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Version: 1.0.1
Last Revised: October 2021 (non-substantive copy edits, organization updates)

Overview

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

Objectives

• Define and standardize the scholarship program data model and data elements available to the NSPA membership and the broader scholarship community.

• Develop efficient methods for the exchange of scholarship data between systems.

• Provide a robust reference design that can simplify implementations of scholarship information systems, particularly searching, matching, and reporting systems.

• Support the scholarship space in establishing sensitive, inclusive language to describe program elements and the characteristics of the students we serve.

Members

The Data Standards Steering Committee members are subject matter experts in structuring scholarship programs and eligibility criteria, capturing scholarship program data, and technology-based information exchange.

Current participants in the initiative include representatives from the following organizations:

• Arizona Community Foundation

• AwardSpring

• Blackbaud

• Campus Logic

• College Board

• Columbus Foundation

• Constellation Scholarship Partners

• Fastweb

• Foundant

• IOScholarships

• Michael & Susan Dell Foundation

• Scholarship America

• The Ford Family Foundation

• Universities Canada

• UNCF

• Wallin Education Partners

• WizeHive

Organizations and attendees who wish to have their current or past participation remain anonymous may request removal from the list.

Organization

NSPA Data Standards Committee

Committee Overview

The main body of the organization is the Data Standards Committee.

This group provides both programmatic subject matter expertise, directional guidance for the initiative as a whole, and technology expertise. Deep technology expertise is not required of committee members, only that members have experience in the scholarship community.

Steering Committee members are, ideally, in a program leadership or technology leadership role, in their respective organizations and programs. The primary function of the Steering Committee is to:

• Advise the NSPA regarding the scope of work to be hosted within the NSPA Data Standards Initiative.

• Prioritize activities taken on by the Steering Committee and any Working Groups.

• Make recommendations and provide feedback with respect to potential additions, clarifications, and changes to the Scholarship Program Data Standard and any other standards established under the purview of the Data Standards Initiative.

• Provide technology direction and programmatic feedback on issues that have surfaced.

Committee Meeting Logistics

• Meetings will be called by the NSPA Coordinator (described below).

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

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

• Technology Working Group meetings will generally be held around the time of Committee meetings, with ad-hoc, optional-attendance meetings held as needed.

• 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.

Working Groups

Working Group Overview

The Data Standard Initiative convenes working groups to produce and publish material related to the initiative. The work may vary by group and may consist of research, convening experts for discussion, technical development, technical documentation, authoring publications, and so forth. Notably, not all working groups will directly produce technical material.

Findings and work products from the working groups will typically be summarized and shared via Data Standard Committee meetings. Work product will typically be published to an appropriate website or file-sharing location hosted by NSPA.

See the Working Groups page of this site for a list of working groups associated with this initiative.

Convening Working Groups

The initiative has one standing working group, the Data Model working group.

From time to time, the Data Standards Committee will organize and convene working groups to focus on a particular topic of interest. These will be constituted by volunteers who have the expertise to offer or concerns about implementation details in a particular area. An NSPA Coordinator will officially constitute an ad hoc group. Informal groups may, of course, be formed outside of the NSPA purview.

Notes on formation:

• Typically, the initiative requires a minimum of three participants to create a formal working group.

• Participants need not be committee members, but they must be affiliated with an NSPA member organization. For example, some committee members may request that experts from their organizations participate.

• The formation of a working group will not be done over the active objections of the majority of Data Standard Committee members, the NSPA executive director, or members of the NSPA board. (One finds it difficult to envision a scenario where this would happen, but we list this here for the proverbial avoidance of doubt.)

Working Group Meeting Logistics

Notes on meeting logistics:

• Most working group meetings will be held virtually, even in normal times.

• Meetings will be organized by the NSPA Coordinator (described below).

  • Meetings may be canceled if fewer than 3 attendees indicate attendance.

  • The organizing statement or charter for the working group will determine if attendance is mandatory at scheduled meetings.

• The NSPA Coordinator or designee will typically perform the following for working groups convened under the Data Standard Initiative.

  • Calendaring and general coordination.

  • Conference call or screen-sharing setup.

  • Note-taking.

  • Connection to and coordination with other working groups.

• NSPA Coordinator support is subject to availability, of course. Working group members may elect to meet regardless of availability, the primary obligation is to share notes and working group materials with the other members of the Data Standard Initiative.

NSPA Coordinator

The NSPA shall appoint a staff member to serve in a coordination and facilitation role in service to the Data Standards Initiative. The NSPA Coordinator will also ensure that the NSPA Leadership, Board of Directors, and NSPA Membership at large are kept aware of the doings of the NSPA Data Standards Initiative.

Process

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.

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