HEDS facilitates the exchange of data and professional knowledge among member institutions in an atmosphere of trust, collegiality, and assured confidentiality.
What kinds of data do HEDS institutions share?
HEDS collects and shares institutional data, public data sets, third-party survey data, and data from HEDS surveys. HEDS also sponsors opportunities for representatives from member institutions to collaborate on using data.
HEDS institutions can participate in these data sharing opportunities as a part of membership. Some of our current and upcoming data exchanges include:
- Student Success Data – HEDS collects and share data on retention rates, momentum measures, and graduation rates overall and also by race/ethnicity, gender, 1st generation status, and socioeconomic status.
- First Destination Data – HEDS collects and shares data on post-graduate student outcomes within six months of graduation, including employment, continuing education, service, and salary..
- Common Data Set (CDS) – HEDS collects and compiles the same files member institutions submit to the Common Data Set Initiative.
- AAUP Faculty Compensation – HEDS collects salary and benefits data from members that participate in the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) Faculty Compensation Survey.
- Number of Deposits – HEDS collects first-year, transfer, and other student deposits on pre-set dates from May to August.
- Tuition Discounting – HEDS collects tuition discounting data for full-time undergraduate students.
- Starting Salaries Data – HEDS collects information on baseline, entry-level salary and estimate of benefits for assistant professors and the per-course, base salary for adjuncts.
The HEDS staff facilitates the collection, analyzing, formatting, and sharing of these data. For many of these exchanges, we create spreadsheets that allow members to easily generate custom comparison groups.
HEDS administers several unique surveys:
- HEDS Alumni Surveys
- HEDS Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey
- HEDS New Student Survey
- HEDS Research Practices Survey
- HEDS Returning Student Survey
- HEDS Senior Survey
- HEDS Sexual Assault Campus Climate Surveys
Learn more about HEDS surveys here.
HEDS member institutions can participate in these surveys at a substantially lower cost than institutions that do not belong to HEDS ($500 versus $2,000).
HEDS pulls data from the National Science Foundation’s Survey of Earned Doctorates to create the Baccalaureate Origins of Doctorates for our members. This Excel file contains overall and discipline-specific data on the proportion of students from over 1,600 public and private institutions who go on to earn PhDs. We update this information every three years. The last update was in 2019–2020.
HEDS member institutions also have the option of sharing individual- and institution-level data from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) administered by the Indiana University Center for Postsecondary Research (CPR). The HEDS staff will collect data directly from NSSE for the institutions that want to participate. In addition to sharing unit record data from the survey, HEDS creates a summary report on key data elements.
How do we collaborate?
As a collaborative community we work directly with our member institutions to develop or revise surveys, data exchanges, and other services that help you gather the data and knowledge you need. Our responsive staff is ready and willing to work with you to make the most of your HEDS membership.
The HEDS Consortium sponsors opportunities for representatives from member institutions to collaborate and learn from one another through the following:
The HEDS Annual Conference:
We designed the HEDS Annual Conference around the idea that the best way to help someone make a difference at their institution is to connect them with others who are tackling the same tough issues. The conference’s casual, relaxed atmosphere allows people from a wide variety of institutions the chance to meet, talk, and share ideas. Learn more about the HEDS Annual Conference.
An Active Listserv:
The HEDS listserv is how we keep our member community informed about consortium happenings. It is also how our member institutions communicate with each other. Listserv participants from diverse backgrounds, expertise, and roles post questions around a wide range of topics that help them answer the pressing questions they face in their work.