Research-Based Data Collection and Release Policy

OFFICE OF RECORD:	Vice President for      Academic Affairs
ISSUED BY:	Vice President for Academic Affairs
APPROVED BY:			01-20-00
EFFECTIVE DATE:	3/4/09

PURPOSE

This policy is designed to guide the data collection and dissemination for research-based projects that may result in publication or presentation on a topic of interest to the researcher, while maintaining the interests of the university in protecting its constituencies and access to non-public data.  Requests for data associated with job-related functions are approved through Computing Services in conjunction with the Registrar and/or Director of Institutional Effectiveness and are not covered under this policy.

DEFINITIONS

Public Data: 
Aggregate-level data that are collected and maintained by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and are located and available on the DSU intranet or other public websites such as IPEDS.  Refer to Data Table located on the Assessment website:  http://www.dsu.edu/academics/assessment/institutional-research/index.aspx.

Non-public Data:
Data that is not maintained or available on the DSU intranet.  This includes DSU individual-level data, aggregate data from other universities, as well as other data not available on national websites.

Non-releasable Data:
Student education data that are protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) unless consent is given by the student.  Examples of non-releasable data elements include social security number and grade point average.

Releasable Data:
Data specifically identified by FERPA to be directory or public information that can be disclosed without student consent.  For the policy regarding DSU releasable data, refer to  DSU Policy 01-43-00, Privacy of Student Records. 

Aggregate-level data:
Aggregate-level data include data from other regental institutions that may be available on the Student Information Systems, and the Banner Finance and Human Resource system.  To ensure confidentiality of individual information, the Board of Regents has set strict guidelines on the use and dissemination of data collected and maintained through the Regents Information System. Information on these guidelines is available at http://www.sdbor.edu/administration/information_technology/policies/index.htm.

Institution-level data:
Institution-level data include data from Dakota State University entities that have not been made public

Individual-level data:
Individual-level data are associated with a particular employee or student that may already exist or to be collected by surveying DSU constituencies. Individual-level data may not include non-releasable data such as social security number and grade point average.

PROCEDURES

The procedures will be coordinated by Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment and the Computing Services Department in conjunction with the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research, the Registrar, and the University Research Committee.  

Individuals or entities interested in accessing DSU non-public data or in surveying DSU constituencies for research purposes will need to:

1. Complete the “Data/Survey Request Form”.   Also, if requesting non-public institutional data, complete and sign the “DSU Institutional Data Disclosure Form”

2.  Submit request form to Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment (OIEA)  

3. If data is currently available:

            a) and it is public data, the OIEA will provide the location of the data.

            b) and it is not public data, go to A and follow those procedures.           

4. If data is not currently available, go to B and follow those procedures.

A. Procedures for Access and Publication of Non-public Institutional Data 

1.   If the request for non-public institutional data is approved, researcher will receive access to Dashboard, Web Wizard reports or new data reports from OIEA or Administrative Computing Services.

2.   If disclosure of non-public institutional data is requested, researcher will forward a draft of the manuscript to OIEA for review against publication guidelines outlined in the institutional data disclosure agreement.

a.   If the publication draft meets disclosure agreement guidelines, researcher may publish and forward a copy of the final research product to OIEA.

b.   If the publication draft does not meet disclosure agreement guidelines, researcher may revise draft and resubmit to OIEA.

B. Procedure for request to survey DSU constituents when data is not currently available. 

1.   OIEA will forward research survey requests to the Dean of Graduate Studies and Research for review and approval.

2.   Upon approval of the request, researchers must follow the procedures below:

a.   Obtain human subjects approval.  Data may not be collected from students until such approval can be demonstrated.

                            i.      A DSU researcher must follow DSU policy for the approval of the use of human subjects and submit proof of approval from the DSU Human Subjects Committee. For policy, see: Human Subjects Committee 04-80-01

                            ii.      An external (non-DSU) researcher must

1.   provide valid IRB documentation from his/her own institution approving the use of human subjects or

2.   follow DSU policy for the approval of the use of human subjects and submit proof of approval from the DSU Human Subjects Committee. For DSU policy, see: Human Subjects Committee 04-80-01 

b.      Administer the survey in the approved timeframe.

                            i.      DSU does not allow surveys to be conducted during the first week of classes or during the last two weeks of classes of any academic term.

                            ii.      A written request for an exception to the approved timeframe must accompany the Data/Survey Request Form.

c.   If the results will be published or otherwise communicated, the researcher must submit a copy of the paper/manuscript/results to the University Research Committee or the Office of Institutional Effectiveness and Assessment (OIEA). The material will be reviewed against publication guidelines outlined in the data/survey request form.

                            i.      If the material meets DSU guidelines, the researcher will be given permission to release the material.

                            ii.      If guidelines are not met and permission to release is denied, the material may be revised and resubmitted for review.

If the request is not approved, the requester may revise the request so as to address any limitations that have been noted. Any appeals should be directed to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. 

Related DSU Policies and Documents:  Privacy of Student Records 01-43-00, University Research Committee 04-80-00, Human Subjects Committee 04-80-01