College-wide Student Learning Outcomes

Beginning in 2010, the Student Learning Committee (SLC), chaired by the Associate Dean of the Faculty, led the campus through an iterative process to identify college-wide student learning goals and outcomes.  SLC is a presidential committee, composed of faculty, staff, and students.  The committee used the college’s Mission and the Statement of Purpose and Belief as a foundation for these student learning goals and outcomes, and benefited from extensive feedback from students, alumni, faculty and staff.

In 2012 the faculty, Student Affairs Leadership Team, and two committees of the Board of Trustees approved six college-wide student learning outcomes for Macalester graduates:

• Demonstrate Depth and Breadth 
• Think Critically and Analyze Effectively
• Communicate Effectively
• Demonstrate Intercultural Knowledge and Competence
• Make Informed Choices and Accept Responsibility
• Engage Community

The Assessment Office conducts regular assessments of these outcomes on behalf of the Student Learning Committee.  The purpose of institution-wide assessment at Macalester is not to evaluate individual students or to classify or grade them. Rather, the unit of analysis is the college itself, and the purpose is to collect information about the impact of a Macalester education on student learning and development, and to identify any areas for improvement.  

Please consult the Student Learning Committee and Statement of Student Learning webpages for more detailed information. View the pages devoted to individual learning outcomes, for example Demonstrate Intellectual Depth and Breadth, for recent reports.