Data Access & Requests

Before you request data

You are here because you have been asked a question, and you don’t have an answer, or you need data as evidence to support a decision, or you have set some goals for your office and want to monitor your progress. Maybe you found a grant to fund research and it requires some data. Whatever the reason that has brought you to this point, we ask that you take a moment to plan out your request.

We want to help you get the right data/information you are seeking and there is some information we need to help us be successful in helping you, so we have created some tips below:

Check if the data already exists by checking the Hamilton College Data Cookbook. Search definitions for a data term or specifications to find a report or dashboard.

Requesting Data Access

Authorization is required to access any data asset.

Access to data assets is granted or denied by the applicable institutional Data Trustee(s) or Data Steward(s) or delegated personnel based on the data security classification, the stated purpose, need, or intended use of the data.

Requests to access data which are currently in use through the data portal should be sent to the Data Steward.

Requests for new reports, dashboards, or other forms of data access will use the Enterprise Information Systems EIS request process. 

• Complete the EIS Request Form. The BIWS team conducts a bi-weekly project planning meeting in which your request will be discussed.

• If needed, the BIWS and/or Institutional Research team will schedule a discussion with project stakeholders where the project’s scope, outcomes, expectations, deliverables, and timeline will be clearly established.

• If a Data Cookbook specification(s) and or definition(s) is needed, the BIWS team member will work with the stakeholder(s) to develop together and submit to the Data Steward(s). 

• The specification(s) and or definition(s) will need to be approved by the Data Steward(s) for the project to move forward.

  • In some cases projects may take longer as the data will need to be extracted from the source system and integrated into the Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) and validated before the project can begin. 
  • BIWS team members working on the project will check on progress of specification(s) and definition(s) and update the stakeholders as needed. 
  • Once project specifications are completed and approved by the Data Steward the project development will begin.

• When project development is complete, stakeholders will be contacted to test and provide timely feedback.

• When feedback is complete, the product owner will approve for launch and the solution will be moved into production.

• Navigate to our site on best practices for filling out a data request.

Not sure what data you need or questions about a new analysis or survey, please contact the Office of Institutional Research & Assessment.

Any data requested and approved is to be used only by the requested and not shared without written permission from the Data Trustee(s) or Data Steward(s).

Third-Party Data Requests:

Any third party providers/vendors that will collect, store, or process data on behalf of the College must be vetted to ensure their ability to protect the confidentiality, integrity and availability of College data. This is done through the vendor assessment process, managed by the Director of Information Security in coordination with the Auxiliary Services office.

No unauthorized use, handling, transmission, or other form of dissemination of institutional data to third-party providers or vendors is permitted.

Before transferring data to third-party vendors:

• Initial screening by Procurement Office
• Security assessment by Information Security
• Legal review in collaboration with BS&K
• Data Privacy review by Data Governance Subcommittee (DGS)
• Final contract approval

Accessing Hamilton College Data Portal

 

What is the data portal?

The data portal is a collection of governed and approved data related to the college that fall into multiple categories:

• Academic Profiles
• Administrative Assesment
• DEI
• Enrollment
• Governance
• Hamilton Fact Book 
• Studnet Outcomes
• Surveys

Except for the Hamilton Fact Book, which is available to the Hamilton community, all data in the portal is protected and requires approval from the functional area Data Steward prior to use. All access to the portal does require your Hamilton College credentials. 

To request access to any data in the portal, please visit the specific item you are interested in, log in with your credentials, and then click on the access details. From there you can submit an access request. 

If the data you are looking for is not in the data portal, then please visit the EIS request form to request access to the data you need or contact the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment who can help you determine what data you need.

You can also access the best practices for submitting an access request here. 

 

All Data Governance Resources