The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (IRE)

Assessment

IRE promotes assessment practices that are ongoing, comprehensive, integrated and research-based as part of the university-wide effort to seek continuous quality improvement:  

• General Education Assessment
• Educational Program Assessment 
• Administrative Support Services Assessment  

The cornerstone of this effort is the development of practical assessments aimed at improvement of student learning and institutional effectiveness: 

• Identifying expected outcomes
• Determining the extent to which these outcomes are met

Providing evidence of improvement based on these findings

The office also supports the administration of course experience surveys, and other surveys focused on improvement of the Dillard experience.

Data Analysis and Reporting

The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness is responsible for reporting and analysis of information about the institution’s students, faculty, and staff.  

Internal data reporting and analysis

• University-wide assessment
• Strategic decision-making 
• Enrollment management
• Grant-seeking activities  

External data reporting

Regulatory, such as reports to the United States Department of Education’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)

Informational, such as the U.S. News & World Report: Best Colleges survey

Standard Reports

• Student Achievement Data
• Common Data Set
• Enrollment by Major Report
• Enrollment by Major and Status
• Retention and Graduation Report
• IPEDS Data Feedback Report

Information Requests

Data available to the public are limited to the aggregate Standard Reports listed above. Processes for the release of unit record data are in alignment with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). 

Unit record data are only released to:

1. University trustees, senior administrators, and faculty leaders for decision support,
2. University faculty and staff in support of proposal development and funding applications, and
3. Researchers conducting scholarly work, considered by the IRE office and the IRB as appropriate.