The third floor of DuBourg Hall is now called home by a new addition to the Saint Louis University community-the Office of Institutional Study.

According to a SLU news release from Aug. 6, SLU Provost Sandra Johnson announced the office’s creation.

The Office of Institutional Study will help SLU attain one of its four strategic directions that were endorsed by the SLU board of trustees on May 5, 2001, “Promoting Continuous Institutional Learning and Innovation.”

The Office of Institutional Study will draw upon the resources of the Office of Enrollment and Academic Research and upon SLU’s strategic planning efforts, under the direction of Assistant Provost Dr. Julie Weissman.

Weissman has more than 10 years experience in strategic planning, and has been a member of the SLU community since Nov. 1, serving as director of the Pedagogy Enhancement Project.

“We are expanding the scope of the former Office of Enrollment and Academic Research so that we have the information we need for strategic decision making,” said Johnson.

Some of the functions the Office of Institutional Study will perform include planning, institutional researching and assessing the University.

Weissman said that the Office of Institutional Study plans on improving coordination among the University community, so all assessments are an effective use of time for those involved.

The Office of Institutional Study will aim, Weissman said, at “understanding the systems and processes” of the University as an organization. This new office will focus on understanding the students and the curriculum, according to Weissman, and on providing a thorough assessment of student learning.

As noted in the Aug. 6 news release, the Office of Institutional Study will “collect, analyze, interpret and report data and information.” It will also conduct external reporting, provide support for self-study for reaccredidation and conduct qualitative and quantitative research on and assessment of SLU initiatives.

“We are committed to providing the best planning, research and assessment information to the University community,” said Weissman.

“And the bottom line,” said Weissman, “is to make (the SLU experience) better for the students.”