Office of Institutional Research

The Office of Institutional Research (IR) is responsible for the collection, analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of accurate and timely information on all aspects of the university's activities in support of institutional planning, decision-making, and reporting.

Institutional Research carries out its responsibility through three interrelated functions:

  1. Develop and maintain, or have access to, institutional databases on students, courses, finances, human resources, and facilities, as well as national and peer-institutional data sources.
  2. Provide timely and accurate information for planning, internal decision-making, and external accountability.
  3. Support the development, analysis, and evaluation of policies and plans for Iowa State University through service to the President, Senior Vice President and Provost, other senior university administrators, faculty governance, and planning committees.

Institutional Research prepares the ISU Fact Book, Common Data Set, Faculty Salary Comparisons, and a number of other periodic institutional and comparative reports. The office maintains an on-line information system and a department code system for administrative purposes. It also serves as a clearinghouse for data and information surveys that originate from federal agencies, state government bodies, peer universities, and various private publishers.

Institutional Research reports to the Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost.

IR Staff Directory

Staff Directory
Name Title Email Phone
Karen Zunkel Executive Director kzunkel@iastate.edu 515-294-8539
Amanda DeGraff Associate Director adegraff@iastate.edu 515-294-8546
Nadine Dobbe Data Analyst II nkdobbe@iastate.edu 515-294-2369
Sarah Shanahan Data Analyst II seshan@iastate.edu 515-294-8872
Susan Ray Data Analyst III (Data Visualization Analyst) susanray@iastate.edu 515-294-1182
Jesse Foster Data Analyst II jrothw@iastate.edu 515-294-9490
Chris Andringa Administrative Assistant II cja3@iastate.edu 515-294-1181