Office of Institutional Research

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an Internal Data Request (IDR), a Public Information Request (PIR), and an Institutional Review Board (IRB) request?
Data captured under the Internal Data Request (IDR) is intended for internal (campus) purposes. These types of data might include both state certified and in-house preliminary numbers (not certified). Examples of these types of requests include data for: Annual Reports, Grants (Proposal and Closing), Institutional Effectiveness Plan, Institutional Research, Marketing, Planning, Program Review, Quality Enhancement Plan, and Recruitment. TSC credentials (email and password) are required to submit these types of data requests. 

Data captured under the Public Information Request (PIR) is for external purposes only. These types of data are usually requested by external constituents like other colleges, universities, governmental offices, and private companies. These requests (PIR) are submitted through the President’s Office. A data request becomes external (PIR) when a TSC member (faculty/staff/student) request data for personal purposes (e.g. dissertation). 

Any research involving human subjects is protected under the regulations set forth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Human Research Protections, 45 CFR 46 (https://www.hhs.gov/ohrp/regulations-and-policy/regulations/45-cfr-46/index.html#46.501). This type of research might include surveys (on human subjects). Proposals for research involving human subjects must be submitted for review and approval through the TSC IEET department. No human subject research is to begin until the TSC Institutional Review Board has acted.

How long will it take for me to receive the data I requested?
Not all data requests can be fulfilled. Requests will be fulfilled, if they fall in line with FERPA (https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html), university, and office guidelines. For Internal Data Request, at least three weeks is needed to fulfill most data requests, and a month’s notice for more in-depth analysis, such as those that will support grants or IRB-approved research studies. For Public Information Requests (PIR), there is a 10-day turnaround time under the Texas Government Code Chapter 552 (https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm ). 

IR prioritizes state and federal reporting deadlines, as well as requests made by the college’s leadership. Depending on the time of year, some requests will take longer to fill.

Can I make a change to the Internal Data Request (IDR) once it has been submitted through the portal?
Yes, changes will be appended to the original IDR. For tracking purposes, the IDR portal is set up to automatically generate a new IDR number every time a data request is submitted. Do not submit a new IDR for needed changes. 

What types of data can IR provide?
IR can fulfill most data requests related to student and faculty information. IR cannot fulfill requests related to staff nor finance. Please reach out to the TSC Human Resources Office for staff data. 

In most situations, IR will provide aggregate summaries of data versus record/row level data. This decision helps us achieve our goal to be proper stewards of data by reducing the chances of a data security risk and misuse of data. 

What is census data?
Census data refers to information that is captured on a particular day in the academic cycle. This ensures consistency in how data are reported to the state, and this is often considered the standard for data comparison and contextualization. IR relies on census data for all external reports as state and federal compliance reporting requires it. The census data for student reporting is captured on the 12th class day of each long semester (fall and spring), while the census data for faculty reporting is captured on November 1st. 

Why do different departments on campus present slightly different numbers on the same topic?
Variances in numbers often come down to differences in data sources or definitions. Although IR often relies on census data to report numbers, some departments on campus have access to “live data” to address their needs, especially in situations where they might need the most up-to-date information. The question you are trying to answer typically determines what data sources and definitions will work best for your needs. If data are to be presented externally, IR strongly recommends the use of census data. 

Where and when can I access course grade data?
Course grades are not accessible until after the semester ends. Before grades can become accessible, they must go through an extensive cross-departmental validation process. IR only publishes summaries of grade data for Fall and Spring semesters.

Can IR help me with a survey project?
IR encourages anyone interested in a survey project to reach out to IEET first, before committing to the endeavor. IEET can provide guidance on whether you should conduct a survey or not. IEET can also provide guidance on college expectations and best practices related to survey administration. In some instances, IEET can conduct your survey projects for you – if they are designed to evaluate college experiences, meet leadership approval, and align with university strategic initiatives. 

Why does IEET discourage some survey projects?
Surveys are administered to students and faculty more often than you may realize. Survey fatigue is a serious issue on campus that we are aiming to ameliorate. Survey projects should be taken as seriously, as any other research study. IEET is more likely to discourage a survey effort if the survey is: (a) poorly written; (b) does not align with college needs and initiatives; (c) does not have leadership support; and (d) shows no indication that proper methods are in place to protect the survey respondents’ data (such as a lack of Institutional Review Board approval). 

To learn more about survey best practices, we encourage you to visit an example of Best Practices through Washington State University available at https://surveys.wsu.edu/surveys/best-practices/

Open Records/Public Information Requests

Under the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552), each person is entitled to complete information about the affairs of government and the official acts of public officials and employees, unless otherwise expressly provided by law. An open records request is a request for public information contained in the files or records of a Texas governmental agency such as Texas Southmost College.

ACGME Lower Division Academic Course Guide Manual from the Texas Higher Education Data.

CBM Reporting Manuals from the THECB, provides links to procedure manuals, appendices, due dates, other resources.

Degree Program (Clearinghouse) Awards rom the THECB main website provides downloadable options to institutional degrees.

FERPA, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act is a federal law that protects the privacy of student education records.

IPEDS, Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data Systems  Glossary provides search and download options.

THECB Glossary from the Texas Higher ED Data contains online search options.

THECB Glossary of Terms from the Educational Data Center is a PDF downloadable option.

WECM (Technical Course Inventory) from the THECB main website.

College Navigator from the U.S. Department of Education allows you to compare institutions based on data previously reported through IPEDS annually.  These profiles include enrollment, cost, success, and completion data.

IPEDS  from the NCES is a primary source for information on US colleges, universities, technical and vocational institutions.  It is a collection of data such as enrollment, completions, graduation rates, finance, human resources, and student financial aid just to name a few components.

THECB Accountability System tracks performance on critical measures like graduation rates, student debt, success points, transfers, and expenditures per FTE student.

THECB Institutional Online Resumes provide an overview for secondary institutions, by institution type (level), year, and type.  The resumes are geared toward prospective students, parents, and the general public.  They include enrollments, student costs, and measures of student success.

THECB Almanacs provide annual institutional profiles.  Data and metrics collected by the THECB include pre-college and higher education students.