Michael Lane will join Ball State University as associate
vice president for institutional research, analytics, and decision support,
effective July 1, Dr. Charlene Alexander, chief
strategy officer, announced.
Mr. Lane, who has more than 25 years of experience in
institutional research roles in higher education, will be providing strategic
leadership for and overall management of Ball State’s Office of Institutional Research and
Decision Support. The unit provides data and analysis to
support Ball State’s decision-making process; coordinates reporting to various
federal, state, and external agencies; and maintains the accuracy of University
statistics in several reports, including the annual Factbook.
“We are excited that Michael will be joining our
University as we continue to meet the changing needs in dynamic regional and
national higher education markets,” Dr. Alexander said. “Michael has proven
throughout his career to be a collaborative and impactful leader. His
experience, passion, and sense of duty make him an excellent fit to lead our
Office of Institutional Research and Decision Support.”
Mr. Lane started his career at the New York Institute of
Technology, where he has spent the last 25-plus years playing an important role
in the university’s institutional research, analytics, and decision support
efforts. Starting in 1996 as a research assistant before ascending to associate
director, director, and, most recently, senior director of New York Tech’s Office
of Research, Assessment and Decision Support, Mr. Lane helped foster a culture
of data-informed decision making.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to support Ball
State’s student success initiatives and provide strategic leadership to the Office
of Institutional Research and Decision Support,” Mr. Lane said. “As a
first-generation college student from a low-income background, I am a dedicated
believer in the promise of higher education to both enrich the mind and to also
enable fulfilling careers. I believe that every institution should attempt to
be a model citizen of its community. Ball State’s mission and values align with
my own personal values.”
During his career at New York Tech, Mr. Lane led the
development of the university’s first data warehouse. Additionally, as a member
of the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Task Force, he led the institution’s
first-ever campus climate survey, which will guide New York Tech’s strategic planning
for years to come.
Mr. Lane holds an associate’s degree in Accounting from
Suffolk Community College in Selden, N.Y.; a bachelor’s degree in Finance from
Dowling College in Oakdale, N.Y; and a Master of Business Administration from
the New York Institute of Technology.
“My time at New York Tech has been very rewarding, and I
have been involved in or led many efforts to improve the use of data,” Mr. Lane
said. “I look forward to a new opportunity for change and growth at Ball State,
and to support the effective use of administrative data for reporting,
analysis, and actionable insight.”
In addition to announcing
Mr. Lane’s hiring, Dr. Alexander thanked Alex Kluber, senior data and decision
analyst, for his service as interim associate vice president for institutional
research, analytics, and decision support.