An investigation of institutional research in two year public colleges in the southeastern United States

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate the role and scope of institutional research in two-year colleges accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. A census of the above defined institutions, taken from a listing in The Directory of Higher Education, was conducted in the winter of 1991. A field-tested questionnaire used to gather data focused on the role and scope, activities, and characteristics of the person(s) and office(s) responsible, for institutional research. It was found that the person responsible for institutional research at the community college level has not had enough time to become adequately acquainted with institutional needs or professional development. Contributing factors to this lack of understanding were inexperience at the institution, inexperience in institutional research, and inadequate staffing patterns for institutional research. It was found that offices of institutional research at the community college level are not adequately supported in terms of time, finances, and staffing. Contributing factors to this condition include low administrative budgets, joint appointments for the directors of institutional research, and inadequate support staff appointments. It was found that there was very little consistency in what was perceived to be important and what was actually carried out in offices of institutional research at the community college level. Directors of institutional research seemed to be more occupied with the churning out of reports than with the planning process and giving direction to the institution. Four exemplary offices of institutional research were identified through the census of the population, and the directors of these offices were interviewed, using an interview protocol. These interviews suggested that the model office of institutional research operates in a proactive mode, rather than a reactive one. It was also found that the model office of institutional research tended to be more concerned with helping the institution achieve a positive future, rather than to concentrate on the churning out of present and past information.