Nicola Imbracsio has been named Assistant Director of Assessment in the College of Arts & Letters on a three-year appointment, effective August 16, 2019. The position is co-sponsored by the Office of the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Education.
Imbracsio currently works in the Center for Integrative Studies in Arts and Humanities as the Assessment Coordinator and Instructor. In her new role, she will report to and support the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education, Cara Cilano, in the College of Arts & Letters — who also serves as Director of the IAH program — in the areas of assessment of student learning outcomes and program assessment in Integrative Studies courses and in the College. Her primary areas of focus will be on diversifying curriculum, sustaining experiential learning, and engaging faculty colleagues in conversations about the classroom.
“I’ve been teaching in college classrooms since 2002 and I’m aware of the demands that faculty face and the challenges that assessment can sometimes pose,” Imbracsio said. “Assessment allows for an opportunity to demonstrate the important, necessary, and exciting work that faculty in the College of Arts & Letters are doing in their classrooms.”
Imbracsio will assist in the university’s effort to collect data to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of integrative studies units, particularly the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities. This includes evaluating progress towards improving assessment efforts in general education, developing faculty and staff member’s ability to collect and integrate assessment data into teaching practice, participation in internal and external assessment and accountability initiatives, and developing assessment plans and evaluating the success of assessment initiatives.
The Assistant Director of Assessment will work to strengthen and support a culture of assessment and evidence-based practice within all programs in the College, including IAH.
DR. CARA CILANO
“I’m excited to extend the work I’ve been doing in IAH to the College and help faculty use assessment to develop their teaching and to provide data to inform curriculum design that serves CAL students and prepares them for the 21st century,” Imbracsio said.
In addition, Imbracsio will focus on promoting diversity and inclusion in the College of Arts & Letters curricula and provide training to faculty and staff on best practices in the development and utilization of assessment tools to measure student outcomes and unit effectiveness.
“Nicola will lead us in addressing the university assessment mandate while also building and sustaining a culture of undergraduate teaching and programmatic thinking,” said Cara Cilano, Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education. “At its base, assessment invites faculty to articulate what they intend for students to get out of curricular programs. The Assistant Director of Assessment will work to strengthen and support a culture of assessment and evidence-based practice within all programs in the College, including IAH.”
Imbracsio earned her Ph.D. in English from the University of New Hampshire. She specializes in early modern English literature, drama, and performance. Before receiving her Ph.D., she earned an M.F.A. in Directing and worked professionally in theatre. She teaches courses on medieval and early modern British literature as well as general education courses dealing with the plague, fairytales and legends, and witchcraft.
