University Assessment Council (UAC)

The University Assessment Council (UAC) was established to serve as an advisory body on assessment and institutional effectiveness to advance administrative and academic support units continuous improvement practices. This council also provides guidance and coordination related to data collection and reporting across divisions. The council is comprised of a representative from each of RIT's divisions and chaired by the Associate Vice President of Institutional Research and Policy Studies (IRPS) and the Assistant Provost for Assessment and Accreditation.

Charge

The University Assessment Council (UAC) will support the process of continual self-evaluation and improvement at RIT. The purpose of the UAC is to sustain continued work in assessment and preparation of RIT students for innovative, creative, and successful careers in a global society. The UAC conducts its work throughout the year and has responsibility to:

  • Foster a culture within the RIT community to support a continuous improvement model.
  • Utilize a consistent and unified structure and processes to demonstrate the use of data to inform continuous improvement.
  • Promote best practices that support institutional effectiveness initiatives. 
  • Promote a campus-wide understanding of how various administrative units contribute to the university's mission and goals. 

Mission

The Middle States Commission on Higher Education provides a clear direction for institutional assessment in Standard VI Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement.  “The institution’s planning processes, resources, and structures are aligned with each other and are sufficient to fulfill its mission and goals, to continuously assess and improve its programs and services, and to respond effectively to opportunities and challenges.”

To meet this standard the following goals have been prioritized:

  • Share understanding of effective institutional effectiveness strategies and metrics.
  • Develop a consistent and unified structure and process for using data in decision-making to make informed decisions, meaningful changes, and improvements within the divisions.
  • Support and advise on the alignment of goals and outcomes with RIT's Strategic Plan and institutional priorities.
  • Promote continuous improvement practices among division leadership and within the university (e.g. reporting and sharing data with all divisions as appropriate).
  • Monitor university compliance with Middle States institutional effectiveness requirements, standards, and expectations.
  • Create opportunities for focused discussion and professional development on assessment across campus recognizing and learning from the variability of strategies and practices across campus.

Committee Members

Academic Affairs
Leah Bradley (Co-Chair)
Director, Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Kate Scahill 
Assistant Director, Educational Effectiveness Assessment

Diversity and Inclusion
David Wick
Assistant Vice President for Research and Student Success

Teresa Long
Director of Assessment and Research Management

Enrollment Management
Marian Nicoletti
Assistant Vice President Dean of Admissions

Finance and Administration
Nilay Sapio
Director of Institutional Research, Data and Analytics
 

Government and Community Relations
Maya Temperley
Associate Vice President Government and Community Relations 

Marketing and Communications
Denise Wellin
Senior Marketing Data Analyst

National Technical Institute for the Deaf
Richard Dirmyer
AVP Institutional Analytics and Assessment 

Student Affairs: Student Learning Support & Assessment
Jennifer Maltby (Co-Chair)
Director of Data, Analytics, and Planning

University Advancement
Sharon Lonthair
Director of Employee Engagement

RIT Dubai
Dezzil Castelino
Manager - Institutional Effectiveness