The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment
IRA Mission and Goals
Baltimore International College's (BIC) Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (IRA) mission and goals.
Institutional Assessment
The institution has developed and implemented an assessment plan and process that evaluates its overall effectiveness.
Assessment of Student Learning
The BIC Administrative Assessment Handbook was developed as a guide to understanding BIC’s strategy for assessing institutional effectiveness.
Fast Facts
Fast Facts on enrollment demographics and degrees awarded.
State and National Surveys
A list of state and national surveys that Baltimore International College participates in each year.
IRA Staff
IRA Staff directory.
IRA Mission and Goals
The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment (IRA) at Baltimore International College (BIC) has a two-fold mission. First, IRA is responsible for conducting research related to the mission, goals and objectives of the College to support planning and decision-making, and policy development. Specifically, the Office compiles, analyzes, interprets and disseminates data on student enrollment, degrees awarded, student retention, graduation rates, and faculty and staff characteristics, which are useful to both the College and external communities.
Second, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment is the focal point for the college-wide assessment, assisting faculty and staff in the development and continuous evaluation of courses, programs and the institution as a whole. Assessment results are used to improve teaching, learning, and student retention, and to improve strategic planning and decision making initiatives.
To assist the College in achieving its mission, goals, and objectives, the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment embraces the following goals:
- Develop in-house surveys to collect, analyze, interpret and report institution related information to the BIC community in support of effective institutional planning and decision making, and policy formation.
- Respond to external organizations’ surveys and data requests with the intention of being included in the national dialogue and consortium for higher education.
- Prepare annual reports in response to data requests from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Maryland Independent College and University Association (MICUA), and Maryland Higher Education Commission (MHEC).
- Serve as the central repository for archival and current college data (local and national) related to student learning and experience, and faculty and staff characteristics.
- Facilitate the coordination of college-wide assessment of student learning to comply with regional and professional accreditations as well as state accountability mandates.
- Coordinate the periodic distribution and collection of academic course and program assessment templates used to evaluate program effectiveness and pinpoint areas in need of improvement.
- Conduct research studies related to student learning and experience in support of student retention and development.
Institutional Assessment
At BIC, institutional divisions make use of the institutional assessment template to highlight major accomplishments and areas in need of improvement. A number of measures, including the institution’s CAMS database, in-house and national surveys and other department specific instruments have been and continue to be used in pinpointing areas in need of improvement at the divisional level.
For the upcoming academic year, BIC is proud to announce its participation in the College Student Inventory (CSI) and the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) – two nationally recognized surveys that address the students’ expectations and the quality of their experience at the College. Both instruments provide the basis for creating effective and successful programs and services that promote student success even before their first day in the classroom.
Assessment of Student Learning
On the academic side, assessment occurs at three levels: course, program and institution. At the course level, instructors are required to complete the course assessment template for each course they teach. Initially, instructors select four student learning outcomes from their syllabi which are imported into the course assessment template and evaluated using measures such as exams, assignments, portfolios, presentations, and more. The next steps involve determining how many students were proficient at meeting the objectives and the actions taken to improve the course.
Program level assessment is conducted by program directors. Initially, program goals are developed around institutional goals and used to assess students’ development throughout the course of the academic programs. A number of measures including capstone projects, American Culinary Federation (ACF) rubrics, ServSafe exams, Ireland Practicum, course assessments, and Alumni and Employer surveys are used to draw conclusions about BIC’s academic programs and areas in need of improvement. The results from program assessments are coupled with feedback at the course level to provide recommendations for improvements at institutional leaders and governing bodies.
At the institutional level, four goals have been developed for academic assessment. They are: knowledge, interpersonal skills, technical proficiency and leadership. Certification exams are the most popular institutional assessment measure as all BIC students are required to take and pass the ServSafe exam before they can enroll in upper level courses.
Another institutional level experience that all BIC undergraduate degree seeking students are required to participate in is the Ireland Practicum. This experience enables BIC students to polish their skills in a real-world international setting.
BIC Survey Calendar
In order for BIC to ensure that it is achieving its mission, goals and objectives, a number of assessments are conducted throughout the academic year to evaluate institutional effectiveness in terms of resource allocation and usage; institutional processes and governance; administrative composition and services; and other educational processes and services. By evaluating all facets of the institution, we are able to understand what aspects are functioning effectively and what areas need improvements. The Assessment Calendar outlines the types and scheduled timeframe for institutional assessments.
Fast Facts
Enrollment Demographics
Degrees Awarded
- Spring 2009 Degree Recipients
State and National Surveys
A list of state and national surveys that Baltimore International College participates in is as follows:
- Campus Crime and Security Survey – U. S. Department of Education
- College Board Annual Survey of Colleges – Common Data Set
- Degree and Formal Awards Survey – Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Degree Information Systems File - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Institutional Characteristics – IPEDS
- Completions – IPEDS
- Twelve Month Enrollment – IPEDS
- Credit Hours of Enrollment – Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Opening Fall Enrollment - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Financial Aid - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Financial Aid Information System File - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Enrollment Information System File - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Annualized Credit Hours of Enrollment - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Human Resources – IPEDS
- Distance Education Survey - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Graduation Rate 200 - Maryland Higher Education Commission
- Finance Survey – IPEDS
- Graduation Rates Survey – IPEDS
- Enrollment - IPEDS
- Student Financial Aid - IPEDS
IRA Staff
Dr. Shantell Saunders, Director
Institutional Research and Assessment
Commerce Building, Room 371
Phone: (410) 752-4710 ext. 217
Fax: (410) 752-0278
Email: ssaunders@bic.edu
Mercy Mugo, Research Analyst
Institutional Research and Assessment
Commerce Building, Room 370
Phone: (410) 752-4710 ext. 207
Fax: (410) 752-0278
Email: mmugo@bic.edu
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