The purpose of this research study is to explore how current higher education institutions use outcomes-based assessment in student affairs departments to measure their impact in decreasing inequity among students. Historically, assessment has always been an integral part of higher education. Since the 1970's researchers and higher education professionals have highlighted the importance of student support services for students' learning and development outside the classroom. As student populations have become more diverse, their needs have become more complex and multifaceted. Increased access to higher education has illustrated the economic, academic, and social inequities among students. This manuscript discusses how institutions established student support services to assist in addressing equity gaps. To highlight the connection between equity gaps and the purpose of student affairs, the historical context of equity, the current inequities students face in higher education, and how student affairs departments can assist in increasing equity are reviewed. The case is made that there is a need for student affairs to utilize outcomes-based assessment to measure their effectiveness in decreasing inequity. A specific equity gap, academic equity, is highlighted as essential for student affairs to assess. An argument is made that student affairs departments do impact academic equity and outcomes-based assessment is a beneficial tool to illustrate this fact. Several studies are referenced to discuss how higher education institutions have used assessment in student affairs departments. These studies also show a need for more research about how student affairs departments can impact academic equity. Through this research two student affairs departments at public 4-year institutions utilizing outcomes-based assessment for the purpose of increasing equity are studied. Through this qualitative study, meta-assessment, interviews, and document analysis are used to further examine how these assessments are created, how well they align with best practices, and how they aim to measure and effectively increase equity among their student bodies. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]