WSU Data and Strategy Associates take on the 2024 AIR Forum

The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) hosts a forum each year with presentations and thought leaders representing a range of issues, practices, and information for higher education and institutional research professionals. It’s a great forum and opportunity to stay informed about new developments, trends, and more in the field of institutional research. 

The institutional research (IR) functions of analysis and reporting are performed by our System Analytics and Reporting team within the Office of Strategy, Planning, and Analysis (OSPA). IR investigates an institution’s internal information and data to support higher education planning, policies, and to assist that institution with data-informed decision-making.

This year, three Data and Strategy Associates from the System Analytics and Reporting side of OSPA were able to attend the AIR forum in Denver, Colorado and connect with peers, colleagues, and gain insight on everything from artificial intelligence programming tools to managing data in a central location, surveys and rankings discussions, and communicating with data. 

Finding Their Institutional Research Footing

Pavan Dhanireddy is one of the newer members of our System Analytics and Reporting team in the Office of Strategy Planning, and Analysis. Pavan has a wealth of experience in data analysis, but his role at Washington State University is a transition to the higher education sector and the AIR forum was a great opportunity to connect with colleagues who are also new to Institutional Research and learn from each other.

It was also the first AIR forum for Data and Strategy Associate, Steve Selk; both Steve and Pavan benefited from the welcoming atmosphere and collegiality with new conference attendees and reassurance from their peers working through some of the same practices and new challenges.

Real Time Survey Help  

In his role in System Analytics and Reporting, Steve Selk coordinates the accurate and timely completion of internal and external reporting, data requests, and surveys and attended presentations that tie directly into that work, like sessions specific to the US News World Rankings survey.

“The USNWR rankings session— having that session happen while the survey was open was really helpful. Being able to get some questions answered on the spot, being able to talk to Bob Morse, USNWR Chief Data Strategist, in person, that was really valuable.” 

Artificial Intelligence and Institutional Research

Like many conferences examining shifting technologies, sessions on artificial intelligence (AI) were in high demand over the week at AIR forum, including the closing keynote panel that examined implications of AI in higher education and the reminder that we—humans—are at the center of navigating new technological advancements like AI. 

Pavan Dhanireddy gained valuable insights from an exploratory session that integrated innovative tools like artificial intelligence with the coding language Python to enhance efficiencies, develop reusable code snippets, and assist with simple calculations as well as complex machine learning models.

The discussions around AI in institutional research examined ethical considerations, privacy concerns, and looking at potential bias and equity—all things that our data and strategy associates consider while working with institutional data. 

Big Plans for Data Management

The Office of Strategy, Planning, and Analysis continues to work towards one of WSU’s System strategic plan objectives to increase access to actionable data that empowers WSU staff to gain valuable insights and make informed and timely decisions. Further developing a Data Management Program at WSU and expanding data governance communities of practice and solutions are integral in developing a system-wide policy and plan for data management. 

While at the AIR forum, Data and Strategy Associate, Nathan Lindstedt attended a series of sessions on working toward building data lakehouse environments, which examined some of the barriers and challenges of data governance and centralized data systems that go along with that shift, and highlighted the necessary collaborative work between offices that has made a data lakehouse environment possible.

Conferences can be invaluable in providing reassurance and guidance on the work that people are doing every day—in ways to better understand daily tasks and challenges, but so much information can also be inspiring and helping offices bridge barriers to make the changes needed to do the work at the core of institution research where people and data intersect. 

About the Author

Eija Sumner is the Strategic Communication Coordinator in the Office of Strategy, Planning, and Analysis (OSPA) at Washington State University.