Strategic Initiatives
The Assessment Advisory Council provides broad oversight for statewide assessment in Massachusetts.
Robert J. Awkward, Ph.D.,
Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness
(617) 994-6908
rawkward@dhe.mass.edu
2011 – Present
Multiple Campuses
The Assessment Advisory Council includes one presidentially-appointed representative for each of the campuses and is charged with providing advice to the Deputy Commissioner of Academic Affairs & Student Success, regarding statewide and campus level assessment policy and practices guided by the LEAP State framework. It is currently chaired by a Dr. Lane Glenn, President, Northern Essex Community College. Formerly, this was known as the Task Force for Statewide Assessment. However, it was determined that this role should be institutionalized as the assessment of student learning is an ongoing, continuous activity of improvement.
Robert Awkward, Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness
Patricia A. Marshall, Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs & Student Success (Commissioner’s Designee)
| Berkshire Community College | Vacant |
|---|---|
| Bristol Community College | Holly Pappas, Assistant Professor of English |
| Bunker Hill Community College | Vacant |
| Cape Cod Community College | Arlene Rodriguez, Vice President, Academic & Student Affairs |
| Greenfield Community College | Marie Breheny, Director of Assessment |
| Holyoke Community College | Terri Kinstle, Chair, Psychology and Social Services |
| MassBay Community College | Courtney Jackson, Chief Strategic Planning and Institutional Effectiveness Officer |
| Massasoit Community College | Rita Jones-Hyde, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Fine Arts |
| Middlesex Community College | Phil Sisson, Vice President for Academic & Student Affairs |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Paul Hernandez, Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs |
| North Shore Community College | Kimberly Stevens, Senior Specialist for Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes |
| Northern Essex Community College | *Chair Lane Glenn, President Sarah Courchesne, Visiting Professor of Natural Science |
| Quinsigamond Community College | Gaelan Benway, Professor of Sociology |
| Roxbury Community College | Vacant |
| Bridgewater State University | Vacant |
|---|---|
| Fitchburg State University | Pamela McCafferty, Assistant Vice President, Institutional Research |
| Framingham State University | Mark Nicholas, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs |
| MassArt | Dan Serig, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs |
| MCLA | Adrienne Wooters, Interim Vice President of Academic Affairs |
| Mass Maritime | S. Elaine Craghead, Assistant Dean of Academic Resources |
| Salem State University | Megan Williams, Director of Research Administration |
| Westfield State University | Lisa Plantefaber, Assciate Dean of Institutional Research |
| Worcester State University | Sarah Strout, Assistant Vice President, Assessment & Planning |
| UMass Amherst | Martha Stassen, Associate Provost, Assessment & Educational Effectiveness |
|---|---|
| UMass Boston | Vacant |
| UMass Lowell | Vacant |
| UMass President's Office | Candayce Carragher, Senior Executive Associate to the Senior VP Robert Gamache, SVP, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs &International Relations |
The Statewide Organizing Approach to Advancing a Massachusetts Culture of Assessment (AMCOA)
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
January 15, 2020
Quinsigamond Community College
Agenda
New Charter
Memo from Commissioner Santiago to Lane Glenn
DHE Gen Ed Foundation Handout
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
October 8, 2019
Quinsigamond Community College
Agenda March 2019 Session Summary 
State of Assessment 2017 vs. 2019
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
March 1, 2019
Quinsigamond Community College
Agenda Developing a Holistic Culture Roundtable Discussion
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
January 17, 2019
Quinsigamond Community College
Agenda DHE Overview Assessment Across Regions Handout Discussion Reading
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
October 16, 2018
Quinsigamond Community College
Agenda Program Assessment: A Journey from Compliance to Engagement Q&A with Dr. James Dottin DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
March 9, 2018
Worcester State University
Agenda Multi-State Collaborative (MSC) Refinement Year (2016-2017) - Revised
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
January 18, 2018
Quinsigamond Community College
Agenda Multi-State Collaborative (MSC) Refinement Year (2016-2017)
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
October 17, 2017
Worcester State University
Agenda DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment Toward an Improvement Paradigm for Academic Quality
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
March 10, 2017
Worcester State University
Agenda DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment
Degree Qualifications Profile (DQP) Oral Presentation Toolkit Writing Toolkit
Presentation Handout
Presentation Critique: An Exercise in Metacognition Excerpt from Standard Four Appraisal
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
January 19, 2017
Quinsigamond Community College
Agenda
National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment
January 19, 2017
Excellence in Assessment Certification
Task Force on Statewide Assessment
October 18, 2016
Framingham State University
Agenda "What I learned about higher ed assessment in a small village in South Africa" Session Observations
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