Data Management and Reporting

Support that is available to faculty, staff, and administrators to help them manage data and produce reports includes the following:

• Data Governance and compliance
  • Data classification and handling guidelines
  • Compliance with data privacy regulations (e.g., FERPA {Family Education Rights and Privacy Act})
• Data Security and Access Management
  • Secure data access controls and permissions
  • Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Database administration and maintenance (third party oversight)
  • Database design and implementation services
  • Ongoing database performance monitoring and optimization
• Data migration and transformation services
  • Assistance with data migration projects
  • Data cleansing and transformation support
• Reporting Services and Tools
  • Pre-built and custom report templates for various departments
  • Training and support for report creation and distribution
• Training and Support
  • Workshops and training sessions on data management best practices
  • Streamlining of repetitive tasks and processes related to data management and reporting, increasing efficiency and reducing manual efforts
  • Provision of documentation, training resources, and ongoing support to ensure users can effectively utilize data management and reporting services
  • Consultative support data-related projects and initiatives

Eligibility for this service is contingent upon licensing agreements with third parties, internal policies, and procedures as well as other applicable qualifying criteria. In general, eligibility is as follows:

• Faculty members: Full-time, part-time, and adjunct faculty members can request data management and reporting services for their research, teaching, and administrative activities.
• Staff members: Administrative and support staff, including those in IT, finance, human resources, and other departments, can submit requests for data management and reporting services to support their daily operations and decision-making processes.
• Researchers and research assistants: Researchers and research assistants working on institution-affiliated projects may request data management and reporting services to support their research activities.
• Students: Undergraduate and graduate students may be eligible to submit requests for data management and reporting services related to their academic projects, theses, or dissertations, subject to their department head and/or supervisor's approval.
• Authorized third parties: Some external entities, such as partner institutions or contracted service providers, may submit requests for data management and reporting services if they have a valid reason and the necessary permissions granted by an authorized member of the institution.

Conditions for submitting requests and incidents:

• Data ownership and privacy: Requests should be made only for data that the requester is authorized to access and manage. The institution's data privacy and security policies must be strictly adhered to.
• Purpose: Requests should be submitted for legitimate academic, administrative, or research purposes in line with the institution's mission and goals.
• Approval and authorization: Depending on the institution's policies, requests for data management and reporting services might require approval from a department head, supervisor, or other relevant authority.
• Resource availability: Requesters should be aware that IT resources and staff time may be limited, and requests will be prioritized based on factors such as urgency, importance, and available resources.
• Compliance with institutional policies: Requesters must comply with all relevant institutional policies, procedures, and guidelines, including those related to data management, data security, and data privacy.

• Customized reporting: Tailored reporting solutions in a variety of formats to meet specific departmental or individual needs, including pre-defined reports and ad-hoc reports, allowing for more informed decision-making and resource allocation.
• Data Feeds/Exports: Provides access to data via application programming interfaces (APIs), ad hoc database access, or data export access.
• Data storage and organization: Secure and reliable storage solutions for diverse types of data, ensuring easy access and organization of institutional data.
• Data quality management: Tools and processes to improve data accuracy, consistency, and completeness, ensuring better decision-making and reporting outcomes.
• Data security and compliance: Implementation of data protection measures and compliance with relevant regulations, ensuring the privacy and security of sensitive information.
• Access control and permissions: Granular control over data access, ensuring that only authorized users can access specific datasets or perform certain actions.
• Scalability and flexibility: Adaptable solutions that can grow with the institution's needs, accommodating changes in data volume, types, or requirements.
• Improved decision-making: Access to accurate, timely, and comprehensive data, enabling data-driven decision-making across academic, administrative, and research functions.

The following criteria must be met to access this service:

• Proof of affiliation: Requestor must be a faculty member, staff member, researcher, student, or authorized third party associated with Framingham State University.
• Authorization: Requestor must have appropriate authorization to access and manage the data in question, complying with data ownership, privacy, and security policies.
• Legitimate purpose: Requests must be for a legitimate academic, administrative, or research purpose that aligns with the institution's mission and goals.
• Approval: Depending on the institution's policies, requests may require approval from a department head, supervisor, or other relevant authority.
• Compliance with policies: Requestor must adhere to all applicable institutional policies, procedures, and guidelines related to data management, data security, and data privacy.
• Resource availability: Requestor should be aware that requests may be prioritized based on factors such as urgency, importance, and available resources, and that IT resources and staff time may be limited.
• Scope and details: Requestor must provide clear and concise information about the scope of requirements, objectives, data types, and any other specifications or constraints related to the need for assistance with data management and reporting.
• Training and support: Requestor may need to attend training sessions or workshops related to the requested data management and reporting services, as deemed necessary by the University’s Information Technology Services organization.

Click on "Request Assistance" or "Report an Incident" from this web page in order to provide us with some basic information about your unmet or anticipated need and then submit your request.

• Data Cookbook User Guide
• Data dictionary (or glossary of terms) with definitions of key terms and concepts related to data management and reporting services, helping users understand domain-specific terminology
• Data Privacy Policy
• Framingham State University Acknowledgement of Confidentiality and Appropriate Use of Social Security Numbers
• Operational Plan for Managing Administrative and Student Information Systems
• Service Description for Server and Storage Management
• Service Description for Integration Services
• Service Description for Cybersecurity and Safe Computing
• Service Description for Security Consulting and Education
• Standards for Administrative and Student Data
• Stewardship of Information Policy
• Technical Documentation on the methods and tools used to consolidate and transform data from multiple sources for analysis and reporting purposes
• Frequently asked questions (FAQs): A list of commonly asked questions and answers related to data management and reporting services, addressing typical issues and concerns (a.k.a. knowledge articles)

A representative within Information Technology Services will respond within 1 business day to gain an adequate understanding of the incident's impact or the request's priority. The initial outreach will begin the process of gathering more information from the requestor regarding data points, parameters, filters, sorting, etc. to jointly determine requirements for requests or to begin troubleshooting underlying problem causing a reported incident.

Fulfillment targets for data management and reporting services incidents and requests are jointly determined based on what is realistic and achievable, considering Framingham State University’s available resources and priorities. In general, fulfillment targets are as follows:

• Standard requests: An initial consultation will be scheduled within 3-5 business days, and the fulfillment of the request is dependent upon the complexity of the request and available resources.
• High priority or urgent requests: A representative from Information Technology Services will respond within 4 hours and resolution or fulfillment within 1-2 business days, depending on the nature of the request and its impact on critical institutional functions.
• Incidents: Acknowledgment within 1 business day and resolution within 3-7 business days, depending on the severity (impact) and complexity of the root cause.

Please note that these fulfillment targets are desired ranges that can and should be tailored to the specific needs of each situation and the availability of personnel required to fulfill the request, resolve an incident, or implement a workaround.