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Data Governance Organization

The University Data Governance Program structure has an operational model in which there is collaborative participation, input, and decision making from university central business units (e.g. Institutional Strategy and Analysis, Enrollment Management and Services, University Human Resources, Controller’s Office, etc.) and Office of Information Technology (Enterprise Application Services and Security and Compliance) within a Data Governance Council and a Data Stewards Committee. University-level data governance is applied and supplemented at the data domain level by the associated Data Trustees and Data Stewards. Both universitywide and domain-level activities and initiatives are supported by UDA’s Data Governance Team and by initiative teams charged by the Data Governance Council. All of these efforts are overseen by the Executive Steering Group, providing leadership and strategic direction.

Data Governance Program Roles and Responsibilities

The University Data Governance Program leadership is the top level authoritative body for the program and its activities. The leadership provides high level oversight and helps ensure program alignment with universitywide strategic plans, procures resources, approves large-scale initiatives, and resolves significant issues that have been escalated by the Data Governance Council. In addition, the leadership reviews and approves changes to new and existing university regulations in relation to data governance initiatives or recommends them to the appropriate individual or body to do so. The leadership function is performed by the Executive Steering Group (Executive Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (chair), Executive Vice Chancellor & Provost, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology & Chief Information Officer, supported by UDA leadership).

The Data Governance Council is chartered and authorized by the Executive Steering Group to be the key governance body that is responsible for the data governance strategy; policy development; maintaining the program roadmap; initiative prioritization and sponsorship; resolution of issues escalated by the Data Stewards Committee, Data Governance Domain Teams, or the UDA Data Governance Team; and ensuring coordination of data governance efforts with related programs, activities, and groups, including information security, analytics enablement, compliance, and records management. As a key component of University Data Governance, the council plays a critical role in ensuring that the university’s data assets are managed effectively and are aligned with strategic objectives, as well as fostering a university culture of data informed decision making and responsible use of data. Members include Associate/Assistant Vice Chancellor and (Senior) Vice Provost level stakeholders and partners with support by the UDA Data Governance Team.

More on Data Governance Council

The Data Stewards Committee serves to promote coordination, consistency, and shared understanding among Data Stewards with respect to their responsibilities and data governance activities. The group provides a forum for Data Stewards to be informed on best practices, training, tools, and common issues, and to promote discussion for managing data effectively and ensuring university data assets are well-managed, secure, and aligned with strategic goals. The Data Stewards Committee escalates issues to and advises the Data Governance Council as needed. Members include Data Stewards with support and facilitation by the UDA Data Governance Team.

Data Governance Domain Teams are teams led by Data Trustees and Data Stewards to promote and execute data governance efforts and priorities within each data domain per the University Data Governance Program’s regulations, processes, and standards. Activities include data classification, data quality improvement, data access authorization decisions, resolution of domain-specific issues, and data governance program initiatives, within each domain. Members may consist of each data domain’s Data Trustee, Data Steward, Data Manager(s), and Data Custodian(s), with support from the UDA Data Governance Team as needed.

Data Governance Initiative Teams are charged by the Data Governance Council to execute designated program initiatives. Examples of initiatives include university data catalog implementation, cross-domain data quality initiatives, and data governance scorecard development. Members may consist of data stewards, information technology personnel, business subject matter experts, technical experts, and the UDA Data Governance Team.

The UDA Data Governance Team is a group in UDA dedicated to the operationalization and support of the University Data Governance Program and its activities and initiatives. Specific responsibilities include supporting the Data Governance Council, Data Stewards Committee, Data Governance Initiative Teams, and Data Governance Domain Teams, as well as coordinating and managing initiatives, administration of the university data catalog, and administering data governance and data literacy training and outreach. The UDA Data Governance Team also escalates data governance related issues to the Data Governance Council when identified.