Paula Carey Reflects on What She Learned from Serving on the Assessment Committee

For six years, Paula Carey, Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy, served on the Academic Assessment Coordinating Committee.  She read program reviews, served as the lead reader for annual goal reports and self-studies, kept minutes of meetings, and, in a spirit of cooperation, shared her expertise with faculty colleagues and members of the committee.

Paula is retiring from thirty-plus years at Utica College, which obviously means her tenure as a member of AACC is drawing to a close.  But before she sings the final verse of the Alma Mater, she shared her reflections with me on what she learned from serving on the assessment committee.  She also offered some advice regarding what the College needs to do to build and support a culture of assessment.

The best part about serving on AACC, according to Paula, is being exposed to the wonderful work being done in other departments.  Faculty tend to be insulated in their own departments, she said, operating in silos. Reading assessment reports and talking to faculty during the program review process deepened her appreciation for the work her colleagues in all disciplines were doing.  She described their work as “very student-centered” and her faculty peers as “dedicated to teaching and learning.” The assessment reports and program review self-studies showed her just how intentional faculty are about curriculum and pedagogy, and how much effort they put into making an impact in students’ lives. 

“We’re all dealing with similar problems,” Paula said, “but each department deals with them differently.”   As a faculty, we need to have more opportunities to share what we are doing with one another and to exchange ideas across departments and disciplines.  Her work on AACC gave her the chance to do just that and convinced her of how beneficial these conversations are.

Serving on AACC also gave Paula more of an institutional perspective.  “I learned where Utica College might strengthen some of its processes, and I learned where there is a shortage of resources.” 

Paula has some advice for the College’s administration. 

“The process works better when it is faculty driven and respectful of faculty perspective,” she stated.  She further said that campus leaders must acknowledge the time, energy, and effort to do assessment well. 

“We should look for champions of assessment who can assist with the process,” she recommends.  

   

Thank you, Paula, for your service to UC and the Academic Assessment Coordinating Committee.  Your insights will help steer us on the assessment path just as they served us on the committee.