Posted by Michael Gass on July 1, 2016
The Office of Institutional Research, Effectiveness and Planning (IREP) was formed in July 2015 to provide the University with consolidated data and research services, planning and decision support, assessment services, and management of institutional reaccreditation efforts. The new unit contains 6 full-time equivalent employees, the smallest staffing level for these functions among all fifteen universities in the UNC system.
Despite its youth and small size, the Office managed to accomplish much in 2015-16. Some highlights:
- IREP successfully transitioned to new automated processes for the transfer of student information from UNC Asheville’s enterprise data system (Banner) into the UNC system’s new data warehouse.
- IREP completed over 80 data submissions to external agencies and organizations in 2015-16, including 39 submissions to the UNC Office of General Administration, 15 submissions to admissions guides and publications (e.g., US News & World Report, Princeton Review), and 12 submissions to the U.S. Department of Educations’ Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data System (IPEDS).
- In 2015-16 IREP fulfilled 116 ad hoc requests for data and research support from academic departments, administrative offices, and external agencies and organizations.
- IREP staff members served on, and provided research and planning support to, many University committees and task forces in 2015-16, including the Enrollment Planning Committee, the Strategic Planning Task Force, the Institutional Effectiveness Committee, the Faculty Senate’s Salary Task Force, the Faculty Records Digitization Task Force, the University Planning Council, and the Diversity Action Council.
- In 2015-16 IREP provided program reaccreditation and assessment support to 32 academic and administrative units on campus.
- IREP staff members participated actively in several professional organizations and meetings at the state, regional and national level, including the UNC Accreditation Council, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC), the Association of Institutional Research (AIR), and the advisory board of the National Study of Instructional Costs and Productivity.
A detailed list of activities and accomplishments is provided in the 2015-16 Annual Report.
Visit Institutional Research News for other information about developments in institutional research, effectiveness and planning at UNC Asheville.