ACPA’s Student Affairs Assessment Institute, sponsored by the Commission for Assessment and Evaluation, provides a guided, curricular experience where participants can develop essential assessment knowledge and skills for their professional toolkit. It offers a balance of instruction and hands-on experience designed to ensure attendees leave with the assessment skills and knowledge necessary to develop and execute quality assessment plans on their campuses.

Whether you are brand new to assessment, taking on new responsibilities in your individual unit, or charged with developing a division-wide plan for assessment, the ACPA Student Affairs Assessment Institute is the answer for your professional development needs! The Institute is focused on providing developmental assessment knowledge and may not be the best professional development opportunity for more advanced practitioners. If you are unsure whether or not the Institute may be right for you or have general questions, please contact info@acpa.nche.edu and we’ll be happy to assist!

institute tracks & features

Assessment Institute attendees have the opportunity to select their track when they register for the Institute, making the experience educationally catered to each registrants professional journey. Tracks help guide attendees session selections at the Institute based on their focus area or role with assessment.

The following tracks will be offered at the 2025 Institute:

Programmer and Emerging Assessment Practitioner Track

Sessions will be focused on building assessment knowledge, confidence, and skills. Specifically, this track focuses on the following aspects of the assessment cycle: (a) writing goals, outcomes, and objectives, (b) designing theory- and evidence-based strategies, (c) implementing those strategies alongside a measurement plan, and (d) interpreting and using results for improvement plans. This track will also cover quick measurements that student affairs educators can implement to inform improvement of the current student experience.

Experienced Assessment Practitioner Track

Sessions will be focused on expanding existing assessment knowledge, confidence, and skills for current or aspiring student affairs assessment specialists. Specifically, this track focuses on the methodological process: (a) designing a data strategy and measurement plan, (b) collaborating with student affairs educators to implement that measurement plan alongside strategies, and (c) analyzing data and reporting results. This track will focus on measurements that departments and divisions can leverage to improve student experiences and share impact stories.

Department and Divisional Leader Track

The act of assessment is more than measurement – it requires leaders to take an active role. Therefore, these sessions will focus on leading the assessment process from a big-picture perspective for department and divisional leaders. Specifically, this track will advance knowledge, confidence, and skills related to: (a) strategic planning, (b) identifying opportunities for data-collection collaboration, (c) data-informed reflection and decision-making, and (d) storytelling. This track will focus on assessment as a leadership process for quality improvement efforts and impact storytelling.

REGISTRATION

Registrations can be paid by check, VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express. All fees must be prepaid. Purchase orders are not accepted. Refunds will be given for cancellations received in writing at ACPA by 22 May 2026, less a $50 cancellation fee. Cancellations must be sent to info@acpa.nche.edu. Registrations can also be withdrawn by registrants using the event registration system through 22 May 2026, less a $50 cancellation fee. After 22 May 2026, there are no refunds. ACPA reserves the right to charge a service fee of US$50 for returned checks. Registrations can be transferred to another participant with the same membership type for a $50 processing fee. The conference may be canceled or postponed due to insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. In this case, the fees will be fully refunded; however, ACPA will not be responsible for other additional costs, charges or expenses, including cancellation/change charges assessed by airlines and/or travel agencies.

In order to qualify for member rates for the ACPA’s Student Affairs Assessment Institute, membership with ACPA must be valid through 26 June 2026. You must have your own individual membership. ACPA Members who purchase a Student Affairs Assessment Institute Registration understand their membership needs to be active through 26 June 2026. If it is not active prior to the start of the Student Affairs Assessment Institute you will not be provided with your Student Affairs Assessment Institute Event credential unless you renew your membership or pay the difference between the non-member and member registration cost.

Hotel Information

The host hotel for the 2026 Student Affairs Assessment Institute is The Westin O’Hare. Rooms are available starting at $189/night until our room block fills or 1 June 2026, whichever occurs first. Please use the link below to book your room for the 2026 Student Affairs Assessment Institute.

tentative Schedule

*all times are listed in Eastern Time

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3