Assessment and Planning support departments and units through consultation, data analysis, strategic planning, and other related services.
We can help you create surveys, develop frameworks, and determine the best way to share your story. Learn about our services and complete our request form for assistance.
Consulting Assistance
Assessment and Planning provides consulting services for Division of Student Life departments. We are eager to help you meet your goals by using the methods outlined below:
- Statistical Consult
- Methodology consult
- Develop and facilitate data collection
- Develop strategic plans and assessment plans
- Manage and execute departmental plans
- Data analysis
- Dissemination of information
- Conferences
- Reports
- Publications
- Process auditors
- Fiscal auditors
- Innovative analysis on key institutional metrics
- Insight and recommendations based on data analysis and methodologically
Software Assistance
Many software tools are used for collaboration, data analysis and visualization. If you would like to know about potential opportunities, make sure to use our request form.
Watermark
Watermark planning and self-study
Qualtrics
Data collection, forms and electronic processes
JMP
Data management and analysis
Miro
Online collaboration with whiteboards, diagrams and more
Microsoft Power Automate
Automating simple processes
Tableau
Data visualization tool for data exploration, reporting and storytelling
Data Assistance
Strategic Planning and Assessment serves as a central repository for Student Life departments’ data, helping to break down information silos across the division. By collecting, managing, and sharing data, Assessment and Planning connect departmental efforts to student outcomes on key institutional measures such as first-year persistence, four- and six-year graduation rates, and first-destination data. We assist departments with the following:
- Managing and analyzing data
- Evaluating results
- Conducting research
- Sharing insights
- Creating visualizations
- Tracking satisfaction and outcomes
- Building capacity
- Integrating with strategic planning
Data Dive Sessions
These 3–4 hour sessions, led by Assessment and Planning, focus on analyzing the Division of Student Life’s master data set and its relevance to your department. Designed to challenge assumptions about your students and programs, the discussion is driven by your questions, going beyond standard data conversations.
Assessment and Planning will document the session, highlighting patterns and trends from your questions. You’ll leave with insights to inform your programs, make data-driven decisions, and create your annual reporting plan.
Qualitative Data Assistance
Qualitative information provides rich insights and can be a natural way to gather data in certain program settings. Our team assists in collecting and analyzing unstructured qualitative data, transforming stories, feedback, and observations into actionable insights to guide program improvement and informed decision-making.
- Focus Groups
- Focus groups are an effective way to explore complex topics. We can assist with conducting sessions and providing protocols to ensure data is collected accurately and efficiently.
- Reflections
- Reflections offer valuable insights into the impact of experiences. Our team helps design prompts and processes that encourage thoughtful and meaningful responses.
- Interviews
- Interviews provide an in-depth look at participant perspectives. We will assist you with creating a semi-structured approach, which, along with focus groups, is ideal for generating hypotheses and guiding further research.
Quantitative Data Assistance
Quantitative data reveals trends and patterns across programs and student populations. We help you connect your current skills with your goals for data, collecting, organizing, and analyzing information to turn numbers into actionable insights.
- Big Data
- We maintain extensive data sets that can be leveraged to uncover trends and patterns across the entire student population, eliminating the need for assumptions or inferences.
- Data Analysis
- We specialize in turning data into insights, using rigorous methods and creative solutions to uncover complex relationships. We utilize dashboards, graphs, and tables to simplify data and make findings easy to understand.