Alice van Ommeren, Ed.D.

Throughout her career in the field of institutional research, Alice van Ommeren made significant contributions at both the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) and the community college district level.

Alice began her higher education studies as a California community college student herself, studying liberal arts at San Joaquin Delta College. She then received her Bachelor of Arts from California State University, Stanislaus, and her Master of Arts from California State University, Sacramento—both in sociology. Alice then joined the CCCCO as a lead researcher in the information systems and analysis department, responsible for the implementation, evaluation, and improvement of the accountability system for the community colleges. While working in this role, she also received her Doctorate in Education from University of the Pacific.

At the CCCCO, Alice was a member of the team that created the California Community Colleges Student Success Scorecard and engaged with representatives from across the state to inform her work. She helped lead a Scorecard Advisory Committee composed of community college constituent group representatives, institutional researchers, program stakeholders, and legislative delegates. Her presentations on proposed metrics and data models were an important contribution to this work.

Alice is widely admired for her ability to clearly communicate complex data and research to diverse audiences. This skill was evident in her contributions to the creation of a framework that was much more than merely an accountability reporting system. Colleges used the Scorecard metrics in their planning and dialogue about how best to serve community college students. The illustration of outcomes for prepared's versus unprepared's students informed work to transform placement and instructional practices around basic skills.

An excellent researcher, Alice helped create the Scorecard's peer groupings by refining the methodology and indices used to evaluate comparative performance of campuses on each of the accountability metrics. She is credited for her work on evaluating community college student movement to in-state private (ISP) and out-of-state (OOS) transfer institutions. She was the first to show (through a National Student Clearinghouse matching methodology) the actual volume of California community college transfers to ISP and OOS institutions, highlighting a system-wide movement of students to for-profit institutions. This work informed the creation of transfer degrees and advanced student outcomes reporting throughout the state and nation.

Some of Alice's other contributions include assistance in the development of the Salary Surfer tool and the Skills Builder metrics. She was instrumental in creating the first public display of the Salary Surfer tool, showing wage outcomes of degree/certificate earners by program of study. Recognizing that some students attend a community college to strengthen their job skills and thus advance in their careers, Alice was integral in documenting these outcomes through her support in the development of Skills Builder metrics, which show enrollment patterns and wage gains for students intentionally engaged in non-degree pathways. Alice and her team received awards from The RP Group for State/Regional Excellence Accountability Reporting for the California Community Colleges (2008), the Salary Surfer (2014), and the Skills Builder metric (2016).

In recognition of her contributions, Alice was appointed as the Director of Research, Analysis, and Accountability at the CCCCO, a position she held for six years before transitioning to support the San Jose-Evergreen Community College (SJECC) district. At SJECC, Alice served as the Executive Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Research, and Planning, a cabinet-level position that provided leadership for district-wide research, accountability, strategic planning, and institutional effectiveness.

Alice's leadership in the IRPE field can be seen through her service as President of the California Association of Institutional Research (CAIR) and on the Board of The RP Group. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and presentations, including her participation in seven RP Conferences as a special guest speaker.

After two decades in higher education research, working her way from analyst to administrator, in 2021 Alice decided to transition to a career in the wine industry where she helps people understand the importance of using data, research, and history in business and policy decision-making.

Alice's significant contributions to the IRPE field, her ability to effectively communicate data and research, and her authentic approach to collaboration have all made a significant impact in the California Community Colleges system. The RP Group is proud to celebrate Alice's many contributions and efforts with the 2023 Partner Achievement Award.