Behind the black and gold: The teams helping VCU succeed

June 29, 2026 by William Lineberry

Behind the scenes, IRDS supplies the data that helps inform VCU’s biggest decisions, initiatives

Institutional Research and Decision Support at Virginia Commonwealth University, under the Office of the Provost, occupies a unique position in the VCU universe. IRDS’s Vice Provost, Michael D. Bourgeois, Ph.D., answered some questions about how IRDS helps inform critical decisions on VCU’s two campuses, the makeup and structure of his team and more.

Editor’s note: This is the first part of a series by the Office of the Provost, in which units within the Provost’s Office are featured and asked questions about themselves and how they shape the student experience at VCU.

Please introduce yourself and tell us a little about what you do at VCU.

I serve as Vice Provost for Institutional Research, Decision Support, and Data Strategy (IRDS). I have the privilege of leading a talented team responsible for institutional research, analytics, decision support, data strategy, data governance and external reporting. Together, we help leaders across both the Monroe Park Campus and the VCU Health campus answer important questions, solve complex challenges and make informed decisions that advance VCU’s mission. What I enjoy most about the work is helping connect data, people and strategy in ways that move the institution forward.

What are the key ways that IRDS helps advance VCU?

IRDS serves as VCU’s enterprise data, analytics and decision-support partner and the university’s official source for institutional information and data. We provide the research, analytics, reporting and decision support that help leaders understand where the university stands, where it wants to go and how to get there. We lead university-wide efforts in data strategy and data governance, while also supporting the university’s reporting and accountability obligations. Ultimately, our role is to help VCU use evidence not only to understand its performance but to shape its future.

Can you tell us about your team members and how IRDS is structured?

IRDS is organized around several complementary functions that work together to support institutional decision-making. Our leadership team includes Connie Peyton, who leads Institutional Research; Mike Jones, who leads Business Intelligence and Analytics; Molly Wright, who leads Analytics, Communications, and Strategic Initiatives; Kristin Smith, who leads Evaluation, Research, and Effectiveness; and Abby Kahler, who helps coordinate operations across the organization. Together with a talented team of analysts, researchers, data specialists, communicators, and technology professionals, they provide expertise that spans institutional research, analytics, data strategy, governance, external reporting, evaluation, communications, and strategic support. One of our greatest strengths is that these areas are integrated within a single team, allowing us to bring diverse perspectives together to solve complex institutional challenges.

In the universe that is VCU, what is it that makes your unit unique?

Few university offices sit at the intersection of strategy, analytics, governance, compliance and decision-making the way IRDS does. We bring together institutional research, business intelligence, analytics, decision support, data strategy and data governance within a single organization. Because we partner with nearly every academic and administrative unit, we can connect information, identify opportunities and help leaders address challenges that cross traditional organizational boundaries. In many ways, IRDS serves as a bridge between information and action.

How does your unit help enhance the student experience?

Students may never interact directly with IRDS, but they experience the results of our work every day. We help the university understand which programs, services and initiatives have the greatest impact on student success, retention, graduation and post-graduate outcomes. We evaluate what works, identify barriers to success and provide evidence that helps leaders invest resources where they will make the greatest difference. Our goal is simple: help the university create the best possible experience and outcomes for every student.

What’s up next for your unit, whether it’s this year or five years ahead?

This is an exciting time for both IRDS and VCU. We are modernizing the university’s data and analytics capabilities, strengthening data governance, expanding access to trusted information and creating new tools that help leaders answer questions more quickly and effectively. We are also bringing together expertise from across our organization to provide more integrated support for the university’s strategic priorities and build a culture in which data, analytics and evidence actively inform decision-making. My vision is for VCU to be among the national leaders in using information strategically to advance student success, research excellence, institutional effectiveness and the university’s growing reputation and impact.

Is there anything else that you would like to add?

One of the things I admire most about VCU is its commitment to expanding opportunity while pursuing ever-higher levels of excellence. We believe talented students deserve access to a world-class education, and we believe institutions have a responsibility to help those students thrive. VCU has demonstrated that social mobility, student success and institutional excellence can advance together, and that is one of the things that makes the university so special. It is a privilege to support an institution that continues to expand opportunity, transform lives and strengthen its impact through teaching, research and service.