About

The Data Governance Committee governs College data, generally excluding faculty and student research data that is sourced from outside of Bowdoin or generated specifically and exclusively for academic research purposes.

History

In order to bring more consistency across the College to the collection, definition, and use of data, the Task Force on Data Governance convened in 2017 at the request of President Rose to create a charter for the establishment of formal data governance. The Task Force adopted Robert Seiner’s definition of data governance as, “formalizing behavior around the definition, production, and usage of data to manage risk and improve quality and usability of select data.”[1]

The College adopted the Task Force's charter in spring 2018 and the Data Governance Committee convened for the first time in fall 2018.

[1] Non-Invasive Data Governance (2014)

Purpose/Goals

In recognition of the importance of data to improving business function and informing decision-making, the Data Governance Committee seeks to create a clear set of processes and procedures for accessing, using, and managing data. The committee broadly aims to:

Support a shared data culture on campus that values consistency, clarity, and quality.
Establish accountability and stewardship of the College’s data assets.
Govern access to data, balancing departments’ and individuals’ needs with applicable laws and regulations, privacy, and sensitivity for personal data, while also weighing reputational risk.
Resolve conflicts on data-related issues, including discrepant data definitions and complex access requests.
Develop policies that address questions around the production, definition, and use of data.

Contact

For more information about the College's data governance, please contact the Chair of the Data Governance Committee, Tina Finneran, Senior Vice President for Institutional Research, Analytics, and Consulting.