Abstract
The volume of data, fast-changing technology, and the diverse student population require orchestrated collaboration with campus colleagues and with IR in a central and authoritative position. Due to current organizational practices and stakeholder expectations, particularly in the US, IR leaders should remain central to senior leader discussions because of their skills in data knowledge and context. Following a brief summary of key points from previous chapters, discussion in this chapter also proposes that the ‘Federated’ model for distribution of data, in its purest form, will not serve to build the capacity of IR but instead diminish its perceived and real value. A variety of professional development offerings related to IR activities are available and more need to be developed. Knowledgeable, skilled IR leaders who possess a high level of organizational intelligence serve their institution well, and in doing so, should strive to have a seat at the table.
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Notes
- 1.
Comments herein on the relationship between IR and IT are mine and are not in response to Swing and Ross’s (2016a) comments, but the unavoidable next step that requires attention in my argued position.
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Webber, K.L. (2018). The Future of IR and Decision Support: Ensuring a Seat at the Table. In: Webber, K. (eds) Building Capacity in Institutional Research and Decision Support in Higher Education . Knowledge Studies in Higher Education, vol 4. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-71162-1_16
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