Dr. Gary Rice honored by the Association for Institutional Research on May 24

The Association for Institutional Research (AIR) has long emphasized the importance of higher education in building a better world and the role that institutional research plays in the success of higher education. On May 24, 2011 at the AIR's annual meeting, Dr. Gary Rice, UAA's associate vice provost for Institutional Research, was honored by his colleagues for his long-standing contributions to AIR and the field of institutional research.

Dr. Rice recently completed "The Association for Institutional Research: The First Fifty Years," a project that involved hundreds of AIR members and thousands of pages of historical documents. He put together an organized collection of the history of the Association spanning nearly 50 years that will not only serve as a source of pride for all AIR members, but an important collection for future scholars to use in understanding the rise of the field of institutional research.

"This is exactly the kind of work that can only be completed by someone who sees it as a labor of love and a legacy," said Dr. Randy Swing, executive director for AIR. "The AIR Board of Directors expresses its sincere appreciation to Dr. Rice for his vision to carry out such an immense project in such a remarkable manner, with all due respect, affection and admiration."