Academic Assessment

At Luna Community College (LCC), assessment is an ongoing, collegewide practice used to understand how effectively students are learning and how well programs and services are meeting their goals. It reflects the College’s commitment to quality education, student success, and continuous improvement.

Assessment is a shared responsibility involving faculty, academic directors, and staff who contribute to improving learning experiences and institutional effectiveness. The LCC Assessment Committee (LCCAC) leads campus-wide assessment practices. By examining course, program, general education, and co-curricular outcomes, LCC demonstrates accountability to its community and accrediting bodies while advancing its mission to provide accessible, high-quality education that prepares students for success in their careers, continued education, and civic life.

The Luna Assessment for Teaching, Learning, and Academic Success (ATLAS) Program is Luna Community College's institutional initiative developed through participation in the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Assessment Academy, a multi-year opportunity that helps colleges strengthen assessment practices and use evidence to improve student learning and institutional effectiveness. 

ATLAS serves as a centralized framework for integrating resources and cross-campus efforts around teaching, student learning, and assessment. This framework includes the committees and groups involved in the assessment process, the resources and tools that support assessment work, and the systems and processes used to collect, analyze, and apply evidence. ATLAS provides a coordinated approach to assessment and continuous improvement for the purpose of bolstering student learning across the college.

Student Learning Assessment Plan

Luna Community College’s Student Learning Assessment Plan is a living document that serves as the framework for assessment across courses, programs, general education, and co-curricular areas. The plan includes timelines, responsibilities, and templates to promote consistency, while also providing flexibility for continuous improvement. It reflects LCC’s commitment to accountability, educational quality, and student success.

General Education Assessment Plan

New Mexico updated its model of general education to focus on the essential skills that are needed by today’s college graduates to be successful as they pursue advanced degrees and/or careers.

The defining characteristic of a New Mexico general education course is its focus on essential skills: communication, quantitative reasoning, critical thinking, information and digital literacy, and personal and social responsibility.

Luna Community College has a General Education Assessment Subcommittee that evaluates courses each year based on the general education assessment schedule as outlined in the General Education Assessment Plan.

Course Assessment

Course-level assessment measures student learning within individual courses. It evaluates how well students achieve the outcomes listed in the syllabus and provides faculty with a framework for analyzing student achievement in their classes to strengthen teaching methods, assignments, and instructional strategies.

Co-Curricular Assessment

Co-curricular assessment evaluates structured learning experiences outside of the classroom. Activities such as student senate, athletics, tutoring, and peer mentorship are assessed to ensure they support student development and the mission of the institution. The assessment process involves identifying learning outcomes, collecting evidence of student growth, and using results to improve programming and student support. Co-curricular assessment helps connect student learning with real-world skills such as leadership, communication, and collaboration.

Programmatic Review

Program-level assessment evaluates student achievement across entire degree and certificate programs. It examines how individual courses contribute to overall program outcomes and ensures that graduates demonstrate the knowledge and skills needed for employment or transfer. Program-level assessment builds on course-level results and is implemented through programmatic review, which is led by Academic Directors with faculty support. Department reviews include an evaluation of each program within the department and are published on the department’s website.