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University of Washington
Assessment and Research at Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity

Assessment and Research

FUNCTION: Assessment and Research at the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (AROMAD)  provides data/assessment services in relation to federal(NIH, NSF, US Dept. Ed…) , state, private,  grant and gift proposals, annual performance reports within OMAD and select campus units. We also process and produce organized information to help staff/faculty with better decision making in day-to-day operations, planning, and future policy formation and practice. All operations are aimed at maintaining and enhancing performance and opportunities for our underrepresented, low-income, first-generation and other underserved students.

HISTORY:

1) Assessment and Research at the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity (AROMAD)  was created and organized by Gene Kim, Arlyn Arquiza, and Candy Kamekona on 2014/2015, when Gene was appointed as the first ever full-time Director of Assessment and Research in OMAD from his previous role of running the TRIO McNair Scholars Program and Early Identification Program.

 

2) Change in philosophy and practice:

      • The 2 primary goals of the team were: 1)To have all of OMAD recognize AROMAD as the assessment/research/data unit rather than scattered individuals in different programs doing things part-time at the spur of the moment; 2)To  bring the new team out of the 1980s/90s “point and click” technology and finally modernize and automate highly complex and high volume tasks via programming languages to enhance speed and accuracy.  

 

      • The new team was introduced to broader yet standardized  vocabularies, concepts, and procedures  for more consistent, reliable, speedy and accurate delivery of data/assessment requests/projects(ex. mutual respect, preparation, planning, standardization, interchangeable parts, uniform operational definitions, collective action).

 

      • Carefully structured project calendar and project planning meetings with specific deadlines and checkpoints were implemented to eliminate constant state of panic, chaos, confusion, and diffusion of responsibility after year 2015.

 

      • To put above objectives in motion, Gene introduced 3 programming languages (JUPYTER: Julia, Python, and R).  These high level languages can be easily maintained/sustained and enhanced with “interchangeable parts” which could be integrated in one algorithm and/or be utilized as  overlapping safeguards in case one programming language model or system  breaks/fails.  The selection of these languages were based on Gene’s previous experiences in S-Plus and “((((XLispStat))))” programming languages during his days at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

 

3) The AROMAD became a constantly learning and flexible unit to deliberately and consciously approach problems with open mind and humility to provide the most efficient and effective problem solutions  for our OMAD clients. 

 

Data Requests: Data Requests are reserved for full time Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity staff members only.    To request data, please email: genekim@uw.edu or aromad@uw.edu

Physical Location:

Box 352803
Mary Gates Hall 171C
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-2803
Phone: 206-221-2944

Team Members

Contact: aromad@uw.edu


Gene Kim, Ph.D./김 진
Director of Assessment and Research at OMAD

Current Programming Languages: Python, R, Julia, and SQL

Data Workshops: http://depts.washington.edu/aromad/data-workshops/

Guest Faculty of Data Science (University of Washington Information School: When available)

Adjunct Faculty of Assessment and Evaluation (University of Washington College of Education: When available)

Education:
Postdoc 1999-2001, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education (Automating student demographic and performance data/reports at federal, state, and private levels via various programming languages)

Ph.D. Education 1999, University of Wisconsin-Madison

MS Counseling 1995, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Arlyn Arquiza
Senior Computer Specialist (Senior OMAD Data Analyst)

Education:

BS Computer Engineering, Polytechnic University of the Philippines

 

Candy Y. Kamekona
Data Analyst

Education:

BA Psychology University of Washington