About the Core Data Service

Prior to merging with Educom in 1998, CAUSE had been capturing data from its members for nearly twenty years (until 1996). Early surveys collected data on administrative systems primarily, as CAUSE's mission had not yet broadened to encompass academic computing. Academic computing data were captured in an annual survey by Charles Warlick of the University of Texas at Austin. Between these two surveys, the IT community had access to some fundamental data about academic and administrative hardware and software. Warlick's data were published regularly in a print compendium, while CAUSE's data were published periodically in summary format.

In addition, CAUSE's data formed the basis of an "Institution Database (ID) Service" through which members could request custom reports in six major areas: staffing, budgets, organization, software, and computer hardware and communications. This service was quite popular with members, peaking at 442 custom reports requested in FY94-95 and declining in 1996 after CAUSE stopped collecting data.

CAUSE's ID survey instrument changed over the years as the association's mission changed, and especially after Warlick ceased to do his survey. At that time, Kenneth C. Green had already begun to report the findings of a comprehensive academic computing survey (called the Campus Computing Project) that focused on the microcomputer environment on campuses throughout the country. In addition, in 1996, David Smallen and Karen Leach partnered to begin a new data collection activity, called the COSTS Project, focused on identifying and capturing the cost of networking on campus. This activity for the most part attracted participation from small, liberal arts institutions, but other types of institutions also participated.

With the merger of CAUSE and Educom, EDUCAUSE developed a number of strategies to capture and share data and information to support campus IT planning and management. First, EDUCAUSE launched the Current Issues Survey in 2000, which it still conducts annually. Then, in 2001, the association established the EDUCAUSE Center for Applied Research (ECAR) to help campus leaders inform and reinforce IT-related decisions with applied research and analysis.

Finally, in the winter of 2001, EDUCAUSE established a Research Task Force to consider development of a member-based data collection strategy. This strategy would focus on establishing a database of member campus profiles through the capture of "core" campus data to allow for peer comparisons and information sharing. The task force recommended that EDUCAUSE develop and disseminate an annual core data survey to collect data about information technology environments and practices on member campuses. Survey results would support (1) a web-based interactive database service available to all who completed the survey, through which they could access peer data to help benchmark, plan, and make decisions about IT on their campus, and (2) an annual summary report of aggregated data about IT use and management in higher education. This initiative would cooperate with, not duplicate, existing IT-related data collection efforts.

The first Core Data Service (CDS) survey was launched in December 2002 to capture data for fiscal year 2001–2002. The CDS interactive database first became available in May 2002, and a Core Data Service Summary Report was posted that fall. The survey is now conducted annually from January through March, always capturing data from the previous fiscal year, with data made available through the interactive database service by May. A campus must complete and submit the annual survey to retain or gain access to the database service.

In the spring of 2005, EDUCAUSE and COSTS Project leaders announced they would integrate their respective efforts by the end of the year. The merger of the surveys occurred in time for launch of the 2005 CDS survey in January 2006, capturing fiscal year 2004-2005 data.

EDUCAUSE Research Task Force

EDUCAUSE appreciates the efforts of the following individuals, who provided advice throughout the planning and development of the Core Data Service. Their titles and institutional affiliations are listed as they were at the time they were members of the Task Force.

Jack Duwe
Deputy CIO
University of Wisconsin, Madison

John Gregory
Executive Director
Information Technologies
University of Maine

Brian Hawkins
EDUCAUSE President

Darrel Huish
Assistant Vice Provost
Information Technology
Arizona State University

Gregory Jackson
Vice President and CIO
University of Chicago

Lucinda Lea
Vice President for Information Technology and CIO
Middle Tennessee State University

Betty Leydon
Vice President for Information Technology and CIO
Princeton University

Martin Ringle
Chief Technology Officer
Reed College

Kevin Shalla
Associate Director of IT
University of Illinois at Chicago

Scott Siddall
Assistant Provost for Instructional Resources
Director of Instructional Technology
Denison University

David Smallen
Vice President
Information Technology
Hamilton College

Donald Spicer
Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and CIO
University System of Maryland

Ann Strine
Assistant Vice Chancellor for Information Technology
Pima Community College District

©Copyright EDUCAUSE. Data contributed to the Core Data Service by a participating institution remain the property of that institution. Otherwise, the contents of the Core Data Service database, survey, and Web site are the copyrighted property of EDUCAUSE and may not be reproduced, republished, distributed, sold, transferred, downloaded, or modified without the express written permission of EDUCAUSE. EDUCAUSE claims copyright to data captured through the Core Data Service to protect data confidentiality on behalf of contributors, not for commercial gain.