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Data Requests

Our goal is to identify these information needs and proactively provide them so questions can be answered using interactive fact books, longitudinal datasets and other Hope College web-based resources.

The Office of Data, Assessment and Accreditation leads data stewardship to assure quality, consistency and accuracy across these data. Our campus databases organize institutional data from platforms across the campus and are more reliable and consistent than any individual department can maintain on its own. The Office of Data, Assessment and Accreditation accesses and provides these data in accordance with best practices.

When a data need cannot be addressed through existing online resources, the Office of Data, Assessment and Accreditation collaborates with various offices, including CIT, the Registrar’s Office, the Alumni and Family Engagement Office and Human Resources, to respond. This work begins when we receive the . Using the form helps us track requests and provide timely responses. Staff in our offices are happy to talk with you by phone or email, but please note that a Data Request is required before we begin locating your data. Let us help you find the data you need by completing this online form. Your data request may take up to two weeks to process, so please plan accordingly. Please see the data request guidelines below; not all requests will be approved. 

Approved by the Office of Data, Assessment and Accreditation, Registrar’s Office, Human Resources, and Computing and Information Technology, spring 2026.

GuidelinesÌý

Data requests may be denied. Here are common reasons a data request may be denied:

• The request includes alumni addresses or permanent email addresses.
• The Alumni and Family Engagement office coordinates all alumni communication requests, and a request may be made .
• Race, ethnicity and gender data are not shared unless it is required for reporting purposes.
  • To protect students’ identity (see FERPA section below), race and ethnicity data is only provided for reports where it is required. Where possible, this data can be reported at an aggregated level. 
• The request requires an extensive amount of work that is unsustainable given current resources and college priorities.
• The data may be available elsewhere.
  • If the requested data is publicly available on the Â鶹ÊÓƵ website or accessible through existing departmental resources, employees will be directed to obtain the information independently.

Individual Student Data

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) applies to some categories of Hope student data. Data is also subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). For these and other reasons, student data is reported in the aggregate so no individual student can be identified.

There are times, however, when faculty or staff members need FERPA-protected individual student data, for example, to determine membership in an honor society or eligibility to participate in an off-campus program. This information may be available directly to an academic department chair in a supporting software application such as Hope Advise and B-Lite. If not, requests for student-specific data should be made using the . Requests involving protected student data will be reviewed and approved by the Registrar’s Office. View Â鶹ÊÓƵ’s full FERPA policy on the Registrar’s Office website.

Data Definitions

Â鶹ÊÓƵ data are organized using a common set of data definitions. The core of these definitions, found in the Â鶹ÊÓƵ Data Dictionary, are from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics: commonly referred to as IPEDS definitions. Data will often be organized and provided using these definitions to ensure consistency and accuracy. View the Data Dictionary.