2022-2023 AY Program Assessment Reporting

Since the core purpose of assessment is to drive improvement, discussions among faculty about student performance data—both quantitative and qualitative—are critical. These conversations help guide decisions for continuous improvement in both student learning and instruction. The most valuable aspect of the assessment process is the recommendations and actions taken to improve student outcomes. Without faculty discussions and concrete action plans, the value of the data and the assessment process is significantly diminished. Given the current challenges, we strongly recommend that discussions on assessment—at the course, program, and general education levels—be integrated into regular department/school faculty meetings (either in person or online).

Documenting Assessment for the 2025-26 Academic Year

The deadline for submitting program assessment reports is always the last Friday in September for the reports of the preceding academic year. For the 2025-2026 Academic Year, the deadline will be at midnight on Friday, September 25, 2026. Please review the important details below regarding this year’s submission of assessment reports.

 

PART A. Annual assessment reports are required for the following:

1. Each degree program (undergraduate, graduate, and professional)
2. Each certificate program (undergraduate and graduate)
3. Each degree and certificate program offered entirely online.

 

PART B. Assessment Documentation for New or Inactive Programs

All new programs (approved beginning Fall 2025) and inactive programs (those with zero student enrollment) are required to submit an assessment plan. At a minimum, the plan must include 3-5 Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs) and clearly defined direct assessment methods for each outcome.

For new programs, the assessment plan serves as a foundational step in establishing a sustainable assessment process and promoting continuous program improvement from inception.

For inactive programs, maintaining an assessment plan ensures readiness for future reactivation, supports institutional accreditation and accountability requirements, and allows for continued review and refinement of the curriculum and PSLOs. This practice demonstrates an ongoing commitment to program quality and responsible oversight, even during periods without active enrollment.

For additional guidance, please refer to the Program Assessment Process Guidelines available on the Academic Assessment website. These resources provide detailed instructions and sample approaches to support the development of a comprehensive assessment plan.

 

PART C. Comparability of Learning Outcomes

This refers to the expectation that students meet the same academic standards and learning goals, regardless of the modality (how) or location (where) they complete their degree or certificate program. Demonstrating comparability of learning outcomes is essential for maintaining the academic integrity and credibility of the credential, ensuring students receive an equal value of qualifications. It is also a core requirement (see Criterion 3) of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) - OU’s institutional accreditor.

In light of the above, if your department, school, or division offers any undergraduate, graduate, or professional degree or certificate program in multiple locations (e.g., Norman and Tulsa campuses) and/or in multiple modalities (e.g., both face-to-face/blended and 100% online), your annual assessment report must address the following:

1. Program General Information: In your mission statement, be sure to specify which of the above scenarios (i.e., modality and location) apply to your program(s).
2. Program Student Learning Outcomes (PSLOs): These are clear, measurable statements that define the knowledge, skills, abilities, and competencies students are expected to demonstrate upon graduation. PSLOs must be consistent across all locations and modalities.
3. Assessment Methods: These are tools and strategies faculty use to evaluate how well students are achieving the PSLOs in required courses. While methods may vary, they must be equivalent in terms of rigor and quality.
4. Performance Targets: These represent the expected achievement levels for each PSLO and serve as benchmarks for evaluating student performance. If the same assessment tools are used (e.g., portfolios), the targets should be consistent. If tools vary to suit specific teaching and learning environments, the targets may differ accordingly.
5. Assessment Results: Student performance data must be disaggregated by location and/or modality. For example, if course XYZ 123 is required for all majors and is offered both in face-to-face/blended and fully online formats, the assessment report must present separate performance data for each format.
6. Use of Assessment Results: Describe how faculty plan to—or have already—used assessment findings or data on student performance to improve student learning, instructional practices, and overall program quality. Actions taken may vary but should reflect a commitment to continuous improvement, regardless of modality or location.

In addition to the strategies mentioned above, the following mechanisms can play a key role in ensuring comparability across locations and modalities:

• Implementation of standardized outlines for required courses and assessment rubrics across all delivery formats.
• Internal and external moderation of assessments to promote consistency in grading practices.
• Collaboration through cross-site teaching teams and regular faculty meetings to share best practices and align instructional approaches.
• Periodic curriculum reviews to assess effectiveness and ensure alignment across different modalities and locations.
• Systematic collection and analysis of student feedback and performance data to monitor and support parity in learning outcomes.

 

PART D. Platform Information

All assessment reports must be submitted via the Platform, OU’s official repository for program assessment documentation. The Platform is active 24/7, allowing submissions until midnight on September 25, 2026. To complete a report, log into the Platform using your 4x4 at the following link: https://solutions.nuventive.com/Account/SSOInit/b03a7f23-59d4-4b42-b881-131cf38ba852

Please note the following:

1. We’ve developed a Nuventive Improvement Platform User Guide for OU, providing step-by-step instructions for each phase of the program assessment process, including Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs), Assessment Methods, Assessment Results, and Use of Assessment Results. 
2. New Assessment Liaisons who don’t have Platform access should reach out to Dr. Felix Wao at wao@ou.edu to request "read and write" permissions.
3. Completing a report in the Platform is considered submitting it—there’s no separate submit button. Be sure to save your information as you move through each section. Reports should be submitted promptly, as the Platform is accessible 24/7. Please avoid waiting until the last minute.
4. The Platform will be unavailable from 12:01 AM on Saturday, September 26, 2026, to 12:01 AM on Monday, November 23, 2026, for Office of Academic Assessment reviews. Please ensure that assessment information for degree and certificate programs is uploaded by the deadline, as no extensions will be granted.
5. Platform Training Sessions/Consultations: The Office of Academic Assessment will offer workshops on using the Platform in early Fall 2026. For more details, please visit the "Assessment Workshops" page under "Resources."

 

PART E. Program General Information

Each assessment report should include the following Program General Information:

1. Mission Statement of the program: A concise description of the degree or certificate program, obtainable from department/school websites.
2. College and department/school where the program is housed.
3. Name of the current Assessment Liaison.

 

PART F. Documenting the Use of Assessment Results

As documentation of recommendations and action plans for continuous improvement is crucial, the Platform now includes the following specific fields/areas for systematic alignment with faculty recommendations examples.

• Curriculum (e.g., changes in course sequencing, program modality, course content, improving academic advisement process)
• Faculty Development (e.g., recommending faculty workshops at CFE, conference attendance)
• Learning Outcomes (e.g., revising learning outcomes, articulating new learning outcomes)
• Methods of Assessment (e.g., modifying major assignments, changes in general exam procedures or dissertation defense process, adopting or developing a rubric)
• Assessment Process/Procedures (e.g., changes in course sequencing, program modality, course content, improving academic advisement process)
• Overall Program Effectiveness (e.g., modifying admission standards seeking new faculty lines)
• Other (Please select this option if changes proposed by faculty do not fit any of the areas above)
• No Changes Needed (Please select this option if faculty have determined that, based on the results of student performance for a given SLO, no changes are needed. It is crucial that a rationale is included in this section to indicate, for instance, that faculty will continue to monitor student performance for that outcome in future semesters and make curriculum modifications as needed. Because there’s always room for improvement, please avoid selecting this option (1) for the same SLO every year and (2) for all SLOs each year. 

When completing the "Use of Assessment Results" section, it's important to ensure that at least one field/area is completed for each Student Learning Outcome (SLO).

 

Discussion Among Department/School Faculty:

1. Share aggregated data with faculty within the specific program.
2. Consider dedicating one faculty meeting per semester to discussing aspects of program assessment. This will provide faculty with an opportunity to reflect about student performance data, develop recommendations, and create action plans for continuous improvement.
3. Additionally, consider gathering assessment information from faculty via a simple survey. This survey can be distributed to faculty whose required courses are linked to one or more Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs) for a degree or certificate program. The survey should ask about the SLO addressed in the course, assessment methods used, student performance results, and the intended use of assessment results. The Assessment Liaison can then compile this information for the assessment reports. Feel free to use the sample program assessment survey (xlsx) to collect data from faculty in your department or school.
4. Ensure that progress is clearly demonstrated from one year to the next in the Use of Assessment Results section. For example, if the department reported in 2024-2025 that faculty were reviewing assessment results, the 2025-2026 report should include action plans based on these reviews and any initiatives completed. Avoid repeating statements without showing measurable progress.

 

PART G. Resources for Program Assessment

1. Assessment Workshops:

• Developing Assessment Plan for Degree and Certificate Programs
• Assessing Graduate-level Degree and Certificate Programs
• Ensuring Comparability of Program-Level Student Learning Outcomes Across Delivery Modes and Campuses (Location)
• Navigating “the Platform”: Uploading Program Assessment Information for 2024-2025 Academic Year.

2. Program Assessment Guidelines:

• For further information about steps of program assessment and to view exemplary assesment reports, please visit the guidelines for program assessment page.

 

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me at wao@ou.edu if you have any questions or need further clarification on any of the information provided above. We value the time, effort, and care that you put into preparing out students for success, and we are honored to partner with you on this vital mission.

With sincere appreciation,

Felix