| John Elbers |
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As costs continue to rise, many people have begun to question the value of a college education and to ask for some form of accountability from higher education. A prominent storyline on college campuses is assessment: How do we measure the outcomes of our educational process and its impact on students? The Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) has tackled these concerns through its LEAP project, Liberal Education for America’s Promise. This effort has shown how the deeply connected learning offered at liberal arts institutions such as Beloit prepares students for rich professional and personal lives. Other studies, such as the National Survey of Student Engagement and the Collegiate Learning Assessment, have specifically shown that Beloit students are engaged and well-prepared to solve difficult and complex problems.
These questions regarding assessment and accreditation are not new. Beloit recently underwent an extensive reaccreditation process under the auspices of the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association. We passed with flying colors and now have nearly 10 years until our next review. But having noted that success, we are not going to stop discussing assessment as a way to answer questions about whether we deliver what we promise in our mission statement. Associate Dean Donna Oliver is concentrating on assessment as an important part of her role at Beloit, and a grant from the Teagle Foundation to Beloit, Knox, Ripon, and Monmouth has led to further dialogue about how successful we are in teaching critical thinking, quantitative literacy, and civic engagement.
As we continue to look at these issues, it is encouraging to note that a recent survey conducted for the AAC&U among executives of more than 300 companies (Peter D. Hart Research Associates, 2008) found that employers were satisfied with the skills of most college graduates for entry-level positions. Less encouraging is their skepticism about some students’ preparation for promotion or advancement.
In that survey, employers said they believed that community-based projects and supervised internships, advanced senior projects, and essay tests—the hallmarks of a Beloit College education—were the most valuable ways to judge the skills of college graduates. Multiple choice tests, which are rarely administered at Beloit, were considered the least-effective methodology.
The success of Beloit students is certainly not measured only by future employers. We will continue to assess ourselves on whether, in the words of the mission statement, we “equip our students to approach the complex problems of the world ethically and thoughtfully” and “empower them to lead fulfilling lives marked by high achievement, personal responsibility, and public contribution in a diverse society.”
We are justifiably proud of the active, engaged learning process that characterizes Beloit’s approach to education, and we are also proud of our alumni, whose achievements admirably reflect the goals of our mission statement. The willingness of our faculty to devote extraordinary time and energy to refining teaching—in addition to measuring the outcomes of their efforts—will continue to stand Beloit in good stead in a society progressively more focused on the value of a college education. I know that our students are and will continue to be critical thinkers with a strong quantitative understanding and a desire to be engaged civically. We will continue to let the rest of the world know about the extraordinary experience that is a Beloit education through our presentations at national and international meetings, our continued leadership in pedagogical initiatives, and through the great work of our alumni.
President John E. Burris
