Welcome to the first edition of Ball State University Office of Institutional Research and Decision Support (IRDS) E-Magazine! This publication serves as a platform to showcase how we are fulfilling our mission for Ball State. The IRDS E-Magazine provides readers a glimpse into the work that supports planning, decision-making and student success across the university.

Our Mission: “We work to advance the Ball State University mission by facilitating the collection, analysis, and interpretation of institutional data and also provide information and analyses to support planning, decision-making, and student success. Our office also directs data governance and survey management policies and procedures to promote the integrity of University data and information.”

The Office of Institutional Research and Decision Support (IRDS) is committed to empowering Ball State University with data products that drive progress toward University goals. Our priorities for action are summarized below:

1. Strategic Data Leadership: Establish IRDS as the trusted source for institutional data and champion data governance to build a culture of data integrity and effective data use.
2. Advanced Analytics and Reporting: Leverage Ball State’s Data Warehouse to develop and maintain dashboards for academic and financial management, providing actionable insights that support student success, operational effectiveness, and compliance reporting.
3. Collaboration and Infrastructure: Partner with campus experts to develop a mature data infrastructure and warehouse as a single source of truth, integrating disaggregated data to inform discussions on diversity and other strategic goals.
4. Operational Excellence: Strive for excellence in IRDS, including staffing, training, and career development.
5. Forward-Looking Engagement: Participate in external organizations to stay abreast of analytics practices, leveraging emerging tools and methods to maintain institutional competitiveness and strategic alignment.

Through this e-magazine, IRDS shares insights, success stories, and innovative projects powering decision-making at Ball State University.