Strategic Analytics

The mission of the Office of Strategic Analytics is to provide and oversee quality research and information about Bristol Community College (Bristol) for its students, faculty and staff as well as external stakeholders such as the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education (MDHE).

The office develops and utilizes a variety of data reports to lead and support a range of assessment and planning activities at the institution. As the official source of institutional data at Bristol, the office's primary objective is to interpret information about the college that can be used for the assessment of student learning, accreditation and strategic planning.

Data Governance

Access to meaningful and accurate information is essential to support Bristol’s mission and vision. In order to establish institutional knowledge, systems must be developed to discuss, analyze, and refine data processes to support data-informed decision-making. Bristol established a Data Governance Team (DGT) in January 2019. The purpose of the DGT is to establish the priorities and mechanisms to manage Bristol’s data assets. The team is focused on institutional data and metrics, data storage and retrieval systems, data-delivery platforms, and the cross-functional processes that support these resources. To achieve its purpose, the team addresses five broad domains related to Bristol’s data assets: Access, Utilization, Ownership, Classification, and Integrity.

Data Collection and Analysis

Strategic Analytics offers datasets and Tableau visualizations to support institutional planning and decision-making. The department works closely with faculty, staff, and administrators to analyze and interpret data regarding students, employees, programs, and college services. The college community is also provided with an annual Fact Sheet that offers a broad overview of college information. Click here to view Bristol's Fact Sheets.

Strategic Analytics conducts several surveys each year to understand both student learning and satisfaction at Bristol. One major institution-wide survey that is conducted is the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE). This survey is used as a tool for assessing quality in community college education and focuses primarily on levels of student learning and retention. Strategic Analytics also administers the PACE Climate Survey for Community Colleges to all Bristol employees to understand institutional culture and capacity to promote student success. The survey asks about employee’s perspectives and experiences and promotes open communication to inform priorities for change. Click here to view Bristol’s National Survey Schedule.

Federal Reporting

The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) is a data collection program for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). Strategic Analytics oversees the completion of all IPEDS surveys in order to comply with Federal regulations. Data such as enrollment, program completion, graduation rates, finances, institutional prices, and student financial aid are collected from all providers of postsecondary education in the country. We collaborate with the Registrar, Director of Financial Aid, Executive Director of Human Resources, and Comptroller to process these submissions. IPEDS data about Bristol is publicly available on the College Navigator.

State Reporting and Performance Measures

Strategic Analytics oversees the completion of all files to comply with State regulations. The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education provides key performance measures through its online Performance Measurement Reporting System (PMRS) based on the files that are submitted. More detailed information can be found through the DHE's Data Center.