Step 1. Discovery and logging:

The UI Data Warehouse Governance Committee (DWGC) will publish and maintain an institutional data issue intake form on the University of Iowa Data Hub website. The intake form shall be available to anyone with a HawkID and shall collect the following information:

• Name, job title, and department of submitter
• Submission date
• Type of issue (selected from categories identified in the “Scope” section above)
• Detailed description of the issue
• Description of impact or potential impact
• Identification of the system, source, domain, or report experiencing the issue
• Evidence or examples of the issue or its impact (attachments supported)

Submission Confirmation: All submissions will receive a confirmation email with a tracking number and estimated review timeline.

Step 2. Triage, Prioritization, and Partnership

The DWGSC receives and logs all intake form submissions within two (2) business days.

Initial Assessment

The DWGSC will log all submissions within two business days to determine if they raise an in-scope institutional data issue as defined in the “Scope” section outlined above.

• In-Scope Issues: Proceed with triage and prioritization.
• Out-of-Scope Issues: The DWGSC notifies the submitter within five (5) business days, provides an explanation, and redirects them to the appropriate resource or contact when applicable.

Triage Methodology

The DWGSC will assign a priority tier based on severity, urgency, and impact. Priority tiers are defined as follows:

Subject Matter Partnership

When a reported issue involves a subject area not represented on the DWGSC, the committee will identify and invite representatives from the affected area to participate as full partners in all related discussion and deliberation.

Assignment

For in-scope issues, the DWGSC will:

1. Document all impacted data domains
2. Notify the appropriate data steward(s) for each affected domain
3. When an issue affects more than three (3) domains or lacks a clear steward assignment, escalate to the full Data Warehouse Governance Committee for broader stakeholder coordination

Role Delineation for DWGSC Members Serving in Multiple Capacities

Some DWGSC members also serve as data stewards or subject matter experts (SMEs). When participating in issue review and prioritization, these individuals act in their governance capacity on behalf of the DWGSC. When serving as assigned stewards or SMEs during remediation activities, they act in an execution capacity. These roles are functionally distinct, and all action plans must be reviewed and approved by the DWGSC in its governance role, regardless of member overlap.

Step 3. Remediation, Resolution, and Documentation

Action Planning

Assigned data stewards and DWGSC will collaborate to:

• Convene relevant stakeholders within the timeline specified by priority tier
• Investigate the issue thoroughly
• Develop an action plan with specific steps, responsibilities, and target completion dates

Progress Tracking

The DWGSC will maintain a centralized tracking log documenting:

• Issue status (Under Investigation, Action Plan Approved, In Progress, Resolved, Closed)
• Key milestones and completion dates
• Any barriers or delays
• Stakeholder communications

Stewards will provide status updates biweekly to the DWGSC for Tier 1 and Tier 2 issues, and monthly for Tier 3.

Decision-Making Framework

When determining appropriate resolutions, stewards must:

• Consider all stakeholder viewpoints and document alternatives considered
• Evaluate technical feasibility alongside functional requirements
• Assess broader impacts on connected systems and processes
• Ensure compliance with relevant policies and regulations
• Document the rationale for the chosen resolution

Operational Boundaries

The DWGSC focuses primarily on data governance decisions. When resolutions have significant impacts on functional operations or system architecture beyond data governance, the DWGSC will coordinate with appropriate functional leadership or IT architecture teams but will defer operational decisions to those bodies.

Communication Planning

Upon resolution, the assigned data steward(s) will:

1. Prepare a written resolution summary including the decision, rationale, and implementation timeline
2. Submit the summary to the DWGSC for review
3. After DWGSC approval, communicate the resolution to:
   • The original submitter
   • All identified stakeholders and impacted parties
   • Relevant data steward communities

Any party that receives communication of a resolution may appeal the decision within thirty (30) calendar days of the resolution communication date.

Appeal Requirements

Appeals must be submitted in writing to the DWGSC via email (ui-data-hub@uiowa.edu) and include:

1. Reference to the original issue tracking number
2. Specific aspects of the resolution being contested
3. Proposed alternative resolution with detailed rationale
4. Evidence or analysis supporting the alternative approach

Appeal Review Process

1. Acknowledgment: The DWGSC acknowledges receipt of the appeal within three (3) business days
2. Review: The DWGSC reviews the appeal, gathers additional information if needed, and may convene the original stewards and new stakeholders
3. Decision: The DWGSC issues a final decision within twenty (20) business days of receiving the appeal
4. Communication: The decision is communicated to all parties with full rationale
5. Finality: Decisions on appeals are final, except in cases where new evidence emerges that was not available during the appeal process

Annual Report

By the end of each fiscal year, the DWGSC provides a comprehensive report to the Data Warehouse Governance Committee including:

• Summary statistics on issues received and resolved
• Descriptions of currently unresolved issues with status updates

• Analysis of trends and systemic issues

• Recommendations for policy or process improvements

• Assessment of procedure effectiveness

Process Review

The DWGSC monitors issue volume and complexity quarterly. If the workload becomes unmanageable or if the procedure proves ineffective, the DWGSC will initiate a formal review and propose revisions to this procedure.

Below are links to the related policies, guidelines, or standards that currently support data use in the data warehouse.

• University of Iowa Institutional Data Policy
• Data Warehouse Governance Charge
• Data Classification Guidelines