It is important for assessment programs in higher education to provoke good internal evaluation efforts, but it is also hard to turn an assessment program into a viable evaluation program. This is because there are so many different audiences for the information being gathered about programs. Assessment as discussed in higher education literature is quite different from traditional evaluation literature, and seems to concentrate on defending the concept of measurement or on techniques of measurement. Literature often links assessment to accountability or program review efforts. In order to satisfy all of their publics, assessment coordinators should: (1) focus program evaluation so it can be immediately applied to the program re-direction steps; (2) focus it so broadly that the data will not change over a period of 5 or 10 years; and (3) be sure that in the design of the data collection and report, all needs have been satisfied for faculty and staff running the program and serving in advisory roles relevant to the program, for student services or other nonacademic personnel interested in student reaction to programs, and for academic administrators at all levels. Western Michigan University's assessment position is described, and task/studies (a study of the general education program using ACT-COMP and an alumni survey) associated with the assessment project are noted. Principles of practice are explained with an emphasis on three that enhance the probability of the use of the assessment information in analyzing institutional policies and practices. The assessment currently being used in higher education literature, and at Western Michigan, is a position midway between review and evaluation. Contains 10 references. (SM)