ILPrivate University

North Park University

Addressing Disparities in Student Retention and Graduation Rates Through Data Infrastructure and Analytics

Data Governance & AnalyticsEquity-Focused Planning

About North Park University

North Park University is a private Christian university located in Chicago, Illinois. Established in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church, the institution is known for its commitment to a rigorous academic curriculum grounded in the Christian faith.

Improvement Project

Creating a System of Knowledge Management

Toolkits Used

Data Ecosystem Assessment Data and Systems Governance Guide

Browse all toolkits

Results

Utilized insights gained from toolkits to strengthen data infrastructure, laying a solid foundation for data-informed decision-making.

Successfully established a cross-functional Data Governance Council to formulate and implement policies related to data governance and management.

Enhanced data analytics capabilities through a partnership with Trivium BI.

The Full Story

North Park University has grappled with notable disparities in student retention and graduation rates, particularly among students of color. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, senior leaders acknowledged that the institution faced a formidable challenge due to the absence of clear and comprehensive data. This gap underscored the critical need for establishing a unified data infrastructure coupled with sophisticated analytics. In response to these findings, the university formally established a new Data Governance Council and opted to collaborate with Trivium BI to collect and analyze crucial data.

“We had a lot of anecdotal stories about this student or that student. But there wasn't a lot of data that we had that would point us in the direction of why students weren't retaining. Is it a financial issue? Is it a preparedness issue?”
Scott StenmarkVice President for Finance and Administration/CFO