Assessment Is Wicked Good #CurriculumThatCounts
Cocurricular assessment asks whether students who participate in GCC’s cocurricular programs achieve the Cocurricular Learning Outcomes (CCLOs) those programs promise. At GCC, we align cocurricular experiences to CCLOs, gather evidence of student learning, and use the PAIR cycle—Prepare, Assess, Intervene, Reassess—to document change and improvement over time.
GCC's definition of cocurricular
An activity or event with a structured curriculum during which students achieve identified learning outcomes aligned with course, program, or general education curricula. While participation in these activities or events may be required or encouraged by a student’s academic course or program, the activity or event itself is not tied to a specific credit or non-credit class.
Higher Learning Commission (HLC) guidance
Effective September 1, 2025, cocurricular assessment is included in HLC’s Assumed Practices.
Assumed Practice (B.1.h). If the institution makes any claims for student learning related to its cocurricular programs, it assesses such student learning and makes improvements. (HLC Revised Assumed Practices)
HLC Cocurricular definition. “Learning activities, programs and experiences that reinforce the institution’s mission and values and complement the formal curriculum. Examples: Study abroad, student-faculty research experiences, service learning, professional clubs or organizations, honor societies, etc. Cocurricular activities are not necessarily 'all activities that fall outside of the classroom,' but are best understood as activities that usually take place outside of conventional classrooms and labs that are deliberately designed to impart, reinforce or measure the learning outcomes for specific programs or general education.” (HLC 2025 Criteria For Accreditation FAQs)
Cocurricular assessment at a glance
Cocurricular mapping. Areas create a cocurricular map that identifies CCLOs, specifies the type of student experience, notes the nature of student impact, indicates alignment to a course, an academic program, or general education, and aligns to ILOs.
Integrated assessment. Areas conduct CCLO-focused projects within PAIR. Beginning in Fall 2025, GCC is piloting a cocurricular program assessment process aligned with the academic program process.
Reporting & review. Employees submit one Assessment Report per project; results flow to each program’s spreadsheet for program-level analysis and shared review.
In this section of the GAUCHO site, you will find:
Cocurricular Assessment. Our CCLO assessment timeline.
Cocurricular Outcomes. Definition of CCLOs at GCC, along with the philosophy of cocurricular assessment.
Cocurricular Report. A historical look at cocurricular assessment until pilot data are available.
Employee Guide to Assessing CCLOs. Step-by-step resources for program mapping, planning cocurricular assessments, and submitting the Assessment Report form (in progress).
AY 2018–2019 — Launch in Student Affairs + NILOA Coach Visit 🗂️
CART expanded assessment to Student Affairs; Enrollment Services and Student Life began assessment training and drafted student learning outcomes. CART secured a NILOA Coach visit (Feb 2019) focused on SA assessment.
Fall 2019 — First SA Assessment Reports ✅
Three areas—Associated Student Government, Athletics, and Financial Aid—completed assessment reports.
May 2020 — Student Affairs Workgroup Forms 🤝
CART created the Student Affairs Workgroup; it designed an Assessment Proficiency Survey and redesigned the Student Affairs Assessment Report.
Fall 2020 — Student Organization Assessment Pilot 🧪
Focus shifted to Student Organization Assessment; a Student Organization Assessment Report was created. Pilot launched with Psychology Club; need identified to support student leaders in assessing learning (vs. perceptions).
AY 2021–2022 — Engagement Assessment Planning 🧭
Ongoing cocurricular assessment conversations in CART. Fall Assessment Day included a cocurricular session. During Spring Assessment Week, Honors students completed assessment training for cocurricular credit. Several employees completed the Student Affairs Assessment Leaders (SAAL) open course, “Applying and Leading Assessment in Student Affairs.”
AY 2022–2023 — Continued Capacity Building 📈
Ongoing cocurricular assessment conversations in CART. Spring Assessment Week included a cocurricular assessment activity. A five-person team attended HLC’s cocurricular webinar series, and six employees completed the Spring 2023 SAAL course. Student Affairs and Academic Affairs vice presidents and deans endorsed the cocurricular assessment plan in August 2023.
AY 2023–2024 — Awareness and Engagement 📣
Ongoing cocurricular assessment conversations in CART. Cocurricular assessment was a talking point at Convocation. Spring Assessment Week included a Q&A video on cocurricular assessment.
June 2024 — Student Life Retreat 👥
Assessment leadership facilitated a two-hour workshop with Student Life managers focused on clarifying the role and value of assessment in Student Affairs, linking assessment activities to divisional and institutional goals, and using Plan-Do-Study-Act to enhance student learning.
AY 2024–2025 — Map Design & Pilot Prep 🗺️
Drafted a cocurricular mapping process mirroring the academic version—categorizing experiences (e.g., workshop, club, sport, leadership, service learning, event, one-on-one support) and impact scope (broad/targeted/individualized), and aligning to program outcomes and ILOs.
Fall 2025 — Pilot Launch: CCLO Assessment Aligned to Program Process 🚀
Pilot of cocurricular program assessment begins. Program directors/leads will create cocurricular maps that identify CCLOs, specify experience type, note student-impact scope, align to curriculum.
Fall 2025 — Reporting Built for the Pilot 📝
A cocurricular Assessment Report will be developed during the Fall 2025 pilot semester adapted from the academic program report.
September 1, 2025 — HLC Assumed Practices Update 📜
Revised HLC Assumed Practices take effect; institutions that make claims for student learning in cocurricular programs must assess that learning and use results for improvement (Assumed Practices, B.1.h).
Updated 08/2025