Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning
Mission
The Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning (IRAP) at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater is responsible for the development and maintenance of data resources to support program review, accreditation, strategic planning, policymaking, and informed-decision making at the university campuses. IRAP manages institutional assessment initiatives to support student learning and promote educational quality. Through various data dissemination methods, the office performs critical reporting, research and analyses for internal and external audiences.
The scope of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning (IRAP) at UW-Whitewater is vast, and the map of the office’s reach is intended to highlight the broad categories of skills and responsibilities that are at the core of our office goals.
IRAP is committed to providing the information and insights our campus communities need to make data-informed decisions.
Reporting – the IRAP office provides annual reports and manages ad-hoc data requests to satisfy a wide range of constituents, ranging from university administrators, college deans and department chairs to program directors and governance leaders.
Compliance – the IRAP office supports university compliance efforts in a variety of ways. We act as the campuses’ liaison with the University of Wisconsin System’s Office of Policy Analysis and Research (OPAR), provide data for federal and state reporting obligations, and coordinate accreditation efforts with our regional accreditation agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Survey research – in addition to providing data to external ranking entities (such as US News and World Report), the IRAP office coordinates the administration and analysis of all surveys distributed to the general campus community. The office also offers consulting services to campus partners who would like assistance in developing internal surveys.
Analysis – IRAP engages in robust statistical analysis of enrollment, retention and graduation trends on campus. Specifically, data visualization through dashboards, peer comparison, and predictive analytics. The office provides university administrators with information designed to address specific questions upon request.
Assessment – the IRAP office coordinates academic and co-curricular program assessment, providing stakeholders with guidance, structure and information needed to conduct meaningful assessments that result in constructive program improvements.
