California State University, San Marcos College Portrait

The purpose of the Periodic Review (PR) at CSUSM is to allow departments to focus and reflect on the quality of student learning in their degree programs. The PR process requires departmental discussions that focus on the knowledge, skills and abilities that we expect of our graduates. These discussions center on carefully selected aspects of the degree programs, they are anchored in systematically gathered evidence of student learning, and they extend over several months.

To facilitate program review, departments offering majors for undergraduate degrees and master’s programs are to report annually on assessment conducted on one or more of the student learning outcomes in the program. At the conclusion of each academic year, departments are asked to report on the assessment activities used to measure student learning, the results of the assessments, and how these assessment findings are leading to changes made to improve student learning. 

All programs at CSUSM have identified core student learning outcomes. All program outcomes are carefully reviewed at least once every five years through the Program Review Process. As part of the program review process for proposed new programs, the University Curriculum Committee, in addition to college level curriculum committees, carefully considers and approves all student learning outcomes before programs are approved. Programs are asked to report on assessment of program learning outcomes each year as part of the Annual Program Report.

The Program Assessment Committee is a standing committee of the CSUSM Academic Senate. The following Articles of the Senate Constitution describe its composition and duties.

Article 6.11: Program Assessment Committee (PAC)
The Program Assessment Committee shall consist of voting members drawn from the eligible faculty. The eligible faculty in each College/School/Library shall elect representatives from the eligible faculty of their College/School/Library to serve on the committee as follows:  one representative from each of the divisions of Mathematics & Sciences, Arts & Humanities, and Social Sciences within the College of Arts and Sciences, and one representative from each of the other Colleges/Schools/Library. One additional faculty member shall be elected by the eligible faculty to represent the faculty at large. The committee shall include as a non-voting member the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs – Planning and Academic Resources*, the Dean of Graduate Studies, and the Learning Outcomes Assessment Fellow.

Article 6.11.1: Program Assessment Committee Duties
The Program Assessment Committee shall have general oversight of all issues related to the processes of program evaluation and planning (PEP), as outlined in the PEP policy document. The committee shall also discharge those duties specifically assigned to it within the PEP policy document. These duties include, but are not limited to: advising programs undergoing PEP review with regard to the processes, objectives, and specific tasks associated with that review; serving as a liaison among the Senate, Academic Affairs, Dean of Graduate Studies, College/Library Deans, and the programs undergoing review; examining, reviewing, and reporting to the Senate with regard to the progress and outcomes of program self-assessment and planning processes, as conducted by programs undergoing PEP review; and making recommendations to the Senate regarding the outcomes of these review processes. In addition the committee shall make recommendations to the Senate regarding revisions and amendments to PEP policies and procedures. In pursuit of these duties, the committee may create ad hoc subcommittees.

*The Associate Vice President for Academic Programs has assumed this position.

Learning Assessment Examples