Executive Sponsors
Request sent to Executive Sponsors resulting from preliminary discussions with the Data Stewards.
May 31, 2007 - Data Governance Executive Sponsors,
You will recall that when you appointed your area data stewards, you asked that we keep the assignment of data administrators less structured, in order to allow the data stewards to draw from the expertise of their data administrators as needed.
However, now that the data stewards have begun identifying their specific responsibilities and determining the resources that they need to accomplish them , some of them are asking for more formal direction in determining who will be needed to work with them. In those areas where there are individuals not yet formally assigned to the role of data administrator, I ask that you notify them and the data stewards formally, in order to clarify their responsibilities for data management in your area, as well as the nature of their involvement in the university data governance structure.
As the data administrators are approached by data stewards and asked to take on certain jobs, they must understand how these requests fit with their current responsibilities. Your guidance is needed to clarify that although this is a University initiative, you are providing the direction to them. You need to tell data administrators that the work they are being asked to do is not actually new, but is already part of their job. Until the data governance initiative, this work has not been recognized, acknowledged, or coordinated. Given the size and complexity of UNLV, it is no longer feasible for data management responsibilities to be decentralized and uncoordinated. More data coordination is needed not only within our current operations, but also to prepare us for new integrated systems, and data warehousing efforts. Currently, NSHE is developing a set of common data elements that span all of our administrative systems. The data steward will be the “point person” for this and all other data related issues, and their role is central in these efforts. It is crucial that they feel comfortable drawing support from their data administrators, and that the data administrators understand their role in this regard.
Should you need assistance drafting a statement or set of responsibilities that will clarify these roles for individuals in your area, I would be happy to work with you. I think we all wish to have a process that will serve us, not strangle us. However, to retain the flexibility that we find useful, the organization of each data administration structure has been left open so that it can be adjusted as appropriate in each unit. Your assistance in bringing together this group within your area is appreciated.
Thank you