Executive Director Resigns, Interim Named

As president of the Board of Directors for the Association for Institutional Research (AIR), I am writing to inform AIR members that the Board of Directors and Randy Swing were unable to agree on terms for a 2016 contract and that Randy has resigned as executive director of AIR, effective January 4, 2016. The Board of Directors has retained Randy as a consultant through March 31, 2016. Much of Randy’s work will focus on the Improving & Transforming Institutional Research in Postsecondary Education initiative. 

I was a member of the Board of Directors in 2007 when Randy was hired as executive director, and I have been able to witness firsthand Randy’s many contributions to AIR.

AIR has grown significantly in size and mission under Randy’s leadership. During this time period, AIR membership has increased almost 8 percent, from 3,810 to 4,105 members. Total assets have grown from approximately $2.1 million to $4.7 million, and net assets have grown from $850,000 to $3.9 million.

Even more important than the growth of the organization is the growth in professional development opportunities. Face-to-face opportunities have included the Association’s annual conference (the AIR Forum), including pre-Forum workshops, in-person IPEDS training workshops, and the National Data Institute. Even more impressive is the growth in online professional development during Randy’s tenure as executive director. Online opportunities include the Data and Decisions® Academy, with approximately 1,500 course completions since 2010, IPEDS video tutorials, IPEDS trainer web conferences, and tutorials for the NSF online data tools.

I know the AIR Board of Directors, Executive Office staff, and AIR members stand ready to assist Randy in whatever ways we can as he completes his duties at AIR, and we all wish him the very best in future endeavors.

AIR Chief Financial Officer Jason Lewis has been named interim executive director effective immediately. The Board has every confidence in Jason’s ability to assume the duties of executive director seamlessly until such time that a new executive director can be named.

Gary R. Pike
President, AIR Board of Directors