<h2>Voluntary System of Accountability</h2>
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<p>The<a href="http://www.voluntarysystem.org/index.cfm?page=homePage" target="_blank"> Voluntary System of Accountability</a> (VSA) is a joint project of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC). Through the use of a web-reporting template entitled the College Portrait, the VSA makes information on undergraduate education publicly available. The College Portrait is organized into three sections:</p>
<ol>
<li>Student and Family Information</li>
<li>Student Experiences and Perceptions</li>
<li>Student Learning Outcomes</li>
</ol>
<p><strong>Student and Family Information<br /></strong>Data in this section of the College Portrait includes: tuition and related costs, degree offerings, living arrangements, student characteristics, graduation rates, transfer rates, and post-graduate plans. Data in this section would come from the National Student Clearinghouse.</p>
<p><strong>Student Experiences and Perceptions<br /></strong>The second section of the College Portrait provides a snapshot of student experiences and activities, as well as their perceptions of a particular college or university. Data in this section would come from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).</p>
<p><strong>Student Learning Outcomes<br /></strong>The third section of the College Portrait reports “evidence of student learning” as measured by a standardized test, institution-specific outcomes data such as program assessments, and professional licensure exams. Participating institutions will select from three standardized tests designed to measure broad cognitive skills. </p>
<p>Southern Illinois University Edwardsville was the first institution of higher learning in the State of Illinois to post its College Portrait on-line. It can be found at the following link: <a href="http://www.collegeportraits.org/IL/SIUE" target="_blank">SIUE's VSA College Portrait</a>.</p>
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