The Bulldog Applause program was created by the All Staff Council to let staff know how much they are appreciated, and to inform campus about the different departments at Drake.

Congratulations to the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment department for being recognized with the most recent Bulldog Applause. We appreciate all the work you do at Drake! Since Griff II was unavailable for the meeting, Christine shared her dog, Lucy, for the photo. Read a Q&A to learn more about the department:

How many staff members are in the Institutional Research and Academic Assessment department? 
We are a small but mighty team of three staff members.

What is the primary function of the team? 
The Office of Institutional Research and Academic Assessment serves as a source of information about Drake University. Our mission is to provide data, reports, and research that support institutional planning, strengthen teaching and learning, and promote understanding of the nature and quality of education at Drake University.

What staff member has been on the team the longest? 
Christine Marchand, institutional research coordinator, has been on the team for 13 years.

Who is the newest team member? 
Jessica Armstrong, data analyst

What campus building does your team “live” in?  
Howard Hall

What are some recent accomplishments that others in the University might not know? 
The team is going to roll out a suite of new reports using PowerBI as a reporting tool, which will add visualization and filtering tools to make information more accessible.

How does this staff foster a sense of community and belonging through their activities or sharing together here at Drake? 
The OIRA team enjoys engaging with others across the campus community in an effort to put information to good use. We may be data and assessment geeks, but the interactions with others is great fun. We frequently engage in projects that gather information about ways to improve our community (e.g., Climate Survey).

— Teresa Downs, Human Resources