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 member institutions have the opportunity to share data on:
- Common Data Sets (CDS) – Data member institutions submit to the Common Data Set Initiative.
- Faculty Compensation – Data on faculty salaries and benefits.
- First Destinations – Data on post-graduate student outcomes within six months of graduation, including employment, continuing education, service, and salary.
- NACUBO Tuition Discounting – Tuition discounting data for full-time, undergraduate students.
- Number of Deposits – Data on first-year, transfer, and other student deposits on pre-set dates from May to August.
- Retention and Graduation Rates – Data on retention and graduation rates for all students and broken out by race/ethnicity and gender.
- Starting Salaries – Data on baseline, entry-level salary and 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, allowing for custom comparisons groups.
Learn more about HEDS Data Exchanges here.
HEDS institutions can participate in some HEDS surveys at no cost, and pay a deeply discounted rate of $575 for the rest. Our unique surveys include:
- HEDS New Student Survey (No cost)
- HEDS Returning Student Survey (No cost)
- HEDS Student Satisfaction Survey (No cost)
- HEDS Sense of Community Survey
- HEDS Diversity and Equity Campus Climate Survey
- HEDS Sexual Assault Campus Climate Surveys
- HEDS Graduating Student Survey (No cost)
- HEDS Alumni Survey
Learn more about HEDS surveys here.
HEDS pulls data from the National Science Foundation’s Survey of Earned Doctorates to create the Baccalaureate Origins of Earned 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 doctorates. 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 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 Student Success Champions Program:
The Student Success Champions Program advances student success efforts at HEDS institutions by helping participants develop leadership and change management skills. Champions will collaborate with each other, the HEDS Directors and staff, HEDS Board members, and other leaders with experience in institutional improvement. The program is open to any employee at a HEDS institution—including faculty, student affairs professionals, administrators, assessment professionals, and institutional researchers—who is leading a student success project. Learn more about the HEDS Student Success Champions Program.
HEDS Workshops:
HEDS fall workshops serve as a guided retreat for teams from member institutions to work on projects related to student success. Each workshop will have a theme, and teams will work to implement a customized plan to improve student success at their institutions with the support of facilitators and feedback from the other teams. Learn about this year’s HEDS Workshop.
HEDS Research Projects:
HEDS supports research projects led by people at HEDS institutions. We can connect you to a current project or help you develop your own. Learn more about current HEDS Research Projects.
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.