Connecting people, systems, and stories through data.
The Data Community of Practice (CoP) is a cross-divisional group that brings together staff and faculty who work with — or want to better understand — data. Our purpose is to connect colleagues, share knowledge and resources, and build confidence and capacity in how we collect, interpret, and use data to improve student experiences and organizational effectiveness.
Whether you manage databases, analyze surveys, design dashboards, or simply use data to make decisions, you are part of our data ecosystem — and this community is for you.
What We Do
Through regular meetings, events, communications, and other activities, members of the Data CoP work together to:
- Build partnerships that bridge PAIR, Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Student Success Analytics, IT, and other units.
- Exchange best practices for collecting, visualizing, and communicating data.
- Provide ongoing learning opportunities to enhance data literacy and competency.
- Develop and share tools, templates, and glossaries to improve consistency.
- Align with the university's strategic goals and adapt to meet evolving data needs and challenges.
- Celebrate examples of effective, ethical, and accessible data use.
Fall 2026 In-Person Meeting: Building a Data Lake at JMU
Date: 10/7/26 | Time: 9am – 10:30am | Location: Union (Taylor) 404
Join colleagues from across campus for the this meeting of the Data Community of Practice. This event will include guided discussions and group conversations around relevant topics for the coming year as well as opportunities to connect with your peers around campus. Light breakfast snacks, coffee and tea will be provided for in-person attendees. Learn more.
Stay Connected
You can join our Data Community of Practice Microsoft Team to stay up-to-date on all of our activities.
For questions, ideas, or to get involved, contact Sarah LaFrance (lafransl@jmu.edu)