Data Fellows at UW Tacoma

In 2017, the Office of Institutional Research created the Data Fellows Initiative to provide in-unit access to institutional data using a team-based community of practice distributed throughout campus. UW Tacoma Institutional Research (UWT IR), with the support of the Office of Academic Affairs, created this initiative to meet the increasing need for programs and departments to access the data needed to evaluate student progress and success, track and measure program growth, and answer basic institutional data questions. Each cohort of Fellows come together over the course of a year in an intensive “boot camp-style” examination of the current data stores and tools available. Fellows then bring these skill and knowledge back to their units to support strategic decision-making.

For 2022, we welcome or friends and colleagues from UW Bothell who are joining our Data Fellows Initiative to cultivate the same data community of practice on their campus.  

Some resources explored include:

• The diverse public reports and surveys openly available on the UW Tacoma IR Data and Reports page
• UW Profiles and the UW BI Portal
• UW Tacoma's IR/IT locally built, dynamic data reports or the UW Bothell's report suite
• Microsoft's Power Pivot or Power BI software to explore raw data inquiries using IR’s historical datasets

Additionally, supplemental skill development opportunities will be available to advanced data analysis, data reporting standards,
and data visualization skills.

At the end of the workshop, after successful completion of all parts, each participant is added to the Data Fellows and receive access to additional support and becomes a member of their campus Data Governance initiative.

During their 3-year residency as a Fellow, ongoing development opportunities will be provided, including available external professional development opportunities for further professional development of unit-based teams.

Over time, with a growing community of trained and certified Data Fellows, the campus will be better able to seek out and leverage data in support of our students and to implement and evaluate strategic and agile innovations.

Current Data Fellows

When you can't find it, Data Fellows, working within the units, are there to help. Here is a list of current, active Data Fellow contacts and the units they support.

Data Fellow Cohort Training

The UW Tacoma Data Fellows initiative provides in-unit access to institutional data using a team-based community of practice distributed throughout campus.

 >> View Data Fellows Training  - Details for applying for becoming a UW Tacoma Data Fellow and a description of training activities.