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Strategic Initiatives
AMCOA advances assessment of student learning on public campuses and strengthens campus assessment capabilities.
Robert J. Awkward, Ph.D.,
Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness
(617) 994-6908
rawkward@dhe.mass.edu
2011 – Present
Davis Educational Fund (2011-2013)
Public Higher Ed System
Student Learning Outcomes
Assessment Advisory Council
Multi-State Collaborative
Research shows that the best way to determine what college students know and can do is to examine their learning outcomes from multiple viewpoints. Massachusetts is part of a national effort to develop student learning assessment tools that capture the complexity of college learning better than a single standardized test, and allows for comparisons between public campuses in the state and similiar institutions in other states. Though the work is challenging, being able to assess and compare student learning will improve teaching and help campuses not only identify problem areas but understand how to solve them.
Advancing a Massachusetts Culture of Assessment (AMCOA) is led by a team of faculty and staff from each of the 28 undergraduate campuses, with the goal of advancing assessment of student learning through information sharing about best practices and campuses experiences; provision of faculty and staff professional development opportunities; and cross-institution, collaborative experiments with assessment approaches and technology. AMCOA was funded by the Davis Educational Foundation from May 2011 until May 2013, and is now supported by the DHE and the campuses.
The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education recently received the second Terrel L. Rhodes Game Changer Award from American Association of Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) at its General Education, Pedagogy & Assessment Conference Opening Plenary on Thursday, April 11, 2024, at the Providence Convention Center. Richard Riccardi, the Deputy Commissioner for Academic Affairs & Student Success received the award representing Commissioner Ortega, In the picture from left to right is Terrel Rhodes; Lynn Pasquerella, President of AAC&U; Lane Glenn, President of Northern Essex Community College and Chair of the statewide Assessment Advisory Council; and Robert Awkward, Assistant Commissioner for Academic Effectiveness who leads institutional assessment for the DHE.
This is a significant accomplishment for the Mass. DHE. We are the second to receive this award from AAC&U after it was given to and renamed after Terrel Rhodes who is the father of VALID Rubrics. This award recognizes our legacy work to help create the Multi-State Collaborative and to nurture and encourage the use of authentic student artifacts and the VALID Rubrics as a means for assessing student learning for essential learning outcomes (e.g., written communications, critical thinking, quantitative literacy, etc.). This ultimately involved 13 other states before AAC&U took this over completely from the State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO).
Last Update: April 30, 2024
Membership consists of representatives from each of the 28 public higher education campuses, appointed by the respective president/chancellor. The AMCOA team is led by the Board of Higher Education Director of Learning Outcomes Assessment.
| Berkshire Community College |
Stacy Evans, Center for Teaching & Learning Center Faculty Fellow Meghan Callaghan, Dean of Teaching & Learning Elizabeth Dister, Student Success Assessment & Research Analyst Tattiya Maruco, Coordinator of Instructional Technology & Design Erin Milne, Director of the Teaching & Learning Innovation Center |
|---|---|
| Bristol Community College |
William Duffy, Academic Innovation & Professional Development Danielle Licitra, Sr. Specialist Institutional Assessment Coordinator |
| Bunker Hill Community College |
Perla Gilman, Assistant Professor & Chair, Medical Lab Technology Program Edward Morgan, Associate Dean for Institutional Assessment & Planning Arlene Vallie, Interim Dean, Academic Affairs (Research & Assessment) |
| Cape Cod Community College |
William Berry, Professor, Language and Literature Department Ifeoluwa Tegun, Professor of Psychology Kathleen Vranos, Vice President, Academic & Student Affairs Rebecca Westphal, Faculty Science |
| Greenfield Community College | Marie Breheny, Director of Institutional Effectiveness |
| Holyoke Community College |
Kris Choleva, Director of Planning, Curriculum & Assessment Joshua Hatch, Assistant Professor, Veterinary & Animal Science Dawn Lovegrove, Associate Professor, Communications Stacey Matarazzo, Adjunct Instructor, Business & STEM Rebecca Townsend, Associate Director of Assessment |
| MassBay Community College |
Catherine Gildae, Assistant Dean for Institutional Research Alan Goldman, Associate Professor, Humanities Nina Keery, Professor, English Susan Maggioni, Dean of Business & Professional Studies Sean McCarthy, Writing Learning Specialist Tom Niemi, Professor of Business Administration Halye Sugarman, Dean, Business & Professional Studies |
| Massasoit Community College | Rita Jones-Hyde, Assistant Professor of Humanities and Fine Arts |
| Middlesex Community College |
Jeanne Cronin, Chair, Assessment Committee & Prof., Visual Design Ryan Johnson, Senior Director of Institutional Research Peter Shea, Director of Professional Development |
| Mount Wachusett Community College | Ana Gaillat, Sr. Vice President, Academic Affairs |
| North Shore Community College | Andrea Milligan, Director, Center for Teaching & Learning Luciano Sappia, Associate Professor, Business Administration Kimberly Stevens, Sr. Specialist for Assessment of Student Learning Outcomes Maria Vaquez, Professor of Psychology |
| Northern Essex Community College | Kirsten Kortz, Director of Academic Policy, Curriculum & Assessment |
| Quinsigamond Community College | Amy Beaudry, Professor of English Gaelan Benway, Professor of Sociology Kevin Li, Assistant Vice President of Academic Affairs |
| Roxbury Community College | Ben Anilus, Math Dept. Faculty Jeffrey Breitenfeldt, Assistant Professor of English Jeffrey Van Dreason, Dean of Assessment Sharlene Malcolm, Business Dept. Chair |
| Springfield Technical Community College |
Emilie Clucas Leaderman, Assistant Dean of Liberal & Professional Studies Ann-Marie Simao, Associate Professor of Mathematics Tracey Trottier, Director of Assessment |
| Bridgewater State University |
Michael Young, Associate Provost for Academic Planning & Administration Ruth Slotnick, Director of Assessment |
|---|---|
| Fitchburg State University |
Cate Kaluzny, Director of Assessment Megan Krell, Interim Coordinator, Center for Teaching & Learning Pamela McCafferty, Assistant VP, Institutional Research Sarah Wright, Assistant Professor of Mathematics |
| Framingham State University |
Mary Hara, CELTS Director & Associate Professor of Education Julie Zoino-Jeannetti, Professor of English |
| MassArt | Judith Leeman, Associate Professor of Fibers Junelyn Peeples, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Research |
| MCLA | Patrick Connelly, Dean for Institutional Assessment & Continuing Improvement |
| Mass Maritime |
S. Elaine Craghead, Assistant Dean of Academic Resources Megan Cunniff, Director of Institutional Research |
| Salem State University |
Eliza Bobek, Director, Center for Teaching & Learning Elizabeth Coughlan, Associate Professor, Politics, Policy, & International Relations Megan Williams, Assistant Dean, Research & Assessment |
| Westfield State University | |
| Worcester State University | Bonnie Orcutt, Professor of Economics Emily Soltano, Director, Center for Teaching & Learning Sarah Strout, Assistant Vice President, Assessment & Planning |
| UMass Amherst |
Claire Hamilton, Associate Provost & Director of the Institute for Teaching & Learning Alicia Remaly, Associate Director of Assessment Gabriel Rodriquez, Senior Assessment Analyst Liz Williams, Associate Provost, Analytics & Assessment |
|---|---|
| UMass Boston |
Chiquita Baylor, Assistant Dean of Students Neal Bruss, Associate Professor, English Department Chris Calienes, Director of Assessment & Planning James Hughes, Associate Provost for IR, Assessment & Planning Andrew Perumal, Associate Provost |
| UMass Dartmouth | Jonathan Bonilla, Institutional Research Analyst Tammy Silva, Director of Institutional Research |
| UMass Lowell |
Alice Frye, Senior Lecturer, Psychology Department Paula Haines, Sr. Director of Curriculum, Assessment & Accreditation Shaima Ragab, Director of Faculty Success |
| UMass President's Office | Candyce Carragher, Senior Executive Associate to the Senior Vice President Robert Gamache, SVP, Academic Affairs, Student Affairs &International Relations |
AMCOA Team Meeting
September 27, 2024
Download: 
Agenda FY24 in Review
AMCOA Team Meeting
March 15, 2024
Download: Agenda What's Equity Got to Do With It?: Equity-Centered Assessment in Context
AMCOA Team Meeting
February 2, 2024
Download: Agenda
DEI Rubric Chart
Assessment at MassBay Presentation
AMCOA FiSU Presentation
AMCOA UMass Presentation
AMCOA Team Meeting
November 17, 2023
Download: Agenda Conversations and Explorations on Equity & Assessment
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
September 22, 2023
Download: Agenda FY23 in Review State of Assessment 2023
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
March 10, 2023
Download:
Agenda
View full AMCOA Meeting Passcode: 8F.vKrN7
Devan Walton’s Presentation on AI in Education
What should we learn for the age of A.I.? Four-Dimensional Education
How Generative AI ChatGPT is Pushing Assessment Reform
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
February 3, 2023
Download: Co-curricular Assessment 101
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
October 28, 2022
Download: Agenda Data-Informed Course Design and the DEI Imperative (Narrative) Data-Informed Course Design and the DEI Imperative (Slide Deck)
AMCOA Team Kickoff Meeting
Remote/Zoom
September 30, 2022
Download: Agenda 
AMCOA FY22 Review
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
March 11, 2022
Download: Agenda NUE AMCOA Presentation
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
January 28, 2022
Download: Agenda CCAA-Building Assessment Academy AMCOA-NECHE Presentation
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
November 19, 2021
Download: Equitable Assessment In Higher Education
AMCOA Team Kickoff Meeting
Harrington Learning Center/Zoom
September 24, 2021
Download: AMCOA Team Kickoff Meeting
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
March 12, 2021
Download: Karen Ricciardi, UMass Boston: Assessment of Writing Proficiency Using E-Portfolios Erin Milne and Christopher MacDoanld-Dennis, MCLA: Redesigning the Core Curriculum Paula Haines, UMass Lowell, Using MS Teams to Organize NECHE Work Products
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
November 20, 2020
Download: Dr. Mark Nicholas' presentation on "Assumptions about Creating Classroom Assignments That Can Be Used for Institutional Assessment" || Article
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
October 2, 2020
Download: Dr. Gavin Henning's presentation on "Implementing Socially Just Assessment to Foster Inclusion & Equity"
AMCOA Team Meeting
Remote/Zoom
June 25, 2020
Download: Agenda Virtual Course Equity Rubric
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
February 7, 2020
Download: Agenda LARC Professional Development Modules Assessment Planning for Instutional Teams DHE LOA State of Assessment 2019 Recast Annual Assessment Conference 2020 Hold the Date
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
November 11, 2019
Download: Agenda Equity & Excellence in Teaching & Learning Assessment Technology Landscape Updated DHE LOA State of Assessment
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
Septemnber 13, 2019
Download: Agenda Real Time Assessment (Peggy Maki) Handouts DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
April 5, 2019
Download: Agenda Building a Comprehensive Student Affairs Assessment Program
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
February 1, 2019
Download: Agenda QORE Presentation Oral Presentation Assignment Framework
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
November 30, 2018
Download: Agenda DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment E-Series: Making Assessment More Meaningful Revisited
(NECHE)
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
September 28, 2018
Download: Agenda DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment Institutional Assessment at FSU UMass Amherst Assessment Program The ACUE Experience (Salem State)
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
March 29, 2018
Download: Agenda Exercise
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
February 2, 2018
Download: Agenda MassTransfer Implementation Guidelines Introduction to Portfolium 
Porfolium Use Cases
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
November 30, 2017
Download: Agenda
AMCOA Team Meeting
Worcester State University
September 29, 2017
Download: Agenda DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment Student Success Through Quality Instruction
AMCOA Team Meeting
Quinsigamond Community College
March 31, 2017
Download: Agenda DHE Assessment Update Emerging Trends in Technology for Real-Time Assessment Winklemes TILT Powerpoint
AMCOA Team Meeting
Middlesex Community College
February 2, 2017
Download: Agenda DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment Update Group Work
AMCOA Team Meeting
Holyoke Community College
December 2, 2016
Download: Agenda DHE Learning Outcomes Assessment
AMCOA Team Meeting
UMass Lowell
September 29, 2016
Download: Back to the Future
The Work of Assessment Remains Critical to Creating Improved & Equitable Learning Experiences
Friday, April 26, 2024
Fitchburg State University
Hammond Hall
Conference Program
The Work of Assessment Remains Critical to Creating Important & Equitable Learning Experiences Implementing Equity
Minded Assessment: One Institution’s Story
Take a Walk on the Wild Side: Empowering Assessment Practices with Generative AI
Can We Use Artificial Intelligenceto Promote Equity in Assessment?
Operationalizing Equity: Student Equity Matrix
Assessment Reconsidered: Use of
Equity as Our Guiding Framework
Friday, April 28, 2023
Westborough Doubletree
by Hilton Boston
Conference Program
Morning Plenary: Dr. Gavin Henning, “Reframing Assessment to Center Equity”
Morning Workshops: Dr. Divya Bheda
Kathleen Neal, Dr. Jessica Nicklin, and Natalia Zagula, University of Hartford
Dr. Raymond J. Shaw, Merrimack College
Afternoon Plenary: Dr. Joseph Levy, “Aspirations and Accountability for Student Affairs Assessment”
Afternoon Workshops: Dr. Joseph Levy, Excelsior University
Dr. Karen RJ White and Ana Gonzalez, Granite State College
Peter Shea of Middlesex Community College and Devan Walton, Northern Essex Community College
Striving to Achieve Equity in Assessment: The Work of Improvement Continues to Evolve
Friday, April 29, 2022
Westborough Doubletree
by Hilton Boston
Conference Program Morning Plenary: Dr. Tia Brown McNair, AACU
Afternoon Plenary: Dr. Jennifer Hill, Duke University
Faculty Involvement in Gen. Ed. Assessment Workshop
Addressing Equity Through Assessment—Mutually Reinforcing Objectives
Friday, October 30, 2020
Virtual
Conference Program & Materials
The Intersectionality of Equity, Quality, & Student Learning
Friday, April 19, 2019
Best Western Royal Plaza
Marlborough, MA
Conference Program Plenary Session Presentation
The Continuing Importance of Assessment: From the Classroom to Program to Institutional Levels
Friday, April 20, 2018
Doubletree by Hilton
Westborough, MA
Conference Program Plenary Session Presentation
Advancing the Work of Assessment: Best Practices, Tools, & Resources
Friday, April 21, 2017
Doubletree by Hilton
Westborough, MA
Teaching With an Outcomes Approach: Assessment for Faculty Change Agents
Friday, April 22, 2016
Holiday Inn Boxborough
Boxborough, MA
Our Shared Commitment to Student Learning
Friday, April 24, 2015
Holiday Inn Boxborough
Boxborough, MA
Teaching & Reflection: Learning from Assessment
Friday, April 18, 2014
Holiday Inn Boxborough
Boxborough, MA
Assessing Critical Thinking and Writing Using the VALUE Rubrics: Do You See What I See?
Friday, February 22, 2013
UMass Boston Campus Center
Boston, MA
Taking Stock: How Far Have We Come and Where Should We Go?
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel & Trade Center
Marlborough, MA
Assessing Student Learning Outcomes Within and Across the Disciplines
Thursday, February 9, 2012
UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center
Lowell, MA
Quantitative Reasoning: Looking Beyond the Numbers
Friday, October 19, 2012
Worcester State University
Worcester, MA
Effective Partnerships and Processes That Build and Sustain a Commitment to Assessing Student Learning: Where Are We Now?
Friday, September 30, 2011
Worcester State University
Worcester, MA
Assessing Student Learning Outcomes Within and Across the Disciplines
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Greenfield Community College
Greenfield, MA
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming events at this time. Please check back later.
Past Events
Equity-Driven Assessment: Simple Steps to Creating Inclusive Assignments
March 8, 2024
Dr. Karen Singer-Freeman
Director of Research, Center for the Advancement of Teaching,
Wake Forest University
Download: Presentation slide | Zoom Link Passcode: k0Ck&k+?
Quantitative Literacy Faculty Workshop
October 11, 2019
9:00a.m.–1:30p.m.
University Crossing, Rm. 490
290 Pawtucket St,
UMass Lowell
Download: Flyer
Assignment Design Charrette
November 2, 2018
9:00a.m.-1:00p.m.
North Shore Community College
Download: Flyer | Presentation | 
Group Photo
Build your Plan: Campus Professional Decelopment for Successful Assessment Practice
June 12, 2018
10:00a.m.-1:00p.m.
UMass Lowell
Download: Flyer
E-Series Forms & Meaningful Campus Assessment
July 10, 2017
12:00p.m.-3:00p.m.
Riverview Suites, Rm. 158
UMass Lowell
Download: Flyer
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming events at this time. Please check back later.
Past Events
Transparent Instruction Increases Students' Engagement & Success
February 10, 2023
9:30am – 1pm
Mass Bay Community College
Wellesley, MA
Download: Presentation
Quantitative Literacy Faculty Workshop
October 18, 2019
10:00a.m.–1:45p.m.
Chancellor’s
Conference Room
Quinn Building, 3rd Floor
100 William T.
Morrissey Blvd.
Boston, 02125
UMass Boston
Download: Flyer
Assignment Design Workshop
December 7, 2018
9:00a.m.–1:00p.m.
UMass Boston
Download: Agenda Presentation
Presentation on Academic Program Assessment with Mark Nicholas
March 8, 2018
1:30p.m.–3:30p.m.
Building 4, Rm. 300
Roxbury Community College
Download: Agenda Flyer
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming events at this time. Please check back later.
Past Events
Data Storytelling with Dr. Kimberly Yousey-Elsener
February 10, 2023
1:00p.m. – 3:00p.m.
Virtual Event held by Zoom
Video: Zoom Link
Slideshow: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18j_-Qtazj-lUwHgQvcd2XHbzTK5P_Hp9/view
Download:
Event Flyer
Equity-Minded Assessment: Meeting the Challenges of the New Decade, Today
March 6, 2020
8:30a.m.–12:00p.m.
Quinsigamond Community College
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/equity-minded-assessment-tickets-93548007609
Download: Event Flyer
Quantitative Literacy Faculty Workshop
October 25, 2019
9:00a.m.–1:30p.m.
Ahlfors Hall, Rm. 107
670 West Boylston St., Worcester, 01606
Quinsigamond Community College
Download: Flyer
Nimbly Interpreting and Using Assessment Results to Advance All Students Toward Achieving High-Quality Program and Institution-Level Outcomes
February 23, 2018
12:00p.m.–4:00p.m.
Center for Academic Excellence, Ahlfors Building, Rm. 107
Quinsigamond Community College
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming events at this time. Please check back later.
Past Events
Civic Learning Assignment Design Charrette
May 24, 2018
12:00p.m.–3:00p.m.
Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Registration: bit.ly/amcoa-mma
Download: Event Flyer
Information Literacy Charrette
May 23, 2017
Massasoit Community College
Download: Event Flyer
Upcoming Events
There are no upcoming events at this time. Please check back later.
Past Events
Liberation and Assessment: From Intention to Action to Impact
Dr. Divya Bheda
Western Regional Professional Development
May 19, 2023
9:00a.m.–1:00p.m.
Virtual
Download: Presentation
Equity-Minded Assessment: Meeting the Challenges of the New Decade, Today
March 6, 2020
8:30a.m.–12:00p.m.
Quinsigamond Community College
Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/equity-minded-assessment-tickets-93548007609
Download: Event Flyer
Quantitative Literacy Faculty Workshop
October 25, 2019
9:00a.m.–1:30p.m.
The Kittredge Center, Rm. 301
303 Homestead Ave.
Holyoke, 01040
Holyoke Community College
Download: Flyer
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