Current Projects

Institutional Research Database

One of the primary sources of data for institutional research is the university’s operational information systems, such as the student, human resources, and fiscal systems. However, institutional research requires snapshots of those data for specified periods of time (for example, a semester or an academic year). As the university’s information systems have evolved over the years, so have these snapshots. The form and format of the data has changed, making comparisons over time challenging.

University Institutional Reporting and Research (UIRR) has been responsible for creating such data snapshots for institutional research purposes and is in the process of re-engineering this institutional data into a more comprehensive, consistent, and accessible Institutional Research Database.

Existing Institutional Research Data Published in the IU Information Environment (IUIE)
Degrees

Two sets of data containing official annualized degree data typically captured in mid- to late August. There is a set of degree data from the legacy system containing data from 1985-86 through 2003-04. The other set of degree data is from our current system, Peoplesoft, and contains data from 2004-05 through present.

Enrollment

There are several different types of IR enrollment data published in the IUIE.

  • Legacy enrollment data consists of two separate tables. The first contains student semester data and the second contains semester course data. This data is captured at the time of official census and is the basis of the individual enrollment files. These tables contain data from the fall of 1994 through the summer of 2004, with the exception of Fort Wayne data which is through the fall of 2004.

  • Starting in the fall of 1992 though the summer of 2004 there are individual semester data files in a text format containing unit record data for students enrolled at the time of Official Census. These files contain addition data (derived values) to aid in reporting.

  • Current enrollment data (in Peoplesoft) also consists of two separate tables, one for student semester data and the other for course data. These tables contain data from the fall of 2004 to the present. In addition of capturing data at official census, data is also captured at other time periods throughout the semester (ex: first day, end of refund, corrected grades).

  • Lastly, there is a table for the last term a student was enrolled in by career. This table aids in retrieving data that is difficult to obtain because of the nature of the environment (for example, a student’s overall GPA).

Financial Aid Data

Two types of data views are available. One ivew of the data are the Common Data Set (CDS) files such as the College Board and U.S. News and World Report. These summaries of academic year financial aid are for undergraduates enrolled at census in the fall semester. The CDS divides financial aid into two broad categories: aid that meets a student’s need, including merit-based aid, and aid that does not meet a student’s need. The other view is of an aid year. This data is submitted to the ICHE each fall. The annual financial aid reports are based upon this data submission.

Degree completions

This data is drawn from the annualized (fiscal year) view of degrees granted which is used for IPEDS completions reporting and the IU Factbook. Beginning with 1997-98, there are individual fiscal year files that consist of unit record data provided for each degree completed. Student incoming characteristics, CIP, and other demographical information is added to each record.

Graduation Rates

Individual cohort files containing information to generate graduation rates along with demographic information. This data is used in IPEDS reporting and the IU Factbook. There are individual excel files for each cohort from 1991 through 2000.

Retention

Individual cohort files containing information to track persistence to second semester and persistence to second year along with demographic information. There are individual excel files for each cohort from 1990 through the present.

ICHE SIS Annual Data

Consists of two types of data: the August degree supplement to be submitted to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) in the fall, and the ICHE SIS Data Set. All public institutions in the State of Indiana are required to submit an annual record of enrollments, degree completions, and financial aid to ICHE. This unit record data is housed in the ICHE Student Information System (SIS) database. Each fiscal year view includes students who enrolled at time of census in any of the academic terms or sessions that comprise the fiscal year (Fall, Spring, and Summer I and II) who received a degree in the fiscal year, or who completed a correspondence course in the fiscal year. There are individual text files for each year from 1994 through the most recently completed summer.

Re-engineering the IR Database

Currently under development are several data sets that will enable a broad range of users to access and analyze institutional data.

Degree completions

This data is drawn from the annualized (fiscal year) view of degrees granted which is used for IPEDS completions reporting and the IU Factbook. Beginning with 1996-97, unit record data is provided for each degree completed. Student incoming characteristics, CIP, and other demographical information are added to each record.

Financial Aid

Multiple processed views are available at the unit record level with varying amounts of financial aid aggregations. Academic and bio-demographical information is joined with the financial aid. Aid views are based upon the financial aid award year (academic year and summer) and generally represent aid disbursed (opposed to aid awarded).

ICHE SIS Annual Data

This data from IU, for the years 1994 through the most recently completed summer, will be made available in a single data set for institutional research use.