Currently, assessment of the core curriculum is based on several defining assumptions:

• The core is comprised of the following basic competencies: written literacy (upper and lower), ethics, second language, diversity, mathematics, and logic. Additionally, knowledge content spans the divisions of the arts, humanities, social sciences, sciences, and traditions (philosophy; theology and religious studies).
• The basic competenices are assessed by collecting samples of student work and applying common rubrics to assess performance levels. Knowledge levels will be assessed within each discipline.
• There are current three-year projections for assessing the basic competencies:
  • Year 1: Written literacy (lower division), second language, diversity
  • Year 2: Mathematics, sciences, and social sciences
  • Year 3: Arts, humanities,traditions, ethics, and logic
• Eventually, common rubrics for competencies can be benchmarked to external indicators. For example, the lower division written literacy rubric was adapted from AAC&U's written communication rubric with an added criterion for diversity. Second language assessments were based on American Language Association criteria for reading, writing, speaking, and listening with an added criteriof for diversity.
• Extensive assessment plans mirror the basic components of program assessment: identified learning goals and outcomes, alignment of outcomes with curriculum through curricular map, specification of assessment responsibilities, an assessment activitiy matrix identifying types of direct and indirect assessments collected, and a timeline specifying various data collection points.