Karen L. Webber - Big Data on Campus: Data Analytics and Decision Making in Higher Education

1. Karen L. Webber and Henry Y. Zheng
2. Braden J. Hosch
3. Henry Y. Zheng and Ying Zhou
4. Karen L. Webber and Jillian N. Morn
5. Gail B. Marsh and Rachit Thariani
6. Rana Glasgal and Valentina Nestor
7. Tom Gutman and Brian P. Hinote
8. Timothy M. Renick
9. Cathy A. OBryan, Chris Tompkins, and Carrie Hancock Marcinkevage
10. Carrie Klein, Jaime Lester, Huzefa Rangwala, and Aditya Johri
11. Lindsay K. Wayt, Susan M. Menditto, J. Michael Gower, and Charles Tegen
12. Karen L. Webber and Henry Y. Zheng

Amid declining enrollments, daunting resource constraints, and flagging public support, higher education leaders can still transform colleges and universities for the benefit of students and society. A renewed commitment to the institution-wide use of data analytics in strategic decision making has extraordinary potential to accelerate efforts to advance institutional goals, improve quality and efficiency, strengthen student outcomes, and enhance teaching, learning, and advising.

Data analytics adoption and use in higher education for decision making is currently stagnant and unevendespite the rapid development of new information technologies, wider access to analytical tools, and the acceleration of the data revolution in other industries. In a recent survey of provosts and chief academic officers among US colleges, Inside Higher Ed (Jaschik and Lederman 2019) found that less than 20% of provosts across public and private institutions believe that their universities use data very effectively to inform institution decision making. Tom Davenport et al. (2001) lamented nearly two decades ago that in the rush to use computers for all transactions, most organizations have neglected the most important step in the data transformation process: the human realm of analyzing and interpreting data and then acting on the insights (18). The use of analytics to assist in the translation of data into actionable insights remains a major barrier at many colleges and universities.

To increase the sense of urgency for action, the leaders of three higher education associationsthe Association for Institutional Research (AIR), EDUCAUSE, and National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)developed a joint statement in 2019 prompting higher education leaders to reenergize efforts to unleash the power of data and analytics and support decision making for the benefit of students and institutions (changewithanalytics.com). Each of the three agencies strongly believes that using data to better understand students and institutional operations paves the way to developing innovative approaches for improved student recruiting, better student outcomes, greater institutional efficiency and cost-containment, and much more. The joint statement includes six principles of action to accelerate the meaningful use of analytics and take advantage of the insights derived from data to make the decisions and take the actions that set up higher education for a successful future. Our associations have made our own commitment to advancing and supporting the efforts of institutional leaders through the sharing of targeted resources, success stories, and implementation guides.

Webber and Zhengs book on data analytics in higher education reinforces the urgency and adds a valuable resource for higher education leaders. The book describes the conceptual underpinnings of the roles of data analytics within higher education as well as recent innovations in analytic models, new types of data and their curation, and digital media. Several chapters focus on the critical importance of processes and structures such as a mission-focused data strategy and robust governance policies. Importantly, a strong emphasis is placed on the human factors in successfully using data analytics for decisions such as an institution-wide commitment to a culture of data use and data literacy. The book will be valuable to researchers and practitioners alike. It is written by experienced higher education professionals who are recognized champions of data-informed decision making and provides case studies, examples of the application of data analytics, and helpful checklists for readers to scan their own institutional environments for opportunities.

AIRs core mission is to empower higher education professionals to use data and analytics to make decisions and take actions that benefit students and institutions and improve higher education. As executive director and CEO of AIR, I believe that Webber and Zhengs book reflects a core purpose of AIR and the values of our members and stakeholders. Each chapter brings practical and thoughtful insights from some of the best thinkers and leaders of data analytics in higher education. The book is a timely and useful resource for higher education leaders and stakeholders, and I am confident it will add to our ability to harness the power of data and analytics for the success of higher education institutions and students.

Christine M. Keller, PhD

Executive Director and CEO

Association for Institutional Research

• Davenport, T. H., J. G. Harris, D. W. DeLong, and A. L. Jacobson. 2001. Data to Knowledge to Results: Building an Analytics Capability. California Management Review 43 (2): 117138.
• Jaschik, S., and D. Lederman. 2019. The 2019 Inside Higher Education Survey of College and University Chief Academic OfficersA Study by Gallup and Inside Higher Education. Inside Higher Education. January 23, 2019. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/survey/2019-inside-higher-ed-survey-chief-academic-officers.

Our sincerest appreciation is extended to Johns Hopkins University Press, particularly Editorial Director Greg Britton, who responded with encouragement to our initial inquiry about this possible volume. We also acknowledge JHUPs assistant editors Catherine Goldstead and Kyle Gipson, who patiently answered many questions throughout manuscript preparation, and the production team at the Press.