Skip to main content
Institutional Strategy and Analysis Home
University Data and Analytics

Institutional Analytics Organization

The Institutional Analytics operating model separates university-level analytics, which is the domain of university-level business units, from more local analytics activities within divisions, departments, or lower levels. Within university-level analytics, UDA is typically responsible for analytics that are cross-domain (e.g. combining student and HR data), external in substance or audience, or at the request of Executive Officers. Other central business units provide analytics that represent only their own specific data domain, are transactional, or provide record-level information. When a central business unit is unable or chooses not to provide analytics that it otherwise could, or when a data domain has no responsible central business unit, UDA may provide analytics in those areas. Developers and analysts involved in Institutional Analytics form a community of practice where techniques and best practices are shared, as well as where collaboration and coordination of analytics activities and initiatives take place.

Institutional Analytics Roles and Responsibilities

The Institutional Analytics leadership is the top level authoritative body for the Institutional Analytics component. The leadership provides high level oversight and strategic direction, procures resources, approves large scale initiatives, and resolves significant issues or conflicts in the Institutional Analytics space. The leadership function is performed by the Executive Steering Group (Executive Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration (chair), Exec Vice Chancellor & Provost, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology & Chief Information Officer, supported by UDA leadership).

UDA is the lead business unit for university-level analytics. UDA produces analytics content that is cross-domain (e.g. combining student and HR data), external in substance or audience, or at the request of Executive Officers. When needed, UDA may provide analytics when a central business unit is unable or chooses not to provide analytics that it otherwise could, or when a data domain has no responsible central business unit. UDA coordinates and collaborates with other central business units on analytics priorities and initiatives.

Central business units with analytics capabilities engage in analytics focused on single domain or transactional analytics content related to the business function of that particular unit. These business units coordinate and collaborate with UDA on analytics priorities and initiatives and participate in the Institutional Analytics Community of Practice.

The Institutional Analytics Community of Practice serves as a forum of university-level analytics professionals to promote consistency of work, share best practices, and educate others on new techniques or processes. The Institutional Analytics Community of Practice considers requests and feedback on analytics needs and issues brought to them by university analytics consumers (Advisory Group). The community of practice also provides a point of collaboration and coordination of university-level analytics initiatives.

The Advisory Group is a “campus needs” group that brings together interested representatives from colleges, divisions, departments, business units, and other relevant NC State organizations to provide insights into campus needs and feedback on analytics initiatives and resources. Its primary function is to inform those in the Institutional Analytics Community of Practice of the analytics related needs and wants from the campus community.

Colleges, departments, and other non-university-level units with analytics capabilities may engage in analytics for their own organizational unit, but they may not produce university-level analytics content or provide analytics content outside of their own organizational unit and unit stakeholders.