FAQs

Why join?
Why join now?
What are the benefits of joining?
How is the initiative different than others?
Can the Presidents’ Alliance have an impact? If so, what kind?
What exactly are the presidents committing their campus to?
How much does it cost?
What is the role of the institutional liaison?
Are there any consequences for not fulfilling the commitment?

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Why join?
Institutions should join the Presidents' Alliance because:

• Excellence in undergraduate education in preparation for work, life, and responsible citizenship is a core commitment of your institution and you recognize the need to establish, strengthen, and integrate assessment practices that support continuous improvement of student learning.
• You want to make a public pledge to significantly improve the gathering, reporting, and use of evidence to improve student learning on your campus.
• You want to be a part of collaborative initiative that will work towards improving the higher education system.
• You want to join with other college and university presidents who have already committed their institutions to an Action Plan that will establish or strengthen assessment and accountability practices and integrate them into the culture of their campuses.
• You want to take a leadership role on these issues and mobilize the higher education community in ways that influence thinking and positively change practices nationally.

 

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Why join now?
The United States has set a national goal to lead the world in educational attainment by the year 2020. However, increasing the number of postsecondary degrees and credentials is not enough. It is also crucial that these degrees and credentials reflect high quality preparation for work, life, and responsible citizenship. Higher rates of attainment need to be accompanied by greater levels of achievement.

The United States has been exceptionally well served by its colleges and universities, though there has been much public scrutiny due to increasing costs, stagnant degree attainment, and growing skepticism of the impact of college. More disconcerting is the fact that other nations are now surpassing the United States, in numbers of degrees earned and in the quality of the learning provided. While there has been no shortage of discussions and agreement that change is needed, change has been slow.

The higher education community needs greater coherence and consistency in assessing and accounting for student learning to demonstrate as a community how much students are learning and to assure the public that the large public and private investment in higher education is producing value. Institutions need to constantly monitor the quality of student learning on their campus and use the results both to improve achievement and to demonstrate the value of our work to the public.

Failure to act now will result in the continuing erosion of confidence and quality. There is a national goal and the Alliance is one way to support achieving it. Acting now, you will be a leader helping to mobilize all of higher education to improve and achieve that goal.

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What are the benefits of joining?
Joining the Presidents’ Alliance has many benefits for your institution and the higher education community.

• Your institution will be known for making learning and its continuous improvement a priority.
• Your institution will gain national recognition for what you and your colleagues have achieved, and your accomplishments will serve as an example for others in the higher education community.
• You will be a leader in the assessment and accountability movement and as a result will inspire other college and university presidents to take similar actions to assess and improve student learning.
• Working with other presidents in the Presidents' Alliance will help to strengthen higher education by demonstrating that the community can organize and mobilize in ways that positively change practices.
• Promoting the range of assessment efforts on your campus will increase the confidence of public officials, business leaders, parents, and students. Your reporting will document the results of the large investments in colleges and universities by these stakeholders.
   

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How is the initiative different than others?
There is no similar or comparable initiative in the U.S. providing a unified effort in higher education designed to significantly change assessment practice for improved learning. It is not prescriptive and allows each institution to develop an Action Plan appropriate to its mission, students, and resources.

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Can the Presidents’ Alliance have an impact? If so, what kind?
Yes, the Presidents’ Alliance can have an impact. The more institutions that participate the larger the impact will be. By committing to specific Action Plans, institutions actively work to change practices and make improvements on their individual campuses. Collectively these changes and improvements will lead to significant changes in the higher education community. As the higher education system improves, outcomes for students improve, and ultimately the country benefits with a more educated citizenry.

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What exactly are the presidents committing their campus to?
The Presidents’ Alliance asks institutions to make a commitment to build on their previous work to assess, report on, and improve student learning. In making this public pledge, presidents are committing their campuses to:

• Make continuous improvement of student learning assessment and student learning a priority.
• Establish new and strengthen existing assessment practices by establishing an Action Plan, in order to integrate student learning assessment into the culture of the institution.
• Use assessment findings when making decisions about educational improvement efforts.
• Join the appropriate reporting template for our institutional type and/or participate in externally benchmarked data collection processes.
• Assign an institutional liaison.
• Periodically report on progress.
• Publicize their commitment to the campus community, including the institution’s governing board.

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How much does it cost?
There is no cost associated with joining the Presidents’ Alliance.
 

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What is the role of the institutional liaison?
The liaison coordinates the institution’s commitment efforts and is the Alliance’s point of contact. The liaison should:

• Be knowledgeable of the institution’s overall efforts to assess, report on, and improve student learning.
• In collaboration with the president, take appropriate and timely action to ensure completion of the Action Plan.
• Ensure submission of progress reports and other appropriate correspondence or reporting.
• Handle queries from institutions, professional groups, or individuals about the institution’s efforts.
• Look for opportunities to share ideas and best practices among Presidents’ Alliance member institutions.
   

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Are there any consequences for not fulfilling the commitment?
The primary responsibility for completing the Action Plan falls on colleges and universities themselves, however, the institution’s stakeholders (e.g., students, parents, legislators, the general public, etc.) also have a responsibility to encourage and insist upon progress and completion. Accountability for meeting the Presidents’ Alliance commitments and continuing membership comes through the progress reports submitted to the Alliance. It is assumed that institutions will take their commitment seriously since their credibility and reputation are dependent upon it.
 

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