Starting and Sustaining Meaningful Institutional Research at Small Colleges and Universities

Narren J. Brown is associate vice president of research and institutional effectiveness at South Central College. Wei-Fang Lin is assistant director for institutional research and assessment at Hamilton College. Gordon J. Hewitt is assistant dean of faculty for institutional research and assessment at Hamilton College. Ruth Vater is director of strategic research and planning at Beloit College.

Editors' Notes 7 Narren J. Brown, Wei-Fang Lin, Gordon J. Hewitt, Ruth Vater 1. Data Entrepreneurship: A Necessary Mindset for Institutional Research Effectiveness 11 Polly A. Prewitt-Freilino, Nathan A. Rush Strong relationships with senior administrators, effective cross-campus collaboration, and efficient use of technology are central to impactful IR in small colleges. 2. Designing Networked Improvement in a Small-College Context 25 Jennifer L. Rachford, Travis M. Brown, Hector L. Sambolin Jr., Lenny Seligman This chapter demonstrates the complexity of pedagogical and curricular change as it unfolds through several overlapping phases of increasingly coordinated reflection and action around STEM initiatives at Pomona College. It argues for a networked model of research and practice, drawing on theory and lessons from improvement science and highlighting the role of institutional research in supporting change initiatives. 3. Using Data To Support Teaching and Learning 37 Laura Palucki Blake This chapter discusses principles that support using data about teaching and learning and offers several strategies particularly well suited for use by institutional researchers at small colleges in helping faculty, staff, and administrators use data on student learning for improvement. 4. "I'm Meltiiiiiing . . . ": The Decline of Response Rates and the Impact of Nonresponse Bias on the Results of National Surveys at Small Colleges 51 Wei-Fang Lin, Gordon J. Hewitt, Julio Videras This chapter examines the impact of declining student response rates on surveys administered at small- and medium-sized institutions. The potential for nonresponse bias and its effects are addressed. 5. Leveraging a Community Participatory Framework To Move Climate Survey Data Into Action at a Small College 63 C. Ellen Peters, Michael Benitez, Jr. A participatory framework in conducting research and implementing decisions can engage multiple constituents throughout a college community. At a small college it is especially relevant, because nonmajority groups are especially vulnerable because of a smaller critical mass. 6. Impacting Student Success: Intervention Effectiveness and Policy Development at Small Colleges 75 Narren J. Brown, Mack C. Shelley, II This chapter puts forth amodel of student-successfocused policy development at small colleges that elucidates the role of the IR professional, highlighting how the breadth of roles and responsibilities that IR professionals serve at these institutions intersect with traditional training and background. 7. The Evolution of Institutional-Research Professionals in Small- and Medium-Sized Institutions 89 Narren J. Brown, Gordon J. Hewitt, Wei-Fang Lin, Ruth Vater This concluding chapter discusses the main challenges currently facing institutional research at small- and medium-sized colleges and describes how the field may evolve. INDEX 97