oira@american.edu
Contact:
Robin Beads
Associate Director, Institutional Research
Leonard, Room 1st floor on a map
Institutional Rsch / Assessmt4400 Massachusetts Avenue NWWashington, DC 20016-8059United StatesBack to top
In addition to assessing student learning, the institution has a broad array of ways in which it assesses its overall institutional effectiveness.
Academic Data Reference Book
The Academic Data Reference Book (ADRB) is published annually by the Office of Institutional Research & Assessment. Its goal is to provide the university community with reliable and useful information and is comprised of six sections: student enrollment, incoming degree students, retention and graduation, degrees conferred, course enrollment, andfaculty and staff.
Common Data Set
AU participates in theCommon Data Set (CDS) Initiative, developed as a standard way for colleges, universities, vocational/technical, and graduate schools to self-report common or comparable data regarded as important for prospective students.
Common Data Set Sections: A. General Information; B. Enrollment and Persistence; C. Freshmen Admission; D: Transfer Admission; E. Academic Offerings and Policies; F. Student Life; G. Annual Expenses; I. Instructional Faculty and Class Size; J. Degrees Conferred
Access AU's 2022-23 Common Data Set (PDF).
MicroStrategy (Business Intelligence)
AU uses the MicroStrategy Business Intelligence tool to analyze trends, perform forecasting, create scorecards and dashboards, and deliver timely information to users.
To accesscommon data reports, authorized users can visit the following sources (AU login required):
- OIRA Official Reports
- Standard Student Reporting
- Admissions Statistics Official Reporting
IPEDS
The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is a postsecondary education data collection program.The IPEDS Data Feedback Report is intended to provide institutions a context for examining and comparing data they submitted to IPEDS with data from a comparison group of institutions.
Access AU's 2022IPEDS Data Feedback Report (PDF).
College Navigator
College Navigatoris a database containing specific information from about 7,000 universities nation-wide and is primarily sourced from IPEDS. College Navigator is a tool designed to help prospective college students and their parents distinguish the differences between universities and to assess the costs in attending these universities.
College Scorecard
TheCollege Scorecardis another a source of federal comparative data.
Peer Institutions
AU does not have one list of peer institutions. Thelists of institutions below is used by OIRA for a variety of institutional benchmarking comparisons. Theselists may vary or other lists may be used depending on the purpose of the comparative data analysis needed.
- Peer Institutions Group 1— Thispeer group is comprised of undergraduate market basket institutions from AU's2023-2024 budget report.
| Boston College | Johns Hopkins University |
| Boston University | Lafayette College |
| Brandeis University | Lehigh University |
| Bucknell University | New York University |
| Carnegie Mellon University | Northeastern University |
| Case Western Reserve University | Syracuse University |
| Colgate University | Tufts University |
| College of the Holy Cross | Tulane University |
| Emory University | University of Miami |
| Fordham University | University of Rochester |
| George Washington University | Vanderbilt University |
| Georgetown University | Washington University in St. Louis |
- Peer Institutions Group 2— Thispeer group is comprised of institutions with similarCarnegie Classificationcharacteristics as AU. All are classified as private not-for-profit doctoral universities withhigh research activity (R2).
| Azusa Pacific University | Mercer University |
| Brigham Young University | Nova Southeastern University |
| Chapman University | Rochester Institute of Technology |
| Claremont Graduate University | Saint Louis University |
| Clark Atlanta University | Seton Hall University |
| Clark University | Southern Methodist University |
| Clarkson University | Stevens Institute of Technology |
| Creighton University | Teachers College at Columbia University |
| DePaul University | Texas Christian University |
| Duquesne University | The Catholic University of America |
| Florida Institute of Technology | The New School |
| Fordham University | Thomas Jefferson University |
| Howard University | University of Dayton |
| Illinois Institute of Technology | University of New England |
| Lehigh University | University of San Diego |
| Loma Linda University | University of Tulsa |
| Long Island University | Villanova University |
| Loyola Marymount University | Wake Forest University |
| Loyola University Chicago | Worcester Polytechnic Institute |
| Marquette University |
For more information on Office of Institutional Research and Assessment's comprehensive survey program, or if you are interested in surveying members of the AU community please visitOIRA Survey Research.
Although OIRA has always played a role in institutional accreditation, providing required annual reports and supporting institutional self-study efforts, responsibilities in these areas have expanded significantly. In 1995-1996, OIRA provided a co-chair for the NCAA certification effort. In 1996-97, OIRA assumed a leadership role in developing the required follow-up report and managed a campus visit for the Middle States Association's Commission on Higher Education. In 1997-98 OIRA facilitated the required accreditation/affiliation process of the United Methodist Church's University Senate.OIRA had major responsibilities for the Middle State's reaccreditation that occurred in 2004, and a leadership role in the 2009 Periodic Review Report, and again in the most recent reaccreditation in 2014. For more, visit Middle States Self-Study.
OIRA also works with schools/colleges and departments which are undergoing disciplinary accreditation, providing data and information as required. Information about accreditation for schools and programs can be found at the Consumer Information page.
