The third phase of CIC’s Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA) Consortium is under way this year thanks to a generous grant of $545,714 from The Teagle Foundation. Thirty-five CIC member colleges and universities will work collaboratively over the next three years to develop more comprehensive assessment strategies using the CLA.

Participating institutions in this next phase—both continuing and new Consortium members—were selected from a large number of applications received. Applicants submitted comprehensive assessment plans to use the CLA in conjunction with other assessment strategies. Some campuses will pair CLA results with other standardized assessment instruments, such as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Others will use local campus measures, such as portfolios of student work.

Since 2002, CIC has collaborated with the Council for Aid to Education (CAE) to develop and implement the Collegiate Learning Assessment (CLA), one of the first widely available instruments to measure student learning directly. In 2002, CIC was approached by CAE to assist in identifying smaller private colleges to test the prototype of the CLA. In 2003, CIC recruited a group of 12 colleges and universities to participate in the first year of public use of the CLA. The following year, CIC expanded this initial group of institutions to include the 33 colleges and universities that comprise the current CIC/CLA Consortium, now entering the final year of a three-year commitment to use the CLA and share results. These institutions have gathered at annual meetings to evaluate their use of the CLA and share results.

Two key lessons have emerged from the consortial experience. First, engagement of faculty members in assessment is essential to improve student learning. Second, CLA results are best interpreted when used in conjunction with other assessment measures, such as NSSE and portfolio analyses. Taken together, these lessons point to an even larger agenda—that of creating a campus culture of assessment that is based on evidence.

The CLA is the first national standardized instrument to gauge an institution’s “value-added” contribution to student learning. Four higher-order skills—critical thinking, analytic reasoning, problem solving, and written communication—are measured by the CLA. Using a cross-sectional approach, scores from a sample of first-year students who take the test in the fall are compared with scores of seniors who take the test in the spring. Gain scores are calculated using SAT scores as a control, reported at the institutional level, and presented with comparisons to other institutions with similar characteristics.

Institutions selected to participate in the third phase of the CIC/CLA Consortium are: Alaska Pacific University, Allegheny College (PA), Aurora University (IL), Averett University (VA), Barton College (NC), Bethel University (MN), Cabrini College (PA), Carlow University (PA), Charleston Southern University (SC), College of Notre Dame of Maryland, College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University (MN), Drake University (IA), Franklin Pierce University (NH), Loyola University New Orleans (LA), Lynchburg College (VA), Juniata College (PA), Marian College (IN), Nebraska Wesleyan University, Pace University (NY), Seton Hill University (PA), Southwestern University (TX), Springfield College (MA), Stonehill College (MA), Texas Lutheran University, The College of St. Scholastica (MN), University of Charleston (WV), University of Evansville (IN), University of Great Falls (MT), Ursinus College (PA), Ursuline College (OH), Wagner College (NY), Westminster College (MO), Westminster College (UT), Willamette University (OR), and William Woods University (MO).