Colleges should reassess how well they are achieving the aims of a liberal-arts education, says a statement, just released, that was signed by 90 colleges.

The statement says assessment should focus on the skills that students develop, not simply measured by short-term achievement but also in a long-term context. Prepared by a task force convened by the Consortium on Financing Higher Education, which comprises 31 selective private colleges and universities, the statement acknowledges the diversity among colleges but argues that all expect students to acquire a range of knowledge and to develop critical-thinking and communication skills.

“Each institution has a responsibility to assess its programs, and to do this in the way that is most meaningful for it and the constituencies it serves,” said Daniel Hastings, dean of undergraduate education at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who led the task force.

The statement was signed by all of the members of the consortium along with several dozen other institutions, both public and private, including both liberal-arts colleges and research universities.

Peer review among institutions remains essential, according to the statement, while making data available to prospective students, parents, the government, and other sources of financial support is important to allow them to make informed decisions.

On the assessment theme, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education has announced a plan to overhaul its accreditation process next year. “Higher education must make the transformation with P-12 and contribute to it by helping to build quality learning environments staffed with teams who can make those environments effective for student learning,” said James G. Cibulka, president of the council. —Reeves Wiedeman