Join us for the Inaugural Excellence in Assessment Awards Luncheon

Thursday, October 29, from 11:00am - 1:00pm
Tech Pride Room (RUC)

 

The Excellence in Assessment Award

The Excellence in Assessment awards are presented to academic programs and administrative units who have demonstrated a commitment to meaningful change through the institutional effectiveness (IE) process. These programs/units have identified key outcomes important to institutional success, collected and analyzed relevant performance metrics, and implemented actions based on the IE framework. This award recognizes those units who seek meaningful improvement in the areas of student learning, student success, or administrative efficacy. The Excellence in Assessment award was established to recognize the commitment of those individuals who champion the quality improvement process, elevate their accomplishments and encourage others as they continuously improve their programs/services for the betterment of the student experience and/or campus community.

The Excellence in Assessment Award comes on the heels of a significant win for Tennessee Tech University in the area of accreditation. In preparation for the University’s 2026 SACSCOC Reaffirmation Report, the Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Effectiveness implemented a ‘Seeking Improvement’ template as part of the annual Institutional Effectiveness (IE) process. This new component encouraged academic programs and administrative units to reflect on actions and improvements that extended across multiple IE reporting cycles, providing a more complete picture of their ongoing efforts to evaluate results, make meaningful changes, and pursue continuous improvement. The examples documented by the work of chairs and directors collectively demonstrated clear compliance with SACSCOC IE Standards. Tennessee Tech received no findings for IE Standard 8.2a, a feat that only 9% of accredited institutions can claim. This was due in large part to the work of chairs and directors who identified and documented areas of improvement.

Beyond supporting accreditation, these examples tell a broader story about the meaningful work taking place across the University and capture how academic programs and administrative units consistently use data and evidence to improve the student experience, strengthen programs and services, and enhance the campus community. Through the establishment of this award, the Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Effectiveness seeks to recognize the efforts of those who demonstrate a commitment to the Institutional Effectiveness process and to clearly documenting their attempts to improve the University. The Excellence in Assessment Award will serve to highlight program/unit accomplishments and inspire others to pursue continuous improvement in programs and services that enhance the student experience and strengthen the campus community.

Award Criteria

• Clear Alignment and Coherence: The IE report presents a clear and consistent narrative aligning intended outcomes, assessment methods, results/analysis, and continuous improvement strategies. The narrative demonstrates intentional design and supports the unit’s core mission.
• Meaningful Assessment Methods: The assessment process employs methods that are appropriate, purposeful, and capable of producing actionable evidence. A variety of assessment methods are implemented and may include multiple measures, qualitative and quantitative approaches, or other strategies that provide strong context for actions taken during the quality improvement process.
• Strategic Use of Results: The program/unit demonstrates how assessment findings informed decisions and actions. Improvement strategies are connected to identified findings and reflect thoughtful consideration of what should be continued, changed, strengthened, or explored. The report illustrates assessment as a process of learning and decision-making rather than simply documenting results.
• Sustained Commitment to Continuous Improvement: The assessment process demonstrates an ongoing commitment to evaluating effectiveness and refining practices over time. The unit reflects on previous actions, considers the impact of changes that have been implemented, and identifies appropriate next steps for continued improvement. The documentation demonstrates that assessment is embedded in the unit’s ongoing work rather than conducted as a one-time exercise.

**Award decisions are based entirely on what is documented in the submitted reports. Programs are expected to convey their practices clearly through narratives and supporting evidence.

Nomination

The IE Assessment Committee evaluates all IE reports on an annual basis. The committee is made up of 20 members with 12 from the academic units and 8 from the administrative units. During the review process, reviewers rate each assigned report using an evaluation rubric. At the conclusion of the review process, each reviewer will nominate one report based on the award criteria above. The reports that are selected as the best will be submitted to the IEAC Awards sub-committee for final award selection.

Selection

The IEAC Awards sub-committee will comprise five members, two from academic units, two from non-academic units, and the IARE Graduate Research Assistant. Sub-committee members will evaluate nominations based on the award criteria and select up to three winners from the academic nominations and up to two winners from the administrative nominations.

The ultimate goal of this award is to recognize, elevate and celebrate the efforts and actions of our campus community, so programs/units selected for this award will be ineligible for nomination for three years.

Award Recognition

• $500 award stipend
• Award plaque

Award Luncheon

An awards luncheon will be held on the date listed above to recognize the awardees and their contributions to the campus community. Recipients will be invited to share their accomplishments with colleagues and to encourage others who are working to continuously improve the quality of the Tennessee Tech experience.