Description:

The panel featuring representatives from the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) and the Data Rescue Project will offer a timely and insightful discussion on the evolving federal data landscape, highlighting the critical importance of federal data for research, policy-making, and public accountability. Panelists will explore emerging issues such as anticipated data gaps in education and socioeconomic indicators, potential shifts in federal data collection priorities, and the risks that may arise from inadequate archiving or transparency practices. Drawing on their respective expertise, the IHEP and Data Rescue Project speakers will outline collaborative strategies for safeguarding valuable public data, advocate for stronger federal commitments to open and equitable data access, and emphasize the role of cross-sector partnerships in ensuring that data continues to serve as a reliable foundation for future evidence-based decision making.

Panelists:

• Diane Cheng is the Vice President of Policy at the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP). In this role, she leads IHEP’s policy team, which conducts policy analysis and development aimed at advancing IHEP’s policy priorities: data and transparency, strong outcomes for all students, evidence-based completion, need-based aid, and equitable admissions. Diane previously served as IHEP’s Vice President of Research and Policy. Prior to joining IHEP, Diane served as the Research Director at The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), where she coordinated research work across the organization and conducted research and policy analysis on college affordability, student debt, and student success. She has participated in several Technical Review Panels for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to improve higher education data and served as a technical advisor for two of ED’s negotiated rulemaking committees. Diane also worked as an independent research consultant, where she partnered with nonprofit organizations, foundations, and a community college on projects relating to college affordability, student success, and higher education data. Diane graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. and M.A. in Sociology, specializing in social stratification and inequality.
• Dr. Lynda Kellam is one of the founding organizers of the Data Rescue Project and the Snyder-Granader Director of Research Data & Digital Scholarship at the University of Pennsylvania Libraries. She is the co-author of Numeric Data Services and Sources for the General Reference Librarian (2011) and co-editor of Databrarianship: The Academic Data Librarian in Theory and Practice (2016). She has also presented extensively on data preservation, federal public data, and FAIR data principles. She is the current Secretary of IASSIST, an international organization of data professionals. She holds an MLIS, an MA in Political Science, and a PhD in American History.
• Matt Hodges is the Data Literacy Project Manager for the University of Iowa’s Office of Assessment, where he focuses on promoting the awareness, access, and use of institutional data among academic leaders across campus. He has spearheaded efforts to create general institutional data literacy resources for broader campus consumption, as well as specific resources for department chairs, program directors, and the like. He is also an adjunct instructor for Tippie College of Business’ Business Analytics department, teaching courses on data management and visual analytics. In his free time, he enjoys Hawkeye athletics, particularly wrestling (men’s and women’s) and women’s basketball, and he plays the role of peacemaker in the age-old cat-dog conflict for his Chartreux cat Huckleberry and his Hungarian Vizsla Finn.

Tuesday, February 10, 2026 — 1pm EST | 12pm CST | 10am PST