Higher Education Consultant

J. Keith Brown

Gaining Efficiencies in IPEDS Reporting to Increase IR Capacity

IPEDS BURDEN• How much time do you spend on IPEDS reporting?

• What are the most time consuming tasks?

• What do you get in return for that time?

OBJECTIVE• To review strategies for office efficiencies related to data selection, data analysis, and data reporting

• To show how to maximize the value of IPEDS data by utilizing these data for other purposes on campus

PLANNING FOR IPEDS• Review IPEDS reporting cycle

• Review survey materials

• Review any changes in reporting

PLANNING FOR IPEDS• Identify campus resources

• Who are the data stewards

• Distributed vs Centralized reporting

PLANNING FOR IPEDS• Develop an annual reporting calendar

• When will data be available• IPEDS date requirements• Consider all aspects of the data submission

• Work with others in developing calendar

PLANNING FOR IPEDS

PARTNER WITH IT• Understand data life cycle

• Review IPEDS data standards

• Identify cohorts

• Identify data cleansing processes

CREATING DATA FILES• Transactional vs Static data systems

• Who?

• When?• Census date?

• Identify data cleansing processes

CREATING DATA FILES• Carefully consider what data to include

• Similar data may be relevant for more than just IPEDS reporting

• Other data may be useful when verifying the accuracy of IPEDS data

• Could the data serve more than one purpose on your campus

DATA DOCUMENTATION• Data documentation includes both data dictionaries and notes/explanations

• Takes time to create, but saves time in the long run• Easy to describe and explain data to others• Easy to replicate• See impact of future changes in reporting or data systems• Find errors

DATA SUBMISSION

• Manual Entry

• Data Upload• Form?• Specifications?

MAKE THE DATA WORK FOR YOU!!!

• Moving beyond compliance

• Data tools• Data Feedback Reports• Downloading datasets• Benchmarking

Discussion