Being Impactful from a Business Perspective: The OSU Statistical Consulting Service

• Activity Number: 430
• Type: Invited
• Date/Time: Wednesday, August 6, 2014 : 8:30 AM to 10:20 AM
• Sponsor: Section on Statistical Consulting
• Author(s): Christopher H. Holloman*+
• Companies: Ohio State University
• Keywords: Ohio State ; Statistical Consulting Service ; Impact

Abstract

The SCS at OSU is unusual among academic consulting centers in that it does not formally receive any financial support from the university. Instead, the SCS operates as if it were a private consulting business, obligated to generate sufficient income to cover salaries, benefits, and overhead expenses like equipment, printing, and rental of office space. Consequently, one of the SCS's main metrics of success is fiscal solvency. However, this metric does not directly speak to the broader mission of the SCS, which includes providing consulting to OSU researchers and government agencies and educating graduate students. These other parts of the SCS's mission are more important for gauging impact, and the financial element serves mainly as a constraint on achieving those other goals. We discuss how the SCS has attempted to assess its impact, and how that impact has changed over the years, while working within the constraints imposed by the funding system.