How 76 data leaders are building better data governance

Many colleges and universities approach data governance with the best intentions: they want to clean up their data, build data trust across campus, and make data-informed decisions. But without clear steps for approaching data governance, efforts can quickly lose steam. While many colleges and universities have long expressed a desire to become “data-informed,” few have succeeded in achieving this goal.

Over the past two years, I’ve worked with 76 data leaders to tackle common—but daunting—barriers to data governance and management as part of EAB’s Enterprise Data Management Collaborative (EDMC). Here are some tips to approach data management on your campus, based on lessons from the EDMC.

Change requires a holistic approach to data management

Effective data management involves breaking down institutional silos associated with data accessibility, security, and reporting. Institutions often want to tackle data governance first, typically by starting a committee. But without a holistic strategy in place, initial enthusiasm for data governance efforts tends to wane. Committees that began with high levels of engagement and optimism often encounter frustration, declining commitment, and in some cases, complete abandonment. This cyclical pattern underscores a fundamental problem: data governance alone is not enough.

The liveliest conversations the EDMC had were about change management. While data should be seen as an institutional asset, individuals who participate in the EDMC found it difficult to get buy-in from campus leaders for large-scale data management work. The EDMC convenes data leaders on campus who represent distinct data functions and assigns respective roles so leaders can recognize the amount of time and effort it actually takes to conduct this work, and prepare to facilitate it when they’re back on their campuses.

How Lewis & Clark College Elevated Governance as a Priority on Campus

Designing an effective data strategy

I have seen institutions jump straight to creating a data governance committee without first taking stock of the state of their data, setting goals, or considering which tactics the committee should implement. To avoid these pitfalls, the first EDMC session focuses on developing a data vision and strategy. Initiatives need to start with a clear strategy, and the EDMC helps participants craft that strategy with cross-campus stakeholder support. Below are the building blocks and key questions guiding the EDMC through strategy creation.

Many institutions claim they want to be “data informed,” but few define what this truly means. A clear data strategy identifies the institution’s goals for data usage and establishes a shared understanding across the campus community. This strategy provides direction by answering key questions, such as:

• What does being a “data-informed” campus look like in practice?
• Which data sources will be governed, and how will they be prioritized?
• What values should guide data usage across the institution?

A successful data strategy distills these principles into bold, straightforward statements that are easily understood by all stakeholders, such as:

• We will establish a single source of truth for institutional data.
• We will ensure data quality and accuracy in all reporting.
• We will safeguard data security and privacy.
• We will use data ethically and transparently.

These types of simple yet powerful statements—which members of the EDMC establish for their own institutions—set expectations for data users and provide data stewards with a clear mandate to guide their work.

With a well-defined data strategy in place, data governance committees are no longer tasked with abstract goals but with actionable objectives that align with the institution’s broader vision. Key responsibilities might include:

• Developing policies and procedures that standardize data collection, storage, and usage
• Creating data quality protocols to ensure accuracy and consistency
• Training staff and faculty on accessing and using data effectively
• Certifying official data sources and establishing consistent definitions for reporting

Become a data-informed institution

Achieving the vision of a data-informed campus requires more than just technical fixes and procedural changes—it demands a cultural shift. From my time working with EDMC members, it’s clear that by taking the time to develop a comprehensive data strategy, institutions can overcome the challenges that have historically derailed their efforts.

Clear direction, accountability, and shared purpose maintain the momentum of data management work and make it easier to deliver meaningful results. The time to act is now. Institutions that embrace this transformation will not only survive, but thrive in the face of today’s challenges, emerging as leaders in higher education’s next chapter.