Office of Institutional Assessment, Research and Planning

What does AES Unit Assessment mean?

AES unit assessment (which is a form of Program Assessment) is the systematic process of collecting data on important unit processes and using the findings to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Units that directly serve students may also assess student learning and implement actions to improve learning experiences.

The goal of AES assessment, broadly, is continuous improvement. Therefore, the AES Unit Assessment process at TAMIU is cyclical in nature, consisting of 3 main phases:

• Plan phase: Unit staff collectively decide which outcomes/objectives will be prioritized for assessment and what measures will be used to collect data.
• Data Collection phase: Unit staff implement their plan for obtaining data over the course of an academic year.
• Report phase: Data is analyzed and discussed. The findings are used to inform improvements to be implemented in the unit.

The University requires that units provide documentation of their unit assessment efforts. The Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Planning facilitates the documentation process in HelioCampus (formerly AEFIS).

What does IE Unit Assessment mean?

IE unit assessment (which is a form of Program Assessment) is the systematic process of units identifying expected outcomes of its administrative support services and demonstrates the extent to which the outcomes are achieved.

The IE Unit Assessment process at TAMIU is cyclical in nature, consisting of 3 main phases:

• Plan phase: Unit staff collectively decide which outcomes/objectives will be prioritized for assessment and what measures will be used to collect data.
• Data Collection phase: Unit staff implement their plan for obtaining data over the course of an academic year.
• Report phase: Data is analyzed and discussed. The findings are used to determine the extent to which the outcomes are achieved

The University requires that units provide documentation of their unit assessment efforts. The Office of Institutional Assessment, Research, and Planning facilitates the documentation process in HelioCampus (formerly AEFIS). 

Who Participates?

(1) Academic and student support units and (2) administrative units are expected to engage in annual assessment of their services and document the process. The University's accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) defines these units as:

• Academic & student support units -- "...services that support student success...[and] include such activities as library and learning/information resources, faculty resource centers, tutoring, writing centers, academic computer centers, student disability support centers, financial aid, residence life, student activities, dean of students’ office, and so on. Most institutions would also include admissions offices within this category. These units provide direct support to faculty and students as related to their educational programs, indirect support for student learning, or a specific cocurricular mission that supports the college experience."

• Administrative units -- "...units [which] normally include offices and departments such as finance and procurement, facilities and physical plant, administrative services, development/advancement, research office, the president’s office, etc. These offices serve the educational mission of the institution in a much more indirect way than do offices related to educational programs or academic and student services, but they are just as critical for the ability of the institution to achieve its mission."

Each unit appoints one or more Program Coordinators for each unit to be responsible for ensuring annual documentation is submitted annually based on University guidelines and due dates.  Some units may produce structured annual reports that fulfill the requirements of assessment reporting.