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Administrative Assessments

Administrative assessment at Florida International University provides systematic evidence of unit effectiveness, student support, research, community engagement, and continuous improvement.

Administrative assessment reports connect the mission and priorities of each unit with measurable outcomes, appropriate evidence, defined criteria for success, analysis of results, improvement strategies, and follow-up.

Administrative assessment applies to:

  • Administrative Units
  • Dean’s Offices
  • Centers and Institutes

Administrative Assessment Framework

Administrative outcomes should reflect meaningful results related to the unit’s mission, responsibilities, and priorities rather than simply documenting activities completed.

Outcomes may align with one or more of FIU’s four established administrative assessment areas:

  • Administrative Support Services — operations, enrollment, recruitment, financial goals, systems, processes, or other administrative functions
  • Student Support Services — advising, career services, student resources, engagement, and other services that support student success
  • Research — faculty or student research, research support, research initiatives, or activities that strengthen research participation or productivity
  • Community Service — partnerships, outreach, community engagement, service activities, and initiatives that benefit external communities

These areas provide broad categories for administrative assessment and do not limit units from assessing additional outcomes appropriate to their missions. Student learning may also be assessed when a unit provides educational or co-curricular learning experiences.

Outcome Alignment

Each outcome within an administrative assessment report is mapped, as applicable, to FIU’s broader institutional frameworks, including:

These mappings provide institutional context for the outcome and help demonstrate how unit-level assessment contributes to broader university priorities.

Not every outcome is expected to align with every framework. Alignment should reflect the actual purpose and impact of the outcome.

Student Learning Outcomes

Administrative areas that provide educational or co-curricular experiences may assess Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) in addition to administrative outcomes.

Student-serving units whose mission and services include co-curricular teaching or structured learning experiences must assess at least one SLO.

SLOs should describe what students are expected to know, do, or demonstrate as a result of the experience and must include at least one direct measure of student learning.

Assessment of Outcomes

Each outcome should include:

  • an appropriate assessment method;
  • the population, records, participants, or activities assessed;
  • the assessment or reporting period, when applicable;
  • a clearly defined criterion for success;
  • results sufficient to determine whether the criterion was achieved;
  • analysis of the findings;
  • Use of Results for Improvement; and
  • follow-up on prior improvement strategies, as applicable.

Evidence may include institutional data, administrative records, participation data, surveys, stakeholder feedback, performance indicators, external benchmarks, evaluations, student work, or other evidence appropriate to the outcome.

Representative Assessment Evidence

When assessment evidence is drawn from a sample of students, employees, stakeholders, records, transactions, services, or other populations, the sample should appropriately represent the population addressed by the outcome.

Sampling procedures should identify:

  • the population;
  • the sampling approach;
  • the sample size; and
  • the rationale for the sample.

Units using sampling should consult FIU’s Sampling Guidelines for Assessment.

Use of Results and Follow-Up

Unit leaders are expected to:

  • analyze results in relation to established criteria for success;
  • identify strengths and opportunities for improvement;
  • communicate data to stakeholders;
  • document improvement strategies informed by the findings; and
  • follow up on prior strategies to document implementation and, when appropriate, evaluate their effectiveness.

 

  • Administrative Units

    Administrative units must maintain a minimum of three outcomes that reflect their primary functions, services, and responsibilities and are clearly aligned with the unit mission.

    Outcomes should be meaningful, measurable, and useful for evaluating unit effectiveness and informing continuous improvement. They should focus on the results or impact of the unit’s work rather than simply documenting activities completed.

    Administrative outcomes may align with one or more of FIU’s four administrative assessment areas:

    1. Administrative Support Services
    2. Student Support Services
    3. Research
    4. Community Service

    Administrative units are not required to assess all four areas. Instead, outcomes should map to the areas most relevant to the unit’s mission, responsibilities, and priorities. A single outcome may align with more than one area when appropriate.

    Each outcome is also mapped, as applicable, to FIU’s broader institutional frameworks, including the Institutional Learning Outcomes and Assessment (ILOA) framework, FIU Strategic Plan, and Carnegie elective classification areas. These mappings help demonstrate how unit-level assessment contributes to broader institutional priorities and impact.

    Administrative units complete a full assessment report annually, generally using the fiscal year as the reporting period. See administrative assessment cycle.

    Outcomes may address multi-year goals or projects when appropriate. Annual reporting should document progress, results, and improvement so that performance can be examined longitudinally.

    Student-serving administrative units whose mission and services include co-curricular teaching or structured learning experiences must include at least one Student Learning Outcome (SLO) within their minimum assessment expectations. The SLO should describe what students are expected to know, do, or demonstrate as a result of the learning experience and should include at least one direct measure of student learning.

  • Dean's Offices

    Dean’s Offices assess the broader effectiveness of the college or school, including functions and services that support academic programs, faculty, students, research, and external engagement.

    Each Dean’s Office must assess at least one outcome in each of the four administrative assessment areas:

    1. Administrative Support Services
    2. Student Support Services
    3. Research
    4. Community Service

    Dean’s Offices therefore maintain a minimum of four administrative outcomes.

    This requirement ensures that Dean’s Office assessment reflects the breadth of college- or school-level responsibilities rather than focusing on only one dimension of effectiveness. The current FIU administrative assessment framework likewise requires Dean’s Offices to address each of the four areas.

    Additional outcomes, including SLOs, may be included when appropriate to the mission and activities of the Dean’s Office.

    Dean’s Offices follow FIU’s academic assessment cycle.

  • Centers and Institutes

    Centers and Institutes assess outcomes that reflect their distinctive missions and responsibilities, including administrative effectiveness, student support, research, community engagement, partnerships, programs, and institutional impact, as applicable.

    Each Center or Institute must maintain a minimum of three outcomes. Outcomes should align with the areas most relevant to the Center or Institute's mission; unlike Dean's Offices, Centers and Institutes are not required to maintain an outcome in each of the four administrative assessment areas:

    1. Administrative Support Services
    2. Student Support Services
    3. Research
    4. Community Service

    Centers and Institutes that provide educational, training, or co-curricular experiences may also assess Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs). Those whose mission and services include co-curricular teaching or structured student learning must assess at least one SLO.

    Centers and Institutes must also comply with FIU Policy 370.001, Centers & Institutes at FIU. The policy requires annual Administrative Assessment reports that address outcomes aligned with the Center or Institute mission and FIU mission, assessment methods, results, data-based improvement strategies, and evidence of implementation. The policy also encourages assessment of at least two Strategic Plan performance metrics when applicable.

    Centers and Institutes are additionally subject to oversight by the Office of Research and Economic Development (ORED). ORED reviews financial information for Centers and Institutes annually and supports additional review requirements established by FIU and the Florida Board of Governors.

    Administrative Assessment is also used as evidence in the formal review of Centers and Institutes. Under FIU Policy 370.001, Centers and Institutes are formally reviewed at least every 10 years, including consideration of progress toward goals and objectives in relation to the Center or Institute mission, FIU mission, and applicable strategic priorities.

    Centers and Institutes follow FIU’s academic assessment cycle for institutional assessment reporting.