Academic Quality: Driving Assessment and Accreditation

Program assessment and accreditation are institutional educational processes that can affect academic quality. The presenters will share strategies, successes, and challenges in establishing a supportive climate for productive program assessment and accreditation success within a baccalaureate and graduate program. Our systematic program assessment and accreditation initiatives have addressed faculty interest, understanding, growth, commitment, and willingness to engage in the processes. Activities that increased faculty engagement in the work of assessment and accreditation include: revising and annotating an assessment template, regular schedules for data entry, training videos, faculty tutorials, collective sharing of assessment data at faculty meetings, and a team approach to accreditation preparation. Results have impacted faculty confidence, involvement, and have impacted positively upon the academic quality of our programs.

Speakers

Susan Deane, EdD, MSN, CNE

Susan Deane, EdD, MSN, CNE is a full time associate professor at the State University of NY’s (SUNY) College of Technology at Delhi. She teaches in the online RN-to-BSN program and has been teaching online in various programs for over 15 years.In addition, for the past two years, Dr. Deane has been Program Director of Assessment for the RN-BSN program. The development and facilitation of online learning has been her passion for many years. She holds a post-master’s certificate in Healthcare Informatics and completed her doctorate in education at Northcentral University. Dr. Deane has presented at state and national conventions of online education, assessment, and the use of virtual simulation in nursing education.

Cheryle G. Levitt, PhD, RN

Cheryle Levitt, PhD, RN is a Professor and Director of Graduate Assessment at the School of Nursing at State University of New York, Delhi College of Technology. She co-developed the nursing graduate program, chairs the Curriculum Committee, and has presented on nursing research and assessment at regional, national, and international conferences.