South Texas College of Law Houston is approved by the Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar of the American Bar Association, 321 North Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60654, 312-988-6738.
South Texas College of Law Houston is a member of the Association of American Law Schools, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.A., Suite 800, Washington, T.C. 20036-2717, 202-296-8851.
Institutional Assessment
What is Institutional Assessment?
Institutional assessment involves an ongoing, systematic process of data collection and analysis. The purpose is to monitor and understand whether an institution is achieving its goals and mission and seeking improvements in student learning, programs and services.
The Office of Assessment and Research (OAR)
The OAR at STCL Houston collects data, analyzes information and conducts research to support strategic planning and institutional research and planning. STCL Houston uses its assessment program to evaluate all aspects of institutional effectiveness. In 2003, the law school created the Office of Assessment and Research.
The work of OAR is a critical component of institutional planning and evaluation. This office is active in the strategic planning process with regard to both planning and evaluation.
OAR conducts assessments throughout the institution. Assessment reports are used to inform the policy decisions made by the law school administration and the faculty. OAR reports to the associate dean for academics. The associate dean oversees the work of the office and works directly with it on assessment programs including strategic planning and evaluation.
The Work of the OAR
Strategic Planning and Evaluation
Assess the Strategic Plan progress through the Measure of
Success Assessment Plan
Provide support to the Strategic Planning Oversight
Committee
Committees & Departments
Perform scholarship committee data analysis
Advice and evaluate assessment program for the Program
Effectiveness Committee
Advice and evaluate assessment plans for Academic Success
Committee
Stakeholder Feedback
Develop and analyze the Campus Climate Survey
Develop and analyze student, faculty and staff surveys
Develop and analyze student and alumni focus groups
Incoming students
Analyze scholarship data
Student Learning
Assess institutional and student learning outcomes
Analyze curriculum mapping
Graduating students
Develop Bar Passage reports
Collect and analyze employment data
Government agencies & accrediting organizations
Collect and submit IPEDS data
Collect and submit ABA Annual Questionnaire, Bar Passage
Questionnaire, and Employment Questionnaire
Faculty
Conduct course evaluations
Conduct ad hoc surveys and research projects
STCL Houston Learning Outcomes for Graduates
The law school’s goal is to educate its graduates to become responsible members of the legal profession dedicated to providing highly competent, effective, and ethical legal representation for their clients.
To achieve those objectives, the faculty of the law school has identified the Learning Outcomes described below. Taken together, these Learning Outcomes describe the faculty’s expectations for the knowledge, skills, and professionalism South Texas students should have when they graduate. Every course in the law school curriculum is designed to contribute to the attainment of some, but not all, of these Learning Outcomes, and each course will emphasize a particular subset of them.
Learning Outcome 1: Substantive Law and Legal Process Knowledge
Graduates of the law school will demonstrate mastery of the foundational areas of legal knowledge and legal processes with the proficiency suitable for a competent entry-level practitioner.
Performance criteria may include, but not be limited to, the demonstrated knowledge of:
(a) the basic rules, principles, doctrines, concepts, and policies (i) in foundational areas of legal knowledge, including Civil Procedure, Constitutional Law, Contracts, Criminal Law, Evidence, Federal Income Taxation, Professional Responsibility, Property, and Torts, and (ii) in such other subjects sufficient to become eligible for admission to the practice of law;
(b) the roles and differing characteristics by which law is made and changed for the various sources of law, state and federal, including the common law; constitutions; legislation; administrative regulations; and the judicial interpretation of legislation, regulations, and constitutions, including international legal materials; and
(c) how to assess the advantages and disadvantages of the various forms of dispute resolution techniques, including both adjudicative processes, like jury and bench trials, arbitration, and adjudicative hearings, and less formal processes, like negotiation, conciliation, and mediation.
Learning Outcome 2: Legal Analysis, Reasoning, and Problem Solving
Graduates of the law school will demonstrate the ability to perform legal analysis, legal reasoning, and legal problem solving with the proficiency suitable for a competent entry-level practitioner.
Performance criteria may include, but not be limited to, the demonstrated ability to:
(a) both orally and in writing (i) identify and articulate the legal issues presented in a variety of factual settings; (ii) recognize and assess the significance of potentially relevant facts, and determine and state the legal rules and principles relevant to the resolution of those issues; and (iii) formulate and evaluate the effectiveness of alternative legal arguments addressing the issues presented, including marshalling the legally significant facts;
(b) both orally and in writing (i) analyze and interpret the legal rules and principles contained in judicial opinions, statutes, administrative regulations, and other legal authorities; (ii) explain the public policies underlying those rule and principles; and (iii) where appropriate, construct plausible alternative interpretations of the legal authorities; and
(c) assist in solving a client’s legal problem or accomplishing a client’s legal objective by virtue of being able to (i) identify the client’s problem; (ii) evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of competing alternative solutions; and (iii) formulate and implement a plan of action.
Learning Outcome 3: Legal Research
Graduates of the law school will be able independently to conduct effective legal research with the proficiency suitable for a competent entry-level practitioner.
Performance criteria may include, but not be limited to, the demonstrated ability to:
(a) develop and implement an efficient and comprehensive research plan;
(b) locate, retrieve, organize, analyze, and evaluate appropriate legal, factual, and policy source material in both written and digital formats; and
(c) differentiate and assess the types and relevance of legal authorities.
Learning Outcome 4: Other Professional Skills, Including Effective Communication
Graduates of the law school will be able to perform such other professional skills as are appropriate for a new lawyer in their chosen areas of specialization with proficiency appropriate for a competent entry-level practitioner.
Performance criteria may include, but not be limited to, the demonstrated ability to:
(a) both orally and in writing, communicate effectively by organizing and delivering appropriate, cogent, and persuasive communications for both legal and non-legal audiences;
(b) engage effectively in client interviewing and counseling, negotiation, factual investigation and analysis, trial advocacy, conflict resolution, and cultural competency; and
(c) engage effectively in drafting professional documents for litigation and drafting professional documents for transactions.
Learning Outcome 5: Professional and Ethical Responsibility
Graduates of the law school will be able to demonstrate an ability to exercise the professional judgment and ethical standards expected of a competent entry-level practitioner.
Performance criteria may include, but not be limited to, the demonstrated ability to:
(a) identify the basic rules, principles, and policies governing the professional responsibilities of lawyers in the United States;
(b) recognize, reflect upon, and respond appropriately to the ethical issues likely to arise in the practice of law; and
(c) understand and support the role of lawyers in society and the professional responsibilities of lawyers in promoting justice and the access to justice and in service to the community.
Learning Outcome 6: Self-Management and Collaboration
Graduates of the law school will be able to the skills and concepts required for the effective and efficient management of law practice with the proficiency suitable for a competent entry-level practitioner.
Performance criteria may include, but not be limited to, the demonstrated ability to:
(a) diagnose their own needs to increase their legal knowledge or to improve their legal skills, formulate professional development goals, identify appropriate professional development resources, and choose and implement a learning strategy for increasing knowledge or improving skills, making use of both self-reflection and feedback, as appropriate;
(b) organize and manage legal work independently; and
(c) collaborate effectively.
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