Data Use Guidelines

In the summer of 2020, three teams were formed at the direction of the Data Governance Council, tasked with looking at data sharing, data handing and data usage.  Our data governance vision includes the desire to use institutional data in a consistent, responsible, and meaningful manner.  The Data Usage team was tasked with providing clear definitions and guidance for users to be able to meet that vision.

But what does it mean to use data consistently? Let’s start with some definitions.

When data are used consistently, the data are used in a standardized and documented way over time, and across all units of the University, especially to be explainable, fair, accurate, and replicable.

When data are used meaningfully, the data have an articulated important, and useful purpose for supporting University processes, which in turn, drive informed decision making.

When an individual uses data responsibly, it means they recognize they have an ongoing obligation to care for the data as part of their roles and responsibilities. The individual makes ethical, conscientious decisions to act upon data in a way that will seek to improve the consistency and meaningfulness of the data in an effort to improve the mission of the University.

A full report from the data usage team can be found here: https://rochester.box.com/s/w1ceig740df1cb12s9qkdsmbqftagepq