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 member institutions have the opportunity to access institutional comparison data on:
- Common Data Sets (CDS) – A compilation of the data member institutions submit to the Common Data Set Initiative.
- First Destinations – Data on post-graduate student outcomes within six months of graduation, including employment, continuing education, service, and salary.
- 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.
The HEDS staff facilitates the collection, analyzing, formatting, and sharing of these data, in a way that allows our participating members to easily create custom comparisons.
Learn more about HEDS Data Exchanges here.
HEDS institutions can participate in many HEDS surveys at no cost, and pay a deeply discounted rate for the rest. Our 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 Campus Climate Survey (members only)
- HEDS Sexual Assault Campus Climate Surveys
- HEDS Graduating Student Survey (No cost)
- HEDS Alumni Survey
Learn more about HEDS surveys here.
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 workshops serve as a guided retreat for people and teams from member institutions to work on projects related to student success. During our workshops, participants work to implement a customized plan to improve student success at their institutions with the support of facilitators and feedback from other participants.
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.