Last reviewed by SCSR: April 2025, Steffen Reinhart, Chair, Data Collection Steering Committee (DC-SC)
Table of Contents
Mandate
As per the Standing Committee on Student Recruitment Terms of Reference (SCSR TOR), Article XVI – “Data Collection” is the practice of collecting contact and identifying information of prospective university students, parents/guardians/supporters, counsellors, and other influencers of prospective university students.
As per the SCSR TOR, Article XVII, the Data Collection Steering Committee (DC-SC) provides guidance and oversight of “Data Collection” efforts through the OUAC and collective universities’ channels.
Initiative Lead
As per the SCSR TOR, Article XVII, Section 2, the Chair of the DC-SC will, in collaboration with the OUAC, report to the SCSR and GCSR on all matters related to Data Collection as referenced in Article XVI and Article XVII.
Interested Parties
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| GCSR | The member institutions provide the mandate to the SCSR and are the first level of approval required for changes to the SCSR TOR. The GCSR reports to the Ontario University Registrars’ Association (OURA). |
| SCSR | The SCSR is voted into their positions by the GCSR at the AGM and is responsible for overseeing and executing the collective initiatives stated in the GCSR TOR. The SCSR acts on behalf of the GCSR. |
| OUAC | The OUAC is an ex-officio member of the SCSR that manages and controls the budget and provides administrative support for the DC-SC. |
| DC-SC Members | Members of the DC-SC are appointed based on their involvement and data collection responsibilities in other standing committees or working groups. |
| Data Collection Vendors | External vendors that provide data collection services or tools. |
| OUF-SC | The OUF-SC works with the DC-SC to implement a data collection mechanism at the OUF. |
| OURF-WG | The OURF-WG works with the DC-SC to implement a data collection mechanism at the OURF. |
| OUIS-WG | The OUIS-WG works with the DC-SC to implement a data collection mechanism for virtual events. |
| OUInfo-EB | The OUInfo-EB works with the DC-SC to implement and maintain the data collection form on OUInfo. |
Associated Documents and Resources
Strategic Considerations for Review
| Consideration | Consultation/Action | Target Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| Set benchmarks and success criteria | Review data from the past 3-5 years to identify key metrics. | August 2025 |
| Expand “Data Collection” mandate to Guidance Dialogues | Formalize this part of the mandate with the SCSR/GCSR. | August 2025 |
| Improve promotion of data collection at OUF and OURF | Develop suggestions for promotion of data collection at OUF and OURF; Communicate with counselling community about data collection. | Ongoing |
Future Opportunities
None at this time.
Appendix A – Completed Improvements
| Improvement | Consultation | Date Completed |
|---|---|---|
| Implemented a New Data Collection Tool for the OUF and Regional Fairs: Continue exploring opportunities with StriveScan to implement a centralized data collection tool for the OUF and Regional Fairs. | OUAC negotiated contract with StriveScan and performed security audit and privacy review (Spring 2023); Liaised with OUF-SC and OURF-WG to create runway for implementation (Summer 2023); Created registration reporting structure between StriveScan, the OUAC, and the collective universities, particularly around Regional Fairs. | August 2023 |
| Explored Integrated Data Collection for Virtual Information Sessions | DC-SC reviewed with Ontario Universities’ Virtual Events Working Group (Spring 2023); Determined StriveScan was not the appropriate/best data collection vendor for Information Sessions virtual events and decided to stay with Acadiate. | August 2023 |
| Developed official description and rationale of prospective student data collection by the Ontario university collective | Created rationale and shared with GCSC for approval. | August 2024 |
| Optimize data collection at OUF and OURF | Took findings from the 2023 OUF and OURF and implemented suggestions, including not using personal StriveScan logins. | August 2024 |
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