Brent Maher

About Brent Maher

Brent D. Maher serves as the Director of Planning and Academic Assessment at Davidson College, where he works with faculty to develop and assess programmatic learning outcomes. He earned his Ed.D. in higher education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. His research focuses on historical regulatory tensions between higher education and the U.S. federal government, particularly related to student aid, research funding, and accreditation. His study of a controversial loyalty requirement for student loan beneficiaries in the 1950s was recently published in the History of Education Quarterly. While at Harvard, Brent was a doctoral fellow at the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE), where he has led efforts to launch the first multi-institutional study of faculty mobility, which investigates the reasons why faculty accept or decline external employment offers. He also authored a case study regarding Boston University\'s first capital campaign for the Harvard Institutes for Higher Education. Prior to beginning his doctoral studies, he served as the Director of Assessment and Quality Improvement at his alma mater, Taylor University in Upland, Indiana.Specialties: Higher Education, Assessment of Student Learning, Higher Education Accreditation, Continuous Quality Improvement, History of Federal Higher Education Policy, Civic and Moral Education, College Student Development

Experience

1. Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness

   Davidson College

   Jul 2023 — Present

   The Associate Dean for Institutional Effectiveness provides institutional leadership to measure progress toward the College’s goals and strategic plans. The position leads planning efforts for the division of Academic Affairs and supports strategic planning at the College level. The position manages Institutional Research and faculty data/reporting functions and leads curricular assessment, working with faculty and staff to articulate outcomes, measure results, and develop plans for continuous improvement. The position serves as the SACSCOC Accreditation Liaison, leading the college’s efforts to maintain and document compliance with accreditation requirements.

Education

• Harvard Graduate School of Education

  Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Higher Education

  2013 — 2019

• Taylor University

  MA, Higher Education and Student Development

  2007 — 2009

• Taylor University

  BM, Vocal Performance

  2003 — 2007