OPEIR Insights

OPEIR conducts a variety of in-depth research projects, often motivated by requests from units across campus or from UTC leadership. The focus of these projects is typically to better understand UTC's students and to examine how the institution's programs and policies affect students and their academic outcomes. OPEIR Insights is a repository of analyses, reports, and white papers completed by OPEIR staff that we feel have broad applicability across the institution and are of general interest to both the campus community and associated external constituents.

Recently Completed Projects

Student Success Research

• Analysis of Impact on Retention After Temporary Changes to Academic Policy: An analysis of the impact on student retention after temporary changes to the Academic Standing Policy.
• Research on "Off-Ramp" Part-of-Term Options for Lower-Level Undergraduate Courses: A look into student success of lower-level undergraduate courses to examine opportunities for "off-ramp" sections.
• Academic Coaching Outcomes: An efficacy analysis of the Academic Coaching program after the 2019-2020 academic year.
• Links between Grades and Retention in First Year Experience Courses: An exploration of the link between student grades in First Year Experience (FYE) courses and their persistence at UTC.
• First Year Experience Student Outcomes: Characteristics of students enrolled in First Year Experience (FYE) courses, including their one-year academic performance and persistence at UTC.
• Student Outcomes Based on Performance in English and Math Gateway Courses: An analysis of the effect of D, F, and W English and Math course grades on the long-term outcomes of incoming freshmen at UTC.
• Short Term Outcomes of ThinkAchieve Experiential Learning: A review of one-year metrics for degree-seeking undergraduates who participated in any ThinkAchieve experience.
• Long-Term Impacts of Pandemic-Related Changes in Academic Policy: A summary of the correlations between significant policy changes due to Covid-19 and student success.

Student Group Research

• Tutor.com and Center for Academic Support and Advisement (CASA) Users: A comparison report of students that used Tutor.com and CASA tutoring services.
• Research on Housing Demographics: An exploration into the distribution of gender and ethnicity in the ten residence halls at UTC and their links to academic performance.
• Research on Adult Learners: A summary of characteristics correlating to UTC's adult learner students.
• Online Course-Taking Behavior: A look at which UTC students are taking online courses, which courses are commonly taken, and how outcomes compare.
• Academic Common Market Demographics: An analysis of students enrolled in UTC programs via the Academic Common Market (ACM).
• ACT Residual Math Exam: An Analysis of Testers and Results: A breakdown of ACT Residual Math Exam results and a look at who is taking the exam and for what purposes.
• Where Admitted Students of Color Enroll in College: When students of color are admitted to UTC but elect to go elsewhere, which colleges to they attend?
• Student Summer Course-Taking Patterns: An analysis of overall Summer enrollment patterns, characteristics of students enrolling in Summer, and courses commonly taken in Summer.
• Summer Bridge Program Participants: A profile of 2014-2017 participants in UTC's Summer Bridge Program, including analysis of first-year academic outcomes.
• Second Year Student Characteristics and Outcomes: A profile of UTC Sophomores with analysis of progression and retention patterns.
• Understanding Adult Undergraduate Enrollment Patterns: An examination of undergraduate degree-seeking students 23 years or older from 2019-2022. 
• Trends of UTC New Transfer Students: A robust analysis of the incoming transfer student population at UTC.
• UTC New Transfer Students by College and Major: An expanded look at UTC Transfer students.
• Factors Affecting Undergraduate and Freshman Retention: A focus on first-time full-time freshman to identify factors affecting fall-to-fall retention.

Survey Analysis

• UTC Student Survey Analysis: A summary of responses from UTC Student Survey administered in January 2022.
• College and University Teaching Environment (CUTE) Survey Analysis: A summary of responses from CUTE Survey administered Fall 2021.
• Retention Survey Analysis: An overview of responses to a survey administered to previous UTC students that did not return to UTC or complete a degree at any other institution.
• Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE) Analysis: A summary of responses from BCSSE Survey administered in Fall 2020.
• Significant Learning Experiences at UTC: An analysis of National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) qualitative responses (also see associated infographic).
• An Initial Analysis of High-Impact Practices Survey: Analysis of students participating in different types of High-Impact Practices (HIPs), including assessment of the impact and outcome of student experiences.  
• Course Learning Evaluations: Are Responses More Negative?: This summary takes a look at whether students responded with lower scores in Fall 2021 compared to Fall 2018.