Office of Institutional Research and Assessment

Welcome

The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (IR&A) advances the mission and values of Houghton College through commitment to the generation and dissemination of reliable evidence and analytical reports, efficient storage and reporting to various constituencies, institutional evaluation through local and nationally-normed survey research and data analysis, and collaboration with our institutional leaders in support of decision-making, program assessment, and overall effectiveness.  IR&A is an information source and repository for many of the college’s descriptive metrics.

Our primary purposes focus on two major and complementary areas:

  • Institutional Research focuses on facilitating the systematic collection, maintenance, analysis, and reporting of institutional information, including benchmark comparisons with other institutions, in support of the college’s planning, decision-making, and management processes. Working closely with the Offices of Academic Records. Alumni Relations, and Enrollment Management, we are primarily focused on developing accurate and meaningful information about students, faculty, courses, programs, alumni, and other non-academic operations.
  • Assessment encompasses student learning and operational outcomes in tracking our effectiveness in the academic and non-academic units, respectively. Extending from the college mission statement, our outcomes link down through the institution-wide Essential Learning Outcomes, to majors and programs, and individual courses. The IR&A office oversees the online course evaluation program, supports the periodic program reviews, and assists with annual student learning outcomes data collection. The operative questions are: How do we know what students are learning and what can they do upon graduation? How well does an office serve the campus community? In short, how effective are we being and how can we do better?

These functions require communicating effectively the current and historical status and character of the college to all campus constituencies, our governing board, accrediting agencies, alumni, and the public. This office assists others internally and externally with ad hoc requests for information, in addition to over 50 annual surveys and reports for off campus agencies. IR&A takes a lead role in meeting accountability requirements by our regional accrediting agency and supports the processes expected by higher educational standards for improvement.

Using the links at left, we invite you to explore this site. If you have further questions or needs, please contact us.

Staff

Daryl H. Stevenson, PhD
Associate Dean and Director,
Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
daryl.stevenson@houghton.edu
phone: 585-567-9304

Willis Beardsley, EdD
Research Associate
willis.beardsley@houghton.edu
585-567-9456

Molly Spear
Office assistant
molly.spear@houghton.edu
585-567-9440

Affiliated Staff

Marge Avery
Director of Academic Records
margery.avery@houghton.edu
585-567-9350

Eileen DeBoer
Office of Academic Records
Research Analyst
eileen.deboer@houghton.edu
585-567-9348

Ryan Spear
Associate Director of Admission
ryan.spear@houghton.edu
585-567-9566