About Institutional Research and Planning (IRP)
Annual Reports for the Department of Institutional Research and Planning
IRP Annual Report 2006-2007
IRP Annual Report 2005-2006
IRP Annual Report 2004-2005
History of Institutional Research and Planning
at the Univeristy of West Georgia
The Department of Institutional Research and Planning was establish in 1967 at West Georgia. Through studies at regularly planned intervals, IRP explores University culture by investigating campus community norms and values. Research findings aid the administration in determining if and to what extent values are in conflict and provide a basis for policy analysis and identifying potential problems. In the early 1980's, West Georgia was the first University System of Georgia institution to conduct institutional retention studies. Retention studies indicate causes for attrition, and such studies analyze retention-attrition behavior and provide bases for policy analysis, alternative admissions criteria, and enrollment planning.
Institutional Research assists the University focus its programs on specific student needs. Institutional Research responses to the needs include studies which evaluate academic advising, counseling, career planning and placement, intercollegiate athletics, health services, and housing. Institutional Research contributes to planning in the development of specific programs through market research techniques and needs assessment, and supports program review by supplying qualitative and quantitative evidence for assessment activities.
Institutional Research supports University development efforts through providing institutional information for external fund raising projects, conducting case studies for use in fund drives, and providing information necessary for data-based development strategies. Institutional Research techniques routinely provide evidence which development efforts may utilize to assess their own effectiveness and to consider the viability of new development strategies.
Mission and Goals
The
University of West Georgia's strong commitment to "Educational Excellence
in a Personal Environment" is central to the mission of the Office
of Institutional Research and Planning. The Office has, as its primary
mission, the collection of data (from both internal and external sources),
and the timely analysis, distribution, and presentation of this information
for use in planning, decision-making, and policy formulation at the
University.
The
Office is also responsible for ensuring the accuracy of vital University
statistics, and for reporting these data to a broad spectrum of information
consumers including regulatory entities, management, faculty, private
organizations, and the general public. A major function of the Office
is to respond to diverse requests for data from members of the University
community, and to assist it with research and assessment methodology,
evaluation, and analysis.
Institutional Research and Planning
further serves as records custodian for the University of West Georgia.
In this capacity promotes the efficient administration and management
of State governmental records in compliance with the Georgia Records
Act and the Georgia Open Records Act. Institutional Research and Planning
advises departments of appropriate records-keeping techniques and
systems, and guides in development records retention schedules.
The Department of Institutional Research adopted the following goals to encourage institutional effectiveness and to foster mechanisms to assess results:
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Serve the executive functions of the institution by providing a reliable and proactive management and decision - support system.
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Promote the improvement of West Georgia’s planning process in compliance with Board of Regents Policy and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Criteria.
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Generate data, information, and analytical reports on institutional research topics designed to improve information usage in the planning process utilized at the University.
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Assist the executive and administrative officers of the University in institutional assessment in order to promote increased institutional effectiveness.
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Provide systematic collection and reporting of standard institutional, regional, environmental, and student-centered information for institutional planning and assessment.
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Reply in a punctual manner to spontaneous requests for descriptive information, data, and analytical reports.
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Provide guidelines and standards to the various departments for the establishment and continued maintenance of successful individual records management programs that meet compliance with the Georgia Records Act and the Open Records Act.