Data Governance and Usage Policy
The Institutional Research (IR) office at SFBU is committed to maintaining the accuracy, security, and responsible use of institutional data. By submitting a data request, you acknowledge the following:
Confidentiality & Compliance
Data provided by the IR office may contain sensitive or restricted information. Any data containing student, faculty, or staff records must be handled in accordance with FERPA (Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act), HIPPA (which governs the privacy and security of health-related information) and institutional data policies.
If your request involves personally identifiable information (PII), additional approvals may be required.
Appropriate Use of Data
Institutional data is provided solely for the purpose outlined in your request.
Data must not be shared with external parties unless explicitly approved.
If the data requested is explicitly approved for use in publications or presentations, IR should be cited as the data source.
Data Security
Requesters are responsible for safeguarding any data provided.
Data should be stored in secure, authorized locations (e.g., institutional drives, encrypted storage).
Limitations & Accuracy
Data is extracted from official institutional records at a given point in time. Differences in reporting periods or definitions may lead to variations in figures.
IR does not manipulate or alter data beyond standard reporting methods.
Review & Follow-up
IR may request additional clarifications before approving data requests.
Processing times vary based on request complexity and institutional reporting schedules.