University of Redlands
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Centralize Data

Plan Focus 

Centralize Data and Improve Data Management:

Importance: Clean and centralized data will help faculty, staff, and administrators easily communicate with, support, and direct students and alums.

Plan: The plan aims to centralize student support data, develop consistent data definitions, conduct data hygiene, and provide greater access to this data for relevant stakeholders including alumni data, donors, academic assessment data, parent data and financial data. Key objectives include establishing a central data repository, implementing data integration solutions, creating a data dictionary, and improving data quality through automated processes.

Leads: CIO, Registrar/IR, Deans, and the Data Stewardship Advisory Group.

Goal 1: Centralize Student Support Data

Objective 1.1: Establish a Central Data Repository

  • Importance: Data located in multiple siloed systems slows or prevents university members from easily assisting students.
  • Objective: Create a centralized data repository to consolidate student support data from various sources, ensuring a single library of information.
  • Timeline: Complete the establishment of the central data repository within 18 months.

Objective 1.2: Data Integration

  • Importance: Quick access between relevant departments enables close to real time changes in students’ status and support.
  • Objective: Implement data integration solutions to facilitate real-time data sharing between relevant departments, such as the Registrar's Office, Institutional Research, Deans, and DSAG.
  • Timeline: Achieve full data integration within 18 months.

Goal 2: Develop Consistent Data Definitions

Objective 2.1: Data Dictionary Implementation

  • Importance: Clear terminology for users prevents miscommunication between departments, employees, and students.
  • Objective: Develop and maintain a comprehensive data dictionary that defines standardized terms and metrics used across the institution.
  • Timeline: Launch the data dictionary within 12 months, with ongoing updates.

Objective 2.2: Training and Awareness

  • Importance: Well trained employees can seamlessly access relevant data to support their constituency.
  • Objective: Conduct training sessions for faculty and staff to ensure a common understanding of data definitions and standards.
  • Timeline: Complete initial training within 12 months, followed by ongoing training as needed.

Goal 3: Conduct Data Hygiene and Quality Assurance

Objective 3.1: Data Cleansing and Validation

  • Importance: Clean data ensures that the support we provide is the correct support for the person.
  • Objective: Implement automated data cleansing and validation processes to improve data accuracy and reliability.
  • Timeline: Achieve a 95% data accuracy rate within 12 months.

Objective 3.2: Regular Data Audits

  • Importance: As a person’s experience changes their data should change to reflect their experience. Regular auditing will insure changes occur and have occurred in a timely manner.
  • Objective: Conduct quarterly data audits to identify and rectify data quality issues promptly.
  • Timeline: Initiate quarterly data audits within 6 months and maintain regular audits thereafter.

Goal 4: Provide Greater Access to Student Support Data

Objective 4.1: Accessible Dashboards and Reports

  • Importance: Accessible, user-friendly systems facilitates quick access for authorized users so that they can easily support students.
  • Objective: Develop user-friendly dashboards and reporting tools that allow authorized stakeholders to access student support data easily.
  • Timeline: Launch accessible dashboards and reports within 12 months.

Objective 4.2: Data Access Policies

  • Importance: Protecting student, employee, and alum data while allowing authorized access is an ethical imperative.
  • Objective: Establish clear data access policies and permissions to ensure data security and compliance with relevant regulations.
  • Timeline: Implement data access policies within 12 months.

These goals and objectives represent a strategic roadmap for the IT department to centralize, standardize, and enhance the accessibility of student support data. Displaying them on the department's website communicates their commitment to improving data management practices, which can lead to better student support and informed decision-making across the institution.