The Director of Educational Assessment oversees and supports academic program educational assessment across campus by supporting academic program leaders in evaluating program learning outcomes particularly as part of program review, consulting with academic units on unit accreditation, overseeing program assessment requirements for institutional accreditation, supporting use of the MU Educational Assessment App, and fostering a campus culture of educational assessment.
Key Responsibilities:
- Academic Educational Assessment – Evaluate educational assessment as part of campus academic program review and annual reports, review academic program learning outcomes for new degree proposals, changes to existing degrees, and alternative digital credentials.
- Institutional Accreditation – Oversee and meet institutional accreditation requirements related to learning assessment. Develop institutional accreditation reports related to learning assessment. Analyze campus practices to ensure program learning assessment aligns with and exceeds accreditation requirements. Recommend campus changes to address deficiencies related to program learning assessment.
- Development and Training – Provide training and development related to program learning educational assessment for instructors and academic program leaders, support instructor and academic program leader use of assessment tools (e.g, the MU Educational Assessment App).
- Support use of the MU Educational Assessment App for academic learning program evaluation across campus. Work with University Data Analytics and Institutional Research (ADAIR) to modify the app based on user needs. Provide user training related to app. Provide user consultation to support app use.
- Provide support for unit accreditation. Assist units with analysis and reporting needs related to unit accreditation requirements. Provide training and consultation to encourage the use of the MU Educational Assessment App for unit accreditation. Identify alternatives to MU Educational Assessment App when needed.
- Strategic Assessment Initiatives – Strategize with Associate Provost, Directors of Teaching for Learning Center and Campus Writing Program, and others to address emergent issues related to educational assessment (e.g., impact of AI on educational assessment, revision of General Education program), foster assessment knowledge and culture across campus through strategic or emerging issues.
Sandra Wald has worked in higher education for more than two decades as both a faculty member and higher education administrator. She joins the University of Missouri from Central Methodist University, where she has served in leadership roles focused on assessment, faculty development, accreditation, and institutional effectiveness.
Since transitioning from full-time teaching into faculty support and assessment work, Sandra has partnered with faculty, academic programs, and university leaders to strengthen student learning, support continuous improvement, and build meaningful assessment practices. Her professional interests include assessment culture, faculty development, educational innovation, and helping institutions use evidence to inform decision-making and improve learning outcomes.
In addition to her administrative work, Sandra has extensive teaching experience and remains passionate about supporting faculty as educators and scholars. She is currently completing her doctoral dissertation, which focuses on professional development for early-career faculty.