Follow-up on Contract with Academic Analytics

Colleagues,

I appreciate all the feedback and questions I’ve received to date regarding the plan to renew KU’s contract with Academic Analytics. In Monday’s Community Forum I was able to address many of the questions and concerns that I received, and I want to ensure all faculty have this information.

I had several feedback responses that questioned the suitability of the data available through Academic Analytics for some disciplines. I also received numerous responses in support of this tool and the insight that can be derived from it.

As stated in the previous announcement, Academic Analytics is one of many tools that can help guide us in understanding our faculty strengths and opportunities, but it is not the only tool. The Research Metrics Working Group led by Vice Provost for Faculty Development Chris Brown was clear that Academic Analytics should not be the sole source of evaluative data, nor should it be used in isolation without benefit of other tools. However, in the hands of chairs and directors who are aware of the service’s limitations, it can offer key benchmarking metrics of our peers and aspirational institutions that will help guide us into the future. In fact, a supermajority of fellow AAU institutions currently use Academic Analytics.

Many feedback responses asked about the cost of the service. The proposal to renew is a 4-year contract at $283,000 per year. The licensure cost for this service is in line with those of similar platforms. This renewal contract includes new access to the Faculty Insight tool on Academic Analytics, which allows each faculty member to review and update their scholarly information, chart their research impact, and identify new research opportunities.

I want to ensure I have your input in light of this more complete view of Academic Analytics. Please send me your thoughts by Tuesday, Sept. 24, either by email to provost@ku.edu or through the anonymous feedback form on the Provost Office website.

Carl

Carl Lejuez
Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor