OIR - Office of Institutional Research

"Then there was a man who drowned crossing a stream with an average depth of six inches." -- W.I.E. Gates

Gates' quote illustrates that while statistics may be true and interesting, depending on how you use them, they may not reflect the whole story. It is the aim of the IR Office at Lipscomb to gather enough facts to paint a complete picture, and then to report those facts in a timely and accurate manner. Doing so not only keeps us within compliance standards, it helps us know the truth about ourselves, and it helps us know where we might improve.

 

MISSION:


The mission of the OIR is three-fold: (1) to extract and format data from the institutional database to answer management questions and satisfy external survey and reporting requirements, (2) to interact with administrators, deans, and department heads to develop instruments (like a university fact book) and demonstrate continuous improvement through the use of data, and (3) to offer support to the OIE.


ORGANIZATION:
  • Research
  • Reporting
  • Survey Management
  • Compliance assistance, under oversight of the OIE
CONSTITUENTS:

Internal constituents: Faculty and staff.
External constituents: Students, board members, parents, donors, regulatory partners, commercial partners, TICUA, THEC, and the community at large.


AFFILIATIONS:

SACS (South Association of Colleges and Schools)
TICUA ( Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities
CCCU (Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities)
AIR (Association for Institutional Research)
SAIR (Southern Association for Institutional Research)
TENNAIR ( Tennessee Association for Institutional Research)

 

MEETINGS:

The business affairs of the Office of Institutional Research are managed and monitored throughout the year in formal departmental meetings each week with the Assistant Provost for Institutional Effectiveness, usually on Monday afternoon.


PROGRAM OUTCOMES:

Program outcomes for this Office include: University stakeholders will have access to data and information necessary to maintain the business; compliance with accrediting and regulatory bodies resulting from timely filing of required reports; successful implementation of the strategic plan; continuous improvement work and resulting documentation; educational growth for strategic planning, customer satisfaction, and continuous improvement concepts; and maintaining compliance with accrediting bodies as demonstrated through reaffirmation in SACS and other agencies.

For more about the OIR, contact Erika Thompson