Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness

We are pleased to announce that the University of Richmond has selected Melissa Hartz to serve as the Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, effective January 29, 2025. 

Hartz brings more than a decade of experience in data analytics and institutional effectiveness, including the last seven years at Colby College, where she currently serves as Senior Associate Director. In her current role, Hartz is responsible for external reporting including IPEDS, U.S. News & World Report, and NECHE, Colby’s institutional accreditor, as well as conducting strategic analyses to support decision-making. While at Colby, Hartz spearheaded data visualization efforts, creating and deploying the College’s first strategic indicator dashboards for senior leaders and developing customized visual tools for partners across campus. She also led a transformation of the data warehousing process and automated the annual census. Prior to Colby, she held analytics roles at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School and Drexel University. Hartz has also provided leadership in the field, including currently serving as the President of the Northeast Association for Institutional Research (NEAIR). She brings to Richmond a passion for continuous improvement, service, and approachable, intuitive, and accessible use of data. Hartz is an alumna of Fairleigh Dickinson University and received her master’s degree in analytics from Georgia Tech.

Elizabeth Dorr Weithman and Kate Barry led this search with Mia Carpiniello.