Part of the AALHE Professional Development Series

Engaging Faculty in General Education Assessment

• Ania Peczalska, Ph.D., Director of Institutional Effectiveness, University of Kentucky

• Felix Wao, Ph.D., Associate Provost for Academic Assessment, University of Oklahoma

April 15, 2026

3:00pm ET / 2:00pm CT / 1:00pm MT / 12:00pm PT  

Description: Participants will explore practical strategies for engaging faculty in meaningful general education assessment. Grounded in a principle-led, evidence-informed approach, this session focuses on shifting assessment from a compliance-driven process to one that supports teaching, learning, and curricular improvement.

Through real-world examples, participants will examine how to design streamlined, faculty-centered assessment processes that emphasize relevance, trust, and actionable insights. The session will highlight approaches that reduce burden, align with faculty priorities, and share results with faculty stakeholders to make results more usable and impactful.

Participants will leave with concrete ideas for increasing faculty engagement and improving the quality of assessment evidence. 

Speaker Bios: Ania Peczalska is the Director of Institutional Effectiveness at the University of Kentucky. She has fifteen years of work experience at large public research institutions, including over ten years of assessment and leadership experience. Ania also presents and publishes on assessment best practices and assessment leadership. She obtained her Ph.D. in Higher Education, a Master of Library Science, and a Master of Arts in Folklore and Ethnomusicology, all from Indiana University Bloomington. She additionally obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Music and Asian Studies from Saint Olaf College.

Felix Wao serves as Associate Provost for Academic Assessment at the University of Oklahoma and brings more than 22 years of experience overseeing assessment initiatives at research institutions. He has presented at regional, national, and international conferences on assessment and accreditation and has published multiple studies focused on aspects of assessment of student learning. He earned a B.S. in Mathematics from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and both an M.A. and Ph.D. in Higher Education Administration and Policy Studies from the Catholic University of
America in Washington, D.C. He also contributes to the Higher Learning Commission as a Peer Reviewer and Assessment Academy Mentor.

Non-Member Cost: $40

Non-Member Registration

Spring is the season of growth, fresh ideas, and new opportunities, perfect for energizing your assessment strategies! Join us for the Spring 2026 Practical Assessment Strategies Series (PASS) and transform the way you approach learning assessment on your campus.

Why Attend?

• Hands-on strategies: Walk away with actionable tools you can implement immediately.
• Expert insights: Learn from leaders in assessment innovation and student success.
• Collaborative community: Connect with peers, share ideas, and grow together.