Tools

Data Use Guidance

Academic Analytics (AcA) provides data for research/scholarly activity benchmarking and discovery by collecting publicly available scholarly data (including publications, citations, and external funding) on individual faculty members, combining the data by Ph.D. program or medical specialty, and comparing it to equivalent information from similar programs in the same disciplines at other universities. Access to these data is provided through an online dashboard that is password protected and available only to approved users. AcA also enables examination of data by individual faculty members, provides a research/scholarly activity profile for each faculty member, and depicts their collaborative network. Because data on individual faculty members is present within the dashboard, it is essential that the policies on using this data carefully specify who has access and for which purposes.

Deans who are requesting access to Career Progression and Unit Modeling will be asked to sign a statement of best practices for Academic Analytics data use at USF (Example here).

Academic Analytics current access levels for Benchmarking Suite and Discovery Suite for internal USF use. Levels 1-3 require training and provisioning:

Academic Analytics Access Levels
Level Users Access Parameters
0 All faculty (No provision needed)
  • Benchmarking Suite: No access
  • Discovery Suite: Faculty can review their own information, find funding opportunities (Faculty Insight), and identify research collaborators.
1

Select Unit Support Staff
  • Benchmarking Suite: No access
  • Discovery Suite (Research Insight): Can see all faculty within a unit to support identification of funding opportunities and collaborators. 
2

Deans, Associate Deans, Chairs/Directors, Faculty Senate CRSC, & Select Deans' Personnel
  • Benchmarking Suite: Access to College and/or Department/School only; no Career Progression or Full Unit Modeling Tool.  No download capability.
  • Discovery Suite: Full access
3

Select Central Administrators and Select ODS Personnel
  • Benchmarking Suite: Full access to all tools and data for all units within USF. 
  • Discovery Suite: Full access

Governance Note: Access levels are implemented consistent with the Statement of Best Practices for the Use of Academic Analytics at USF. Provisioning and permissions are overseen by the Office of Decision Support and are subject to periodic governance review.

If you have any additional questions, please contact FacultyHelp@usf.edu.