History

Analytics can be a nebulous idea. The various audiences, data sources, applications, and questions to be answered make a project of this complexity hard to define.

Over the summer of 2016, in an effort to determine a grounded strategy for analytics at UC Irvine, the Vice Provost for Teaching and Learning and the Chief Information Officer requested that a review of opportunities and challenges be assessed and reported upon.

While engaging in this analysis, it has became apparent that some low-hanging fruit exist that can be acted upon in the near term. These are represented by the undergraduate academic advisor reports listed above, focused on providing undergraduate student data to advisors in formats that they previously did not have available.

The descriptive analytics project represents the first of many efforts to be recommended as possibilities to improve student outcomes and support student success. Other projects will focus on faculty, curriculum planners, and students themselves.

Descriptive Analytics Milestones

2016: Proof-of-concept reports for demographics (outreach) and academic probation (intervention) delivered to advisors

2017: Expanded offerings to advisors, including insights into lower-division writing progress & course grade distribution

2018: First report for faculty, course demographics insights, launched. Course demographics and academic pathway reports delivered to advisors.

2019: Launched five reports for academic administrators to provide information about demographics and academic performance within majors.

Founding Executive Leadership