The Reporting Role

INTERNAL REQUESTS

These issues lead to the question of who should respond when an internal requestor needs information. For example, when the Research and Reporting office and the ITS Department have equal access, expertise, and facility to respond to a particular data request, who should do it?

General Principle: Research and Reporting should conduct research and analysis in support of planning and decision-making critical to the College. Providing raw data for others to use, and providing simple summaries can be research or a reporting function. For example, a request for simple trends over time in enrollments in science courses can be done by the Registrar's office. Examining those trends to see if differences by gender are statistically significant, and comparing it with national data would normally be done by the Research and Reporting office. The Research office does not have the authority to release to anyone data on individuals (students, faculty, staff, etc.). Requests for data about individuals should go to the responsible office which may include the Reporting part of the Research Office.