This project's goal is to identify data items (such as "employee Headcount"), propose a generally accepted definition of the data item, a preferred source and a preferred timing. The project will focus primarily on those data items that are used across the institute (not just by the custodian of the data) and those that are used for analysis and metrics.

General areas of focus

• People:faculty and staff employed by MIT, students studying at MIT, Affiliates, Visitors
• Money:  Institutional funds, General Institute Budget, Research expenditures, income and expenditures
• Space:  Gross Square Feet, Assigned Square Feet, non assigned square feet

Types of information

• Basic data i.e., counts of individuals 
• Derived or computed data (i.e., Full Time Equivalent employees)
• Metrics (i.e., Student Faculty ratio)

Information about each data piece that we hope to collect

• Data Element Name (i.e., Employee Headcount, Budgeted Base General, Academic Year"

• Definition and or formula used to calculate
• Preferred source of Data
• Preferred Timing (Census date, fiscal year, etc.)

Recommendation about how to store or access data

• Data Warehouse Tables
• Brio Queries that utilize this data item