To schedule time to chat, please go here: https://cozycal.com/coaches/ashley-finleyAshley Finley is the vice president for research and senior advisor to the president at the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U). She was previously associate vice president for academic affairs and founding dean of the Dominican Experience at Dominican University of California and national evaluator for Bringing Theory to Practice. Currently, Dr. Finley oversees AAC&U’s research agenda through the coordination of projects and reports on pressing issues in higher education. She also advises on strategic initiatives to support member campuses. Dr. Finley’s campus engagement focuses on connecting learning, assessment, and equity with campus priorities. Her publications include: How College Contributes to Workforce Success; A Comprehensive Approach to Assessment of High-Impact Practices; and “Well-Being: An Essential Outcome for Higher Education.” Finley received a BA from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and an MA and PhD, both in sociology, from the University of Iowa.
Current Projects Project director and principal investigator for a Lumina funded study to
advance civic and community-based evidence in higher education. The study involves the gathering and assessment of student work samples of students’ demonstrate civic capacities using AAC&U’s VALUE rubrics for Civic Engagement and Global Learning. The study includes samples from 31 campuses, including all public institutions in the state of
Utah.Co-director of the newly launched
Curriculum to Career Innovations Institute. A collaboration between AAC&U and IBM, the institute invites campus teams to develop projects that embed vocational exploration into the curriculum. The inaugural Institute will kick-off in August and includes 54 teams and over 300 participants.Overseeing the update of AAC&U’s
Essential Learning Outcomes. Through a review of existing evidence and analysis of feedback from public commentary, AAC&U will be revising its outcomes framework to update language and include a new dimension of outcomes focused on “mindsets, aptitudes, and disposition.”
Areas of Expertise Assessment; Implementation of high-impact practices; Change management; Holistic advising; Integrating well-being/mindsets into the curriculum; and Vocational exploration.
Recent Publications Finley, Ashley, and Kate Drezek McConnell. "On the Same Page? Administrator and Faculty Views on What Shapes College Learning and Student Success." Association of American Colleges and Universities (2022).Finley, Ashley. "How College Contributes to Workforce Success: Employer Views on What Matters Most." Association of American Colleges and Universities (2021).Changing Higher Ed Podcast - Transforming Curriculum and Higher Ed's Role in Workforce SuccessFinley, Ashley. "A Comprehensive Approach to Assessment of High-Impact Practices. Occasional Paper No. 41." National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (2019).
