As the Executive Director of the Office of Academic Insight, Dr. Katie Boyd provides vision and leadership for a comprehensive academic and institutional effectiveness program that supports the University’s mission and strategic plan. She serves as the institution’s principal adviser on all matters related to academic assessment and oversees all programmatic and general education assessment efforts. Boyd and her team work with the academic colleges and many administrative units to build a shared understanding of assessment as an educationally purposeful activity. In addition to leading educational assessment activities, Boyd also leads a team that coordinates the collection of valuable outcome data (from incoming first-year students, graduating seniors, and recent alums) and then conducts applied educational research studies to support the campus community’s efforts to enhance student achievement. Boyd also leads AUBURNACHIEVE, the University’s current Quality Enhancement Plan, a strategic initiative aimed at enhancing post-graduation outcomes for students graduating from Auburn University.
Boyd joined Auburn’s Office of Academic Assessment in 2016. During this time, she supported faculty and administrators in improving the quality of their assessment practices by implementing Meta-Assessment across nearly 300 programs each year. Indeed, while Associate Director, Katie paid careful attention to improving the quality of assessment at Auburn University, made apparent by the clear upward trajectory of quality of assessment rubric scores in each of the last four years (an increase from 2.4 in 2016 to 3.19 in 2019) and laying a strong foundation for data-driven learning improvement initiatives.
Before joining Auburn’s Office of Academic Assessment, Boyd was the Director of Analysis with Shine Early Learning, an early childhood education provider with a unique outcomes-focused approach to providing educational services to young children. Boyd holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and psychology from Wittenberg University and earned her master’s degree and Ph.D. in industrial/organizational psychology from Virginia Tech. She lives in Auburn with her husband, two daughters, and golden retriever.
