The Office of Institutional Planning, Research, and Assessment (OIPRA) was established in 2007 as a result of Athens State University's commitment to continuous improvement and the findings of the Institutional Planning, Research, and Assessment Functions Study. Between 2004 and 2007 there were significant improvements in the research and assessment functions. The appointment of a Coordinator of Institutional Research, reporting to the Vice President of Academic Affairs as opposed to Information Technology (IT), formerly MIS, greatly facilitated the collection, storage, retrieval and dissemination of institutional information. To achieve further improvement, a Coordinator of Institutional Assessment was also hired and assigned the responsibility of conducting a comprehensive analysis of all three functions to identify potential enhancement to functional effectiveness and efficiency. Findings from this analysis resulted in the consolidation of planning, research, and assessment support functions under OIPRA, previously Institutional Research.

To address OIPRA’s expanded responsibilities, the University made considerable investments in technological capabilities, staff and office space. At OIPRA’s request, the Information Technology Department developed the Athens State University Assessment Management Online System (AMOS) and its companion, the Assessment Management Evaluation Entry (AMEE) to manage assessment, documentation, data collection, analysis, and reporting processes. Additional SPSS licenses and updates to accommodate increasing demand for and complexity of uses of data in both academic and administrative functions were also purchased. Three additional positions were added to OIPRA staff, and significant office space assigned when OIPRA moved to its current location in Brown Hall.

Immediately upon its reorganization, OIPRA began the development and implementation of a systematic process to help direct and coordinate the collection and use of assessment data throughout the University, and to enhance tracking and reporting of institutional data to better document its actual use in program management and institutional planning. In coordination with all academic and administrative units throughout the University, OIPRA formulated a series of standards, procedures, and timetables to guide the measurement and documentation of institutional effectiveness starting in 2007-08 and every year thereafter. Through the reliance on standardized though flexible processes, this new system focus on enhancing the efficiency of internal evaluation processes to guide continuous improvement to institutional effectiveness.

OIPRA’s reorganization aims at increased efficiency and alignment of processes, timelines, and documentation of institutional effectiveness and enhanced ability of academic and non-academic programs to obtain and use strategic information for decision-making in a consistent and timely manner that can be fully documented.