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ASSIST Project Deliverables 1. Create and implement the ASSIST data model. STATUS: Complete. The initial prototype model was developed and implemented in the summer of 1999. Based on the prototype, the data model was revised to enhance its usability. The revised model was implemented in September 2000. 2. Create the program to load community college and university data, match student records, and integrate data in ASSIST. STATUS: Complete. Additional modifications may be made in the future as necessary to enhance usability or to meet new data needs, such as establishing user-specific tables. 3. Develop policies and procedures to protect student privacy. STATUS: Complete. A Security Plan enabling community colleges and universities to send data to ASU and assign representatives as users was developed and approved. The Arizona Board of Regents, the State Community College Board, and ten community college district boards adopted a Joint Resolution making ASSIST an official state program. All community colleges have signed an agreement to share ASSIST data and send files to ASU for inclusion in ASSIST. Signed and notarized nondisclosure agreements are required from each researcher requesting a user account. 4. Develop the computing environment to support ASSIST. STATUS: Complete. The hardware environment to support ASSIST has been established. Two recently upgraded database servers running on SUN Solaris boxes house all ASSIST data. One server provides a secure environment for student records with personally identifiable information. It is not accessible to anyone but the ASSIST production team. The second server contains records with an anonymous assigned ASSISTID as the only identifier. Two web servers are also used to store official reports and launch queries for users with authenticated access. In addition, Brio Insight software licenses have been purchased for institutional use. 5. Establish ASSIST user accounts for each community college and university. STATUS: On-going. Institutions identify researchers authorized to access ASSIST at each community college and university. Users access only their institution’s former students. User profiles have been created for over fifty researchers, representing each university and community college. New user accounts approved by Steering Committee representatives will be established as needed. 6. Coordinate the ASSIST student data exchange with participating institutions. STATUS: Complete. The data exchange originally was scheduled to occur each December for the previous academic year. The due date was moved to February 1st for the community colleges to allow extra time for preparation. The universities submit files at the end of each semester, with an early submission of 21-day enrollment data as soon as they become available. 7. Resolve ASSIST student data inconsistencies with individual institutions. STATUS: Complete. Revisions to the university file format were implemented with the Fall 2000 file submission. A technical subcommittee held two working sessions to address data definitions and data submission issues for community colleges. A list of resolutions was approved by the full Steering Committee on November 16, 2001 and changes were implemented where needed. 8. Load ASSIST student data files from the community colleges and universities. STATUS: On-going. ASSIST has over 1,000,000 student records loaded. All university tables are up-to-date with data from 1994-95 through the most recent semester. Most community college files are up-to-date from 1993-94 through the most recent academic year. Coconino and Central are unable to provide data for certain years due to system limitations. The File Submission Status reports provide updates of which files have been received and loaded into ASSIST. Files will continue to be loaded as they are received. 9. Develop an ASSIST data dictionary and other relevant documentation. STATUS: In Progress. A data dictionary and other user support materials are being developed for ASSIST users. The university data dictionary has been completed and is currently available on-line. Work on the community college documentation is scheduled to be completed by the end of Spring 2005. Code tables displaying descriptions associated with data elements reside within the ASSIST database and will be updated as needed. A web site exists with updated status reports, file layouts, security plan, blank non-disclosure affidavits, and other pertinent information. 10. Train new ASSIST users to extract data. STATUS: Complete. Training for the prototype was conducted in June 1999. Training on the production version using the new model was conducted in January 2001. A follow-up session was held for MCCCD in March 2001 to provide additional training to a larger group of Maricopa users. A final training session was held in January 2003 with representatives from most of the institutions. All training materials from this session are available on-line. Institutions will be responsible for training additional new users, and accommodations will be made to assist institutions without trained users. In addition, user group sessions will be held on occasion to provide an outlet for exchanging ideas on query development. 11. Establish and coordinate an ASSIST users group for policy determination, support, and training. STATUS: Complete. An ASSIST Steering Committee was established in September 1998 to oversee the development and administration of ASSIST and meets approximately twice a year. A Technical Committee was also appointed by the Steering Committee to focus on issues related to data quality. Following the resolution of major data issues in summer 2002, the Steering Committee agreed to utilize subcommittees from the ASSIST community to address future technical issues on an as-needed basis. A Steering Committee list-serve was established in spring 2003 to enhance communication among members and a password-protected link on the ASSIST website was put in place to allow the exchange of reports. Additionally, an e-mail support mechanism was established so that users can contact members of the ASSIST production team with questions. 12. NEW PROJECT DELIVERABLE: Expand the scope of ASSIST to address the performance reporting requirements under the Carl Perkins Vocational and Technical Education Act of 1998 (Perkins III). STATUS: Complete. A separate file layout was developed for the Carl Perkins data and modifications made to the existing model to incorporate the data elements needed for the Core Indicator tables. A set of standard reports and queries have been developed and made available on the web server.
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