Academic Standards and Collaborations, within Academic Strategies, provides assistance to the Board and Chancellor's office divisions, and works collaboratively with campuses and external groups on broad-based activities relating to initiatives that connect Oregon's PK-20 education enterprise and the inclusion of Oregonians throughout the educational pipeline.  The primary focus is the development of academic policies and processes to promote successful transitions of students from high school and community college into OUS institutions, enhance campus teaching/learning environments, support successful faculty endeavors, and ensure high quality student learning leading to student success.

Academic Policies and Processes:  

 The staff of Academic Standards and Collaborations work closely with the OUS Provosts’ Council, the  OUS Board’s Academic Strategies Committee, the Joint Boards of Education and its Unified Education Enterprise, and K-12 leadership on the planning and development of academic programs, policies, and processes to enhance learning and promote the successful transition and graduation of students. Recent work includes:

• Accelerated Learning Options:
  • Dual Credit Programs (Oregon Department of Education)
    • Dual Credit Program approval standards
    • Report on dual credit student performance
    • Oregon Department of Education Accelerated College Credit Programs Grant Application (WORD)
  • National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships (NACEP)
    • Portland State University is the only NACEP-accredited institution in Oregon !
  • Advanced Placement Statewide Credit Alignment Policy
    • This policy sets uniform standards for awarding college credit for Advanced Placement (AP) test scores.
  • International Baccalaureate Statewide Credit Alignment Policy
    • This policy sets uniform standards for awarding college credit for International Baccalaureate (IB) test scores.
• Applied Baccalaureate Degree
  • OUS continues to work with Oregon Community Colleges and Industry Partners to develop Applied Baccalaureate degree programs to meet the needs of students and employers throughout the state. Currently, two OUS institutions offer Applied Baccalaureate Degree Programs:
    • Bachelor of Applied Science in Technology and Management at Oregon Institute of Technology
    • Bachelor of Applied Science in Management at Southern Oregon University
• OUS Automatic Admission Policy in support of the Essential Skills component of the new Oregon High School Diploma

Learning Outcomes & Assessment:

The Academic Strategies Department coordinates the Learning Outcomes and Assessment Working Group, the Provost’s appointed representatives to advance student learning and the effective use of meaningful assessment across the Oregon University System. For more information, see LO&A . Teacher Education : The Academic Strategies department develops and coordinates policy directives related to the preparation of Oregon teachers through the public universities in collaboration with Oregon School Districts and the Oregon Department of Education. For more information, see Teacher Education ProgramsTeacher Education Policy Initiatives

Common Core:

Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English-Language Arts and for Mathematics have been adopted by the Oregon Department of Education. OUS’s Academic Strategies Department is working with ODE and CCWD to raise awareness of the CCSS among higher education stakeholders in Oregon and to engage Oregon higher education faculty in the transition to the CCSS. For more information, see Common Core .

Diversity and Student Success: 

The Academic Strategies department supports community relations and diversity efforts designed to support the success of all Oregon students in an increasingly diverse society. For more information on OUS diversity efforts, see Diversity and Community Engagement and Student Success Initiatives.

Contact:

Karen Marrongelle, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Standards and Collaborations

Lisa Mentz, K-16 Alignment Director

Anna Teske, Academic Policy Analyst