University-wide learning outcomes (UWLOs) are an agreed upon set of knowledge, skills, and/or attitudes that a university expects students to know upon completion of their degree regardless of their college or major.  UWLOs operationalize the mission and strategic aims of YSU as they relate to student success and learning. Through assessment of UWLOs, we can evaluate claims made as an institution about the complete educational experience, integrating learning that occurs both inside and outside the classroom.

The ability for YSU to provide evidence-based answers to the question, “What is it that helps serve as a differentiator for a graduate of YSU?” is critical to our future as an institution. Students, parents, and outside stakeholders want to know exactly how students are prepared for post-graduation success. YSU’s UWLOs will serve as (1) the basis for the general education transformation, (2) achieving the goal within the Plan for Strategic Actions to Take Charge of our Future, and (3) an integral component of achieving the Carnegie Foundation’s Elective Classification for Community Engagement.

By creating systems that both vertically and horizontally integrate the collection of evidence of learning in UWLOs, YSU can build a rich picture of how and where institutional learning is occurring, where our strengths as a campus are, and align resources to support strategic priorities around student success and learning.

The Academic Program Transformation Team is working from a plan presented at a recent Curricular Efficiency workshop attended by over 60 program directors, coordinators, chairs and deans. The plan involves engaging members of the campus community to discuss the purpose of UWLOs, suggest UWLOs that fit the YSU mission, and then present those UWLOs to Academic Senate in the Fall 2022 semester for consideration. 

Please review the following examples and look for next week’s email regarding UWLOs.