Dear NBER Family Members:
Many NBER researchers in recent years have carried out projects that
involve confidential data provided by government agencies or private
companies. In many cases working with these data has required signing
confidentiality or non-disclosure agreements, and these agreements
frequently apply to the NBER in an institutional capacity as well as to
the individual researcher. Dan Feenberg, a research associate at NBER
who many of you know, has graciously agreed to help collect information
on all of the outstanding agreements so that we can make sure that the
NBER is satisfying its obligations to the various data providers. Many
of the outstanding agreements were signed by Sue Colligan or other
full-time NBER employees; Dan believes that he has copies of most of
these documents. However, there may be other agreements that were
signed by individual researchers and that make reference to the NBER --
Dan is unlikely to have copies of them.
I would like to ask for your help in two respects. First, if you
have signed a data confidentiality agreement that mentions the NBER in
any context, or if you have used confidential data for research
performed at an NBER office, on an NBER-financed computer, or with
support of an NBER-administered grant, I would be very grateful if you
could send Dan a copy of your data confidentiality agreement. Second,
in the future if you are considering signing a confidentiality or
limited-disclosure data agreement related to research that involves the
NBER, please provide Dan with a copy of this agreement _before_ you sign
it. If you need institutional NBER approval, please contact him to
discuss the relevant issues. His contact information is:
Daniel Feenberg
NBER
1050 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge MA 02138-5398
617 588 0343 or feenberg_at_nber.org
The intent of collecting and monitoring data confidentiality
agreements is not in any way to discourage the analysis of restricted
data -- just the opposite. I know that many researchers view the NBER's
willingness to meet agency requirements for the analysis of restricted
data as an important benefit of their NBER affiliation, and I have every
intention of preserving that situation. Doing so, however, requires
tracking the agreements that are currently in force, and reviewing new
agreements to identify key NBER responsibilities with regard to compliance.
Thank you very much for your help with this important matter. All
best wishes.
Jim
Received on Wed Oct 08 2008 - 09:02:46 EDT
