Brent Maher Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness

I lead the Office of Institutional Effectiveness in Academic Affairs, which supports strategic planning and decision-making support across the College and provides coordinated leadership for assessment, accreditation, and institutional research. This office collects and analyzes data to support decision making and fulfill external reporting requirements. I also lead learning outcomes assessment and chair the Curriculum Assessment Committee. I work with faculty and staff to articulate learning outcomes, measure results, and develop plans for continuous improvement.

I also serve as the college’s Accreditation Liaison with Davidson’s accreditor, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). My scholarly work focuses on the history of the federal government’s involvement with colleges and universities such as student aid policy, federal research funding, and accreditation.

Prior to coming to Davidson, I completed my graduate studies as the Harvard Graduate School of Education where I also worked for the Collaborative on Academic Affairs in Higher Education. I was also an early career scholar in New Civics—a program funded by the Spencer Foundation. I also served as the Director of Assessment and Quality Improvement at my alma mater, Taylor University in Indiana.