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Higher Education Arts Data Services (HEADS) Project

Higher Education Arts Data Services (HEADS) Data Surveys

2025-2026 HEADS DATA SURVEY

The 2025-2026 NASD HEADS Data Survey will be available for access November 1, 2025. As a reminder, HEADS collects and disseminates data related to a number of areas such as enrollment, degrees offered, operational budgets, faculty salaries, ethnic breakdown of faculty and students, and the like.

The 2025-2026 data collection period will be open from November 1, 2025 through January 31, 2026.

Primary Institutional Representatives will receive an email invitation. This email will include a unique link which enables users to 1) access the survey instrument online, 2) enter data, and 2) submit the HEADS Data Survey as a single document.  Returning participants will observe that the newly amended system maintains the HEADS Data Survey in its original form and function. The current design returns the survey instrument to a single rather than multi-sectioned document, therefore, users will be prompted to submit the entire form as a single entry. In addition, having successfully completed and submitted the Survey, a copy of the entire HEADS Data Survey will be provided via email to the Primary Institutional Representative of the institution. We are pleased to return these two helpful features to the HEADS Data Survey submission process. Recall please that the association’s data management system has been redesigned as well. NASD is in the process of moving from a FileMaker to a Salesforce platform. The HEADS Data Survey, its data, and the associated HEADS Navigable Dashboards will be incorporated into the Salesforce platform. Therefore, a separate log in and password and the need to enter a separate HEADS system are no longer necessary. Please note that your email invitation to participate is addressed specifically to your institution. For this reason, we suggest that care be taken to maintain the institution’s information as confidential.

The following information is provided to assist participants as they begin the submission process.

2024-2025 SURVEY ACCESS

On or about November 1, 2024, the NASD HEADS Data Survey was delivered to designated Primary Institutional Representatives via email. The survey deadline was January 21, 2025. Please contact National Office Staff if assistance is needed with prior years’ surveys.

2024-2025 SURVEY ACCESS

On or about August 19, 2024, the NASD HEADS Data Survey was delivered to designated Primary Institutional Representatives via email. The survey deadline was November 30, 2024. Please contact National Office Staff if assistance is needed with prior years’ surveys.

CHANGES TO DATA REPORTERS

This redesign, like the one previous, offers functional gains and losses. Please note that it is no longer possible to assign specific sections of the Data Survey to other individuals at the institution (formerly referred to as “Data Reporters”). Access to the HEADS Data Survey and its data is “all or nothing”. You may provide access to others by sharing the unique link in your invitation, but please note that such individuals will have full and complete access to all the institution’s survey data entered in to the survey tool. Institutional Representatives may wish to consider this important feature when assigning others to participate in survey entry.

ASSISTANCE

NASD has prepared and offers several helpful tools to facilitate completion of the HEADS Data Survey:

As always, the HEADS staff stands ready to provide assistance at your convenience.

MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENTS

For institutions conducting comprehensive reviews, please remember to include (as required) a copy of the institution’s most recent NASD HEADS Data Survey(s) in either the institution’s Self-Study or Optional Response to the Visitors’ Report. Also, please note that submission of the HEADS Data Survey is a requirement of NASD accredited institutional membership (see NASD Handbook 2025-26, Rules of Practice and Procedure, Part II., Article III., Section 1.A.).

FEEDBACK

We ask please for your feedback. Should users note issues with the survey instrument and/or the data collection process, we ask please that you inform the HEADS staff promptly at (703) 437-0700, ext. 128 or via e-mail at nhamme@arts-accredit.org.

APPRECIATION

NASD extends to each of you deepest appreciation for your patience offered as we have worked to relaunch the HEADS platform. Thank you for the enduring support you have offered during each step in the process. We are grateful. We hope you will take full advantage of the HEADS system.

Thank you.