, the System-Wide Academic Assessment Committee, comprising assessment staff, interested faculty and administrators from across the UMS, is charged with finding and sharing ways to assist programs in measuring student learning and implementing change based on the results of assessment. On Oct 15, 2025 we will be providing our third annual system-wide workshop. This year’s workshop is focused on using rubrics to facilitate program assessment. Please see the flyer (with additional information) and registration form at the following link: /oira/resource/swaac-fall-2025-rubric-workshop/

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We look forward to our next round of assessment grants being awarded this fall! You can find the call for proposals at this link:

/oira/assessment/current-assessment-activities/

The priority deadline is November 15. Please consider how this grant could be used to help your program investigate new avenues in assessment, strengthen existing assessment design, or assist you in implementing action plans for assessment.

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As a reminder, annual assessment results should be submitted by the end of October every year, for results collected in the previous academic year. Annual assessment results are submitted via the Assessment Reporting portal (see Annual Assessment Reporting section). The change in the 3-year report due date does not affect annual assessment reporting due dates.

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Samantha Allen – Sam Allen is a doctoral student in the Anthropology and Environmental Policy program. They also have a master’s in Applied Sociology with a focus on globalization and sustainability from Southeastern Louisiana University. They currently work as a teaching assistant within the Anthropology department. Originally from Chalmette, Louisiana, they are intimately aware of the devastation that coastal communities face as sea levels rise, as environmental disasters become more frequent and the ways in which it compounds to further harm communities already struggling against toxic pollution. Sam is therefore interested in researching local knowledge systems and seeing how they can be applied to help coastal communities not only withstand current and upcoming environmental threats, but to also build towards a more sustainable thriving future.

Sarah Johnson – Sarah Johnson is a fourth-year student in the Maine Business School, double-majoring in Accounting and Business Information Systems. Originally from Clifton, Maine, she has spent much of her undergraduate career working with the Maine Business School on student success initiatives that support her peers. Sarah is looking forward to expanding her technical skills while contributing to efforts that use data to strengthen student outcomes at the University of Maine System. Outside of her academic and professional interests, she enjoys reading, going for walks, and playing tennis. She is excited to continue learning and making a positive impact on the 91���� community.

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1. First-Time Non-Retained Students Report (NEW)

• We generated a new report using National Student Clearinghouse data to track the destinations of fall 2023 first-year students who did not return for their second year.
  • More than half continue elsewhere: Of the 263 non-retained students, 56% enrolled at another institution for their second year, with pathways varying by residency. Maine residents mostly stayed in-state (community colleges and UMS campuses), while non-residents typically returned to public four-year institutions in their home states.
  • Retention gains at 91����: While the share of non-retained students enrolling elsewhere has declined since 2021, 91����’s first-year retention rate has risen from 76.7% (fall 2021 cohort) to 84.8% (fall 2023 cohort), reflecting stronger student persistence.

2. Degrees Conferred

• Provides the total number of degrees conferred by College, Academic Unit, Major or Minor, and Level.
  • In the 2024-2025 academic year, 91���� awarded 2,896 degrees, including 27 undergraduate certificates, 1,941 bachelor’s degrees, 30 CAS/EDS degrees, 646 master’s degrees, 169 post-baccalaureate certificates, and 83 doctoral degrees.
  • 91���� Machias awarded 60 degrees in the same period, spanning 6 associate’s degrees, 44 bachelor’s degrees, 9 certificates, and 1 post-baccalaureate certificate. 

3. Student Credit Hours

• Displays student credit hours by college, department, and career (undergraduate/graduate) from 2020-2021 to 2024-2025.
  • 91���� provided  a total of 250,183 credit hours in fall and spring of 2024-2025, with approximately 90% at the undergraduate level and 10% at the graduate level.
  • 91���� Machias provided a total of 9,653 undergraduate credit hours in fall and spring of 2024-2025. 

4. First-Time Undergraduate NonYield Report

• Tracks where 91����’s admitted first-time students who chose not to enroll ultimately attended college, using data from the National Student Clearinghouse. The fall 2024 report analyzed 9,526 students who were admitted to 91���� but enrolled elsewhere, representing 84% of all non-matriculating admitted students.
  • Key findings show that among Maine residents who didn’t enroll at 91����, 39.9% attended public institutions, 46% chose private institutions, and 14.7% enrolled in community colleges.
  • For non-residents, 61.9% attended public institutions, 32% chose private institutions, and 6.5% enrolled in community colleges.
  • The top destination schools included University of New Hampshire, University of Massachusetts Amherst, and University of Vermont, with the top 20 institutions capturing 31% of all non-matriculating students. 

5. Transfer Undergraduate NonYield Report

• Analyzes where 91����’s admitted transfer students who chose not to enroll ultimately attended college. The fall 2024 report tracked 319 transfer students who were admitted to 91���� but enrolled elsewhere, representing 57% of all non-matriculating admitted transfer students.
  • The top destination school was University of Southern Maine (17.9%), followed by University of Maine Augusta (6.0%) and University of New Hampshire Durham (4.4%). The top 10 destination schools captured 47% of all non-matriculating transfer students, with many choosing to remain within the University of Maine System or attend other regional institutions. 

Please contact Deb Allen, Simona Mitevska, or Lisa Applegate with any questions about these updates. Click here to access our staff page with contact information.

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The survey provides students who have stopped out, withdrawn, or otherwise discontinued enrollment with an opportunity to share their perspectives on academics, finances, health, sense of belonging, and campus climate. Importantly, students can also indicate interest in re-engaging with the university, allowing for timely outreach and support.

Findings from this survey will help the university identify common barriers to persistence, highlight trends across student populations, and guide evidence-based improvements to academic and student support services. In addition, results will be shared with campus partners to inform future initiatives aimed at strengthening student success.

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New to program assessment? In need of a refresher? Please join us for the Program Assessment Overview presentation (via Zoom) on Nov 3 (12-1PM). We will give an overview of the main components of a robust program assessment plan and provide resources to get you started. There will be time for questions and discussion so please bring your ideas. This presentation will be especially useful for new chairs/directors and assessment coordinators. Please .��

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There has been a lot of behind-the-scenes work over the summer to prepare for the implementation of the process: 

• OIRA created a process for keeping track of alignment information, assessment participation, faculty communications and other logistical aspects of Core assessment.
• Faculty teaching Core courses in the categories that will be assessed were contacted last spring, invited to attend informational sessions, and provided links to their individualized alignment sheets and other materials.��
• Earlier this semester, we reminded faculty of the Oct 15 deadline for completing their alignment sheets. If assistance is needed, CITL instructional designers are available to assist faculty in completing their sheets.��
• On Sept 19,  Core Assessment Faculty Fellows participated in a workshop to discuss strategies for identifying good alignment and providing process support for faculty as they participate in the Core assessment process. Our Core Assessment Faculty Fellows this year are: Tim Bowden (Food and Agriculture), Andy Maurey (Art), Ben Guenther (Psychology) and Michael Grillo (Art). Please reach out to them if you have any questions about the Core assessment process.

For more information about Core assessment please see the OIRA website. 

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Reports from previous semesters can be found in the “Reports” page by selecting the Availability filter and then selecting Archived.

Please contact Ryan Weatherbee, at ryan.a.weatherbee@maine.edu, with any questions.

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