In this week’s issue, we discuss one of my favorite topics—data-empowered decision making. Given the assorted issues facing higher education, using data to inform and support our decisions is critical, especially as we navigate ongoing debates about return on investment and the relationship between skills and degrees in shaping employment prospects. At the end of the day, our ability to use data to tell convincing narratives about our value to the public is essential for the continued prosperity of our sector.   

After reading today’s issue, share in the comments how you are transforming your institution into a data-empowered organization. 

Data-Empowered Decision Making 

From Empowering Institutions with Data | EDUCAUSE Shop Talk  

In this episode, hosts Sophie and Jenay are joined by guests Chad Marchong and Ben Hellar to discuss cultural strategies and practical steps for transforming higher education institutions into data-empowered organizations.   

Our Thoughts 

What a delightful and informative discussion! And that’s not just my opinion. This podcast has been widely shared and discussed via email and Slack at Evisions because we believe in the power of data to improve decision making. Addressing the pressing challenges facing higher education requires access to reliable and trusted data. This EDUCAUSE discussion on building effective data cultures at institutions provides concrete examples and actionable insights to help guide institutions along their data journey.  

The conversation between the guests highlights how Georgia State University and Pennsylvania State University have integrated analytics deeply into their advising, teaching, and learning processes, emphasizing the role of thoughtful collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and data literacy. These insights can serve as a roadmap for institutions aiming to better utilize their own data to drive meaningful outcomes, such as improved student retention, timely graduation, and more informed decision-making processes across campus.  

Furthermore, the discussion touches on other key challenges including data governance, privacy, and the careful integration of artificial intelligence. All of these are critical to the success of data initiatives. Perhaps more importantly though, I especially appreciated the emphasis placed on interpersonal relationships, transparency, and user-centered analytics. People should be at the core of data analytics initiatives because, even in an increasingly data-empowered world, successful outcomes in higher education ultimately depend on thoughtful, human-centered leadership. The power of data lies not in the numbers alone, but in the stories we tell through it that empower people to take meaningful actions.  

Thinking About ROI 

From Here are 3 ways to challenge how you think about ROI | University Business  

Alcino Donadel explores the latest update to the degree-focused return on investment data tool from The Center on Education and the Workforce at Georgetown University.   

Our Thoughts 

As the public continues to question the value provided by higher education, public-facing data sets such as the one provided by The Center on Education and the Workforce are vitally important. Return on investment (ROI) is a metric increasingly used by students, families, and policymakers to evaluate the worth of postsecondary credentials. As prospective students weigh the cost of obtaining a degree against opportunities in the workforce, real data about ROI can assist them in making informed decisions aligned with their career goals.   

The Georgetown University study provides insights into how ROI varies across different credentials and institution types. This enables us to better communicate the value of education to prospective students. For example, the data clearly demonstrate that short-term credentials, such as certificates and associate degrees, offer immediate financial benefits, whereas bachelor’s degrees deliver greater long-term economic gains. Understanding these distinctions can guide conversations with students about aligning their educational choices with both short-term needs and long-term aspirations, while also helping institutions better communicate the value proposition of their programs.  

Additionally, with better data, institutions have an opportunity to more precisely articulate how specific academic programs contribute to career advancement and economic mobility. This not only helps students and their families make better-informed choices, but it also equips institutions to demonstrate their impact more clearly to policymakers and the public. Ultimately, this type of transparent, data-informed storytelling is key to rebuilding public trust and reaffirming the value of higher education.  

Talking About Skills 

From The Edge: Why the Discussion About ‘Skills’ in Higher Ed Is So Complicated | The Chronicle of Higher Education  

Scott Carlson discusses the “skills versus degrees” debate and examines why it’s so challenging to directly map complex skills such as critical thinking and problem solving to degree programs.  

Our Thoughts  

I think the discussion of skills versus degrees (or skills embedded within degrees) is one of the most important conversations we should be having right now. Although some argue that we’ve forgotten what college is really for, it is becoming increasingly apparent that the public believes the primary purpose of postsecondary education is to prepare students for the workforce. As calls for ROI grow, understanding how the dialogue around skills intersects with the traditional degree model becomes essential.  

However, understanding how skills align with degree programs is challenging. Historically, skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, and adaptability consistently rank among the most sought-after skills by employers. Fortunately, these are precisely the skills that higher education has claimed to teach for decades. Yet, translating these abstract competencies into measurable, teachable outcomes remains a challenge for institutions as graduates continually struggle to articulate how they gained these skills through their degree programs.  

This is the crux of Carlson’s article. While there is clearly an urgent need for institutions to more clearly communicate how students develop these skills within their degree programs, we must be cautious not to oversimplify these complex cognitive abilities into mere credentials or badges. Instead, we should strengthen existing skill-building in the curriculum by offering more robust student advising and career development tools that better equip students to explain how they possess these employer-sought skills. Through this, we can walk a balanced pathway that respects the long-term educational missions of our institutions while addressing the immediate employability concerns of students.