Creating a Faculty Activity Database: Three Practical Solutions and a Wish List

Creating a Faculty Activity Database: Three Practical Solutions and a Wish List

Chris Fastnow (cfastnow@montana.edu)Montana State University

Chris Fastnow (cfastnow@montana.edu)Montana State University

AbstractAbstractFaculty activity and productivity are gaining attention as calls for accountability in higher education get louder. A central database with information on faculty instructional, research, creative, and service activities offers decision makers and those who support them access to quick, accurate, and consistent information on faculty activity.        However, collecting and reporting that information presents a logistical hurdle that most central data management systems have not yet addressed. I will discuss a wish list for a faculty activity database tool and our campus's experiences with three methods that we have used to collect and access information on faculty activity: a simple Excel-based survey, an Access database with a web interface developed by our IT professionals, and a hierarchical database system with a web-based or desktop user interface developed by members of our faculty. Each has benefits and drawbacks for both the faculty member and the IR office, but all provide workable solutions to a difficult data collection task.

Faculty activity and productivity are gaining attention as calls for accountability in higher education get louder. A central database with information on faculty instructional, research, creative, and service activities offers decision makers and those who support them access to quick, accurate, and consistent information on faculty activity.        However, collecting and reporting that information presents a logistical hurdle that most central data management systems have not yet addressed. I will discuss a wish list for a faculty activity database tool and our campus's experiences with three methods that we have used to collect and access information on faculty activity: a simple Excel-based survey, an Access database with a web interface developed by our IT professionals, and a hierarchical database system with a web-based or desktop user interface developed by members of our faculty. Each has benefits and drawbacks for both the faculty member and the IR office, but all provide workable solutions to a difficult data collection task.

Shameless Plug Alert

Downer Alert

Shameless Plug Alert

Downer Alert

Content WarningContent Warning

Why develop a Faculty Activity Database

Wish List Three approaches to

collecting the data Conclusion

Why develop a Faculty Activity Database

Wish List Three approaches to

collecting the data Conclusion

Requisite Road MapRequisite Road Map

Why Develop a Faculty Activity Database

Why Develop a Faculty Activity Database

Accountability Decision support Benchmarking Annual reviews Centralized response capacity Expertise list Marketing

Accountability Decision support Benchmarking Annual reviews Centralized response capacity Expertise list Marketing

Why Develop a Faculty Activity Database

Why Develop a Faculty Activity Database

Benefits of centralized collection Common definitions Credible data Single intrusion

Drawbacks Faculty resistance Getting the right tool

Benefits of centralized collection Common definitions Credible data Single intrusion

Drawbacks Faculty resistance Getting the right tool

Why Develop a Faculty Activity Database

Why Develop a Faculty Activity Database

Convincing Faculty Decrease burden on Faculty

Easy annual review reporting Avoids duplication of effort

Decrease burden on department heads Single format for annual reviews Single request for information Eases reporting requirements to central

administration

Convincing Faculty Decrease burden on Faculty

Easy annual review reporting Avoids duplication of effort

Decrease burden on department heads Single format for annual reviews Single request for information Eases reporting requirements to central

administration

Wish ListWish List

Data Collection Tool Web based Flexible survey design/modification Error checks and easy interface Secure login Detailed data Rollover of some data from year to year

Data Collection Tool Web based Flexible survey design/modification Error checks and easy interface Secure login Detailed data Rollover of some data from year to year

Wish ListWish List

Analysis/Reporting Tool Web based Secure login with differential access to data Dynamic querying Keyword searching Canned reports – individual annual review

report, discipline Delaware Survey report

Analysis/Reporting Tool Web based Secure login with differential access to data Dynamic querying Keyword searching Canned reports – individual annual review

report, discipline Delaware Survey report

Three Tools Three Tools

1. University of Delaware’s FIPSE-funded Faculty Out-of-Classroom Activity Study Excel-based questionnaire

2. Access database with web interface

3. NeuroSys hierarchical database with web interface

1. University of Delaware’s FIPSE-funded Faculty Out-of-Classroom Activity Study Excel-based questionnaire

2. Access database with web interface

3. NeuroSys hierarchical database with web interface

1. Excel Questionnaire 1. Excel Questionnaire

Faculty Questionnaire

1. Excel Questionnaire 1. Excel Questionnaire

Department Summary

1. Excel Questionnaire 1. Excel Questionnaire

U Del IR Office sends file to us

We edit file, send to Deans (annual review

cycle)

Deans send to department heads

Department heads send to faculty

Faculty respond, return to department

heads

Department heads tally responses, send

to us (and Deans)

We create reports

1. Excel Questionnaire 1. Excel Questionnaire

Benefits Easy for end users Standardized Flexible across units Conforms to U Del’s protocol Simple to tally across the university

Benefits Easy for end users Standardized Flexible across units Conforms to U Del’s protocol Simple to tally across the university

1. Excel Questionnaire 1. Excel Questionnaire

Drawbacks Too many steps Extra work for department head Uneven interpretation Loss of specific information

Drawbacks Too many steps Extra work for department head Uneven interpretation Loss of specific information

2. Access Database - Collection 2. Access Database - Collection

2. Access Database - Collection 2. Access Database - Collection

2. Access Database - Reporting2. Access Database - Reporting

2. Access Database - Reporting2. Access Database - Reporting

Delaware question asks for total undergraduate advisees by

department…

…but we want to know whom faculty advised. No other central source for

this information.

2. Access Database - Reporting2. Access Database - Reporting

Want to know who has papers, articles, books, or grants on math

teachers?

2. Access Database - Reporting2. Access Database - Reporting

Details, by type of research output, within the College of Education,

Health, and Human Development

2. Access Database - Reporting2. Access Database - Reporting

2. Access Database 2. Access Database

Benefits Fairly easy web interface Definitions readily available → more

consistent data More detail Query capacity

Benefits Fairly easy web interface Definitions readily available → more

consistent data More detail Query capacity

2. Access Database 2. Access Database

Drawbacks User error Difficult to modify for subgroups Scalability over time and users Separate databases (security) Querying limited to Access users

Drawbacks User error Difficult to modify for subgroups Scalability over time and users Separate databases (security) Querying limited to Access users

3. NeuroSys - Design 3. NeuroSys - Design

3. NeuroSys - Collection 3. NeuroSys - Collection

3. NeuroSys - Reporting 3. NeuroSys - Reporting

3. NeuroSys 3. NeuroSys

Benefits Web interface Flexible, customizable Secure “Ground floor opportunity”

Benefits Web interface Flexible, customizable Secure “Ground floor opportunity”

3. NeuroSys 3. NeuroSys

Drawbacks Still developing Faculty resistance User error Labor intensive Lacks on-the-fly reporting

Drawbacks Still developing Faculty resistance User error Labor intensive Lacks on-the-fly reporting

Wish List: CollectionWish List: Collection

Excel Access NeuroSys

Web based entry √ √Flexible √ √Dummy-proof

Secure login √ √ √Detailed data √ √Rollover data √

Wish List: Reporting Wish List: Reporting

Excel Access NeuroSys

Web-based reporting

Secure/differential access

√ √ √

Dynamic querying √Keyword searching √ √Canned reports √ √

Next Steps for UsNext Steps for Us

Limited NeuroSys build-up

RFP with my wish list

Limited NeuroSys build-up

RFP with my wish list

Challenges Across MethodsChallenges Across Methods Developing useful questionnaires

Creating a culture where faculty update data regularly

Distribution of responsibility for hosting, funding – colleges, ITC, central administration

Benchmark data

Developing useful questionnaires

Creating a culture where faculty update data regularly

Distribution of responsibility for hosting, funding – colleges, ITC, central administration

Benchmark data

Want to see more?Want to see more? University of Delaware’s Institutional Research and

Planningwww.udel.edu/IR/fipse/index.html

Access-Based Demo Sitewww2.montana.edu/ehhd/demoID = msudelawarePassword = workload

NeuroSys Demo Siteneurosys.cns.montana.eduID = guestPassword = guest

Nth-Degree Analytics survey/reporting tool demowww.nth-degree.com/demo

University of Delaware’s Institutional Research and Planningwww.udel.edu/IR/fipse/index.html

Access-Based Demo Sitewww2.montana.edu/ehhd/demoID = msudelawarePassword = workload

NeuroSys Demo Siteneurosys.cns.montana.eduID = guestPassword = guest

Nth-Degree Analytics survey/reporting tool demowww.nth-degree.com/demo