The Office of Institutional Assessment (OIA) supports Western Carolina University’s
dedication to academic and operational excellence by promoting evidence-based ‘best
practices’ in the assessment of student learning, educational programs, and academic
support units.
Our office strives to facilitate a culture of participatory assessment on campus through
1) maintaining clear and consistent communication with faculty, staff, and administrative stakeholders, 2) helping programs contextualize and interpret data, and 3) providing timely and detailed continuous improvement feedback.
Our academic programs and support units, through the continuous improvement and program
review processes, collect, analyze, and use data to drive improvements in educational
experiences and operational effectiveness. You can find resources related to each of these processes at the links below.
At Western Carolina University, academic programs engage in ongoing, faculty-driven
student learning outcomes assessment to evaluate student knowledge, skills, and achievements
by identifying clear learning outcomes, measuring progress, and implementing improvements
based on assessment results.
Student Body Profiles provide annual summary data on Western Carolina University’s
student enrollment, demographics, and key quality indicators such as standardized
test scores. The Student Body Profile includes data for all enrolled students, while
the Incoming Freshmen Report and Incoming Graduate Student Report focus specifically
on new students and have been produced each fall term since 2014.
Student success is central to Western Carolina University’s mission, beginning with
admissions and continuing through graduation and life beyond WCU. The Division of
Student Success provides comprehensive support to help students identify the right
field of study, stay on track academically, and complete a degree that leads to meaningful
opportunities.
