Tyler Biggs and Adam Duval, Data and Strategy Associates from the Office of Strategy, Planning, and Analysis (OSPA) attended the annual Association for Institutional Research (AIR) forum this May 20 – 23, to continue to expand WSU’s expertise in using data, information, and analytics to better inform decision-making at Washington State University.
One of the key takeaways from the AIR forum reinforced that the work that our system analyst and reporting team is doing is high-level work. That the work we’re doing to develop projections is similar to work being done at other institutions.
Presentations on student success models to assist with retention and graduation are right on track with the work our analysts are doing to develop those same success models. Tyler, who has been working on WSU’s student success model shared, “that the conference really reinforced for me that we’re doing the right things at WSU.”
For Adam, the presentations and workshops on the organization of institutional research work, data visualization, and data governance emphasized the collaborative nature of the work and the importance of coordination between offices, units, colleges, and campus.
The closing keynote addressed some of the changes and challenges in higher education this year, and the importance of accurate, transparent data.
Since the 1960s, Institutional Research has had a presence on the WSU campus studying and analyzing Washington State University. The work that institutional research does has grown and shifted over the years, but adapting new technologies and working to understand the university to better serve students have always been a constant.
To learn more about WSU’s data visit data.wsu.edu.
About the Author
Eija Sumner is the Strategic Communication Coordinator in the Office of Strategy, Planning, and Analysis (OSPA) at Washington State University.