Faculty & Staff Data Request Form

Before beginning your data request please review the guidance below. Thoughtful consideration to these questions help institutional research understand the scope and purpose of your request, apply appropriate definitions, and provide accurate and timely information.

1. State the purpose or question being answered
   • What are you trying to determine with the data?
   • Example: “I want to compare retention rates for Pell-eligible vs. non-Pell-eligible students.”
2. Define the population
   • Specific majors/programs
   • Undergraduate, graduate, or both
   • Current students, alumni, applicants, etc.
   • Campus/location, if applicable
   • Full-time/part-time, if applicable
   • Any other inclusion/exclusion criteria
3. Specify the time frame
   • Semester/term: Fall 2026, Spring 2025, etc.
   • Academic year: 2025–26
   • Calendar year, if applicable
   • If comparing periods, clearly identify all periods needed
4. Identify the specific data points needed
   • Gender
   • Race/ethnicity
   • Pell eligibility
   • Enrollment status
   • GPA
   • Credits attempted/earned
   • Graduation/retention status
   • Etc.
5. Specify any comparisons or breakdowns
   • By major
   • By gender
   • By ethnicity
   • By semester
   • By student level
   • By cohort
   • Example: “Break the results out by major and gender.”
6. Define the desired output
   • Raw data or summary/aggregate data?
   • Counts, percentages, rates, averages, etc.
   • Excel/CSV, table, report, or other format
   • If a specific layout is needed, provide an example
7. Clarify definitions or business rules
   • What does “enrolled” mean for this request?
   • What cohort definition should be used?
   • How should students with multiple majors be counted?
   • Are there specific inclusion/exclusion rules?
   • Please be as specific as possible about what each field should represent. Unless otherwise specified, institutional definitions for terms such as retention, graduation rate, enrollment, cohort, census date, etc. will be used.
8. Specify the level of detail needed
   • Individual student-level records
   • Aggregated counts
   • Percentages
   • De-identified records
   • Other
9. Include the deadline
   • When is the data needed?
   • Is the request routine or time-sensitive?
   • Please be specific if possible as that will help up organize and prioritize our requests as we receive them.
   • Keep in mind “ASAP” can be interpreted in different ways and does not provide enough information for privatization.
10. FERPA and data privacy compliance
    • Confirm that the requested data will be used for a legitimate educational/institutional purpose.
    • Request only the minimum data necessary to accomplish the stated purpose.
    • Do not request personally identifiable information unless it is necessary and the requester is authorized to receive it.
    • Follow applicable institutional policies for accessing, storing, transmitting, and sharing student records.
    • Do not share student-level data with individuals who are not authorized to receive it.
    • If aggregated data is requested, ensure that the results do not inadvertently identify individual students, particularly when dealing with small populations.
    • The requester may be asked to clarify the intended use or obtain appropriate authorization before data is released.