Accountability Report
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The Committee has attempted to identify accountability measures that exhibit both easily understood quantitative properties and meaningful signals of quality. The recommendations in this report are presented in a sequential fashion, although they are interrelated and meant to be considered as a comprehensive and connected set. Existing and proposed accountability measures include: 1) faculty-focused measures, 2) student-focused measures, and 3) external impact measures. We also recommend reporting vehicles to link reported outcomes to future actions. We view these interconnected inputs, outcomes, and processes as necessary for continuous improvement.
We believe that a progressive shift from inputs toward emphasis on outcomes will lead to greater efficiency and effectiveness in teaching, research, scholarship, creative contributions, and public service, while maintaining quality. Movement from inputs to assessment of outcomes is embodied in recent reforms at K-12 and community college levels. Strategic planning undertaken by businesses and government organizations increasingly emphasizes measurement of outcomes necessary for attaining overall goals and objectives. The UW is also engaged in this process. In preparing this report, the Committee discovered that many parts of the UW are actively involved in data collection, data analysis, strategic planning and policy implementation. As a Committee, we feel the University community can work with its constituencies to define and refine the outcomes by which it should be held accountable. Together we can enhance teaching, research and service. To do so we will have to continuously ask what makes for an educated citizen, meaningful scholarship and worthy contribution to the well-being of the state and region. These will be ongoing, challenging and essential tasks for the University community.
Accountability Report
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