Version: 1.0.0-draft-a
Last Revised: August NN, 2020

[ DRAFT NOTE - Q3-2020 - The NSPA believes that the charter for the Data Standard Initiative should be drafted in consultation with…the charter members. We’ll post working drafts of the charter in this page, and ratify the charter as part of the first group meeting. ]

Overview

This section outlines the charter for the NSPA Data Standards Initiative.

Objectives

• Define and standardize the data points available to the NSPA membership, the NSPA Exchange, and the broader scholarship community.

• Develop efficient methods for the exchange of scholarship data.

• Simplify implementations of scholarship information systems, particularly searching, matching, and reporting systems.

Members

The Data Standards Initiative members are subject matter experts in scholarship data and information exchange.

[ DRAFT NOTE - Q3-2020 - Member Participant list to come. ]

Organization

NSPA Data Standards Committee

[ DRAFT NOTE - Q3-2020 - We propose the constitution of a “committee,” analogous to a steering committee or standards governing body. We’d call it a “steering committee,” except that’s a loaded/overloaded term in the NSPA context. This committee will surface ideas and issues, consider any new proposed data standards, and similar.

Members are, ideally, in a technology leadership or program leadership role, in their respective organizations and programs. The function is to:

• Advise the NSPA what efforts make sense to host under the NSPA

• Prioritize activity

• Provide specific technical and programmatic feedback on issues ]

Core Working Group

[ DRAFT NOTE - Q3-2020 - We propose the constitution of a “working group.” This group consists of the technologists and data analysts that write the concrete technical specifications and data definitions.

For the 2020–2021 cycle, the Dell Foundation and NSPA are providing the resources to do the technical work on the NSPA Exchange standard. This same group MAY be able to take on or start relatively lightweight additional standards. If the Data Standards Committee unearths a high-priority initiative not covered by existing resources, this group can at a minimum scout out additional resources and coordinate efforts. ]

Process

Meetings

• Initiative meetings will be called by the NSPA Coordinator.

• An Annual Meeting will be held during or around the time of the NSPA Conference.

• Secondary meetings may be called quarterly as indicated by current activity, and member availability.

• Most meetings will be held virtually, even in normal times. Members may participate “live” or provide written input in advance of a meeting, though live attendance is strongly encouraged at the Annual Meeting.

Connection to NSPA

• The NSPA Coordinator will ensure that the NSPA Board and NSPA Membership at large are kept aware of the doings of the NSPA Data Standards Initiative.