The Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness (OIRE) is dedicated to advancing UIS' goals and strategic priorities through comprehensive institutional research, assessment, and effectiveness activities.  We promote a data-informed culture of collaboration and continuous improvement within OIRE and across the institution. 

OIRE supports institutional decision‑making and improvement through four integrated areas of work:

Institutional Research

We provide timely, accurate, and actionable data on students, faculty, staff, and academic programs. Our work includes enrollment, retention, and graduation analyses; benchmarking and comparative studies; cost and resource analyses; ad hoc reporting; and required federal and state reporting. Key resources include the Institutional Data Book, the UIS Acronym Guide, and system‑level dashboards.

Institutional Effectiveness & Strategic Initiatives

OIRE partners with academic and administrative units to support strategic planning, academic unit and program review, and institutional initiatives. This includes leadership of the Academic Portfolio Review, coordination of institutional surveys, and support for initiatives and projects that advance institutional priorities and continuous improvement.

Accreditation

OIRE oversees UIS’s institutional accreditation with the Higher Learning Commission. We coordinate assurance filings, our Quality Initiative project, and preparation for comprehensive evaluations, while also supporting specialized accreditation efforts across academic programs.

Assessment of Student Learning

OIRE provides leadership and guidance for assessment practices that are faculty‑driven, mission‑aligned, and focused on improving student learning. We support assessment planning, program review, and the use of evidence for improvement, working closely with governance bodies and the Assessment Advisory Board.

Our Team

OIRE is led by the Associate Provost for Institutional Research and Effectiveness and includes professionals dedicated to institutional research, assessment, accreditation, and data analytics. Together, the team partners across the university to ensure data are accessible, analysis is actionable, and improvement efforts are aligned with institutional priorities. Learn more about team members including how to contact us on our OIRE Staff webpage.