The Office of Assessment and Planning (OAP) promotes evidence-informed decision-making and continuous improvement across Southern Connecticut State University. Through assessment, planning, research, and evaluation activities, the office helps the university better understand student learning, student success, program effectiveness, and institutional performance.
Assessment at SCSU is a coordinated, university-wide process that encompasses academic affairs, student affairs, academic programs, administrative units, and institutional initiatives. OAP works with faculty, staff, administrators, and campus committees to develop meaningful assessment practices and ensure that assessment findings are used to strengthen programs, improve services, support accreditation, and advance the university's strategic priorities.
Institutional Effectiveness at Southern is supported through the collaborative work of OAP and Institutional Research. Together, the two offices provide the data, analysis, and assessment needed to inform planning, resource allocation, accreditation, program review, and student success initiatives. OAP frequently conducts longitudinal and cohort-based studies to identify factors associated with student achievement, persistence, engagement, and graduation, while Institutional Research provides critical institutional data and reporting that support these efforts.
OAP coordinates a variety of assessment activities across the university. These include student, faculty, staff, and alumni surveys; academic program review; institutional and program accreditation support; learning outcomes assessment; evaluation of university initiatives; and special studies designed to address emerging institutional questions. The office administers and supports a variety of assessment methods, including surveys, rubrics, performance-based assessments, and other direct and indirect measures of effectiveness.
The office also provides consultation and technical support to faculty and staff in the areas of assessment design, survey development, data collection, data analysis, and reporting. OAP regularly assists academic departments, administrative units, and grant-funded projects by developing surveys, preparing reports, and helping stakeholders interpret and use findings for continuous improvement.
Assessment at SCSU occurs at multiple levels, from individual courses and programs to university-wide initiatives and strategic goals. The Office of Assessment and Planning helps ensure that these activities are coordinated and connected, creating a coherent approach to assessment that supports both accountability and improvement across the institution.
Excellence in Assessment
In 2017, Southern Connecticut State University was one of only five colleges and universities nationwide selected to receive the Excellence in Assessment designation. This national recognition honors institutions that successfully use evidence of student learning to improve educational quality and student success.
The designation was awarded through a partnership among the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU), the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U), and the National Institute for Learning Outcomes Assessment (NILOA).