Meridith Wentz

Meridith Wentz, PhD, has been a contributing faculty member at Walden University since 2019. Additionally, she is responsible for leading institutional research and assessment, strategic planning, performance measurement, regional accreditation, and policy efforts at another institution. She has served as a judge and master examiner with the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, having led three national review teams, and a peer reviewer for the Higher Learning Commission. As a peer reviewer, she has done comprehensive visits, portfolio reviews, financial panels, change panels, non-financial indicator panels, federal compliance, and assurance reviews. Meridith has presented on strategic planning, using data (and benchmarking) to inform decision-making, and performance measurement, at numerous institutional research, assessment, and Baldrige conferences. She has taught courses in statistics, evaluation, and research design.

Education

PhD, University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

MS, University of Wisconsin-Stout

BA, Saint Olaf College

Publications

Wentz, M., Brown, A., Sweat, J. (2018). Infusing Data Campus-Wide to Drive Institutional Change. Midwest Higher Educational Researcher

Wentz, M., Baran, K., Brown, A., Drasin, J., Crnell, G. (2018). Maintaining Business Process Redesign Efforts through Change Management. Educause Review. Educause Review

Presentations

Wentz, M. K. (2023). Aligning Performance Metrics, Strategy and Accountability.

Wentz, M. K., Nelson, A., Solverson, N. (2018). The AIR Aspirational Statements in Practice. AIRUM

Wentz, M., Oakgrove, F. (2018). Benchmarking Educational Support Services. AIRUM

Wentz, M., Rodriguez, G. (2017). Preparing for a Productive Open Pathway Site Visit. Higher Learning Commission

Wentz, M., Garfield, J. (2017). Integrating HLC Requirements into Daily Operations between Comprehensive Visits. Higher Learning Commission

Wentz, M. (2016). Keynote Presentation at the Association for Institutional Research in the Upper Midwest conference. AIRUM