We all know how powerful data can be and how important it is in order to make data-driven decisions. Doing so helps us make better choices and gives us the ability to see opportunities (and risks) that may not be apparent without effective data. The Ellucian (formerly Datatel) Colleague system is our main system to manage the business operations of the institution. However, the ability to retrieve data from this system has proven difficult in the past because of the proprietary database and cumbersome reporting formats. This week the Cabinet approved us to move ahead with the implementation of two products from Ellucian (ODS and CROA) which bring great improvements to the data management and reporting functions. IT and Development have teamed up to implement these systems and will be engaging Ellucian for some advice on data governance, data integrity, and reporting. While the Development area will be the first beneficiary of the enhanced reporting and analytics system, this is something that many other departments can be involved with to enhance their operations. Development and IT will be working very closely on the implementation of the systems and will report progress to the Ashland University Cabinet. The Data Standards and Governance Committee (DSGC) is another important contributor to the success of this project. Many thanks go to the DSGC members and to Corinne McGuire and Don Prezioso for their insights and advice as we embark on this project to enhance data reporting and analytics.
Departmental personnel responsible for data entry, reporting and analysis are invited to a webinar by Ellucian on December 14th from 1-2:30 pm in the Ronk Lecture Hall. This will included a review of the ODS and CROA systems and how they can be used to enhance data access for Development, Admissions, Financial Aid, Registrar, Institutional Research, etc. Please join us (no RSVP is required).
