University Data and Analytics (UDA) provides key insights and decision support to university leaders, trusted data and analytics resources to the NC State community, and comprehensive reporting to university partners and stakeholders. UDA is responsible for NC State’s university-level data and analytics function, including data governance, institutional analytics and analytics enablement.
Working with partners across the university, UDA has primary responsibility for NC State’s management of university data resources to maximize value and utility, for ensuring an effective and efficient analytics infrastructure, and for producing high-quality analytics content to improve decisions, business processes and outcomes.
What does it mean?
- Data: the granular records, facts, observations, measurements generated or collected and stored.
- Analytics: the processing and packaging of data into meaningful information, insights or tools.
- University (or institutional) data and analytics: data and analytics generated in the course of operations and administration of the university. This does not include data and analytics collected or produced by faculty and staff for research, scholarship and creative activities.
“The data we generate and manage and the analytics we produce are valuable university assets that are critical to NC State’s mission,” said McKinney Austin, interim vice provost for UDA. “Data and analytics are essential for planning, management, decision-making and accountability and we need to effectively manage them and maximize their value.
Through its work, the unit maintains a vision of trustworthy, reliable and accurate data; consistent business definitions that enable shared understanding; and accessible, easy-to-interpret data for informed decisions. Additionally, UDA seeks to set a foundation that enables use of emerging methods and technologies such as AI, along with intuitive tools and platforms for data exploration, as well as the enhanced value of university data and analytics assets.
UDA collaborates with university partners to address a wide array of data-related challenges to improve the unit’s reach and overall effectiveness, such as a need for greater understanding of available resources and greater consistency of data access, usage and quality across data domains and units. As part of the FY25-27 implementation plan for Wolfpack 2030: Powering the Extraordinary NC State has a comprehensive strategy to advance the management and utility of valuable university data and analytics assets for enhanced decision-making.
A Comprehensive Strategy
Five Integrated Components Advance NC State’s Valuable Data and Analytics Assets
The strategy consists of five components: a data governance program; modern enterprise infrastructure; dashboards, reports and analytics; creation of a University Data Catalog; and providing data literacy training and outreach.
- Data governance – ensures maximum-value data assets and reduced risks through responsible management and usage.
- Modern enterprise infrastructure – offers developers of data and analytics content access to integrated data and industry leading tools.
- Dashboards, reports and analytics resources – with broader coverage and more advanced capabilities to meet the university’s information needs.
- University Data Catalog – provides one-stop access to trusted data and analytics resources and documentation.
- Data literacy training and outreach – enables skilled and comfortable usage of NC State data and analytics resources.
“The value of NC State data and analytics as university assets, and success of the comprehensive strategy, relies heavily on the support and engagement of partner units across the university,” said Austin.
UDA is responsible for implementing the strategy’s components. Oversight for the strategy is provided by Data and Analytics Executive Steering Group, comprised of the Executive Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Charles Maimone (chair), Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Warwick Arden, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation Krista Walton, and Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and CIO Marc Hoit.
In the future, UDA plans to engage with colleges and other units across the university to better understand campus needs so that they can be incorporated into data and analytics projects and planning.
To learn more about UDA, its work and responsibilities, visit go.ncsu.edu/data-and-analytics-strategy or uda.ncsu.edu.
- Categories:
