How many UNC Greensboro students are pursuing online degrees, and what is their average age? How many are from out of state, and who is majoring in biology? How many are from underrepresented groups?
There’s a crack team of researchers on campus who tirelessly compile, analyze, and present data on these kinds of questions and more. And that group just won first place for their website.
The UNCG Institutional Research (IR) group’s website has been selected by the Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) as first place for best institutional research website in the southern United States.
The mission of IR is to aggregate, analyze, and disseminate representative and timely information in support of institutional planning, policy formulation, and decision-making for both internal and external constituents. But IR’s role does not end there. They regularly provide data to help support research grants and projects for both faculty and students alike. IR receives hundreds of requests for information per year.
Some of the broad areas of focus for IR include support for the campus strategic plan, dissemination of the most up-to-date Fast Facts and common data sets, information about online students, and tracking of degree major changes by students.
What’s an example of a significant fact about UNCG that IR has compiled?
“We are one of the most ethnically diverse campuses in the UNC System,” says Associate Vice Provost and IR Director Larry Mayes.
Other interesting facts at the time of this writing: Online students are one of the fastest growing student populations, and their average age upon admission to the university is 26 versus 18 for traditional campus students.
New IR team member Johnny Lail will focus on working with Associate Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of Undergraduate Studies Andrew Hamilton to track and analyze data related to student retention and graduation.
For information on IR, and to request a ticket, visit ire.uncg.edu.
Story by Matthew Bryant, University Communications
