Glossary of Common Terms

Most definitions relating to data governance can be found on the U.S. Department of Education Protecting Student Privacy webpage. Some commonly used words and phrases are listed below for convenience.
 

• Personally Identifiable Information: Information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity either directly or indirectly through linkages with other information.
   
• Directory Information: information contained in an education record of a student that would not generally be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.
   
• Data Governance: refers to a formal and comprehensive set of policies and practices designed to ensure the effective management of data within an organization — encouraging robust data security, definition, collection, access, quality and disposal.
   
• Data Custodian: manager or administrator within an organization who is responsible for implementing data governance policies and standards and maintaining data quality and security.
   
• Institutional Data: any information - regardless of medium - generated, collected, stored, maintained, transmitted, enhanced or recorded by or for the university to conduct university business.
   
• De-identified Data: describes records that have a re-identification code and have enough personally identifiable information removed or obscured so that the remaining information does not identify an individual and there is no reasonable basis to believe that the information can be used to identify an individual. The re-identification code may allow the recipient to match information received from the same source.
   
• Institutional Student Information Record: an electronic federal output document produced by the Free Application for Federal Student Aid Processing System from FAFSA data. The ISIR is sent to schools designated by the student on the FAFSA.
   
• Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act: law that protects the privacy of student education records. It gives parents or students the right to access, review and correct their records, and limits how schools can share that information with others.
   
• National Center for Education Statistics: the primary statistical agency of the U.S. Department of Education. It is one of 13 principal federal statistical agencies* whose activities are predominantly focused on the collection, compilation, processing or analysis of information for statistical purposes.
  
   *The 13 principal federal statistical agencies are also referred to as “Recognized Statistical Agencies.”
   
• National Student Loan Data System: the national database of information about loans and grants awarded to students under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended. NSLDS provides a centralized, integrated view of Title IV loans and grants during their complete life cycle, from aid approval through disbursement, repayment, deferment, delinquency and closure.