About Us
Who We Are
We provide research, data, and analysis to enable the university strategic plan and to make evidence-based decisions.
Mission
The Office of Planning, Analysis and Decision Support fulfills the university mission by providing research, data, and analysis to enable the university strategic plan and to make evidence-based decisions. The unit builds the infrastructure, conducts analyses, and interprets results to assist constituents with understanding and using data for continuous quality improvement in the areas of enrollment management, student learning, retention and graduation, finance, and program effectiveness.
Vision
Through ethical data use and strategic analytics, the organization promotes continuous quality improvement in service of personal learning and growth for all constituents of the organization
Goals, Objectives, and Values
The Office of Planning, Analysis and Decision Support has an ongoing responsibility to affect change and learning by adding value to institutional data and information. This unit is an effective change agent, manager of data, and creator of accurate and reliable decision support information.
The unit empowers decision makers by:
- Progressing from data information to data optimization, providing greater insight through predictive and prescriptive data analysis.
- Increasing access to curated data through such tools as interactive data dashboards and customized operational reporting.
- Developing strategic data governance to ensure data integrity, accountability, accuracy, and responsiveness.
- Being service-oriented to understand and meet the needs of our constituents.
Institutional Effectiveness and Institutional Research
Melvin J. Tanner, Ph.D. Director, University Analytics and Institutional Effectiveness Email: mtanner@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-1741
Amy Prettejohn, Ph.D. Senior Principal Analyst Email: prettejohna@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-6210
Carol Sholy, Ph.D. Data and Visual Analytics Specialist Email: sholyc@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-1045
Data and Software Application Services (DSAS)
Andy Goodenow Chief Information Officer Email: goodenowa@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-2368
Pamela Davison Database Programmer/Analyst Expert Email: davisonpj@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-6530
Danny Freeman Database Programmer/Analyst Expert Email: freemandc@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-1437
Jeremy Hamilton Programmer/Analyst Expert Email: hamiltonher@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-5668
Alicia Lawlor Database Programmer/Analyst Expert Email: lawlora@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-1224
Janelle Malik Programmer/Analyst Expert Email: malikj@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-1131
Paul Trana SQL Report Writer/Data Analyst Email: mbwty@umkc.edu Phone: 816-235-1474