About OIR

The Office of Institutional Research at The College of Wooster was established in August 2001. The primary mission of the Office of Institutional Research is to collect, organize, analyze, and interpret institutional data and intelligence for the purposes of decision-making, planning, and evaluation of programs and activities. Furthermore, the Office of Institutional Research is responsible for: the development and management of databases useful to institutional management and longitudinal analysis; publishing an annual fact book; responding to surveys as well as other internal and external requests for data and information; designing and undertaking special research projects; preparing and editing reports; and assisting faculty in preparing institutional data for grant proposals.

The primary projects for the Office of Institutional Research are divided into three seasonal timeframes: fall semester – September through December; spring semester – January through May; and summer – June through August. The fall semester consists largely of collecting data for the college guides surveys and the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (federal government) surveys, as well as the Common Data Set (CDS). An electronic version of the CDS is produced for public consumption and can be found on the Office of Institutional Research Web page. Much of the data collected for these surveys is also used for updating the annual fact book, which is published in the spring. The primary focus in the spring semester is the annual publication of The College of Wooster Fact Book, which contains various data, statistics, and information regarding the College community, as well as comparative examinations of performance indicators using peer institution data. Another report published in the spring is the Wooster Dashboard - a comparative examination of performance indicators using peer institution data which is compiled in a 1-page "snapshot" presentation. These reports and/or presentations are under continuous construction throughout the academic and fiscal year. In addition, the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (federal government) surveys continue until May. During the summer, the annual reports are modified and prepared for the new data arrival at the end of the fiscal year.

Other responsibilities for the Office of Institutional Research that occur throughout the academic year include the administration of student surveys, participation in various committees of assessment and planning, maintenance of institutional research Web page and electronic Common Data Set, and assisting faculty and staff with research-related assignments and projects. In addition, the Director of Institutional Research is a member of the Human Subjects Research Committee (HRSC) and serves as the institution's Human Subjects Protections Officer. One of the most important attributes of the Office of Institutional Research is establishing and maintaining a national presence for the Office and The College of Wooster by attending international and national institutional research conferences. Through professional associations and consortia, the Office of Institutional Research is able to share intelligence and data with peer institutions and colleagues, and receive data and context from other institutions we consider as important resources. This is accomplished through the Office’s membership in the Association of Institutional Research and the Association for the Study of Higher Education, and the College’s membership in the Great Lakes Colleges Association, Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium, The Annapolis Group, and the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities in Ohio.