Institutional Effectiveness & Accreditation
Assessment
Assessment of student learning takes place in academic programsthe Essential Studies program, and co-curricular experiences.
Assessment reports are completed annually and focus on improving the quality of the educational programs based on the assessment of student learning.
Accreditation
UND is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and participates in the open pathway. UND will complete the reaffirmation process again during the 2033-34 academic year.
Numerous programs across campus are also accredited by programmatic or external accrediting agencies.
Program Review
All academic programs (degrees and certificates) participate in a comprehensive program review process.
This program review occurs every 5-8 years and follows a standardized template for all programs, which includes student learning outcome assessment results and actions, faculty activities, and enrollment and retention trends.
Institutional Effectiveness & Accreditation Mission
Our mission is to develop and implement a comprehensive assessment program that increases knowledge about students and the educational environment that leads to efforts in continuous improvement and data-informed decision making.
Assessment Responsibilities
All campus assessment responsibilities are overseen by Allyssa Baumbach. Please contact her with any questions or training requests related to assessment. Specifically, Allyssa oversees assessment for:
- The Essential Studies program
- Academic programs
- Cocurricular experiences
Academic Program Review and Accreditation
The Academic Program Review (APR) process is overseen by Shane Schellpfeffer. As the accreditation liaison officer to the Higher Learning Commission, Shane also oversees all institutional accreditation matters at UND, and is also available to assist programs with programmatic accreditation efforts. Please contact Shane with any questions or training requests as they relate to either the APR process or accreditation efforts.
Services We Provide
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Accreditation provides services to faculty and staff within the UND community. Please email us at assessment@UND.edu to request assistance. Services we provide include:
- Curriculum mapping
- Survey review
- Dashboard creation
- Planning & Self Study training
- Curricular analytics
Timelines
Assessment is a cyclical process focused on the continuous improvement of student learning.
Important Deadlines
- August 1 - Annual Assessment Reports due for co-curricular experiences
- October 1 - Annual Assessment Reports due for academic degree programs and certificates
| Dates | Annual Assessment Timeline |
|---|---|
| August - September |
Finalize assessment plan, identify outcomes to be assessed and which measures will be used. |
| October - December |
October 1: assessment reports from the prior academic year are due Provide educational experiences. Collect and analyze semester-based data. |
| January - May |
Provide educational experience. Collect and analyze semester-based data. |
| May - August |
Analyze program/certificate data and reflect on results. Report on outcomes, identify strategies for continuous improvement of student learning. Begin drafting annual assessment report. Update outcomes and annual plan for next year, if needed. |
For the complete APR timeline, see the UND APR website.
| When | Who | What |
|---|---|---|
| October 31, 2025 | Program Review Author | Self-Study Due |
| January 16, 2026 | College Review Team | College Review Team Report due |
| April 1, 2026 | Academic Dean | Dean's Summary Report due |
| April - May, 2026 |
Academic Dean Department Chair Appropriate Department Representatives |
Meeting to discuss program review outcomes and action steps |
| May 29, 2025 |
Vice Provost of Undergraduate Studies and Student Success Dean of the School of Graduate Studies |
VPAA Summary Report due |