360 Degrees of Assessment

Most of us are involved in assessment on a regular basis. As faculty, we are frequently on the "giving" end of the assessment process, since we're doing a form of assessment every time we grade a student paper, write a letter of recommendation, or give feedback about a student's oral presentation. Less often, we're on the receiving end, usually at the end of a term, when we receive course evaluations. This editor underwent an assessment this past year that was truly a 360-degree evauation, one that sought opinions from a spectrum of stakeholders, including members of the Publications Board, members of BCQ's editorial review board, and authors who had had manuscripts rejected.