The College's assessment activities focus on students, faculty, alumni, employers, and the community. Coconino Community College formally seeks the assessment of student academic achievement, the assessment of department outcomes, and the assessment of achievement of institutional core indicators. This data and information helps to measure the degree to which CCC meets its stated mission, vision and purposes. These assessment processes were developed by faculty and staff and are a key element in the College’s planning activities.

Using department assessment plans as a foundation, the College constructed an overall plan for institutional effectiveness. When the College embarked on its self-study it became clear that, in its youthfulness, Coconino Community College could not readily answer all the questions about itself that the various criterion teams were raising. Although the College had been collecting data and publishing an annual assessment report (known as the “Technical Progress Report”) since 1996, it became apparent that the College needed to identify additional data sources that would provide an even better picture of its institutional health.

Consequently, it was concluded that in addition to department assessment plans, some key core indicators needed to be tracked. Student Affairs, Business and Administrative affairs and Academic Affairs personnel, first proposed these indicators. In August 2001, a draft list of core indicators was presented to the District Governing Board at a daylong retreat. The Board assisted in the prioritization and articulation of this first set of core indicators. Next, the institution drafted a schedule for the collection and analysis of these data and tied them to strategic planning objectives.