Data
Usage Policy
Purpose
The university will manage its data in a way that
provides for confident, open access for the entire
university community as support for the performance
of their assigned duties. This policy is intended
to ensure that the data assets of the university
are not misused or abused. Open access to data represents
a statement of confidence on the part of the university
that its personnel will use the data for the purposes
intended and not for personal gain or for other
inappropriate behavior.
Source
Data Administration Subcommittee of the Administrative
Computing Advisory Committee.
Applicability
Adherence to this policy is mandatory for all university
personnel.
Background
University data are institutional assets and are
held by the university to support its fundamental
instructional, research, and public service missions.
Innovative management is largely dependent on data
that are freely available and that correctly represent
the information intended. This policy is intended
to assure that data are used ethically and with
due consideration for individual privacy.
Keywords
University data [administrative data/information]
data trustee, data integrity, data model, data dictionary
(repository, encyclopedia) data element, data value,
domain, directory information.
Policy
Use of data falls into the categories of update,
read-only, and external dissemination. The cognizant
data trustee shall grant authority to update data
only to personnel whose job duties specify responsibility
for data update. This restriction is not to be interpreted
as a mandate to limit update authority to members
of any specific group or office but should be tempered
with the university's desire to provide excellent
service to our customers and constituents.
Read
authority is covered in the Arizona State University
Data Access Policy.
External
dissemination of individually identifiable data
(whether in summary or specific form) is permitted
for official reporting and for "nonofficial"
reports when they use only those data elements designated
in the data dictionary as Directory Information.
Even for these elements, release should be guided
by the absolute requirement to respect individual
privacy and to protect the integrity of the data.
The release of all other data must be approved by
the data trustee(s) for the element(s) involved.
Special
care must be taken in the creation of "downloaded"
files so that both the values and their meanings
as defined in the Data Dictionary are not altered.
University
Data - the collection of data elements that
is relevant to the operations, plans, or management
of more than one ASU unit or are reported on or
used in ³official² administrative university
reports.
Data
Trustee - the individual identified by the
office responsible for the collection and/or maintenance
of the specified data element(s). The University
Data Administrator is the Trustee for all data
elements not specifically assigned to another
trustee.
Data
Integrity - the qualities of validity and
reliability conjoined with the accuracy of values.
Data
Dictionary - a reference tool (in paper or
electronic form) which provides a list of all
the data elements and their alias names. A data
dictionary usually contains a working definition
of each element, the values that are allowed,
locational information, and additional metadata
deemed important for an organization to maintain
regarding its data assets.
External
Dissemination - the distribution (in any form,
including ³downloads²) of data to persons
or to files that would not otherwise be granted
such access. This is intended to apply to individual-specific
information and not summary information, especially
as contained in government compliance reporting.
Directory
Information - data elements identified by the
university as being releasable on an individual-specific
basis externally unless specifically requested not
to do so through the provisions contained within
FERPA. Directory elements are so designated with
the Data Dictionary and are not limited to student
and staff information but may also include financial
and research data.
Consequence
of Noncompliance
Failure to comply with this policy or any actions
deemed "inappropriate conduct" as defined
in the following policies and procedures manuals:
Academic Affairs Policies and Procedures Manual,
number ACD 204-01, page 3, Faculty Code of Ethics,
Staff Conduct and Work Rules, and the Student Affairs
Policies and Procedures Manual, number 104-01, page
5, Student Code of Conduct, and number 105-01, page
1, Release of Student Information, may result in
denial of access.
Approved
by ITAC Executive Committee on 1/15/93
Approved by Information Technology Advisory Committee
(ITAC) on 4/2/93
Approved by the Provost Office on 5/18/93
