Improving student learning is the primary purpose of institutional academic assessment. The assessment process also ensures that learning outcomes are consistent with the university's mission and goals. The process allows comparisons of desired learning outcomes to actual learning. This information is the basis for programmatic changes and ultimately to improvements in teaching and learning. Reflection and consideration of student performance leads to programmatic change by way of formal feedback loops, which are described below.

The assessment process at Mayville State University improves student learning by:

• Formulating institutional mission and goals.

• Identifying desired student learning outcomes.

• Measuring students' achievements of those outcomes.

• Analyzing the results of the learning measurements.

• Using those results as the basis for enhancing the curriculum and the teaching-learning process.