At Campbellsville University, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness (IE) is dedicated to supporting data-driven decision-making and continuous improvement. Our mission is to provide accurate, reliable data and assist in strategic planning
efforts that align with the university’s goals. We collaborate across campus to ensure
that our academic programs and administrative functions meet the highest standards
of excellence.Explore our site to learn more about our reports, assessments, and accreditation efforts that contribute to the success of our students and the university as a whole.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness (IE) at Campbellsville University plays
a crucial role in fostering institutional stewardship by supporting informed and collaborative
decision-making. We achieve this by providing accurate, comprehensive data and assisting
with strategic planning efforts across the University. Our office ensures that institutional
goals are aligned with actionable insights, enabling the University to make well-informed
decisions that benefit students, faculty, and staff.
The IE Office is dedicated to supporting the ongoing evaluation, assessment, and improvement
of University activities. We work closely with academic and administrative departments
to assess student learning outcomes, program effectiveness, and overall institutional
performance. By collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data, we help shape policies
and strategies that drive the University's growth and success. Our commitment is to
enhance the University’s ability to fulfill its mission while maintaining accountability,
transparency, and a strong focus on continuous improvement.
Serves as the source for comprehensive, accurate and consistent information in response
to requests from external stakeholders;
Collects, analyzes, and interprets statistical data to support planning efforts by
University administrators and committees;
Educates users on the use of data, analysis, and information to inform independent
and collaborative decision making;
Actively participates in strategic planning efforts, assessment of learning outcomes,
program reviews, accreditation, and tracking of student enrollment and retention;
Credentials faculty and maintains all faculty files as required by SACS-COC;
Supports CU's Institutional Review Board to ensure the protection of human subjects
in research
Our values are to practice Collaboration, Leadership, Integrity, and Adaptability:
Collaboration through connections among our institutional effectiveness team and with others throughout
the institution to serve the priorities of CU.
Leadership by contributing knowledge and expertise to collectively influence CU's success and
the success of our students.
Integrity by promoting a culture of trust, accurate and high-quality information, and accountability
to those we serve.
Adaptability by staying current in the field and ready to meet the changing needs of the university.
We strive to maintain strict confidence and security of all confidential information
in our possession; commit to conduct research in an objective manner utilizing the
highest standards for accuracy in methodology, data quality, and the presentation
of findings with professional and responsible interpretation; and adhere to the principles
espoused by the Association for Institutional Research (AIR) regarding the use of
data and information to improve higher education. (AIR Statement of Ethical Principles)
The purpose of the Institutional Review Board (IRB) is to protect the rights of human
subjects in research. This includes making sure that vulnerable populations are protected
(i.e., prison populations, minor children, neurological impaired adults, etc.) and
that informed consent is maintained for participation in research. The IRB is a University
committee composed of faculty members and the Associate Vice President for Institutional
Effectiveness. The IRB is responsible for reviewing all research activities involving
human subjects.
The mission of the IRB is to promote and safeguard research activity that involves
human subjects within the academic community and to monitor non-CU researchers seeking
to conduct research at any of our campuses or centers.
All projects that involve human research subjects are subject to review by the IRB
prior to the initiation of the study. To determine whether a study is subject to IRB
review, the definition of human subject and the definition of research should be examined.
Human Subjects (DHHS): “A living individual about whom an investigator (whether professional or student)
conducting research: Obtains information or biospecimens through intervention or interaction
with the individual, and uses, studies, or analyzes the information or biospecimens;
or Obtains uses studies, analyzes, or generates identifiable private information or
identifiable biospecimens.” [45 CFR 46.102(e)]
Research (DHHS): “a systematic investigation, including research development, testing, and evaluation,
designed to develop or contribute to generalizable knowledge. Activities that meet
this definition constitute research for purposes of this policy, whether they are
conducted or supported under a program that is considered research for other purposes
or not. For example, some demonstration and service programs may include research
activities”. [45 CFR 46.102(l)]
Only the IRB has the authority to grant exempt status to a study. A determination
of exemption requires that the researcher complete training on the use of human subjects
in research and submit a limited review application for exemption to the IRB. The
federal regulations include specific categories of exemptions, and any research procedures
falling outside those categories must be reviewed through expedited or full review
procedures.
An example of a project that would not be considered human subject research is a student
project that occurs in the classroom if there is no intention of using the results
for any purpose other than a class assignment. This type of project is undertaken
as a learning experience to help students understand the process of conducting research,
and the focus is not on producing meaningful results. In these cases, only the student
and instructor have access to the results, and the project's purpose ends when a grade
is assigned. However, some class assignments are undertaken as part of a project with
a broader purpose that makes them subject to IRB review. For example, if a student
intends to later use data collected as part of a class assignment for a thesis project
or if a student plans to share the results with an audience outside the classroom
he or she should seek IRB approval prior to initiating the data collection process.
Thesis or dissertation projects conducted to meet degree requirements are subject
to IRB review and approval any time human subjects are involved.
When a project is undertaken by a student as a learning exercise with the results
not shared beyond the classroom, the text below is provided for use in data collection
instruments:
This project is being conducted by a student as part of an exercise in learning about
the research process. This data is not being collected for research purposes, and
the project has not been approved by an Institutional Review Board (IRB). The data
will be used solely for the course assignment, and results will not be shared outside
of the classroom.
If you have any questions or need assistance with data, reports, assessments, or strategic
planning, the Office of Institutional Effectiveness is here to help. Our team is committed
to providing support and expertise to ensure informed decision-making across the University.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions, we’re happy to assist you in
any way we can.
You can contact our team and we look forward to supporting your efforts and helping Campbellsville University
continue to thrive.
Institutional Enrollment & Performance Federal Reports:
The Office of Institutional Research creates analytical reports that help the University
administration make effective decisions. These reports are available by request and
some are available on the website (below). It is this office's goal to communicate
effective and clearly the successes and opportunities at Campbellsville University.
The Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Campbellsville University is dedicated
to supporting the university’s mission through data-driven insights and continuous
improvement. Whether you have questions about assessment, accreditation, or institutional
research, our team is here to assist you. Reach out to us, we’re here to help you
navigate the processes that ensure academic excellence and institutional growth.
Get to know the the team behind our efforts to enhance the university's impact!