Monitoring and Reporting Vital Statistics

The Academic Data Reference Book (ADRB) has been published annually since 1971. This yearbook provides consistently collected and reported data on a range of topics. The complete series of these volumes provides a paper-based data warehouse from which trend data can be extracted. You can access the latest edition of the ADRB.

External Reporting

OIRA responds to approximately five dozen annual surveys from external agencies. Responsibility for surveys has been assigned here in order to foster consistency in responding to similar questions. These surveys range from US Government data collection efforts to the US News surveys to college guidebooks and directories. To learn more, see AU's external data resources on institutional assessment.

Survey Research Program

There is an increasing demand within the AU Community for information about student attitudes, opinions, and satisfaction levels. OIRA has responded to this need by developing a comprehensive survey research program. The program includes annual surveys of approximately 20,000 individuals, including freshmen, enrolled students and graduating students. Further details about these surveys are available.

Research Reports and Projects

Demand for further information about selected topics defines the list of annual projects. Retention and graduation rate studies, academic program reviews and key indicator reports are among the topics currently included in this list. As a service unit, OIRA also makes every effort to respond to special requests for reports and studies.

Data Stewardship

OIRA, in cooperation with other select and administrative units (e.g. the Office of Enrollment, the Registrar's Office, and the Office of Information Technology), works to ensure the integrity of information obtained from AU's student data base. Currently the office is participating in development of a Business Intelligence system for AU executives and other AU staff.

A variety of regular reports are issued from OIRA pertaining to the current enrollment and enrollment projections. OIRA works with schools/colleges to verify and explain enrollment data and to act as a resource for those setting enrollment targets for the following year.

OIRA plays a leadership role in the Middle States Association's Commission on Higher Education's university-wide accreditation process.

In addition, OIRA assists many academic units in their accreditation reporting by working with school/colleges and departments, which are undergoing disciplinary accreditation, to provide data and information as required.

For more information about university-wide accreditation please visit Middle States. For questions about university accreditation or academic unit accreditation, contact Karen Froslid-Jones.

Accreditation standards increasingly address outcomes assessment and institutional effectiveness issues. Beyond externally imposed demands, AU has already recognized the need to develop more and better measures in these areas. OIRA is currently involved in assisting in the development of key indicator reports. For more information, please visit AU's Learning Outcomes and Assessment.