Assessment Unbound: Realigning Academic Assessment with Faculty Priorities

ABSTRACT Higher education assessment practices face a critical disconnect between the demands of accreditation bodies and the classroom realities prioritized by faculty. Traditionally focused on proving student learning through compliance-oriented methods, institutions often overlook the richer, improvement-driven approaches embraced by educators. This article argues for a fundamental shift—from proving learning merely for accountability purposes to actively improving learning through formative feedback, pedagogical innovation, and faculty-driven curriculum enhancement. Exploring the underlying factors that incentivize faculty choices using rational choice theory, the author illustrates why faculty may prioritize efficiency and compliance over deeper educational outcomes. Additionally, a typology of faculty engagement levels and strategies tailored to each type is presented to assist institutions in fostering an environment conducive to meaningful assessment. By advocating for realignment between institutional assessment efforts and faculty priorities, this article underscores the transformative potential of a collaborative, improvement-focused assessment culture, ultimately enhancing student learning and success beyond academia.