Skip to main content

About OIPE

The purpose of the Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness (OIPE) is to facilitate the integration of accountability, assessment, planning, and institutional research and to provide essential support to the Chancellor, Provost, and other University divisions for the advancement of WCU’s mission and the improvement of University programs and services. 

WCU clock tower

 

The goals of the OIPE include the following:

  • Invest in and maintain a quality decision support framework for campus leaders. The OIPE is committed to supporting university leaders in making informed and effective planning, programming, and fiscal decisions. To that end, OIPE manages and organizes the people and tools necessary to ensure access and usability of institutional data.
  • Enhance the accuracy and timeliness of university data.The utility of institutional data for decision-making hinges first and foremost on accuracy and timeliness. Furthering the OIPE’s potential as a reliable resource of campus data and expert analysis allows the unit to better service the information needs of the university.
  • Ensure high quality processes and procedures in support of institutional planning and effectiveness.The quality of institutional data depends on effective and efficient processes and procedures, which are wholly dependent on an environment characterized by collaboration and open communication. To that end, the OIPE is committed to developing and fostering relationships within the office and across a broad array of university divisions and external agencies. The OIPE will utilize those relationships to create new and refine existing business practices where appropriate and necessary.

Office of Institutional Planning and Effectiveness 
440 HFR
Cullowhee, NC 28723
828.227.7239 tel
828.227.7132 fax
oipe@wcu.edu

Timothy Metz
Assistant Vice Chancellor, Institutional Planning & Effectiveness
828.227.3046
tdmetz@wcu.edu

 

Logan King
Administrative Support Specialist
828.227.2264
kingr@wcu.edu 

 

Nathan Hodges
Business and Technology Applications Analyst
828.227.3043
nhodges@wcu.edu

Billy Hutchings
Research Specialist
828.227.2413
wshutchings@wcu.edu

Trista Middleton
Research Specialist
828.227.7239
tymiddleton@wcu.edu

 

Srisuda McCullough
Business and Technology Applications Analyst
828.227.2570
smmccollough@wcu.edu

 

Vacant
Senior Data Analyst
828.227.3041

Recent Presentations

Prescriptive Analytics for Student Success in the Era Optional Testing
Dwayne Tutt
2023 NCAIR Annual Conference

Modeling Undergraduate Enrollment with Markov Chains
Presentation Notes
Nathan Hodges
2023 NCAIR Annual Conference

A Quick, Easy, Low-cost Compliance Readiness Audit
Tim Metz
2022 SACSCOC Annual Meeting
December 5, 2022

Leveraging State K-12 Data for Enrollment Planning Insights
Tim Metz
2021 NCAIR/SCAIR Virtual Conference
February 26, 2021

"Power" Tools for IR Reporting (Workshop)

Hands-On Files Supplemental Exercise

Alison Joseph & Tim Metz
2015 Association for Institutional Research (AIR) Forum
May 25-29, 2015

 

Excel Power Tools

David Onder & Alison Joseph
2015 North Carolina Association for Institutional Research (NCAIR) Conference
April 13 - 14, 2015

Facilities Management: The Role of IR in Policy and Procedure Development
Alison Joseph & Elizabeth Snyder
2014 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference
October 4 - 7, 2014

"Power" Tools for IR Reporting
Tim Metz, Alison Joseph, & Henson Sturgill
2014 NCAIR Summer Drive-In
July 24, 2014

"Power" Tools for IR Reporting
David Onder & Alison Joseph
2014 Association for Institutional Research (AIR) Annual Forum
May 27-30, 2014

"Power" Tools for IR Reporting (Workshop)
Hands-On Files
David Onder & Alison Joseph
2014 Association for Institutional Research (AIR) Forum
May 27-30, 2014

Reporting Program-Level Retention and Graduation
Handout
Alison Joseph & David Onder
2014 Association for Institutional Research (AIR) Annual Forum
May 27-30, 2014

Report Automation Using Excel
Handouts
Alison Joseph, David Onder, and Billy Hutchings
2013 NCAIR Summer Drive-in
July 19, 2013

Reporting Program-Level Retention and Graduation

Alison Joseph & David Onder

2012 Southern Association of Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference

September 22-25, 2012

 

It’s Not About Pie When It Comes To The Facts…

David Onder & Alison Joseph

2012 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference

September 22-25, 2012

 

The Pie Maker - Automating the Fact Book Creation Process 

Handouts
David Onder & Alison Joseph

2012 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference

September 22-25, 2012

Improving the Online Evaluation Process and Response Rates
Elizabeth Snyder and Alison Joseph
2011 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference
October 8-11, 2011

Updating Digital Measures Activity Insight Using MS Office
Handouts
David Onder
2011 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference
October 8-11, 2011

It’s Not About Pie When It Comes To The Facts…

David Onder, Alison Joseph and John Bradsher
2011 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference
October 8-11, 2011


Space Management: Changing Policies in a Changing Environment

Alison Joseph
2011 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference
October 8-11, 2011

Duplicate Records - Waiting for the Banner Update
Kay Turpin
2011 Mid-Atlantic Banner Users Group (MABUG) Conference
October 2-4, 2011

Administrative Program Review 
Handout 1- Guidelines 
Handout 2- External Reviewer's Handbook 
Administrative Program Review Slides

Dr. Melissa Canady Wargo, David Onder, and Mardy Ashe (Career Services)
2010 SACS-COC Annual Meeting
December 4-7, 2010

Attacking Addresses at Western Carolina University
WCU Address Policy
WCU Name and Social Security Number Change Policies
Current Student and Staff Name Change Form
Kay Turpin
2010 Mid-Atlantic Banner Users Group (MABUG) Conference
October 4-5, 2010

Student Evaluation of Faculty: Policies and Processes
Kay Turpin and Alison Joseph
2010 Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR) Conference
September 25-28, 2010


Publishing and Marketing Events Using 25Live
Alison Joseph with Laura Huff (WCU External Affairs)
2010 CollegeNet Users Conference
July 25-28, 2010

Office of Web Services