Research & Analytics in Student Affairs ensures that, at WashU, learning happens everywhere.
As part of our commitment to know each student by name and story, the data we collect provides additional depth into the stories that our students are creating for themselves on campus. We use data to tell the story of Student Affairs.
Mission
Carefully developed research questions. Empirically sound analytics.
We work with departments throughout Student Affairs to:
| Translate their goals into testable hypotheses | |
| Develop appropriate metrics demonstrating the impact of their work | |
| Position them to optimize their impact on the students they serve |
Vision
A pipeline to progress.
We aspire to be:
| A conduit to the division’s stakeholders (including administrators, faculty, parents, friends of the university, and the Board of Trustees) on progress we are making toward our Five Anchors | |
| A compass for strategic direction relied on by senior leadership | |
| an agent of synergy and collaboration through the Division of Student Affairs |
Values
Driven by Data. Guided by Principles.
Our data collection and analysis efforts should be:
| Mindful of the privilege and responsibility that comes from being stewards of the division’s data | |
| Faithful representations of the constructs we are analyzing | |
| Purposeful and necessary | |
| Both rigorous and accessible | |
| Respectful of students’ time and boundaries | |
| Actionable, always seeking to inform future policy and interventions | |
| Collaborative within Student Affairs and others across campus, including individuals and departments in charge of data governance | |
| Developed with an eye toward diversity, equity and access |
Education & outreach
Education is central to our work.
Just as our work measures the educational impact of Student Affairs outside the classroom, we have an opportunity to offer educational workshops that empower our colleagues to have a better handle on data collection in their area.
Potential educational workshop topics include:
| Writing good survey questions | |
| Running focus groups | |
| SA Tools – how to design surveys and run reports | |
| Basic data analysis | |
| Organizing data in Excel |
Collaborate with us
Request assistance for data-related projects through one of the forms below.
Expectations that the Division can have of Research & Analytics in Student Affairs (RASA)
| Assist in developing unit-level strategic goals and learning outcomes | |
| Develop empirically sound assessment instruments for key departmental programs and services | |
| Analyze departmental data relevant to strategic goals and outcomes (including historical trends or demographic breakdowns) |
Expectations RASA has of unit leaders
| Ensure we are collecting data that matters to unit and divisional priorities | |
| Request assistance for data-related projects through the Project Request Form | |
| Use SA Tools as your primary means of collecting assessment data |
Expectations AVCs should have of their teams
| Each department will identify learning outcomes and identify key programs and services that advance the unit’s and the division’s strategic priorities | |
| Departments will work with RASA to coordinate and execute data collection efforts relevant to the division’s strategic goals and to the department’s key programs and services | |
| Each director has oversight of developing learning outcomes and key assessments happening in their area. Though tasks may be delegated to others, oversight remains the priority and responsibility of the director (and this person should be present in all meetings with RASA) | |
| Each director will meet with their AVC and the RASA Team to discuss their strategy around learning outcomes and data collection |
Contact
Tim Bono
he/him
Associate Dean and Director of Research & Analytics