Action research can play an important role in institutional research endeavors to improve the quality of organizational performance in higher education. This article outlines how the action research perspective informed a research design that integrated fragmented and isolated student success initiatives at a large urban two-year institution where increasing accountability is demanded. It also highlights how empirically assessing the impact of factors extraneous to education can be guided by a common working model which integrates them with the needs of student success initiatives. In conclusion, the authors advocate for greater recognition of institutional action research within the profession while remaining cognizant of the organizational factors that must be present to make such an expanded role possible and successful. (Contains 2 figures.)