Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research

OPAIR (The Office of Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Research) provides a central point of contact for University data acquisition, reporting, analysis, and governance; assessment; strategic planning; and accreditation. Our core mission is to empower the Penn State community to use rigorous evidence and insights to realize the University’s land grant mission of teaching, research, and service. We support individual unit endeavors towards organizational excellence by making institutional data and strategic information easily accessible, clearly understood, and well-leveraged across the Commonwealth.

OPAIR leadership bios and photos Links to an external site.

 

Primary Strategic Goals

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1. Provide a full slate of integrated data, assessment, accreditation, reporting, and strategic planning services for the academic and administrative communities at Penn State to facilitate data-informed decisions.       
2. Support university efforts towards organizational excellence, continuous improvement, and transformational change as areas build upon their strategic institutional needs.
3. Expand its impact by actively engaging the entire University community and external populations to fully leverage existing and potential partnerships.
4. Exhibit a positive, inclusive, collaborative culture with a shared identity including mutual values and expectations, will create awareness of our internal contributions, and will bolster synergies among all our areas of expertise

 

Top 5 Items Faculty Should Know About OPAIR

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Top Items faculty should know about OPAIR

	Assessment: OPAIR facilitates the University's required program learning outcomes assessment, and in collaboration with the Office for General Education, general education assessment. As a faculty member, you may be asked to support your program's annual assessment. If you teach a general education course, you may be asked to participate in various assessment activities. Program assessment Links to an external site. General Education Assessment Links to an external site.
	Institutional Research: OPAIR is your resource for University data. For example: The Data Digest Links to an external site. Projects, Dashboards, and Reports Links to an external site.
	Accreditation: OPAIR coordinates Penn State's accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. This means that Penn State is recognized for its high standards, our credits can be transferred to other institutions, and our students can qualify for federal financial aid. Accreditation Links to an external site.
	Nuventive: OPAIR maintains Nuventive software to track the University's Planning and Assessment activities. About Nuventive Links to an external site.
	Planning: OPAIR Facilitates strategic planning, University-wide. Curriculum and professional development goals can be aligned with overarching plans of the University. Find your unit's strategic plan Links to an external site.

 

Relevant Programming for New Faculty

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OPAIR Fun Facts

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