Assessment

The University of New Mexico requires academic assessment for accreditation purposes—but more importantly—for the monitoring of learning improvement of our students and continuous improvement of our curriculum and instruction.

UNM also requires the assessment of the general education NMHED’s essential skills, a state initiative adopted in 2019.

While these two cycles have historically been separated, UNM-Taos is merging these two assessment processes into one so that we can:

1. Simplify and streamline one formal cycle of gauging student success.
2. Build a customized assessment support network within our culture and campus.
3. Integrate this new assessment model into our Academic Program Review (APR) process to strengthen it and add value.

Essential Skills

Our campus will focus on assessing UNM General Education essential skills annually. Those skills include:

• Critical Thinking
• Communication
• Quantitative Reasoning
• Information and Digital Literacy
• Personal and Social Responsibility

Rubric Assessment

NMHED developed a statewide rubric for each of the essential skills listed above. The University of New Mexico modified these rubrics for assessing student artifacts across our content areas. Please see the UNM General Education Rubrics for reference at the OAAPR web page.

Purpose and Impact

UNM-Taos leadership and our College Assessment Review Committee will analyze the results annually to determine trends, strengths, and areas of opportunity. This analysis will be reported annually, and actionable items will be defined to improve our programming and assessment.

Due Dates

Fall semester
Dec. 15

Spring semester
May 15

Pilot Assessment Cycle

A 3-year pilot assessment cycle started in Fall 2024 allows for all GE certified courses to collect, analyze, and report data pertaining to one essential skill per year. Neither student learning outcomes or assessment plans are required for this process, since UNM’s Office of Assessment and Academic Program Review have established these to date.

Instructor Responsibilities

• Use syllabus templates to include assessment wording.
• All GE instructors are required to provide student artifacts that represent the essential skill being taught and evidenced. These artifacts should be designed by each instructor to align with the essential skill definition and dimensions found in each rubric.
• Upon collection of student artifacts, each instructor will submit their student artifacts using the GE Assessment Artifact Submission Form here. Submissions can be made throughout the academic year but should be submitted no later than May 15 each year.

Assessment Resources

• Assignment collection to help aid in integrating essential skills into assignments
• Semester CTL Workshops: Essential skills for Gen Ed Success
• Assessment trainings
• Rubrics and submission link
• UNM Assessment Office
• Gen Ed course list