UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State and Nuventive signed a three-year contract on Dec. 21, 2018, capping off a two-year search for a technology tool to support and facilitate University-wide learning outcomes assessment, strategic planning, and Middle States accreditation.
An assessment management system (AMS) was sought by the University to help to standardize the assessment and planning processes while still allowing for unit flexibility; to reduce workloads for assessment, accreditation and planning leaders; and to provide units with more ownership of these processes.
“We are looking forward to providing an online system that facilitates outcomes assessment, strategic planning, and the Middle States accreditation process at Penn State,” said Lance Kennedy-Phillips, vice provost for Planning and Assessment. “We believe that the implementation of this system will ease the administrative burden of these processes for many while supporting ongoing efforts to improve the University’s work in these areas.”
By providing a streamlined system for the collection and distribution of assessment and planning information, the AMS will provide a mechanism for coherent, reliable data for administrators and executives. It also will provide a central repository for information that can provide continuity as individual roles change and to track trends over time.
“It is our privilege to be a corporate partner of Penn State,” said David Raney, CEO of Nuventive, a provider of institutional improvement solutions and services in higher education. “Nuventive is proudly headquartered in Pennsylvania. So, it is a special honor to play a role in supporting both the strategic course and the academic culture at Penn State.”
The AMS will be administered through the Office of Planning and Assessment, which will be coordinating a pilot implementation of the system in 2019 before rolling out the system University-wide in 2020. Questions about the Nuventive implementation can be directed to Betty Harper, assistant director of learning outcomes assessment, at bharper@psu.edu or 814-863-8721.