/Division of Educational and Institutional Effectiveness
Office of Educational Effectiveness

Reporting Process

 The focus of the Office of Educational Effectiveness is to collaborate with each academic program offered at Stony Brook University to coordinate, develop, and enhance their program assessment process. Programs will follow the SBU Academic Program Assessment Policy and Procedures linked below. Programs will conduct an assessment of at least one Program Learning Objective (PLO) per year and submit a brief assessment report by September 30 annually.

ACADEMIC PROGRAM ASSESSMENT POLICY   ACADEMIC PROGRAM ASSESSMENT PROCEDURES

Submit Your Report in the OEE Content Management System (CMS)

Assessment Coordinators can submit their annual assessment reports directly into OEE's Content Management System (CMS). We encourage you to log in, explore the system, and review our training materials below. We are here to support you every step of the way. If you would like assistance, we are happy to meet with you—either in person or virtually. Your feedback on this process is both welcomed and greatly appreciated.

In case of any unexpected technical difficulties, coordinators can still use the APAR Planning Document as a backup, should you encounter an issue using the CMS. If you notice any unexpected glitches with the CMS, please let us know as soon as possible.

To complete the assessment reporting requirements for the 2025-26 academic year, please submit your updated report by September 30, 2026.

OEE Content Management System Resources

We invite you to review our overview slides, Youtube video tutorials, or contact us at EducationalEffectiveness@stonybrook.edu for more information on how to use the system.

Launch the OEE CMS: www.stonybrook.edu/OEECMS
Launch the OEE CMS Overview YouTube Playlist
View the complete OEE CMS Overview Slidedeck
Download the APAR Planning Document to draft your report
View a sample completed report

Looking for information on a specific section of the OEE CMS?

Check out the excerpts below for quick access to the resources you need.

  • Accessing & Logging in to the CMS: Video | Slides
  • Steps 1-2: Reviewing & Revising Program Goals & PLOS: Video | Slides
  • Step 3: Reviewing & Updating Assessment Plan Components: Video | Slides
  • Steps 4-5: Reporting Assessment Results: Video | Slides
  • Step 6: Closing the Loop & Reflecting on Prior Changes: Video | Slides
  • Step 7: OPTIONAL Additional Outcomes Assessment: Video | Slides
  • Step 8: Sign, Submit & Review Your Report PDF: Video | Slides

Tips for a Strong Assessment Report

Tip 1: Make Sure Program Goals & Program Learning Objectives (PLOs) are Distinct.

  • Goals describe the experience your program provides to students whereas PLOs describe what students can do as a result of their learning in your program. These should be distinct from one another, and you should have at least three of each.

Tip 2: Use Bloom's Taxonomy to Write Measurable PLOs.

  • Avoid tough-to-assess verbs like "understand" and swap in more directly observable actions like "identify," "describe," "analyze," "compare and contrast," or "create" from Bloom's Taxonomy.

Tip 3: Streamline Where You Assess Each PLO.

  • Though you might cover the content or skills from a PLO in multiple places throughout your curriculum, select one or two key places to assess each PLO. Use this data as a sample of student performance to help keep assessment manageable. Rotate assessment across courses or degree milestones as needed.

Tip 4: Avoid Whole Course Grades as Assessment Methods/Benchmarks.

  • Whole course grades often include points for things like participation, attendance, extra credit, etc., and don't provide granular information on how/where students could improve learning. Instead, select assessment methods/benchmarks that best match the skill or ability described by your PLO. For example: a PLO on oral communication skills is best assessed by a student's performance on a formal presentation rather than a whole course grade. 

Tip 5: There's Always Room to Improve!

  • So, you met your benchmark -- congratulations! Though we don't need to "fix" something that isn't broken, consider what went well and how you can enhance it for next time. Or, consider raising the bar on your benchmark!

Looking for more tips and tricks to improve your report?