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THE HANDBOOK OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH
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THE HANDBOOK OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH
Richard D. Howard, Gerald W. McLaughlin, William E. Knight, and Associates
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Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Published by Jossey-Bass
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
The handbook of institutional research / [edited by] Richard D. Howard, Gerald W. McLaughlin,
William E. Knight. — First edition.
pages cm. — (The Jossey-Bass higher and adult education series)
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-470-60953-8; ISBN 978-1-118-25901-6 (mobipocket);
ISBN 978-1-118-23451-8 (epub); ISBN 978-1-118-22074-0 (pdf)
1. Education, Higher—Research—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Howard, Richard D. II. McLaughlin,
Gerald W. III. Knight, William E., 1965–
LB2326.3.H36 2012
378.007—dc23
2012016806
Printed in the United States of America
first edition
HB Printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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The Jossey-Bass Higher and Adult Education Series
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vii
CONTENTS
Tables, Figures, and Exhibits xi
Appendices xvii
Preface xix
Acknowledgments xxiii
About the Editors xxv
List of Contributors xxvii
The Association for Institutional Research xxxi
PART 1: THE HISTORY, THEORY, AND PRACTICE OF INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH 1
1 The History of Institutional Research 3
Donald J. Reichard
2 The Structure and Functions of Institutional Research Offi ces 22
J. Fredericks Volkwein, Ying (Jessie) Liu, and James Woodell
3 Practicing Institutional Research 40
Mardy T. Eimers, Jang Wan Ko, and Denise Gardner
4 The Role of Institutional Research in International Universities 57
Ann S. Ferren and Martha C. Merrill
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5 Out of the Box and Out of the Offi ce: Institutional Research for Changing Times 73
Richard A. Voorhees and Teri Hinds
6 Institutional Research and Collaborative Organizational Learning 86
Victor M. H. Borden and Adrianna Kezar
7 Developing Institutional Adaptability Using Change Management Processes 107
Kim Bender
PART 2: SUPPORTING CAMPUS LEADERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT 131
8 Supporting Institutional Governance 133
James Purcell, Charles Harrington, and Beverly King
9 Supporting the Provost and Academic Vice President 145
James T. Posey and Gita Wijesinghe Pitter
10 Examining Faculty Recruitment, Retention, Promotion, and Retirement 165
Daniel Teodorescu
11 Institutional Planning and Resource Management 183
Michael J. Dooris and Jerome S. Rackoff
12 Building Cost Models 203
John Milam and Paul Brinkman
13 Managing College Enrollments 221
John Cheslock and Rick Kroc
14 Refocusing Student Success: Toward a Comprehensive Model 237
Gary A. Rice and Alene Bycer Russell
15 Academic Space Management and the Role of Institutional Research 256
Catherine Watt
16 Managing Sustainability 268
Josetta S. McLaughlin and Lisa M. Amoroso
PART 3: BRIDGING INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL REQUIREMENTS FOR IR 295
17 Challenges in Meeting Demands for Accountability 299
Carol Fuller, Cathy Lebo, and John Muffo
viii Contents
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Contents ix
18 Accreditation and the Changing Role of the Institutional Researcher 310
Paula S. Krist, Elizabeth A. Jones, and Kimberly Thompson
19 Regulated Ethics: Institutional Research Compliance with IRBs and FERPA 325
Rachel Dykstra Boon
20 Data, Discrimination, and the Law 340
Andrew L. Luna
21 Federal Higher Education Reporting Databases and Tools 354
Gayle M. Fink and Chad Muntz
22 Collective Responses to a New Era of Accountability in Higher Education 371
Christine M. Keller
23 System- and State-Level Data Collection Issues and Practices 386
Marsha V. Krotseng
24 Developing K–20+ State Databases 404
Maryann S. Ruddock
25 Data Exchange Consortia: Characteristics, Current Examples, and Developing a New Exchange 420
Julie Carpenter-Hubin, Rebecca Carr, and Rosemary Hayes
26 Business Intelligence and Analytics: The IR Vision for Data Administration, Reporting, Data Marts, and Data Warehousing 434
John Milam, John Porter, and John Rome
PART 4: INSTITUTIONAL RESEARCH TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES 455
27 Analytic Approaches to Creating Planning and Decision Support Information 459
Gerald McLaughlin, Richard Howard, and Daniel Jones-White
28 Exploring and Mining Data 478
Jing Luan, Thulasi Kumar, Sutee Sujitparapitaya, and Tom Bohannon
29 Measuring Opinion and Behavior 502
Sean Simone, Corbin M. Campbell, and Daniel W. Newhart
30 Institutional Research with Published Instruments 523
Julie Noble and Richard Sawyer
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x Contents
31 Measuring and Evaluating Faculty Workload 550
Heather A. Kelly, Jeffrey A. Seybert, Patrick M. Rossol, and Allison M. Walters
32 Analyzing Equity in Faculty Compensation 573
Robert K. Toutkoushian and Dennis A. Kramer II
33 Effective Reporting 594
Liz Sanders and Joe Filkins
34 Tools for Setting Strategy 611
Jan W. Lyddon, Bruce E. McComb, and J. Patrick Mizak
35 Tools for Executing Strategy 625
Jan W. Lyddon, Bruce E. McComb, and J. Patrick Mizak
36 Developing Institutional Comparisons 644
Glenn W. James
37 Tools for Improving Institutional Effectiveness 656
Jonathan D. Fife and Stephen D. Spangehl
38 Tools for Measuring the Effectiveness of Institutional Research 673
Sharron Ronco, Sandra Archer, and Patricia Ryan
Epilogue 689
Name Index 695
Subject Index 707
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xi
TABLES, FIGURES, AND EXHIBITS
List of Tables
Table 2.1 Highest Degree and Years Experience
Table 2.2 The Four Faces of Institutional Research
Table 6.1 The Tenets of Institutional Research: Shifting from a Decision Support to a Collaborative Organizational Learning Ethos
Table 7.1 Summary of Change Management Characteristics, Theories, and Models
Table 7.2 Planning and Evaluation Effectiveness: Annual Report for 2003–2004
Table 10.1 Tenure Track Faculty Recruitments and Success Rates, Fall 1999–2009
Table 10.2 Largest Gaps Between Importance and Satisfaction for Infl uences on Faculty Careers
Table 10.3 Sample Template for Tracking Tenure/Promotion Denials
Table 10.4 Age Distribution for Full-Time Faculty at Four-Year Institutions, 2003
Table 10.5 Projected Proportions of Faculty: Retired and Eligible to Retire
Table 12.1 Step 1: Get SCH Breakout with ICLM
Table 12.2 Step 2: Convert to Percentages
Table 12.3 Step 3: Allocate Budget Data Based on SCH
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xii Tables, Figures, and Exhibits
Table 12.4 Step 4: Sum Breakout Cells for Subtotals
Table 14.1 Learning Goal Status After Ten Years: UAA First-Time Undergraduates, Fall 1998 Entry Cohort
Table 16.1 GRI Indicators
Table 16.2 STARS Ratings and Recognition System
Table 16.3 STARS 1.2 Table of Credits
Table 16.4 Example of LEED Point System for Commercial Interiors
Table 24.1 National Perspectives on Elements of Statewide Longitudinal Databases
Table 24.2 Role and Sophistication of Stakeholders as Determinants of Data Access
Table 27.1 Key Questions: Constructivist Versus Positivist
Table 28.1 Cluster Means of Student Engagement Typology
Table 28.2 Predictors Included in This Research Model
Table 28.3 Predictors Selected for Neural Network Model
Table 29.1 Questions an Institutional Researcher Should Address When Designing a Study
Table 29.2 Best Practices for Developing Questionnaire Items, with Examples
Table 29.3 Response Scales
Table 29.4 Survey Design Map
Table 29.5 Types of Sampling Procedures
Table 30.1 Undergraduate Admission Tests
Table 30.2 Graduate/Professional School Admission Tests
Table 30.3 Undergraduate Course Placement Tests
Table 30.4 Undergraduate ESL Course Placement Tests
Table 30.5 Undergraduate Honors Tests and Credit-by-Examination
Table 30.6 Psychosocial Instruments
Table 31.1 Kansas Study: Percent Student Credit Hours Taught by Faculty Type and Academic Discipline, National Refined Means, Fall 2002
Table 31.2 Kansas Study: Instructional Cost Per Student Credit Hour—Most Expensive Disciplines
Table 31.3 Kansas Study: Instructional Cost Per Student Credit Hour—Least Expensive Disciplines
Table 32.1 Comparison of Average Faculty Salaries for the University of Georgia and Its Peers, 2006
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Tables, Figures, and Exhibits xiii
Table 32.2 Comparison of Average Faculty Salaries by Rank for the University of Georgia and Its Peers, 2006
Table 32.3 Change in Relative Salary Positions for Public Institutions in the University System of Georgia with Designated Peers, 2001–2006
Table 32.4 Cost of Raising Average Faculty Salaries for Selected Public Institutions in Georgia to the Median for Peers, 2006
Table 32.5 Selected Comparisons of Average Faculty Salaries by Gender, 2008–2009
Table 32.6 Illustration of Single-Equation Method for Measuring the Unexplained Wage Gap
Table 32.7 Illustration of Total Wage Gap Decomposition Using Multiple-Equation Methods
Table 34.1 PESTEL Analysis Table
Table 34.2 Competitive Analysis Questions
Table 34.3 Standard SWOT Matrix
Table 34.4 SWOT Matrix Organized by Balanced Scorecard Perspectives
Table 34.5 TOWS Matrix
Table 34.6 Ansoff Matrix
Table 34.7 Examples of Benchmarking Sources in Higher Education
Table 35.1 Balanced Scorecard Spreadsheet
Table 35.2 Sample Balanced Scorecard Display Using Desktop Software
List of Figures
Figure 2.1 IR Offi ce Size: FTE Professionals
Figure 2.2 The Golden Triangle of Institutional Research
Figure 2.3 IR Offi ce Organizational Location and Reporting Level
Figure 2.4 IR Organized by Major Function, Typical for the Professional Bureaucracy Version of IR
Figure 2.5 Calculation of IR Maturity
Figure 2.6 Calculation of Task Hierarchy Score
Figure 2.7 Average Task Hierarchy Scores for the Three Levels of IR Offi ce Maturity
Figure 6.1 Constructs and Processes Associated with Organizational Learning
Figure 7.1 The AQF Concept Model for Change Management Process
Figure 7.2 The Ten-Part AQF Process and Information Flow
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xiv Tables, Figures, and Exhibits
Figure 11.1 Import-Export Model: The Orienting Role of the Environment
Figure 13.1 Arizona Hispanic Population Pipeline: 1,880,000 Total Hispanics in 2008
Figure 13.2 Price Response and Student Interest
Figure 14.1 Ten-Year Map of the Fall 1998 First-Time Undergraduate Entry Cohort
Figure 15.1 Example of Code Use in a Space Database
Figure 15.2 Institutional Knowledge Phases
Figure 15.3 Individual Faculty Member’s Space Assignments in a Space Database
Figure 15.4 Individual Faculty Member’s Research Awards, Including Funding per Square Foot
Figure 15.5 Departmental Summary of Space
Figure 15.6 Elements of a Basic Web-Based Space Database
Figure 16.1 Sustainability Reporting Process
Figure 25.1 The Data Exchange Lifecycle
Figure 28.1 Drop Line of Cluster Means
Figure 28.2 Academic Advisement
Figure 28.3 Educational Experiences: Infl uence on Return to the Same Institution
Figure 28.4 Type Node and Data Audit Output
Figure 28.5 Rules with Instance and Confidence Figures and List of Variables Importance
Figure 28.6 Analysis Output of C5.0 and C&R Tree
Figure 28.7 Example of an MLP
Figure 28.8 Flow Process for Neural Network Analysis
Figure 28.9 ROC Curves for Decision Tree and Neural Network Models
Figure 29.1 Equations for Determining the Size of a Sample
Figure 30.1 Effectiveness of an Instrument for Identifying At-Risk Students
Figure 31.1 2010 Delaware Study Data Collection Form
Figure 31.2 Total Student Credit Hours Taught per FTE Tenured and Tenure Track Faculty for a Science Department
Figure 31.3 Faculty Activity Study Summary Form
Figure 31.4 Out-of-Classroom Faculty Activity Related to Service for a Science Department
Figure 34.1 SWOT and Ansoff Matrix
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Tables, Figures, and Exhibits xv
Figure 35.1 Perspectives for an Educational Institution Model
Figure 35.2 Strategy Map for a University
Figure 35.3 Cascading Alignment of Balanced Scorecards to Dashboards
Figure 37.1 Basic Elements of an Effective Organization
Figure 37.2 Cycle of Continuous Adaptation
Figure 37.3 Plan-Do-Study-Act
List of Exhibits
Exhibit 3.1 Terenzini’s Three Organizational Intelligences of Insti tutional Research
Exhibit 3.2 Myers-Briggs Type Indicator Dimensions: An Institutional Research Perspective
Exhibit 10.1 Typical Questions Related to Faculty Retention Analysis
Exhibit 10.2 Correlates of Job Satisfaction
Exhibit 15.1 Questions to Ask in Space Management Implementation
Exhibit 16.1 Sustainability-Related Codes for Use by Collegiate Institutions
Exhibit 35.1 IR Professionals’ Roles in Balanced Scorecards
Exhibit 38.1 Suggested Topic List for IR Self-Study
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xvii
APPENDICES
14.1 UAA Decision Rules for Student Status Determination
16.1 The Talloires Declaration
16.2 Calculating a STARS Score
16.3 Survey Questions for the Princeton Review Green Rating of Colleges
18.1 Accrediting Agencies’ Websites
19.1 FERPA Concerns to Address in Agreements with Third Parties for Disclosure of Identifi able Data for Educational Research
21.1 NCES Sample Surveys
21.2 IPEDS Surveys
21.3 NSF Surveys
22.1 Initiative Websites, Resources, and Reports
37.1 Resources
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xix
PREFACE
The purpose of this Handbook is to give practitioners, administrators, faculty
members, and students a single source that provides an overview of the
core aspects of institutional research—its history and theoretical foundations;
its role in support of planning and decision making; its role in responding to
external accountability mandates; the data sources built by, and available to,
institutional research professionals; and the tools and techniques used to study
our institutions and to inform all members of the academy.
The last comprehensive discussion of the theory and practice of institu-
tional research in higher education was more than 40 years ago. In 1971 Paul
Dressel, a professor at Michigan State University, worked with his associates to
write Institutional Research in the University: A Handbook, a volume that described
a burgeoning practice that was much more of an art than a profession, and a
newcomer to academic institutions. Since that time, the art described by
Dressel has turned into a profession, practiced in virtually every postsecond-
ary institution in the United States and at many others around the world. As a
profession, it has a published set of ethics and standards, organizations of prac-
titioners, an evolving language, and a unique and expanding knowledge base.
Over the years, as the profession has grown, there have been many publications
addressing various aspects of the practice of institutional research. However,
since Dressel’s publication in 1971 there has been no attempt to comprehen-
sively describe and discuss the concepts, processes, and methodologies used
in the practice of institutional research. That is why this Handbook was written.
Our fi rst task was to try to answer the perplexing question: What exactly is
institutional research? Although a number of defi nitions have been put forward
to describe the function of institutional research, Joe Saupe’s (1990) defi nition
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xx Preface
clearly and succinctly defi nes the profession: “Institutional research is research
conducted within an institution of higher education to provide information
which supports institutional planning, policy formation and decision making”
(p. 1). Earlier, in Asa Knowles’s Handbook of College and University Administration
(1971), John Stecklein outlined three fundamental purposes of institutional
research that we believe are still relevant today. Paraphrasing Stecklein, the
purposes of institutional research are: (1) provide service to faculty members,
(2) provide service to the administration, and (3) provide services to coordinat-
ing groups and other outside agencies (pp. 4–125). He also notes a wide range
of activities by which we provide these services, such as
• Providing a research basis for critical examinations of teaching procedures
and practices
• Creating a better understanding of the purpose of a course or curriculum
• Determining a basis for comparative judgments concerning instruction and
curriculum building
• Obtaining a better understanding of admissions practices, examinations
procedures, grading practices, and workloads
• Obtaining a better understanding of the role of the faculty member in the
administration of a college or university
• Developing a better understanding of the factors that infl uence costs
• Obtaining a better understanding of the way in which curricular decisions
can impact the use of resources such as space utilization, building costs, and
other routine operations
• Providing up-to-date statistics on the characteristics of the institution, iden-
tifying trends in any of these characteristics, providing data and information
useful in obtaining fi nancial support, and providing data useful in explain-
ing the mission and achievements of the institution
It is an amazingly broad list of activities and responsibilities. It is also very
similar to the list developed by Chambers and Gerek (2007). Adding to this
list, Randy Swing (2009), executive director of the Association for Institutional
Research, recently stated that institutional research professionals also need
to support and manage change on their campuses; IR practitioners need to
develop their technical skills, critical thinking and reasoning skills, understand-
ing of campus systems and divisional cultures, and management skills. A short
description of the Association is on page xxxi.
Overview and Organization of the Handbook
The Handbook is made up of four parts that describe the breadth of the core
knowledge and techniques that make up the profession of institutional research.
In organizing the topics covered in this volume, we used Pat Terenzini’s (1993)
conceptual model, which defi nes three tiers, or major types, of knowledge as a
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Preface xxi
framework for ordering the chapters. In the fi rst part, the authors set a context
for the practice of the profession of institutional research (Terenzini’s third tier
of knowledge: contextual intelligence or institutional wisdom), looking at the devel-
opment of the profession and its current practice, and offering some thinking
about future directions on our campuses. In the second part, Terenzini’s sec-
ond tier of knowledge, issues intelligence, is refl ected in a series of chapters that
address specifi c planning and decision support activities on our campuses. In
the third part, the focus is on the development and use of different data sources
that support both external accountability and institutional studies. In this part,
Terenzini’s aspects of issues intelligence are combined with his first tier of
knowledge—technical and analytical intelligence—and refl ected in the activities
and processes discussed as IR bridges the internal and external environments.
Chapters in the fi nal part focus on technical and analytical topics that refl ect
Terenzini’s fi rst tier of intelligence. Topics include research and management
tools and techniques typically used by institutional research professionals.
The following is a short description of each part:
• In Part One—The History, Theory, and Practice of Institutional Research—the
reader is introduced to the profession, its history, how the function is organized
and practiced, and new roles and expectations that are emerging on our campuses.
• In Part Two—Supporting Campus Leadership and Management—the focus
of the chapters is the support of institutional leadership and the processes that
institutional research is often asked to inform and assess. Topics include sup-
port of executive and academic leadership and governance, monitoring and
analysis of faculty and student success, strategic and operational planning and
management, facilities management, and campus sustainability.
• The third part—Bridging Internal and External Requirements for IR—includes
chapters in which various data sources (federal, state, specially created, and
campus) and their use by institutional researcher professionals are discussed.
• The focus of the fourth part—Institutional Research Tools and Techniques—includes discussions of the analytic tools, techniques, and methodologies used by
institutional research professionals in the practice of institutional research. Topics
include research activities such as statistical applications; comparative analyses;
quality control systems; measuring student, faculty, and staff opinions; and man-
agement activities such as being strategic in improving organizational effectiveness.
Handbook Development
This Handbook was developed in several steps. Initially, the editors developed
a proposed outline of topics to be covered. This outline was then reviewed by
two sets of IR professionals—the fi rst set made up of individuals representing
different sectors of higher education, the second set including experts in vari-
ous aspects of institutional research. Based on comments and suggestions from
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xxii Preface
these professionals, topics were identifi ed. The resulting outline was then sent
in a call for volunteer authors to all members of the Association for Institutional
Research. In response to the call, some two hundred individuals volunteered
to write—some volunteering to write on a specifi c topic, others volunteering to
write wherever they might be needed. Lead authors for each chapter were
selected by the editors. These authors were then given a list of individuals who
had volunteered to write on their topics, as possible coauthors. Some authors
chose to write their chapters by themselves; others selected colleagues for coau-
thors and recruited coauthors from the list of other volunteers. Through this
process, we believe this volume can accurately be characterized as a discussion
of the roles, knowledge, and methods of institutional research, written by prac-
ticing institutional research professionals and scholars.
Summary
In summary, this volume covers a broad array of topics refl ecting the diverse
nature and multitude of tasks in which institutional research practitioners
fi nd themselves engaged. Some of the discussions are conceptual and give
extensive references to other works. Other discussions are more technical, but
they also provide a substantive list of supporting references. As was the case in
Institutional Research in the University: A Handbook (Dressel & Associates, 1971),
“Chapters overlap somewhat, but differences in focus and in points of view
justify this. Institutional research simply cannot be divided into a completely
independent set of discrete topics” (p. xii). This Handbook is not, however, a
fi nal authority on the practice of institutional research, nor a compendium of
all institutional research activities; rather, it is intended to be a starting place
in which the interested person will fi nd a road map to more topics, advanced
discussions, and examples of how we can do what we do.
References
Chambers, S., & Gerek, M. L. (2007, February 26). IR activities, IR applications, vol. 12.
Association for Institutional Research.
Dressel, P. L., & Associates. (1971). Institutional research in the university: A handbook. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Knowles, A. S. (Ed.). (1971). Handbook of college and university administration. New York:
McGraw-Hill.
Saupe, J. P. (1990). The functions of institutional research. Tallahassee, FL: Association of
Institutional Research.
Stecklein, J. E. (1971). Institutional research. In A. S. Knowles (Ed.), Handbook of college and university administration (pp. 4-123–4-134). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Swing, R. (2009). Institutional researchers as change agents. In C. Leimer (Ed.), Imagining the future of institutional research (pp. 5–16). New Directions for Institutional Research,
no. 143. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Terenzini, P. T. (1993). On the nature of institutional research and the knowledge and
skills it requires. Research in Higher Education, 34(1), 1–10.
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xxiii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
First, we would like to thank our wives, Josetta, Adriene, and especially Pat,
for their patience and support as we worked to make this Handbook a reality.
The Handbook reminds us of how important networking is for our profes-
sion. Over the years we have profi ted from the wisdom and guidance of many
mentors. We are thankful that their doors were always open, with special thanks
to Jim Montgomery, Chuck Elton, and Cameron Fincher.
We would also like to express our appreciation to those authors who
wrote chapters, contributing their wisdom and energy to the creation of this
Handbook. In addition, we would like to thank Jossey-Bass and the Association
for Institutional Research for the support and advice provided during the
development of this volume.
Finally, we would like to recognize Jean Chulak, who, as AIR’s administra-
tive director from 1974 to 1991, was the heart and soul of the Association in
its formative years. We cannot imagine where we would have been without her
energy and dedication.
Richard D. Howard
Gerald W. McLaughlin
William E. Knight
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xxv
ABOUT THE EDITORS
R ichard D. Howard currently serves as a consultant in higher education.
He recently retired from his positions as director of institutional research
and professor of educational policy and administration at the University of
Minnesota. Before this he served as director of institutional research and held
faculty positions at West Virginia University, North Carolina State University,
and the University of Arizona. Howard also was a tenured professor of higher
education at Montana State University, teaching graduate courses and direct-
ing student research, and served as chair of the University’s faculty council. For
the Association for Institutional Research, he is a past president and served as
chair of the professional development committee, forum chair, and editor of
the Resources in Institutional Research monograph series, and has taught continu-
ously at the Foundations Institute since its inception. Howard has also taught in
the Statistics Institute and the Data and Decisions Institutes and has presented
papers and workshops at the annual meetings of various professional associa-
tions, including the Association for Institutional Research (AIR), the Society
for College and University Planning (SCUP), EDUCAUSE, the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), and the American Educational
Research Association (AERA). He has also been awarded the Outstanding
Service Award and is a Distinguished Member of the Association. In addition,
Howard is a past president and Distinguished Member of SAIR. His profes-
sional interests include strategic planning, higher education administration,
data administration, and mixed methods methodologies.
Gerald W. McLaughlin is an associate vice president for enrollment manage-
ment and marketing at DePaul University. He was formerly director of institu-
tional planning and research at DePaul and also director of institutional research
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xxvi About the Editors
and planning analysis at Virginia Tech. McLaughlin has taught courses in man-
agement and education and was a professor at Virginia Tech, where he also
sat on master’s and doctoral committees. For the Association for Institutional
Research, he has served as president, forum chair, and chair of the publications
board. McLaughlin was forum chair and president and a founding member of
the Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR). He has served as
editor of the AIR Professional fi le and IR Applications. McLaughlin has taught in
the Foundations Institute since its inception and has also taught in the Statistics
Institute and the Data and Decisions Institutes and has given papers and work-
shops at various professional associations, including AIR, SCUP, EDUCAUSE,
SACS, SAIR, and the Association of Governing Boards. He has received the
Sidney Suslow Award as well as the Outstanding Service and Distinguished
Member Awards from AIR and SAIR. McLaughlin’s areas of professional inter-
est include methodology, strategic management, and data management.
William E. Knight is executive director of institutional effectiveness and an
adjunct faculty member at Ball State University. He leads and teaches in Ball
State’s institutional research certifi cate program. Knight was previously an
institutional researcher and faculty member at Bowling Green State University
and Georgia Southern University and an institutional researcher at Kent State
University. He received the BG Best Award in 1998 and the BGSU Timothy D.
King Friend of Student Affairs Award in 2009. Knight is past president, past
forum chair, and a past member of the board of directors of the Association
for Institutional Research. His scholarly interests include the impact of college
on students and effectiveness in institutional research. Knight has authored
or coauthored twenty-fi ve peer-reviewed and invited publications, edited the
Primer for Institutional Research, served as associate editor of the Resources in Institutional Research monograph series, delivered one hundred peer-reviewed
and invited conference presentations and workshops, and served as a member
of fi fty-fi ve dissertation and thesis committees. He also serves as a consultant-
evaluator, team chair, and member of the Accreditation Review Council for the
North Central Association Higher Learning Commission.
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xxvii
LIST OF CONTRIBUTORS
Lisa M. Amoroso, Associate Professor of Management, Dominican
University
Sandra J. Archer, Director for University Analysis and Planning Support,
University of Central Florida
Kim K. Bender, Director of Assessment, Colorado State University
Tom R. Bohannon, Analytical Consultant, SAS Institute Inc.
Rachel D. Boon, Associate Director, Higher Education Data Sharing
Consortium, Wabash College
Victor M. H. Borden, Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies,
Indiana University Bloomington
Paul T. Brinkman, Associate Vice President for Budget and Planning,
University of Utah
Corbin M. Campbell, Graduate Assistant, Offi ce of Institutional Research,
University of Maryland—College Park
Julie W. Carpenter-Hubin, Director of Institutional Research and Planning,
The Ohio State University-Main Campus
Rebecca E. Carr, National Coordinator, Association of American Universities
Data Exchange
John J. Cheslock, Associate Professor, Dept. of Ed. Policy Studies and
Senior Research Associate, Center for the Study of Higher Education, The
Pennsylvania State University
Michael J. Dooris, Director of Planning Research and Assessment, The
Pennsylvania State University
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xxviii List of Contributors
Mardy T. Eimers, Director of Institutional Research, University of Missouri-
Columbia
Ann S. Ferren, Senior Fellow, Association of American Colleges and
Universities
Jonathan D. Fife, Visiting Professor, Educational Leadership and Policy
Studies, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Joseph W. Filkins, Senior Research Associate, Institutional Research and
Marketing Analytics, DePaul University
Gayle M. Fink, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness,
Bowie State University
Carol H. Fuller, Consultant
Denise C. Gardner, Assistant Provost and Director, Offi ce of Institutional
Research & Assessment, The University of Tennessee
Charles F. Harrington, Professor of Management, The University of North
Carolina at Pembroke
Rosemary Q. Hayes, Director of Consortia for Student Retention Data
Exchange, Consortium of Student Retention Data Exchange
Teri L. Hinds, Director of Institutional Planning, Assessment & Research,
Winona State University
Richard D. Howard, Consultant
Glenn W. James, Director of Institutional Research, Tennessee Technological
University
Elizabeth A. Jones, Director of the Doctoral Program and Professor, School
of Education, Holy Family University
Daniel R. Jones-White, Analyst, Offi ce of Institutional Research, University
of Minnesota
Christine M. Keller, Voluntary System of Accountability Executive Director
and Director of Research and Policy Analysis, Association of Public and
Land-grant Universities
Heather A. Kelly, Director of the Offi ce of Institutional Research, University
of Delaware
Adrianna J. Kezar, Associate Professor, Rossier School of Education,
University of Southern California
Beverly R. King, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Institutional Effectiveness,
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Jang W. Ko, Assistant Professor, Department of Education, SungKyunKwan
University, Korea
Dennis A. Kramer II, Graduate Assistant, Institute of Higher Education,
University of Georgia
Paula S. Krist, Assistant Dean, Assessment Support, University of San Diego
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