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At the NJCCC, we’re embarking on a large-scale data project. Over the last couple of days, we brought in representatives of various colleges to answer a key question from the vendors who would actually build the system: If you could make a data system answer whatever (relevant) question you wanted, what would you want to know?
It’s a question I pass along to my wise and worldly readers. If you could build a data system for your state’s community colleges, what questions would you like it to be able to answer?
We already know certain headline numbers, like enrollments and graduation rates. (And yes, we all acknowledged that graduation rates in themselves reflect the assumption of full-time students who aren’t distracted by life, which does not describe most of our students.) In discussion, it quickly became clear that there was significant interest in labor market data and prediction, common definitions of terms across institutions, and routine disaggregation of data along lines of race, sex, age and income.
The goal of the data system is to help drive improvements in outcomes for students.
Wise and worldly readers, if data availability and complicated math weren’t obstacles, what questions would you want to have answered?
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In response to yesterday’s post in which I included an aside to the effect that the Harvards of the world sometimes received more benefit of the doubt than most community colleges, I received a very polite email from Larry Schall at NECHE (the regional accreditor for the New England states) assuring me that they held Harvard to the same standards as everyone else.
Glad to hear it.
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For obvious reasons, I can only say a little about this, but my condolences to the 30-ish tenured faculty who stand to lose their jobs in layoffs at New Jersey City University.
It has already cut its managerial ranks, and it’s cutting dozens of degree programs. The university hit financial trouble earlier this year, and it’s trying to right the ship.
There’s no painless way to climb out of a $23 million deficit. Of course, most of the people losing their jobs were not at fault for the deficit.
The NJCU story is far from over; it could go in any number of directions. I hope the folks who lost their jobs are able to land on their feet.
