Nicholls State University has a comprehensive and integrated assessment, planning, and budgeting process in place, as described in Core Requirement 2.5 [1] and illustrated in the Assessment, Planning, and Budgeting flowchart [2]. Through this process, expected outcomes are identified and assessed, and evidence of improvement is documented. Numerous committees, as specified in the University Policy and Procedure Manual, are in place to govern and monitor this process [3], and responsibility for this process is shared by the Associate Provost, the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs, and the Director of Assessment and Institutional Research. The Director of Assessment and Institutional Research [4] reports directly to the Associate Provost [5], who is responsible for strategic planning and assessment. The Associate Provost reports directly to the Provost and President and serves on the Planning Advisory Group, University Assessment Committee, President's Cabinet, Executive Budget Committee, and the Budget Committee. The Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs [6] is responsible for assisting in the development and maintenance of Strategic and Annual Planning processes and serves on the Planning Advisory Group and University Assessment Committee. Minutes of varied University meetings will reveal the review and use of varied assessments such as enrollment and retention data, budget data, and survey results for continuous improvement [3].

Educational Programs

Nicholls demonstrates that it identifies expected outcomes, assesses these outcomes, and makes improvements based on these assessments through the documentation of Student Learning Outcome Objectives in its Annual Planning Process, Academic Program Reviews, and attainment of accreditation in eligible programs.

Student Learning Outcome Objectives
Part 2 of the Annual Plan documents Student Learning Outcome Objectives for each academic program [14]. Year-end assessment of objective achievement and activity improvement are reported in the last column of the templates. Student Learning Outcome Objectives are further described and documented in Nicholls' response to Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1 [7].

Academic Program Reviews
The Academic Program Review is another method used to identify and assess educational program outcomes [8]. In 1992, a five-year cycle for academic program reviews was established. The process requires heads of academic departments to complete an intensive evaluation of their major programs of study. Deans are assigned as primary and secondary readers and conduct intensive evaluations of the reviews, interview department heads, and then compile and report their findings to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. The Vice President submits a report, which may include questions to the department heads, and department heads then complete follow-up reports to the Vice President. The program reviews have become an integral part of the planning and assessment process since their inception over 10 years ago. Academic Program Reviews are further described and documented in Nicholls' response to Comprehensive Standard 3.4.1 [7].

Academic Program Accreditations
Academic Affairs Policy 2.13 [9] of the Louisiana Board of Regents "recognizes accrediting agencies that it considers mandatory, recommended, or optional for eligible programs" offered by System universities, including Nicholls State University. Colleges and departments seeking accreditations for their academic programs engage in detailed self-studies by analyzing programs, faculty, students, and resources. The self-studies, follow-up reports, and systematic plans prepared for program evaluations and reviews by accrediting agencies further document improvements and changes. Click here for a list of accredited programs at Nicholls State University [10].

Administrative and Educational Support Services

Nicholls demonstrates that it identifies expected outcomes, assesses these outcomes, and makes improvements based on this analysis for its administrative and educational support services in numerous ways:

      •  Institution-wide assessment
      •  Strategic and annual plans
      •  Faculty assessments
      •  Louisiana Performance Accountability System

Institution-Wide Assessment
The University engages in numerous institution-wide assessment activities. For a list and detailed discussion of these assessments, see Nicholls' response to Core Requirement 2.5 [1].

Nicholls State University's Strategic and Annual Plans
Nicholls' Strategic Plan identifies four overall goals for the University, along with supporting objectives and strategies [11]. Long-term goals and objectives for major University units (Academic Affairs, Finance and Administration, Student Affairs, and Institutional Advancement) which support the University's goals have also been identified [12]. These strategic goals and objectives serve as starting points for the development of annual plans for educational programs and administrative and educational support services. Although the Annual Planning Process has been in existence for over 10 years, an effort to maintain electronic documentation of this process began in 2002. In that year, electronic reporting Annual Plan (AP) templates were created for all levels of administration in Academic Affairs. The AP template has been refined, and beginning in 2005, templates for administrators in all units and at all levels were available for use (click here for sample AP templates [13]). Administrators use these templates to report annual plans and objectives and link them to Nicholls' Strategic Plan. Year-end accomplishments are documented in the last column of the Annual Plan (at which time the Annual Plan is renamed as the Annual Plan Assessment or APA). The Annual Plan consists of the following, distinct parts:

•	Part 1a: General Objectives identifies general objectives for educational programs, administrative, and support services.
•	Part 1b: Objectives Derived from Assessments identifies objectives developed from analysis of various assessment instruments and surveys.
•	Part 2: Student Learning Outcomes identifies student-learning outcomes for educational programs (Academic Affairs only).
•	Part 3: Facilities Planning Request Form identifies capital improvements and facilities' needs.

A reciprocal interdependence exists among all administrators, faculty, and staff in the development of the Part I objectives. Level I administrators (vice presidents) develop their objectives after discussions with the University's President and Level II administrators. Level II administrators (deans, directors, assistant vice presidents) then develop annual objectives for their units after meeting with their Level III administrators (department heads) or staff, if applicable. Finally, Level III administrators determine their objectives with input from their faculty and staff after reviewing the Level I and Level II objectives. The planning process actually begins with an analysis of the attainment of the previous year's Level III objectives, culminating in an analysis of Level I objectives by the University's Planning Assessment Group. This group reports to the University's President who then initiates a new planning process for the next year. The Annual Plans also delineate budgetary needs when appropriate for completion of specific objectives. All objectives identified in these annual plans are linked to the overall strategic goals and objectives as stated in Nicholls' Strategic Plan. At the end of the year, administrators assess their success in meeting annual objectives and report the results and use of results in the Annual Plan Assessment.

Annual plans and annual plan assessments are accessible to University staff and faculty via the internal Admins Drive (M Drive).

Samples of general objectives and assessments related to Strategic Goals 1 and 2 from various 2003 Annual Plan Assessments appear in the tables below; in addition, actual annual plans and annual plan assessments are electronically available for review [14].

Table 1: University Strategic Goal I: Advanced Knowledge in Higher Education

Unit	2003 Annual Plan Objectives	College 2003 Annual Plan Assessment/Use of Results
College of Business	Implement management development program in the CoBA.	Program implemented; one new client secured; will use to build program.
Student Services	Student Services will conduct programs /outreach that targets nontraditional/ adult learner students	The Adult Learner/Nontraditional Student brochure was printed and distributed.
Continuing Education, Non Credit Programs	Establish corporate partner program to create a professional development seminar series for local business clients.	Attained. Partnership established with Danos and Curole and Young Memorial Technical College. Continued efforts are being made to further this effort.
Accounting Department	Continue to pursue the targeted intellectual contributions set forth for each accounting faculty member (all PhD faculty). Generate faculty development resources by offering CPE/CLE seminars (Mitch Theriot, Michele Guidry, and Shawn Mauldin). Ongoing	All faculty have not met this objective yet. However, a process is in place to encourage achievement of this objective prior to writing the self-study. A successful CPA/CPE was conducting in the fall. An attorney/CLE is scheduled for the spring 04 semester. This will continue each year.
Physical Sciences Department	Increase in number of research publications from 3 to 5. We had several education related presentations, but we would like to increase the number of research presentations from 1 to 3. Increase funded research grants from 1 major/3 minor grants to 2 to 3 major grants.	In 2003, 2 research papers were published; 4 are in press. Three research grants were obtained.
College of Education	Plan, design, and implement a second alternative teacher certification program. Expand the Practitioner Teacher Program.	Created the non-master's alternative certification program. Expanded the Practitioner Teacher Program by receiving additional state funding for the Teach Bayou Region Project.

Table 2: University Strategic Goal II: Increased Opportunities for Student Access to and Success in Higher Education

Faculty Assessments
Once a year, faculty members are asked to reflect upon instructional improvements they have made based on teacher evaluations. Faculty describe on Form B [15] at least one instructional improvement or change made as a result of student evaluations or any individual assessment technique. Department heads keep copies of completed Form Bs on file in departmental offices. Electronic samples of completed Form Bs are available for review [16].

Economics Faculty Member [16A]: "Especially in my Economics 212 classes, we discuss regularly current economic events pertinent to our lectures. In response to this, I have observed that students have started bringing copies of relevant news pieces to the classroom. I hold regular help sessions before each exam for those needing extra help before their exams. My lectures and previous exams are available on Blackboard."

Music Faculty Member [16B]: "217- A more structured approach was given to the class especially in the areas of weekly assignments. Great care was taken to make sure they know exactly how exams are being graded and how mistakes would be tallied."

Nursing Faculty Member [16C]: "Change made to course involved decreasing the amount of clinical paperwork. Students [are] now required to complete one successful interpersonal process analysis rather than two of them."

Louisiana Performance Accountability System
In addition to the planning and assessment process discussed above, the Louisiana State Legislature sets performance standards through the Louisiana Performance Accountability System (LaPAS). Nicholls is required to set interim targets for meeting the performance standards and reporting actual performance. For Louisiana's universities, stated performance standards reflect expectations identified in the goals of the Master Plan. Since 1999, performance standards have included objectives related to enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and accreditations to name a few. The University of Louisiana System's staff and Nicholls' administrators frequently use the indicator data to review the University's performance in informal ways. An example of yearly performance indicators and their assessment are available for review in the University's 2004 yearly report [17].