Data Reporting and Sharing at Community Colleges: Lessons Learned

Session Abstract: Data reporting requirements and preferences at community colleges differ vastly from those used at four-year institutions. The culture of data sharing and fulfilling requests at community colleges also differ. The purpose of this discussion session is for institutional researchers at two-year institutions to come together to discuss their lessons learned, challenges, and successes in fulfilling data requests at their institutions. Focus will be placed on the perspectives regarding (1) mandated state/federal/local reporting for two-year institutions; (2) types of requests received internally and to fulfill programmatic or grant needs; and (3) the way institutional researchers navigate fulfilling such requests at their two-year institution. It is hoped that this community-college-specific session will allow IRs to learn from one another, sharing their personal experiences and perspectives.

Keywords: community college, institutional effectiveness, mandated reporting, grants, data requests