennifer Hughes is Managing Director of the Office of Planning and Assessment (OPA) at Texas Tech University. She earned a Ph.D. in Higher Education Research from Texas Tech University in 2015, a Master of Science in Communication from Illinois State University in 1996, and a Bachelor of Science in Speech from Northwestern University in 1995. Jennifer's dissertation explored faculty compliance in academic assessment practices, specifically studying the ways in which assessment professionals collaborated with faculty members to achieve compliance. Jennifer's philosophy for working alongside faculty is informed by her dissertation research, and she takes a collaborative and supportive approach to accreditation compliance.
Dr. Hughes began her career in the Office of Planning & Assessment as an Analyst in
2008. In 2011, she was promoted to Associate Director, and Managing Director in 2015.
She has significant experience leading and supporting SACSCOC compliance efforts for
the institution. Jennifer has participated in the following TTU compliance reports:
Third Monitoring Report (2008); Good Cause Report (2008); Fifth-Year Interim Report
(2010); Special Report (2010); QEP Impact Report (2010); Compliance Certification
Report (2015); Monitoring Report (2015) and TTUCR Substantive Change Committee Visit
Report (2018). Jennifer has also previously served as a reviewer on an international
SACSCOC Reaffirmation Committee visit. Currently, Dr. Hughes is working on Texas Tech's
2021 Fifth-Year Interim Report.
In May 2019, Dr. Hughes was elected President of the Texas Association for Higher
Education Assessment (TxAHEA). TxAHEA is a Texas-based association that seeks to provide
professional development opportunities for assessment practitioners.
Prior to joining OPA, Dr. Hughes held full-time teaching positions in the Rawls College
of Business and South Plains College. Before moving to Texas, Jennifer worked in the
Colorado Community College and Occupational Education System where she held positions
in institutional research and marketing. On a personal note, Jennifer is married with
three teenagers: Jack (17), Mary Kate (15), and Elizabeth (13). Jennifer enjoys studying
Spanish and Portuguese, Jazzercising, and traveling. Dr. Hughes is on the West Texas
Leadership Board for the American Diabetes Association and she is also the staff advisor
to the Texas Tech chapter of Alpha Phi sorority.
Hometown: Lanark, Illinois

Publications:
- Morton, P. C., Shaulis Hughes, J., & Craig, C. (2015). Issues in the assessment of integrative learning. In P. C. Hughes, J. S. Munoz, & M. Tanner (Eds.), Perspectives in interdisciplinary and integrative studies (pp. 203-215). Lubbock, TX: Texas Tech University Press.
- Pantoya, M., Hughes, P. C., & Hughes, J. S. (2013). A Case Study in Active Learning: Teaching Undergraduate Research in an Engineering Classroom Setting. Engineering Education, 8(2), 54-64.
- Hughes, J. S. (March/April, 1997). Surveys: Keep the end in mind. Dynamic Graphics Magazine, 2(2), 22-24.
Conference Presentations:
-
Hughes, J. (2018). TxAHEA, Assessment, and Distance Learning. Presentation at the July 2018 meeting of the Texas Distance Learning Association. (Online).
- Escobar, E., Spradlin, L., & Hughes, J. (2018). Assessment Techniques for Non-Academic Users. Panel presentation at the Nuventive Users Group Conference, Pittsburgh, PA. (Moderator).
- Hughes, J. (2018). Creating Connections Between Marketable Skills and NILOA's Transparency Framework. Accepted presentation at the LEAP Texas Conference, Houston, TX.
- Hughes, J., James, D., & Austin, K. (2017). Establishing an Institutional Effectiveness Framework: Our Institutional Course Correction. Accepted presentation at the 2017 SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX.
- Hughes, J., & Morton, C.P. (2017). Preparing a Monitoring Report on CS 3.3.1.1. Leadership of group discussion at the 2017 SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX.
- Hughes, J. (2016). Communicating with Faculty Members to Achieve Assessment Compliance. Accepted presentation at the 2016 SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Morton, C. & Hughes, J. (2016). A Practical Guide for Closing the Loop with Student Learning Outcome Assessment. Accepted presentation at the 2016 SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA.
- Hughes, J., & Louder, J. (2016). Assessing Distance Learning in Higher Education: Ideas for Programmatic Assessment for Accreditation Compliance. Cisco College Core Curriculum Conference (C5), Abilene, TX May 2016.
- Hughes, J. (2016). Assessing Student Success & Retention. Presentation at the 2016 Regional Symposium for Student Success & Retention, Lubbock, TX March 2016.
- Hughes, J., Louder, J., & Morton, C. (2015). Assessing Distance Learners at Texas Tech. Presentation at the West Texas Assessment Conference, San Angelo, TX October 2015.
- Austin, K., & Hughes, J. (2015). Institutional Effectiveness Data and Decision Making. Presentation at the West Texas Assessment Conference, San Angelo, TX October 2015.
- Hughes, J. & Parsoneault, C. (2014). Preparing Your Institution's Operating Policies and Procedures for Reaffirmation Efforts. Presentation at the SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Atlanta, GA December 2014.
- Hughes, J. (2013). Common Assessment Methods in the Health Sciences. Presentation at the Texas Tech School of Allied Health's Professional Development Meeting, Lubbock, TX March 2013.
- Hughes, J., Morton, C., & Sattler, S. (2012).The Culture of Assessment: Welcome to the Magic Kingdom! Presentation at SAIR Annual Conference, Orlando, FL September 2012.
- Morelock, C., & Hughes, J. (2012). Faculty Burnout and Academic Assessment. Presentation at SACSCOC Annual Meeting, Dallas, TX, December 2012.
- Hughes, J. (2012). TTU Assessment Update. Presentation to Tech Assessment Network (TAN), March 2012.
- Hughes, J., Louder, J., Morton, C., Paton, V. (2011). Linking Strategic Outcomes and Student Learning Outcomes. Texas A&M Assessment Conference, February 2012.
- Cantrell, E., Hughes, J., Paton, V. (2011). Texas HB 2504 and Faculty Transparency. Southern Association for Institutional Research, October 2011.
- Hughes, J. & Sattler, S. (2011). Using Focus Groups to Make Decisions: Connecting Administrators with Students. Southern Association for Institutional Research, October 2011.
- Raney, D. & Hughes, J. (2011). Nuventive's Institutional Effectiveness Solution for Planning and Assessment. Southern Association for Institutional Research, October 2011.
- Bair, M., Sattler, S., Hughes, J.S. , & Louder, J. (December, 2010). Student-centric Assessment. Presentation to be made at the annual Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC), Louisville, KY.
- Bair, M., Sattler, S., & Hughes, J.S. (February 2010). An Engaging Assessment: from our QEP to yours. Presentation made at the annual Texas A&M Assessment Conference, College Station, TX.
- Hughes, J.S. (June 2009). Encouraging institutional dialogue about assessment at Texas Tech University: here comes TracDat! Presentation made at the annual Nuventive Users Conference, Pittsburgh, PA.
- Hughes, J.S. (March 2009). The assessment bandwagon: measuring faculty engagement. Presentation made at the annual conference of the Texas Association for Institutional Research, Lubbock, TX.
- Paton, V.O. & Hughes, J.S. (December 2008). Assessment and leadership: guiding Texas Tech toward sustainability. Presentation made at the annual Texas A&M Assessment Conference, College Station, TX.
- Hughes, J.S., & Paton, V.O. (December 2008). Curricular Findings and Implications: Using Indirect Assessment to Describe Student Experiences in the Core Curriculum. Paper presented at the annual Texas A&M Assessment Conference, College Station, TX.
- Hughes, J.S., Edwards, T., & Drennon, G. (October 2007). Measuring course effectiveness: How and why? Paper presented at the annual conference of the Association for Business Communication, Washington, DC.
- Hughes, J. S. (May, 1999). Using student enrollment data to internationalize the college curriculum. Paper presented at the annual conference of the National Association of Foreign Student Advisors, Denver, CO.
- Hughes, P.C., & Hughes, J.S. (June, 1999). Consultant- Presenter. Conflict, Communication, and the Workplace. National Association for Real Estate Managers and Owners-Colorado Region, Denver, CO.
- Hughes, P. C., & Hughes, J. S. (April, 1998). Here comes the bride, but how far has she really come?: A critical analysis of the transformation of gender roles in the film "Father of the Bride." Paper presented at the annual conference of the Southern States Communication Association, San Antonio, TX.
- Hughes, J. S. (April, 1997). Approaches to focus group-based research. Paper presented at the annual conference of the Central States Communication Association, St. Louis, MO.
- Shaulis, J. (November, 1995). Focus Group Facilitator, Summit on Comprehensive Health Education, Illinois State University, Normal, IL.
Office of Planning and Assessment
-
Address
Administration Building, Suite 237, Box 45070 Lubbock, TX 79409-5070 -
Phone
806.742.1505 -
Email
opa.support@ttu.edu