Starting the Conversation: University-wide Research Data Management Policy

Starting the Conversation: University-wide Research Data Management Policy is a call for action that summarizes the benefits of systemic data management planning and identifies the stakeholders and their concerns. It also suggests that the library director proactively initiate a conversation among these stakeholders to get buy-in for a high-level, responsible data planning and management policy that is proactive, rather than reactive.The Stakeholders identified in the report include:The UniversityThe Office of ResearchThe Research Compliance OfficeThe Information Technology DepartmentThe ResearchersThe Academic UnitsThe LibraryThe report addresses the various topics that should be discussed and includes a checklist of issues to help the discussion result in a supportable and sustainable policy.Key highlights:The benefits of funder-required data management planning should apply to all research dataResearch and Compliance Offices, IT, Academic units, the Library, and Researchers should be involved in setting policyAn entrepreneurial person may need to get things going—why not the library director?