Issue Summary
This proposal aims to create recognition for all current data stewardship activities, align individuals who carry out similar tasks, provide connections to support individuals with stewardship responsibilities, and provide centralized resources to support the work.
Those in stewardship roles are frequently the recipients of DG audit data and are responsible for checking and verifying that the coding is accurate and that the data standards are being adhered to.
Phase I: Framework Development
- Define stewardship roles & responsibilities within a UMS Framework
- Initiate a comprehensive stewardship resources website
Phase II: Steward Identification & Designation
To be completed in future; potentially following Repaving MaineStreet
- Designate individuals in stewardship roles
- Create a council of stewardship representatives
- Add resources to stewardship website
March 2021 Proposal Forum
Resources
UMS Data Stewardship Proposal
Proposal Forum Presentations Slides presented by John Forker
Proposal Summary
This proposal puts forth a framework for recognizing data stewardship activities across the UMS, aligning stewardship practices, and providing resources for individuals who are engaging in data stewardship activities within their role, department, and/or institution.
Background
Within the UMS, numerous data stewardship activities are already performed in order to mitigate risk, apply appropriate security controls, and ensure certain data quality standards. In some areas, groups of individuals who execute the same stewardship tasks come together on a regular basis to ensure they are in alignment with each other. However, in many cases, individuals carrying out stewardship activities are doing so without the benefit of a group of colleagues, and potentially without all applicable internal and external standards and policies readily available.
In 2020, a task force was brought together to brainstorm existing stewardship practices within the UMS, look at data stewardship models at other institutions of higher ed, and analyze what models of stewardship might best align with our UMS structure, culture, and existing stewardship landscape.
Solution & Next Steps
The task force has recommended a framework for UMS Data Stewardship to complement UMS Data Classifications, support individuals performing stewardship tasks, and connect individuals in stewardship roles. Specifically, the task force recommends the following:
- Formalized Stewardship Framework, with Stewardship Roles of Data Steward, Data Manager, and Data User
- Stewardship Resources website
- Founding a Stewardship Council/Committee with stewardship representatives for ongoing collaboration
Comments & Questions
- Intent is to formalize and recognize stewardship activities and recognize individuals completing stewardship tasks.
- Follow-up to Data Classification work to add value and help to sustain the data classifications
- Goal is to create a sustainable framework for stewardship with roles & responsibilities
- Stewardship Framework, Resources, and Committee
- Creates a common language
- Defines roles around stewardship activities amongst stakeholder groups
- Creates communication between stewards
- Shared communication space for discussion
- Creates identified roles so that people can reach out to stewards for answers and guidance
- Allows functional areas to reach out to stewards to consult for data use and storage best practices
- Encourages and enhances collaboration amongst stewards
- Support from Forum Attendees:
- Approach makes sense and is reasonable
- No suggestions for modifications
- Related Comment:
- There is still need for an updated Records Retention policy
- This is the next project the group is planning to solicit workgroup members for and execute
Resources & Research