Common Data Set
The Common Data Set (CDS) represents a cooperative effort by guidebook publishers, institutional researchers, and other interested stakeholders to develop a set of key questions in a single-information request survey that publishers use to meet their information needs. The CDS system has been in place since 1995.
The goal is to have each institution complete the CDS once each year and make copies available to the interested publishers, who would then require only a relatively small amount of additional information with a brief publication-specific supplemental survey. In addition to reducing cost and time by institutional researchers to respond to various surveys, the CDS represents a standardization of data elements and definitions across publications, thus minimizing conflicting counts and other data irregularities.
The following parties were instrumental in developing the CDS: the College Board, Wintergreen Orchard House Inc., Peterson’s Guides, and U.S. News & World Report.
LAPU Common Data Set
Los Angeles Pacific University’s (LAPU) Common Data Set reports contain statistical information about students, faculty, and staff for LAPU. These are the official statistics used when representing LAPU to external constituencies. The Office of Institutional Research has compiled the information and can answer pertinent questions.
