Managing Data Risk in Student Success Systems: EDUCAUSE IPAS Summit Report

Abstract

Student success has come into sharp focus for higher education. New models have emerged in response to outcome-based funding at the state level and a completion agenda at the national level. Integrated planning and advising services (IPAS) systems show promise for improving student success and college completion rates, but IPAS use of student and institutional data is not risk-free. Higher education must consider the key issues of privacy, security, and data governance in deploying and operating these systems.

In pulling data from information systems to support student success initiatives, what data-related risks should we consider? Conversely, what opportunities might we miss if we don’t harness student data? Thinking ahead about the data needed and its uses, as well as establishing who has access, are key to developing and implementing effective IPAS solutions. All key stakeholders should be included in determining IPAS architectures and identifying data safeguards: information security and privacy officers, legal counsel, technology officers, student affairs and academic affairs leadership, faculty and staff advisors, and others in traditional student success roles. Likewise, more input is needed from end users—advisors, tutors, and students—about what works.

Many institutions have considerable amounts of data, but information is less common. The challenge is to turn data into a productive resource. No single model or approach will fit all institutions and their students when implementing IPAS systems, and leaders must achieve a delicate balance between guiding students to degree completion and allowing them the flexibility to experiment, explore, and make decisions about their education.