Bridging the Silos: Connecting Operational Data Across Student Affairs

Session Abstract: As universities gather more data about students, it becomes necessary to port that data to a single location for ease of access. Data lakes provide a singular location where many different types of data can be stored and accessed by many individuals, but they only work if stakeholders can both add to and use the data in the repository. We present a case study of how to coordinate the systematic collection of data with department stakeholders to share data broadly, within the context of a large university system. A unique aspect of our approach is the creation of a webform that allows stakeholders to easily port their data into the data lake for further use. By providing a detailed overview of our approach and methodologies, we hope to offer valuable lessons that can be applied to similar efforts at other institutions, contributing to broader discussions on data-driven decision-making in higher education.

Keywords: data sharing, data lakes, operational data