In an effort to maximize opportunities for learning and the application of good research principles in the work middle leaders do to promote student success, in 2025 we will amplify exemplary use of data and evidence. Acknowledging the distinct conditions and unique challenges of higher education institutions in our region, this year we will focus on highlighting solid and sound higher education research from California and the West Coast more broadly.
We often hear the terms “evidence-based,” “data driven,” or even simply “research,” used with the assumption that everyone knows what these concepts mean. We nod along with presentations or skim over pages that use these phrases as a sort of shorthand for “good work.” But what do these concepts actually mean? What do they look like in practice, and most importantly, what do they mean for you as a middle leader?
Looking at our own data collected from Network event participants across the system, we know that people are seeking deeper engagement with how to interpret and apply these ideas in their own work. So, this year we will elevate good research that calls attention to the student populations, institutional structures, and policy issues that are relevant to the realm of West Coast higher education. We will provide examples of evidence-based, data-informed projects that can help bring these concepts to life and inspire middle leaders to employ them in their own work and research practices.
In our own applied research efforts this year we will embark on the task of highlighting student voices and the student experience across the CSU System. To complement the multitude of existing quantitative data that allows practitioners to examine the numbers on graduation rates, retention, and equity gaps between and among student groups on each campus across the system, we will examine patterns in the ways that students access student support services at their respective campuses and hear students tell the stories of how they continue to navigate their college experience.
Through these efforts, we hope that middle leaders continue to learn more about the process of collecting, using, and interpreting data in order to activate that data into evidence that can inform efforts to facilitate student success. Look for the first set of articles featuring research focused on the landscape of higher education on the West Coast in the March edition of our newsletter, and get involved in the conversation on our social media!
Data resources to explore:
- CSU Student Success Dashboard: this link requires the user to enter their CSU credentials for access
- CSU Student Success Dashboard (public version)
- CSU Data Dashboards Collection
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
Find your campus’ institutional research website and search the data resources available (Note: your campus may use a term different than “institutional research”):