An Interview with the 2009 Forum Chair

Jennifer A. Brown is the 2009 Forum Chair. She is Director of Institutional Research and Policy Studies, University of Massachusetts, Boston. Jennifer is a long-term active member, recently serving on the Higher Education Data Policy Committee and previously serving on numerous Forum Track committees. She says, "The AIR Forum reflects and creates our vital role in higher education policy and practice. My goal is to create a conference that reflects the diversity of knowledge and needs of AIR members in the US and elsewhere.” Read on to find out what is in store for you at the 49th Annual AIR Forum.

Q. Why did you choose the theme “World Class Institutional Research?"

A. I chose the theme 2009 AIR Forum “World Class Institutional Research” because higher education is a global enterprise. Families and individuals make decisions to move to the US, for example, precisely to provide educational opportunities for themselves and their children. We all encounter global issues on our campuses. The theme also highlights our intent to continue to make the best contributions we can to our campuses, higher education systems and organizations.

Q. What do you feel are the highlights of the 49th Annual Forum?

A. That is a really tough question to ask someone who has reviewed so many exceptional proposals! There are a great array of topics, presenters and opportunities for learning. If I have to pick, one of the highlights is the Monday Plenary session examining retention within the institutional research profession. Another is the international panel which discusses the comparability of higher education data from country to country and the challenges associated with global ranking of performance. There is also a great presentation comparing national freshmen surveys in the US and Japan along with the methodological and cultural differences encountered in the survey administration and the results. I am looking forward to the panel on “The Future of Intercollegiate Athletic Research and Reporting,” too. The conference also offers many opportunities to network with colleagues, learn from each other, and strengthen collegial associations.

Q. We all know travel budgets are tight this year. What is the value of attending the 2009 AIR Forum?

A. I would emphasize that by attending the Forum, IR professionals gain skills to strengthen the IR office at their campus. They will access cutting edge research, scholarship, methodology and techniques. In addition, they will gain knowledge of changes in federal data requirements and college guides, as well as a information about essential data bases, new national surveys, and new uses for existing surveys - all while building professional contacts.

Q. What makes this Forum different?

A. Higher education in the US and elsewhere is constantly changing and as it does, accountability and assessment requirements continue to grow and change. At the 2009 Forum, we will be at the beginning of a new administration in Washington, rolling out new plans that will affect public and private higher education, and we want to make sure that AIR members are well informed about this. We also need to stay on top of new strategies and techniques for the analysis and distribution of data that is critical to the success of the institutions we serve - something that the AIR Forum has offered consistently for nearly 50 years!