Kutztown University Welcomes Rafi as Director of Institutional Research

Photo of Rafi on left, with Old Main in background on right.

KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Dr. Fawad S. Rafi has been hired to serve as Kutztown University's new director of Institutional Research. Rafi will begin his appointment Monday, April 25.

Rafi has an extensive career history and comes to KU from Lehigh Carbon Community College, where he served for more than four years as the executive director of Research and Effectiveness.

As director of Institutional Research, Rafi is responsible for advancing the educational mission and institutional effectiveness of the university by providing creative and dynamic leadership for a comprehensive program to support strategic planning. He will collect and provide information, data analysis and projections for university planning and assist in the planning and execution of strategic initiatives. He will also provide leadership and guidance in the areas of institutional research, effectiveness, accountability, accreditation, information management, data reporting and assessment.

As director, Rafi will collaborate and communicate with key campus constituents and administrators to ensure access to accurate data.

"I am honored to be chosen for this vital position on campus," said Rafi. "I am looking forward to serving KU in doing the best it can for its student body. Since data is vital for decision-making, we want to provide accurate data to campus constituents in a user-friendly format to drive change."

Rafi graduated with his Doctorate in Adult Education in 2020 from North Carolina State University, where he received training in program development, evaluation and assessment, as well as leadership in higher education. Rafi also holds an undergraduate degree in history and graduate degrees in economics and human resources.

"We are excited to have a well-qualified experienced individual from the institutional research field join our team at Kutztown University," said Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, university president.

Before LCCC, Rafi served as Director of Supplemental Instruction and Research Initiatives at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU) for more than 11 years. He was also the campus liaison for predictive analytics for the UNC system representing WSSU.

Rafi has published many research studies and has served on five committees including the Assessment Council Committee, the chair of the Data Governance Committee, the Enrollment Management Advisory Committee, the chair of the Institutional Review Board, and the Leadership Committee.