Data Domain Governance

At Purdue University, a subdomain is a logical subdivision of the top-level domain (purdue.edu), allowing for more specific data management related to a particular department, program or project. Subdomains can be used to manage data related to academic programs, research projects, administrative departments and other entities within the university. Purdue uses subdomains within the data domain governance framework to manage the data related to these various entities. 

Functional domains refer to the different areas or departments within the university that perform specific functions or provide specific services to students, faculty and staff. Data governance within each functional domain is the responsibility of data owners and stewards who define and implement policies related to their respective domains. Data custodians are responsible for managing the technical aspects of data management, including data storage, backup and recovery. Data users are responsible for using the university’s data compliance with the defined policies and procedures. For more information about data governance committees and who to contact in your department, visit this Data Governance Committees resource. 

Organizational domains refer to the various colleges and schools within the university. Data governance within each organizational domain is the responsibility of the college or school dean, who is the data owner. The dean is responsible for defining and implementing policies related to their respective domains. Data stewards may be appointed to assist the dean in implementing data policies and procedures. Data custodians and users have the same responsibilities outlined in the functional domain governance section. For more information about data governance committees and who to contact in your department, visit this Data Governance Committees resource.

Vanity and shortened URLs allow users to avoid typing in full-length (and sometimes complicated) URLs. For example, instead of “https://purdue.edu/purdue/academics/new-content” it can appear as “go.purdue.edu/new-content.” The shorter URL would then redirect to the actual home of that content. Vanity URLs are possible upon request and are managed by the Domain Oversight Committee (DOC). 

The DOC also manages multiple URL shortener tools. These are also available upon request: 

• purdue.university/new-content (Bitly) 
• purdue.link/new-content (Short.io) 
• purdue.ws/new-content (Short.io) 
• go.purdue.edu/new-content 

To effectively manage subdomains, data within each subdomain should be classified according to its sensitivity and criticality. Purdue University uses the following categories for data classification: 

• Restricted Data: Data classified as restricted is the most sensitive and critical. This data requires the highest level of security and access control. Examples of restricted data at Purdue include Social Security numbers, credit card numbers and health records. 
• Sensitive Data: Data classified as sensitive is less critical than restricted data but still requires a high level of security and access control. Examples of sensitive data at Purdue include student records, financial information and research data. 
• Unrestricted Data: Data classified as unrestricted is the least critical and sensitive. This data requires a lower level of security and access control. Examples of unrestricted data at Purdue include public information, marketing materials and general university information. 

The following are the roles and responsibilities of individuals and departments involved in managing the university’s data: 

• Data Owners: Data owners are responsible for defining and approving data definitions, policies and procedures related to their respective domains. They are also responsible for ensuring that the data within their domain is accurate, consistent and secure. 
• Data Stewards: Data stewards are responsible for implementing data policies and procedures defined by data owners within their respective domains. They are also responsible for ensuring that the data within their domain is high quality, accessible and secure. 
• Data Custodians: Data custodians are responsible for managing the technical aspects of data management, including data storage, backup and recovery. They are also responsible for ensuring the data is secure and protected from unauthorized access or disclosure. 
• Data Users: Data users are responsible for using the university’s data in compliance with the policies and procedures defined in this framework. They are also responsible for reporting any suspected data quality or security issues to their respective data steward. 

The following are the processes for managing the university’s data within functional and organizational domains: 

• Data Classification: All university data must be classified based on sensitivity and criticality. The data classification level determines the access control, storage and handling procedures required for the data. 
• Data Quality Management: The university must have a data quality management program to ensure the data is accurate, complete and consistent. 
• Data Security Management: The university must have a data security management program that ensures the data is protected from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, modification or destruction. 
• Data Retention and Disposal: The university must have a data retention and disposal policy outlining the procedures for retaining and disposing of data based on its classification level and legal requirements. 
• Data Governance Oversight: The university must have a data governance oversight committee that oversees the implementation of this framework and provides guidance on data governance issues.