Identifying and Nurturing Future Institutional Research Professionals : Building Our Future

1. Identifying and Nurturing Future Institutional Research Professionals: Building Our Future Rebecca Culbertson TCS EDUCATION SYSTEM Sherry Woosley, Ph.D. KEN fRANZ Brian matve Steve owens Ball State University Illinois Association for Institutional Research Annual Forum 2010

2. Plan

3. Why attend this session? IR search experiences (as an employer) Staffing issues Interest in the profession Other reasons?

4. Our Efforts 4 Methods

5. Graduate Assistantships

6. What is it? • Paid Graduate Research Assistantship • 20 hours per week • Academic year contract (with optional summer semester contract) • Stipend $8000+ a year • Paid through our office budget or university grants • Tasks & Responsibilities • Routine survey reports • Ad-hoc analysis of existing data or data easily accessible • Web surveys (set-up, data downloads, data analysis) • Focus groups (note-taker first, then work up to facilitator)

7. What resources does it take? $ Time for supervision, project prep, and project review Office space & equipment Available graduate students (i.e., appropriate programs and students with skills and interest)

8. Department Perspective • Disadvantages • Requires money • Limit to what they can and should do • Academic calendar breaks often come at inopportune times! • Advantages • Extra help! • Length of service (1-2 years) • Amount of time

9. Participant Perspective • Disadvantages • Significant commitment • Limited number of spots • Missed opportunities in home department • Advantages • Money • Great experience applicable to future research endeavors (doc programs, IR jobs, etc.) • General knowledge of the field • Application of materials learned in statistics and research courses

10. Graduate Student Internships

11. What is it? • Description • Non-paid, 3 credit, graduate level internships • 140 hours in 1 semester (10 hours per week) • Recorded under various dept codes • Overall, their tasks are similar to a GA but they often do not have the longevity to take on advanced projects. • Given their inexperience and short clock, they often work better in teams.

12. What resources does it take? Time for supervision, project prep, and project review Office space & equipment Available graduate students (i.e., appropriate programs and students with skills and interest)

13. Department Perspective • Disadvantages • Turnover & Transitions (Academic calendar breaks often come at inopportune times!) • Academic collaborations required to make happen • Limits to what they can and should do • Advantages • Extra help! • No money needed • Students are eager • Academic departments like these • easy credit hours for the department • provide students unique experiences

14. Participant Perspective • Disadvantages • No $ • Short time • Limited exposure • Advantages • Experience • Academic Credit • Relatively easy ‘A’ • Application of materials learned in statistics and research courses • Hands-on training • Collaborative experience

15. IR Course

16. What is it? • Description • Interdisciplinary, 3 credit graduate level course taught by IR professional with graduate faculty status • Serious breadth with opportunities for depth

17. What resources does it take? Time!! $ if it is an overload Appropriate person to teach it

18. Department Perspective • Disadvantages • Instructor needs graduate faculty status • Workload • Does not directly provide support to the office • Advantages • Staff development • Recruits for internships • Connections to students and student issues • Credibility with academics due to teaching experience

19. Participant Perspective • Disadvantages • Does not fulfill program requirements (“extra work”) • Entire semester • Don’t know what to expect from the course prior to taking it • Practical course (as opposed to a research or theoretical course) • Advantages • Academic credit • Exposure to the breadth in the field • Safe way to try IR without committing to a career • Professional opportunities (poster presentation, interviewing a professional, etc.) • Practical course

20. IR Certificate Program

21. What is it? • Description • 15 credit, interdisciplinary, post-baccalaureate certificate program • Builds on existing courses in research and statistics • IR course and internship are in-person (not available on-line)

22. What resources does it take? Time to develop proposal and take it through the curriculum committees Administration time Time for prospects and student (questions and advising)

23. Department Perspective • Disadvantages • Curricular approval process • Takes time from other responsibilities • Advantages • Ensures continued interns • Contributes to the academic mission • Raises awareness about IR around the campus • Provides direct “user-level” experience with our campus systems and procedures

24. Participant Perspective • Disadvantages • “Extra work” • Advantages • Credential • Opens up options for careers • Professional network

25. Summary / Discussion

26. Possible Variations • Undergraduate workers • Internships • Undergraduate internships • Faculty internships • Mini-internships (1 credit or 2 credit) • Summer internships • Course • Special topic seminar for specific department • Guest lectures in appropriate course • Certificate Program • Undergraduate • Post-Master’s • Discipline specific (i.e., Higher Education) • On-line

27. Conclusions • There are lots of options. • It pays to think strategically. • For us, it is (and has been) a process. • These programs have made significant contributions • to our office • to our students • to our field

28. Questions / DiscussionThank you. Rebecca Culbertson rculbertson@tcsedsystem.org Sherry Woosley sawoosley@bsu.edu KEN fRANZ KSFRANZ@BSU.EDU Brian matve BRIAN.MATVE@GMAIL.COM Steve owens STEOWENS@COMCAST.NET