Next Practices

Next Practices welcomes higher education leaders to share their experiences and solutions for the challenges facing their students and institutions. Hosted by Katy Oliveira, the show delves into the use of data-driven strategies to address pressing questions and tackle issues in the constantly evolving landscape of higher education. Each episode provides practical advice and trends that can help leaders improve student outcomes and build financially sustainable institutions now and into the future. Next Practices is produced by Civitas Learning. Learn more at civitaslearning.com

[Bonus Episode] How to Empower Student Retention Efforts with AI 01/15/2026

Improving Student Success with a Hub-and-Spoke Advising Model 09/02/2025

Improving Student Success with a Hub-and-Spoke Advising Model What if your advising system could see students not just as a collective, but as individuals with unique needs, goals, and challenges? At the University of North Dakota, that vision is becoming reality. In this conversation, we explore how a campus-wide transformation in student advising is already producing measurable success through rising retention rates, stronger relationships, and the power of shared data. You’ll hear from Dr. Karyn Plumm, vice provost for undergraduate studies and student success, who helped spearhead the shift to a hybrid “hub-and-spoke” model of advising. She’s joined by Ashley Vigen, director for student academic success, and Katie Meyer, Hawk Central specialist and data coordinator. Together, they describe the evolution of advising at UND from a traditional faculty-led model to one where professional advisors are embedded in departments, supported by thoughtful technology, and equipped with real-time student insights. This is more than just a narrative about new software or a structural shift. It's about gaining buy-in, actively listening to stakeholders, and fostering a culture in which students don't have to rehash their tale at every turn. With intentional training, strategic communication, and a commitment to continuous improvement, this team demonstrates how institutions can transform complexity into connection and create significant, long-term change for the students they serve. Show Notes: [03:35] The University of North Dakota is a flagship four-year research institution. [04:24] Dr. Karyn Plumm is the vice provost for undergraduate studies and student success. [04:41] Ashley is the director for student academic success. [05:22] Katie is the Hawk Central Specialist and Data Coordinator. [06:16] Challenges that UND students are up against include having consistent experiences and student plans for individual advising. [07:30] They've changed to a hub-and-spoke model for advising where they have a centralized team that helps oversee all of the professional advisors. [08:50] Why they decided to change their advising model and invest in technology. [11:04] Students need different kinds of support for different roles. [12:27] The importance of sharing information including with student affairs. [14:12] What taking an intentional approach towards change management looks like. [19:07] Ashley talks about buy-in and being intentional about putting the puzzle together to adopt the technology. They've been using the product for a year and it's been very seamless. [22:51] They're always focusing on continual improvement. [23:47] Having the product meet the needs of diverse students. [24:53] They do have a strong faculty governance. Everyone has the ability to see the information that is relevant for their area. [28:02] Early indicators of success and what they're excited about. [30:21] They've also created a robust communication plan to reach all of their students. [33:51] Lessons learned include taking your time to onboard well and make sure the data is accurate. [34:39] Choose people who will be champions for the product. [36:04] Invite everyone to the table and get as many people involved as possible. Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/37904975

Ensuring Your Team is Strategically Enabled to Use Technology with Stephanie Smith Euting 08/19/2025

Ensuring Your Team is Strategically Enabled to Use Technology with Stephanie Smith Euting Introducing new technology into an institution is only the first step. Ensuring that teams are fully prepared to use it in ways that align with strategic goals is where the real work begins. Strategic enablement is more than training users on where to click. It’s equipping people to apply data and tools thoughtfully, effectively and consistently to support long term student success. In this episode I talk to Stephanie Smith Euting, Director of Strategic Enablement at Civitas Learning about turning software adoption into measurable impact. With nearly 20 years of experience in higher education and ed tech, Stephanie shares how she helps institutions move beyond one time training to build ongoing strategies that support their people, processes and priorities. She explains the difference between functional training and strategic enablement, the importance of quick wins and how to plan for long term engagement. Stephanie also talks about the common pitfalls that derail technology rollouts and offers practical advice for creating a culture of continuous learning. Whether it’s collaboration across departments, refining workflows or using predictive analytics to guide student conversations her advice is grounded in real world application. This conversation shows how a focused enablement strategy can help institutions get the most out of their tools and drive lasting change. Show Notes: [03:08] Stephanie shares a little bit about her background. [04:51] Defining strategic enablement and how it's different from training. [05:41] Strategic enablement anchors your knowledge and uses cases, strategies, and data. [07:42] The importance of having the right teams and leaders working together to understand the "why". [09:11] Stephanie loves how Civitas Learning can help support these strategies. [09:15] Adopting a “crawl, walk, run” approach to avoid overwhelm and support gradual adoption of new technologies. [10:00] Using data tools to provide real-time insights for staff, such as advisors, to support student needs effectively. [11:00] Building on initial success with predictive analytics and more proactive student engagement strategies. [12:20] The importance of layering data insights into workflows to improve academic planning and outcomes. [13:10] How ongoing reinforcement and repetition support cultural shifts and technology integration on campus. The importance of workshops. [14:35] The importance of partnerships with vendors. The value of vendor partnerships that go beyond software delivery and include strategic collaboration and support. [15:47] Applying the human touch in conjunction with the software and industry experience. [16:45] Knowledge sharing and Innovation helps us to continue to learn from each other as we strive for the next level. [17:06] Keeping up with the times and utilizing things like AI with student success tools. [18:01] Strategic enablement is ongoing. Having support in place and opportunities to engage is crucial. [19:01] Strategic enablement isn't one size fits all. It allows us to hone in on individual institutional priorities. Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/36636290

Thinking Creatively About Better Serving Adult Learners with Dr. Frank Dooley 08/05/2025

Thinking Creatively About Better Serving Adult Learners with Dr. Frank Dooley Across Purdue Global’s virtual halls 38 000 students, nearly all of them working adults, log in after shifts and school runs, yet they are moving toward Purdue degrees faster because the university treats their lived experience as real academic currency. Dr. Frank Dooley, Chancellor Emeritus of Purdue Global, explained how his team built policies that convert military medic training, corporate leadership courses, and on‑the‑job technical certificates into college credit. On Purdue’s residential campus the playbook looks different: first‑year students find peer tutoring and study‑skills boot camps embedded in their earliest classes. The result on both campuses is the same with higher completion rates driven by flexibility and timely feedback instead of a one‑size‑fits‑all schedule. I sat down with Frank to unpack the mindset shifts behind that success and the practical systems that keep it running, from micro assessments for time‑starved adults to visible walk‑in help for traditional freshmen learning to manage independence. We also talk about awarding credit for prior learning at scale, building employer partnerships that turn CHIPS Act funding into real careers, and designing courses that accommodate neurodiversity and the coming wave of AI‑driven change. If you are searching for a blueprint that leaves cookie‑cutter education behind, pull up a seat. Show Notes: [02:57] Dr. Frank Dooley has had a long career. He's a Professor of Agricultural Economics. He's been at Purdue since 1998. He went into the Provost office in 2011, and worked with undergraduate programs. In 2020, he became the chancellor of Purdue Global. [03:53] He's now on sabbatical. [04:07] We learn about the dual perspective of what students really need to be successful. [05:55] Working adults and learners who come back have all kinds of experience. They need to be able to expand that experience. [06:49] There's a lot of assessment in smaller bites. [07:55] Throwing out the playbook that was built for the traditional student population. [08:38] The adult learners may need more support. The importance of keeping in touch with learners who may have missed an assignment window. [11:21] One commonality with both groups of learners is they don't always ask for help. [12:03] The importance of using data to be proactive. [13:24] Letting traditional students know who the TAs are. [15:11] It's harder for online students to build relationships with classmates. [17:27] There are many students on the autism spectrum. Having recognition and understanding that students are different. [19:59] Unique challenges that adult learners face. [22:00] We talk about the ability to give credit for prior learning. Purdue Global has an entire center focused on this. [26:07] Adult learners are very intent on finishing as quickly as possible. [27:52] Valuing different types of education and institution types and building a more inclusive and effective higher education system. [29:39] It's important for institutions to tie to the employer base they have in their location. Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/36636250

How to Build a Strong Faculty and Staff Advising Partnership 07/22/2025

How to Build a Strong Faculty and Staff Advising Partnership Nothing beats seeing a student’s confidence bloom when the right support team steps in. At Austin Community College, Dr. Giao Phan, Dean of the Public and Social Services Division; Kathy James, a nineteen-year advising veteran who now coordinates support across every campus; and Dr. Rania Salman, Assistant Department Chair and dedicated mentor in early childhood education, have turned collaboration into an everyday habit instead of a distant goal. Dr. Phan describes how her division built trust by showing up for students and colleagues semester after semester. Kathy explains how a single advising platform finally lets faculty and advisors view the same student information, closing the gaps that once sent everyone in circles. Dr. Salman brings the story down to the classroom, sharing what it feels like to walk beside students from their first class to graduation, using each conversation as a chance to guide and encourage. You’ll hear how this trio moved from frustration to momentum through slow, thoughtful training, plain-spoken conversations, and a lot of patience. What began as a modest pilot is now a campus-wide mindset where technology serves people, silos stay open, and every student knows someone is in their corner. Show Notes: [04:11] ACC is a community college that serves in an expansive district of students throughout Texas. All of the students have access to an advisor. [05:17] There are 10 areas of study focused on specific career objectives. [06:15] As the Executive Dean for Advising, Kathy's role is overseeing the process, policies and procedures for all of their advising student services. [07:22] Giao is the Instructional Dean over the Public and Social Services Division. Her role is to help 10 academic programs and their Department chairs was scheduling their curriculum, advising, and any needed resources. [08:31] Rania's primary role is a faculty member. She's also a department chair. [09:09] We talk about their successful partnership with student affairs and faculty. They started the journey through the Guided Pathways model. [10:33] It was helpful to categorize the students by area of study. [12:08] Technology has helped create an easy way to get information to students and faculty. They needed to consolidate to just one system. The Civitas Learning Platform helps them develop partnerships from an advising standpoint with faculty, deans, and department chairs. [13:51] Having technology to communicate in place has really helped understand the roles and true responsibilities of advising and working with students. [14:10] We take a macro view of advising and how having one system makes it so much easier and possible. With Civitas they can bridge the two worlds of department chairs and student affairs. [16:27] Having communication centralized has helped get the right communication to the right people. They also can look at the touch points which have helped increase completion rates. [17:05] Having access to the data and knowing the touch points and overarching issues has also been a major game changer. [19:46] Navigating the challenges between having faculty and student affairs working together. [25:46] Kathy shares her perspective from advising and student affairs. [31:06] How to get faculty to come to the training and how is it ran. When the deans are onboard, the team also gets onboard. Deans and department chairs identify faculty to do this work. [35:08] These efforts have made their jobs easier and their programs more student focused. [36:39] Getting everyone on the same technology has made communication so much more clear and helps identify faculty that want to engage. [37:46] The note taking has created accountability and added a human touch. It's an organizational culture shift that helps students. [39:14] It's important to have a trail that lets you know if the students have received the right guidance, especially when it comes to things like declaring majors. [40:10] Achievements include getting everyone at the same place at the same time. Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/36636225

Applying the 2025 Student Success Impact Report: Insights from the Civitas Learning Customer Development Team 07/08/2025

Applying the 2025 Student Success Impact Report: Insights from the Civitas Learning Customer Development Team What if the programs designed to help students were actually making things worse or simply doing nothing at all? It’s a question more institutions are asking as they confront the hard truth: not every initiative leads to better outcomes. This episode takes a closer look at the data behind student success and how colleges and universities can learn which efforts are truly making a difference. You’ll hear from a powerhouse team at Civitas Learning who bring a combined 75 years of experience in higher education. Nova Davidson shares insights from her two decades in enrollment management and advising. Rob Friedhoff, a former advising leader at Grand Valley State, the University of Michigan, and Valdosta State, brings practical wisdom from both large research universities and regional institutions. Nathan Miller rounds out the group with a rich background in online education, curriculum design, and adult degree completion. Together, they explain how the Student Impact Report helps schools track and evaluate the actual effectiveness of their student support programs. The conversation dives deep into themes like segmentation, data-informed action, and how to build a culture of impact without overwhelming your staff. They share real-world examples of what works and what doesn’t when it comes to persistence, career readiness, and belonging. Whether you’re trying to streamline services, personalize support, or measure ROI, this episode offers actionable takeaways and a refreshing reminder that the path to student success starts with asking better questions. Show Notes: [02:32] Nova Davidson started her higher ed. journey about 20 years ago in Enrollment Management and Admissions. She's been working with schools for the last 9 years with Civitas. [03:02] Rob Friedhoff spent about 20 years on campus and grew up in the advising world. He joined the team at Civitas about 3 years ago. [03:54] Nathan Miller has been with Civitas for just over a year. Prior to that he spent 15 years in higher education. [04:52] The Student Success Impact Report is a broad look across everything that's being evaluated. There are a number of initiatives that don't have an impact on student outcomes. This creates a disconnect between effort and investment. [06:05] Ways that customers are using initiative analysis to inform and improve student success. They use segmentation to identify what really should be focused on. [07:04] They use the platform in an iterative manner and continue to build upon that. [08:11] This report helps campuses know what caused an increase in retention or persistence. [09:04] Understanding what's happening helps with wise decisions about where resources should be utilized. [10:04] Nathan talks about the importance of understanding what it is that's actually working so focus can be continued on that. [11:05] Building teams around taking a look at data and making data informed decisions. [12:21] Measuring the impact of work allows successful teams to celebrate their wins. [13:59] The theme from our findings include holistically supporting students throughout their experience. [15:05] How automated outreach can sometimes be counterproductive. [16:04] Themes that are becoming more and more important include career outcomes. How do students' interactions impact their journey? Connectedness and supporting student success. [17:40] Taking down the business process barriers and opening opportunities to students. [18:19] Using impact analysis to measure career decisions or completion rates. [19:48] The importance of understanding the data and who is actually being impacted by it. The data can uncover student populations we might not be aware of such as students who hit certain cumulative GPA tipping points. [22:12] Best practices for measuring the impact of your programs. [24:34] Having data informed work can be useful in knowing which initiatives to focus on. [25:44] Data can help with having conversations about the willingness to take action. [29:42] Talking about assessing, measuring, and evaluating and then understanding how to apply these findings. Ways to turn insights into actions. [32:27] Tips and lessons learned. Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/37335460

How UVU’s Student Success Specialists Build Connection Through Proactive Outreach 06/24/2025

How UVU’s Student Success Specialists Build Connection Through Proactive Outreach When students need support, it often makes all the difference when help feels personal, not procedural. At Utah Valley University, Ryan Bailey, Director of the Student Success Center, and Jamie Muhlestein, Associate Director of Student Success and Support, have helped build an innovative program that brings recent graduates and upperclassmen into part-time professional roles, focused on reaching out to students exactly when they need it most. Through consistent, genuine conversations mostly by text, the specialists are helping students stay connected, navigate challenges, and feel seen throughout their college journey. In this conversation, Ryan and Jamie share how UVU is transforming traditional student support by making relationship-building a core strategy. We explore how small but powerful changes, like removing unnecessary financial holds and assigning students a consistent point of contact, have had a measurable impact on retention and graduation rates. It is a reminder that sometimes the biggest difference comes from simply reaching out in a way that feels real, caring, and tailored to the individual. You will also hear how UVU is expanding its efforts to support juniors, seniors, and even students who left school just shy of graduating. By combining data, outreach, and human connection, Ryan and Jamie are showing what’s possible when a university leads with empathy and action. Show Notes: [01:43] We're talking about how UVU Student Success Center created student success specialist roles for recent graduates and upper-class students. [02:09] They are helping out with a number of initiatives through texting and calling from welcoming them to campus to seeing if a student has logged into a particular class. [02:35] They have had wild success with the Student Success Specialist roles. [05:08] UVU is in Orem, Utah with an enrollment of around 43,000 students. It's open enrollment. [06:16] The Student Success Center supports students broadly. [06:42] Jamie is the Associate Director for Student Success and Support here in the Student Success Center. Her role is helping to manage the Student Success Center and the different programs within it. [06:54] They have a leave of absence program. There's also tuition waivers which helps with retention and completion. There's also coaching and Student Success programs. [07:43] Being able to help students with anything under the sun is one of the most sought after jobs in education. [08:28] Ryan talks about some of the top challenges that they face. [10:24] Jamie talks about the leave of absence program for people taking a religious mission. [12:45] Eliminating holds help them be more free and open with students when helping them with registration. They wanted to navigate the barriers that students would face. [14:33] They are working on a lot of cool projects and are trying everything. They have a centralized Success Center and want to be the main hub for any help students need. [16:54] They have nine Student Success Specialists that are part-time employees. They are all recent or current students and that's where the peer mentorship comes in. [17:59] They use the Civitas system to house their early alerts. All of the faculty on campus have access to the platform through the learning management system which they use Canvas for. [18:36] Faculty can submit an early alert before the student drops. [19:19] The student will get a text within one business day. [20:23] Texting has been really beneficial for the students. [22:15] The messages are personalized, so they don't resend the same exact text again. [24:45] They also have three full-time members who are dedicated liaisons to other resources on campus. [30:35] Having the right people in the right positions makes all the difference. [33:23] Time to brag about the impact that these student programs are having at UVU. They've seen positive trends in retention with a 3% bump. [34:53] Retention Mentors begin in 2012. In 2020, they became a Success Specialist, and now they're the Student Success Center. [38:58] They just started having full-time success coaches called Student Success Coordinators. They've also done outreach for “some college, no degree”. [43:15] UVU is a great place to work! Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/36636190

How an IR-Led Outreach Experiment Boosted Student Persistence at Greenville Technical College 06/10/2025

How an IR-Led Outreach Experiment Boosted Student Persistence at Greenville Technical College When a simple check-in email leads to a 77 percent increase in student persistence, it’s clear something powerful is happening. At Greenville Technical College, data is more than numbers on a dashboard. It’s a way to connect, support, and transform student outcomes. What started as a pilot outreach project by a team of data analysts quickly became a catalyst for campus-wide change. In this episode, Kevin McMindes shares how his team used predictive analytics and personalized outreach to make a real difference. From identifying students most in need of support to tracking the impact of advising appointments, Kevin explains how they turned insight into action and why even small efforts done with care can move the needle in a big way. You’ll hear how one advising appointment per student became a game-changing goal, how initiative analysis revealed which programs delivered the greatest return, and how empathy combined with data can drive meaningful and lasting impact. If you're looking for practical ways to support students at scale without losing the human touch, this episode will give you a roadmap. Show Notes: [03:04] Greenville Technical College is one of 16 technical colleges in South Carolina. They serve 10,000 to 12,000 students per term. It's their mission to empower and impact student's lives. [03:49] Kevin is Assistant Director of Analytics. [04:33] We learn about challenges like persistence rate and retention rate. [05:12] They adopted the four disciplines of execution. [06:12] They had a goal to reach out to students who were in the lower persistence rate. [07:05] They reached out to their students and tracked the results. When they charged it out they realized they were actually moving a lot of students. [07:25] By the end of the fall, they had moved 219 students. [08:23] The actual numbers were higher than their predictions. They went from a 32.5% predicted persistence to 58% actual persistence. [11:13] There were a number of students who needed to be connected with resources. [13:17] After the study, people wanted training and a lot of it was about convincing them that this is going to make their lives easier. [13:35] A lot of students can be reached out to with a single email. [14:40] They decided to set a goal to have each student have an advising appointment. They used the Inspire platform and pulled the data and put it in a dashboard to drill down. [15:38] They accomplished 44% of their goal and then 109%. [16:10] With that success, they started focusing on what's really good for students. [17:16] Kevin shares his analysis strategy using the Civitas platform. [19:40] Kevin shares how advising is structured at Greenville Tech. [21:09] With the 40x results they've had, a lot of people are interested in using the predictive analytics platform. [22:20] Being able to segment the students is key. [24:48] As part of the Strategic Data Project that was operated out of the Harvard Center for Education Policy and Research, Kevin was able to look at success initiatives and analyze them. [26:12] They also discovered Brainfuse Online Tutoring was effective and cheap. [27:28] The idea of reaching out to scholarship recipients and asking how it's going. [31:55] The importance of having a renewed focus on an advising appointment for the student. It's important for students to have a personal connection with somebody on campus. [36:32] It's so helpful to be able to personalize messages even when they're sent out at scale. [38:15] Individuals can make a difference. Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/36636165

From Pressure to Possibility: Navigating the New Realities of Higher Ed 05/27/2025

From Pressure to Possibility: Navigating the New Realities of Higher Ed Higher education stands at a crossroads. With growing public skepticism about the value of a college degree and mounting financial demands on both students and institutions, the need for bold, student-centered leadership has never been greater. Today, you'll hear from someone who has not only confronted these problems, but also turned them into possibilities for positive change. My guest, Dr. Nicholas S. Zeppos, Chancellor Emeritus of Vanderbilt University, shares the story of Opportunity Vanderbilt, one of higher education's most ambitious financial assistance efforts, and what it took to erase undergraduate debt while boosting access and student achievement. He discusses the groundbreaking developments taking place in the sector, ranging from enrollment cliffs and rising costs to political scrutiny and the need to rethink how institutions serve communities. This episode is a strong call to action for higher education executives to change old behaviors, get closer to their data, and stay engaged with both their internal and external audiences. Dr. Zeppos provides practical advice on how colleges should make the case for their worth, embrace transparency, and develop new solutions to guarantee students prosper in and after college. Show Notes: [03:12] Vanderbilt has about 6,500 undergraduates getting a fairly traditional liberal arts experience. They are alsod a hybrid Institution with a large research university. [04:41] Dr. Zeppos has been at Vanderbilt almost 40 years and has held almost every job except football coach. [05:10] We learn about making the case for access and providing resources for access to college. The high loan burden at Vanderbilt was deterring enrollment. [06:01] Creating Opportunity Vanderbilt and raising $700 billion dollars has transformed the campus, graduation, and completion. No Vanderbilt undergraduate will leave with undergraduate debt. [07:19] The college experience is more than getting a degree, it's also setting students up for success. [08:43] It's really important to prepare students by focusing on their psychological, emotional, social, and academic development. [09:48] Dr. Zeppos wanted to go from a model of is the student graduating to is the student thriving? [10:53] The importance of using data to connect and prioritize focus and services. [12:39] There's also challenges with perception and the perceived value of higher education. [13:29] There's a dramatic reset going on with universities and colleges. [15:22] Universities and colleges are dealing with enrollment cliffs and funding cuts or even endowment taxes. [16:36] How the expenses of higher education are growing faster than the revenues. [18:32] How leaders can shift and start to think differently about the value higher education offers. [20:14] College presidents and boards need to get out and talk to congress and their senators. [23:20] There needs to be a solution with the costs of higher education. [26:17] Using data and having an economic impact statement. [27:11] Dr. Zeppos used to have the Saturday Rhodes Scholars once a month. [28:11] The importance of physically presenting yourself in the local communities and with constituents. Listen and be part of the solution. [30:51] To get started do a full-blown audit. How connected are you with the community and leaders? Look for solutions to lower costs. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/36258465

Creating a Data-Driven and Proactive Student Support System with UNC Asheville 05/13/2025

Creating a Data-Driven and Proactive Student Support System with UNC Asheville Student success in higher education isn’t just about reacting to problems — it’s about building systems that anticipate them. And at the University of North Carolina Asheville, that proactive approach is making all the difference. Joining today’s conversation are two incredible leaders who are doing this work every day: Regine Criser, Director of Student Success, and Lynne Horgan, University Registrar. Regine oversees UNC Asheville’s Academic Success Center, leading efforts in advising, writing support, and peer tutoring, while Lynne brings over 25 years of experience to her role managing student records and registration processes. Together, they’ve built a powerful partnership — one that bridges student success and the registrar’s office in ways that are still rare across higher ed. In this episode, they share how UNC Asheville is leveraging data, technology, and collaboration to support students holistically — especially during moments of crisis like Hurricane Helene. You’ll hear how they’ve tackled challenges like retention and graduation rates, how they communicate with students in real time during emergencies, and why their integrated approach is leading to real results — including their largest year-over-year retention increase ever. They also offer a behind-the-scenes look at how breaking down internal silos, using tools like Civitas Learning, and focusing on personalized, proactive outreach is helping their students not just stay — but thrive. Show Notes: [03:33] UNC Asheville is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina. They are the designated public liberal arts and sciences school of the UNC system. [05:11] A common challenge across institutions of higher education is fall-to- fall retention. They experienced the dip in the fall of 2021. They were focused on building the retention rate up to 80%. [06:19] They were concerned after Hurricane Helene, because they thought it would be another derailleur in retention and graduation rates. The work they had already put in helped carry them forward. [07:47] One of the biggest challenges was navigating so much data. It really helps to have it all in one system. [09:25] Most of their students fall into the traditional student category. More than half of them need to work alongside school. [10:26] After the hurricane, they needed to embrace their students who had a variety of needs. [11:13] The registrar's office is focusing on two primary action items. These are registration and graduation applications. [12:15] It was also important to get updated information and deadlines out after the hurricane. [13:26] They also have student success specialists that can help students explore available support systems. [14:42] They were also able to text all of their students through one platform, and then they could focus on the information that they're getting to the students. [18:52] People, processes, and technology adopted in recent years to help implement and facilitate their approach to student care. [20:56] Civitas has really helped them reach the goals that they've been trying to achieve. [21:41] How collaboration between student affairs and the registrar office really makes a huge difference. [22:46] We learn how they're leveraging data and technology to support their work. [27:51] Lynn and Regine get a little time to brag about how well their system is working. Students registering on time is huge. Seeing the data also helps them make decisions that better suit the students on their paths. [29:48] Their intentional work also played a role in a 5% increase in retention. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/36258435

Developing a Holistic Approach to Enrollment Decline with Phillip Hunt 08/20/2024

Developing a Holistic Approach to Enrollment Decline with Phillip Hunt Welcome back to Next Practices! Today, we're delving into a critical topic for universities and colleges: declining enrollment. Join us as we explore how North Dakota State University (NDSU) is spearheading a holistic approach to tackle this challenge head-on. Our guest for today's episode is Philip Hunt, Special Assistant to the President & University Registrar at NDSU. With over 20 years of experience in higher education, including roles at institutions like George Mason University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Dr. Hunt brings a wealth of expertise to the table. At NDSU, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the university's strategic planning for retention and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. In this conversation, we'll dive into NDSU's multi-faceted approach to declining enrollment. From developing a comprehensive framework to leveraging student success analytics, Dr. Hunt will share invaluable insights into how NDSU is proactively addressing this challenge. We'll also explore the importance of building cross-functional relationships and data insights across campus, highlighting the collaborative efforts that are key to driving positive change. Show Notes: [2:20] - Phil shares his background and his role at North Dakota State University. [4:03] - Enrollment is much more than admissions. Phil describes what enrollment looks like at NDSU. [5:18] - It is important to do our best to keep existing students enrolled. Amping up retention is key. [7:02] - One of the outcomes of their mission to solidify their retention strategy is to partner with Civitas. [8:05] - NDSU asked several questions, explored the data to answer them, and let those answers drive their focus. [9:31] - There are a lot of things we look at individually that are all connected to enrollment. [11:02] - If we cannot ensure that we have adequate structures in place that support our goals and priorities, a change needs to be made. [13:41] - NDSU incorporates everyone and emphasizes collaboration across campus in this initiative. [15:53] - Phil shares some of the problems discovered when digging into data and what they have leaned into and leveraged to improve. [19:08] - Improvement is always a work in progress. [21:19] - Institutions are really good at collecting data. But what makes the difference is how they use that data. [24:03] - In years past, data tends to get siloed with leadership. But it’s the insights the data brings to the entire institution that leads to change and progress. [26:04] - We can’t truly control enrollment. But we can control how we interact with students and the services we provide to support them. [28:13] - What early indicator successes are NDSU experiencing now? [29:48] - Phil explains that advising is the greatest success and what is really pushing the institution’s success in student retention. [32:11] - Because all faculty have access to data, everyone is on the same page. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/31377792

Integrating Data Systems to Improve Student Outcomes with Chris Campbell 08/06/2024

Integrating Data Systems to Improve Student Outcomes with Chris Campbell In our rapidly evolving educational landscape, it's crucial to recognize that students are not just statistics or numbers; they are individuals with unique challenges, needs, and aspirations. As educational leaders, it's imperative to adopt a holistic approach that considers the whole human behind the student. Joining us is Chris Campbell, the Chief Information Officer at Devry University. With a wealth of experience in higher education technology and strategy, Chris spearheads the university's efforts to reinvent the learning experience and infuse data-informed decisions across the institution. Today, we delve into how Devry University leverages innovative technology, including AI and data analytics, to provide personalized support to students, ensuring they receive the assistance they need to succeed on their academic journey. By understanding students at a deeper level and tailoring support accordingly, institutions can empower students to achieve their goals and thrive in their educational pursuits. Throughout this episode, we'll explore how Devry University's data-driven approach and focus on the whole student experience are revolutionizing higher education and fostering student success. From leveraging behavioral psychology to harnessing the power of data analytics, we'll uncover valuable insights and strategies that can inform and inspire educational leaders in their mission to support student growth and achievement. Show Notes: [2:20] - Chris describes Devry University, their mission, and his role as Chief Information Officer. [3:35] - There is a culture of strong continuous improvement at Devry University and they are “data-hungry.” [4:48] - Devry has the award-winning Devry Digital Care Engine that combines technologies and data management strategies to provide support to students. [6:10] - How is AI technology integrated into the Digital Care Engine? [7:56] - They have a centralized CRM where student journeys are housed. This enables Devry to be able to easily access data they need to drive decisions. [10:16] - By using data to see student trends, they could see an opportunity to support students effectively. [12:23] - Behavioral psychology and understanding has been applied to this as well. Support is crafted per student as they are all individuals on their own journey. [13:56] - Data does a great job providing opportunities to explore and then when put into the context of a whole person, we can identify what assistance is needed. [16:02] - At Devry, leveraging data is part of their culture. [19:10] - Student community also has an impact on student success. [20:35] - Chris shares his advice from his perspective and role at Devry. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/31377767

Using Technology to Streamline the Student Experience with The Higher Ed Geek, Dustin Ramsdell 07/23/2024

Using Technology to Streamline the Student Experience with The Higher Ed Geek, Dustin Ramsdell In this episode, I’m speaking with Dustin Ramsdell, host of The Higher Ed Geek Podcast. The Higher Ed Geek explores the impact of edtech on the student experience by speaking with diverse leaders from institutions, companies, and nonprofit organizations. We are extending that conversation to the Next Practices Podcast as we think about ways to use technology to streamline the student experience. In our conversation, we discuss interesting trends Dustin is seeing in his conversations with higher ed leaders, common challenges, and interesting ways institutions can leverage data and technology to streamline and ease the student experience. Dustin's expertise sheds light on emerging trends, such as the growing importance of partnerships in higher education, and the innovative approaches institutions are taking to address student needs. We explore the critical challenge of student awareness and how technology can bridge the gap, ensuring students are informed about available resources. Moreover, we uncover the diverse challenges and barriers institutions face, emphasizing the importance of a tailored approach that aligns with each institution's unique culture. From empowering students to equipping support staff with the necessary tools, we examine the pivotal role of a cohesive digital ecosystem in fostering student success. Show Notes: [2:14] - Dustin shares his background and how he found himself in his current career. [5:26] - Dustin has always been drawn to the student experience side of things. [7:40] - There is a unique opportunity to create pathways for students that are accessible and provide relevant and engaging skills. [10:36] - One trendline that is up and coming is partnerships. [13:11] - There are a lot of different things that institutions and technology companies are doing to streamline the student experience. [16:16] - A big concern is lack of student awareness of resources and things going on around campus. [18:20] - Challenges and barriers may vary per institution and campus culture. [20:32] - Some students don’t know the questions to ask. [23:03] - There are a lot of staff and faculty to help students, but technology is an essential tool in tackling student success challenges. [26:27] - Both for the student experience and the experience of support staff, there needs to be a cohesive digital ecosystem. [29:06] - How can we get staff across an entire institution on the same page and leverage the tools they have? [31:17] - Base everything on best practices, but be flexible for your unique institution’s culture. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/30743258

Building an Appreciative Campus with Dr. Jenny Bloom 07/09/2024

Building an Appreciative Campus with Dr. Jenny Bloom Today, we're exploring ways to expand appreciative inquiry, a framework designed to empower students by focusing on their unique strengths, passions, and aspirations, beyond advising to all facets of campus. Joining us is the esteemed Dr. Jenny Bloom, a trailblazer in the field of educational leadership and the visionary behind the Office of Appreciative Education at Florida Atlantic University. Dr. Bloom brings a wealth of experience and insight to the table, drawing from her extensive background as a tenured professor and former President of NACADA, the global community for academic advising professionals. In this conversation, Dr. Bloom shares the origins of Appreciative Advising, its profound impact on student success, and practical strategies for integrating appreciative inquiry across academic institutions. From the power of reflective questioning to the potential synergy between AI technology and human connection, Dr. Bloom offers a lot of great information for educators, advisors, and anyone passionate about fostering positive change in higher education. Show Notes: [2:34] - Jenny shares her background and how she found herself in her current position through an unusual journal. [5:48] - The second she met with students in advising, she knew that it was exactly what she wanted to do for the rest of her career. [7:17] - Many students come in not knowing exactly what they want to do, but even if a student has decided, things change. [8:53] - Reflection is so crucial for students when making decisions, but for everyone as well in their careers. [10:37] - Jenny explains how Appreciative Advising was developed and how the concept changed the trajectory of her own career. [12:50] - What does Appreciative Advising look like in action? [15:33] - This framework has spread and can be used in many different spaces. It’s all about building trust with other people. [16:36] - The questions we ask matter. We can see potential in other people when we are curious instead of judgmental. [18:34] - Sometimes, we need someone else to see our own potential to see it ourselves. [22:28] - Part of advising is to make sure a student’s mind is open to change and possibilities they haven’t considered before. [25:10] - The questions we ask through Appreciative Advising lead us to a student’s story. [29:00] - Jenny describes some of the phases of Appreciative Advising. [31:02] - By having a powerful framework, it can be used to guide interactions as well as onboard new employees. [33:09] - The combination of AI support and human connection through Appreciative Advising has the potential to be very powerful. [36:30] - AI can be used to help generate questions and shorten the learning curve of forming questions in an appreciative way. [39:36] - When we use a SWAT approach, we tend to focus on the negatives. What happens when you take a SOAR approach? [42:26] - Part of a strategic plan is the need to adapt and room for flexibility. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/31377677

Inside Look at the 2024 Student Success Impact Report with Sarah Demeo 06/25/2024

Inside Look at the 2024 Student Success Impact Report with Sarah Demeo Welcome to today's episode, where we dive into the insights from this year's Civitas Learning Student Success Impact Report. I'm thrilled to be joined by Sarah Demeo, a dedicated data analyst at Civitas Learning, who has extensive experience in higher education, having worked in academics and student affairs for over a decade. Together, Sarah and I develop this report annually to share the latest trends and successful strategies for student success across our partnering institutions. In this episode, we’ll explore the process behind our analysis, highlighting the data included and the key findings of this year’s report. We aim to provide higher education leaders with actionable insights to enhance their student success initiatives. Sarah will share how regular initiative analysis can improve retention and graduation rates while ensuring financial sustainability. We’ll discuss the value these reports offer by identifying effective strategies and areas needing improvement. Sarah will highlight the differences between this year’s report and last year’s, including post-Covid data points that shed light on the pandemic’s impact on educational trends. . Show Notes: [2:41] - Sarah shares her background, particularly her roles at Civitas Learning. [3:35] - An impact report is a compilation of initiatives that partnering institutions are running. [6:03] - Students and the landscape of higher education is constantly changing, so these assessments should be ongoing to give directional insights. [8:15] - These types of reports provide significant value to institutions as we can see trends on what is working and what is not. [9:42] - What is a propensity score? [11:45] - Initiatives can be broken down to see how they impact different groups of students. [14:26] - The Initiative Analysis tool allows you to strategically target resources. [15:56] - Sarah describes the differences between this year’s report and last year’s. [18:05] - These data points begin post-Covid to better understand Covid’s impact on trends. [20:18] - Sarah discusses co-curricular engagement and other trends in this year’s report. [24:13] - Learn some of the data to investigate and measure that isn’t currently showing up on this year’s report. [27:13] - Initiative Analysis is a great way to dive into conversations about student success across the institution. [29:24] - It’s a powerful tool that allows leaders to be real thought partners and see how student success manifests across campus. [31:21] - What types of opportunities can be found in this report? Links and Resources: Watch On-Demand: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/31569472

Advising Diverse Students Both Online and On Campus with Dr. Jeffrey Taylor 06/11/2024

Advising Diverse Students Both Online and On Campus with Dr. Jeffrey Taylor Today, I am delighted to be talking with Dr. Jeffrey Taylor, from the University of Texas at Arlington. Our focus is on how this institution is effectively serving students, both in-person and online, from various parts of the country. We'll delve into the strategies employed by UT Arlington to ensure these students not only enroll in the necessary courses but also successfully navigate their academic journey towards graduation. Dr. Taylor provides valuable insights into the diverse student population at UT Arlington, comprising individuals with distinct needs and backgrounds. From implementing tailored online advising sessions to leveraging data analytics for smoother graduation processes, UT Arlington is at the forefront of innovative student support methodologies. Join us as we explore the intricacies of managing a diverse student body, the challenges encountered, and the strategies employed to ensure student success. From personalized advising approaches to the integration of technology-driven solutions, we'll uncover the multifaceted efforts undertaken by UT Arlington to empower nursing students on their academic path. Show Notes: [2:32] - Dr. Taylor describes what he does in his role at the University of Texas at Arlington. [3:58] - A large portion of the student population are online students from across the county. [5:45] - There are four types of students that come to this institution including both in-person and online students. [7:51] - In addition to different types of programs, the demographics is also very diverse. [9:41] - Jeffrey explains how they handle an advising team for such a diverse population with a lot of different needs. [11:58] - In order to build a great advising team, advisors are put in the best place for them to serve students in different pathways. [14:06] - The whole goal is to get everyone where they need to go and that includes both students and faculty. [16:48] - If we don’t take care of our students and give them the connections they need, they will go somewhere else. [18:40] - To meet the need of distance students beginning the program through a rolling enrollment, they created frequent online orientations and advising sessions. [21:11] - It is possible to use data and analytics to predict questions. [23:14] - Working with people is not an efficient process. We can give someone the things they need or want, but they may still leave the conversation feeling like something was missing. [25:05] - Looking forward, UT at Arlington is transitioning to a case management model blended with group advising. [27:41] - A group mechanism to support students solves a lot of potential problems. [29:46] - How are advisors, especially online, connecting with students who might not advocate for themselves and ask for support? [32:21] - Jeffrey describes a scenario of possible conversations you can have with students and the responsibility of the advisor. [33:59] - Some students won’t know what to ask. [36:30] - It is important to get everyone on board and unified behind a mission of student success. What does that look like at UT at Arlington? [39:37] - Dr. Taylor shares how they use Civitas Learning. [41:41] - You can’t stop at something working a little bit. You’ve got to continue pushing the envelope to find something better. [44:04] - Even in the same institution and the same program, flexibility is crucial. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/30743193

Delivering Holistic Support at a Large Urban Community College District with Dr. Ruth Reinhart 05/28/2024

Delivering Holistic Support at a Large Urban Community College District with Dr. Ruth Reinhart In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. Ruth Reinhart, the Associate Vice Chancellor of Student Support Services at Austin Community College (ACC) in Austin, Texas. With over 35,000 students spread across 11 campuses, ACC serves as a beacon of opportunity in the community, but also faces unique challenges in supporting its diverse student body. Dr. Reinhart takes us on a journey through ACC's proactive and holistic approach to student success, leveraging analytics and integrated student success case management tools. From reimagining advisor-student interactions to launching innovative initiatives like Academic Alerts, ACC is at the forefront of fostering student support and empowerment. Join us as we explore the collaborative efforts between instructional faculty and support services to build a system that not only meets students' needs but also cultivates a culture of success and inclusivity. This episode offers invaluable insights into the transformative impact of data-driven strategies and proactive support mechanisms on student outcomes, paving the way for a brighter future in higher education. Show Notes: [2:06] - Ruth describes her role at Austin Community College and the huge reach the institution has in the community. [3:26] - Having a huge and diverse population is a positive opportunity for ACC, it does pose some unique challenges. [4:51] - The future vision of ACC is to offer free tuition. [6:14] - They are very intentional and proactive in their case management per student. [8:20] - Students at ACC are not required to see their advisors, but Ruth describes what they do instead. [11:11] - ACC launched Academic Alerts a few years ago that has boosted student support greatly and has helped instructors provide what they need. [12:39] - The students who need the most help are typically not the students who advocate for themselves and seek support from advisors. [13:47] - When Ruth began at ACC, the walk-in model and full advisor schedules were common. This isn’t the trend anymore. [15:54] - The tools they use provide a holistic snapshot for users to see and help make this journey successful for students. [17:30] - In years past, this type of support was simply not possible. [20:05] - Instructional faculty was heavily involved in building the Academic Alerts. [22:02] - If free tuition is on the horizon for ACC, how will these systems support students and what are the challenges they foresee? [24:24] - It is a shift in campus culture, but one that is worth making. [26:28] - By using Civitas Learning Platforms, everything is all in one place. [28:45] - There is a lot of data and it's important to use it strategically. [30:36] - Students who went through high school during Covid-19 are really struggling. [32:43] - Ruth discusses some strategies in how they are helping students obtain certificates and credentials along the way. [34:48] - Students don’t always know the questions to ask, so it is our responsibility to advise and support them. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/30574978

Creating a Unified Student Success Culture With Dr. Allison Hoffman 05/14/2024

Creating a Unified Student Success Culture With Dr. Allison Hoffman Welcome back to another season of Next Practices Podcast! In this episode, we're talking about how coordinating student success efforts across campus boosts retention. Today, I am thrilled to be joined by Dr. Allison Hoffmann, the Assistant Vice President of Admissions and Student Success at Northwest Missouri State University. Together, we'll explore the remarkable journey of Northwest Missouri State University, to transform student success and fulfill its mission to help every student succeed everyday. Dr. Hoffmann will walk us through the university's transformative approach to student success, emphasizing their commitment to a shared philosophy that places every student at the center of their mission. We'll learn how they've harnessed the power of integrative technology, such as Civitas Learning, to streamline and coordinate their efforts campus-wide. From fostering a holistic understanding of the student journey to empowering students to actively engage in their academic planning, Northwest Missouri State University's innovative strategies pave the way for enhanced retention rates and a brighter future for all. Show Notes: [2:17] - Dr. Hoffmann describes Northwest Missouri State University and what her role is as Assistant VP of Admissions. [4:14] - The mission there is to focus on student success: Every student, every day. [5:23] - Institutions really need to look at the entire institution to see the student journey and what success looks like. [7:17] - It can’t just be advising. There are so many people across campus that a student interacts with on their student journey. [9:06] - Dr. Hoffmann explains how they adopted a campus-wide philosophy to ensure everyone was brought together. [10:35] - Using technology, they are able to see a student’s journey and help ensure their success. [12:38] - A student doesn’t want to tell their story over and over again. [13:45] - Dr. Hoffmann describes how they use technology to create, modify, and update plans for every student. [15:23] - When students have an active part in their own academic planning, they are more likely to persist. [17:02] - You can remove barriers by streamlining processes not only for staff, but for students as well. [19:14] - What were the goals at Northwest Missouri State University and how are they being worked towards? [21:08] - It is important to have champions from other teams and everyone using a streamlined system. [24:14] - Dr. Hoffman lists recent factors that have impacted student success and retention. [27:01] - It is important for staff education to provide an understanding of the data that student success efforts measure. [30:16] - Think big about what you hope to accomplish. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/30492608

Partnering with Institutional Research to Improve Student Outcomes | Dr. Steve Wilkerson, Dr. Tammy Wyatt, UTSA 08/08/2023

Partnering with Institutional Research to Improve Student Outcomes | Dr. Steve Wilkerson, Dr. Tammy Wyatt, UTSA Today, we are joined by Dr. Steve Wilkerson and Dr. Tammy Wyatt of the University of Texas San Antonio. Dr. Wilkerson is the Associate Vice President and Chief Analytics Officer, and Dr. Wyatt is Vice Provost for Student Success. You can catch an earlier conversation with Dr. Wyatt in Episode 5. Today we’re talking about how the UTSA Student Success Team works closely together with Institutional Research to improve student outcomes. We talk about how they’ve deconstructed silos, how IR works together with campus partners to support proactive student success, and how regular evaluation of their student success initiatives allows the UTSA team to be responsive rather than reactive to student needs. Show Notes: [2:35] - Dr. Wilkerson and Dr. Wyatt share their background and current roles at UTSA. [5:16] - Dr. Wyatt describes the way the Student Success team is structured at UTSA and the programs they offer. [8:04] - As they saw continued success, the work became more refined. It’s less about the what and more about the how now. [10:11] - When something is in place, things tend to plateau, but small gains add up. [12:50] - What has driven Dr. Wilkerson is access to data and asking the right questions. [14:37] - What does it look like to integrate and partner with IR? [17:39] - All programs have been analyzed by the Impact tool in Civitas. This has helped UTSA be more efficient. [19:14] - Conversations go now much differently from how things were a few years ago. [21:03] - This helped the institution to deconstruct silos. [22:19] - Supporting students from start to finish is the goal for everyone on campus. [23:45] - How can we support sustainable student success? [25:04] - Faculty has appreciated the data that shows how their support is a part of student success. [27:47] - The data gives the information needed to decide how to approach student success. [28:33] - Learn what Impact Analysis in Civitas Learning does. [31:15] - Dr. Wilkerson shares what he likes about the tool and the benefits it has brought to the team. [33:43] - They started working with IR around the start of Covid-19. It might be time to reassess and see the differences over time. [36:01] - The data shows points that may be surprising and helps you understand the why. [39:02] - How do we drive in the students that need help and aren’t coming? [42:10] - We can reflect on our own educational journey and think of moments that changed our trajectory. [44:33] - Most institutions are doing a lot of what, but are they really thinking about how? Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/27598368

Improving Community College Enrollment & Completion | Dr. Marisa Vernon-White, LCCC 07/25/2023

Improving Community College Enrollment & Completion | Dr. Marisa Vernon-White, LCCC Today on the show, I’m talking with Dr. Marissa Vernon White, Vice President of Enrollment Management and Student Services at Lorain County Community College. We begin by discussing Lorain County Community College’s use of data-informed collaboration and case management to understand the needs of its students and the broader community. We also talk about how they established data-informed practice not only across their leadership teams but at all levels of the institution, including departments and even individual advisors. One myth debunked in our conversation is that you need one platform to do everything. Instead, we explore why it's important to strategically connect all your systems, like student success analytics, case management systems, and student-centered scheduling to reduce tasks and make more room for developing students. Dr. Vernon White also shows how using student success analytics has allowed her team to deliver proactive and personalized support at a scale dramatically changing and shaping student outcomes. Show Notes: [3:01] - Dr. White shares her background and current role at Lorain County Community College. [4:36] - There’s a difference between being a community college and being the community’s college. [5:56] - LCCC has always strived to be student-centered, and the first priority is to know who their students are. [6:52] - For them, it is important to have a rich data culture so they can zero in on the students they serve at a student-ready college. [8:37] - From a data perspective, LCCC has gotten very sophisticated in its use of data and what they prioritize to lean into. [10:24] - Student success has been a journey at LCCC, and Dr. Vernon White shares their experience and how they use data to generate dialogue. [12:05] - Their Enrollment Planning Council at LCCC is using enrollment and persistence data generated by Civitas Learning to have conversations with students. [13:24] - Data helps direct advisors to the students who need them the most and can help move the needle forward. Data helps shape the action. [16:05] - What strategies at LCCC are the ones that are moving the needle forward? [17:41] - Empowering everyone with the information, advisors can reach students in their own unique style to boost the student experience. [19:41] - Having the macro picture can actually help bring it down to a micro level. [22:48] - What are the tools and systems used at LCCC that make this work possible? [24:11] - Your systems need to support your action. [26:40] - Technology has evolved, and the systems available can make more time for the human to human conversations and guidance. [28:32] - Another benefit to these systems is improved data literacy among faculty. [30:19] - More things pop up in data, but keep the focus on the transformational pieces that drive action. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/26796219

Implementing a Data-Activated Advising Model | Allison Chase Padula, RWU 07/11/2023

Implementing a Data-Activated Advising Model | Allison Chase Padula, RWU In this episode, I’m talking with Allison Chase Padula, Assistant Provost for Student Success at Roger Williams University. Roger Williams University is a liberal arts college in Bristol, Rhode Island. We discuss how this liberal arts institution navigates the enrollment cliff, mental health crisis, and enduring impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. We also talk about their transition from a faculty advising model to a first-year professional advising model and how student success analytics and intelligent case management software enable faculty and staff to deliver proactive student support. Their innovative approach ensures that all students are successful while also ensuring faculty aren't stretched too thin. To do this, faculty and professional advisors use actionable analytics to provide proactive support and create an environment where all students can be successful. Show Notes: [2:10] - Allison shares her background in higher education and her current role at Roger Williams University. [3:47] - Roger Williams University is a Liberal Arts institution, but it offers something unique. [4:55] - There are demographic changes on the horizon, and they are trying to plan for it. [6:27] - The pandemic left institutions with many big questions. [8:02] - At about the same time as the pandemic, Roger Williams was working on their vision and strategic planning. [9:55] - Student success is a key component of their strategic planning and is prominent in their vision. [11:01] - Allison shares how each component in the strategic planning has aligned many other initiatives that are making a difference. [12:14] - Allison describes some of the services they offer for first-year students and the extra support they need. [13:39] - At Roger Williams, they offer seminars that help explain things to first-year students, and they have moved to a first-year professional advising model. [14:57] - Civitas gives staff the tools needed to advise these first-year students best. [16:27] - After their first year, students move to a different advisor that gives them the preparation for their later years in the institution and what comes next. [17:49] - Change management presents challenges but also opportunities. [19:00] - There is a lot of change happening at the same time at Roger Williams. It’s important to know how people react to change. [20:52] - With the new advising model for first-year students, advisors get the time and space to really connect with their students. [22:54] - What are the challenges in higher education that we don’t always do a good job of communicating? [25:00] - Proactively supporting students at scale can be tricky. Data is an important piece that helps. [27:38] - Allison shares the experience of showing faculty and staff how to use the Civitas learning tools that will change the way they reach students. [30:21] - Early outreach makes all the difference. [31:36] - How do we make the decisions institutionally that make us student-ready? Links and Resources: /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/26796147

Creating Advising Capacity with Diversified Support | Landon Peterson, Snow & Julia Carlo, NSU 06/27/2023

Creating Advising Capacity with Diversified Support | Landon Peterson, Snow & Julia Carlo, NSU Today we have a panel of guests! Joining today is Landon Peterson, Director of Academic Advising at Snow College, Julia Carlo, Executive Director of Advising at Northeastern State University, and our own Rob Friedhoff, Vice President of Community Development at Civitas Learning. If you’d like to hear a previous episode with Rob Friedhoff, he spoke about boosting academic advising capacity in . In our discussion today, we discuss how to use student success analytics to deliver the right support instead of the same one to every student. We share ways to diversify student outreach and intervention to better serve students and maximize limited resources. We discuss how to navigate the challenges and opportunities that come with change management. With the perspective of two institutions using the same tools, you can see the different approaches to the same goal and how this change in advising has impacted students in both. Show Notes: [2:19] - Today, we’re focusing on tailoring support with shrinking resources. [5:40] - Julia shares how her team is shifting from the same support model to finding the right support through Civitas Learning. [7:54] - The bottom quartile students are typically not those who advocate for themselves and take advantage of open advising. [9:56] - There’s “magic” in advising, especially when we are able to help the students who need it the most. [11:27] - Landon describes the changes made at his institution that created a synergy between departments and advising and created more space for students. [13:03] - The students that need to be seen the most are often the least engaged. [14:59] - Change is hard and can be approached differently. Julia implemented change gradually, and she describes the growing pains. [18:17] - There was 100% participation over time, and the institution saw the impact. [19:45] - It’s not about ignoring the student's need, it’s prioritizing how much of a need we can meet. [21:14] - Katy shares a story to help with peak registration periods. [23:19] - The results have kept advisors motivated during busy periods of the year. [25:01] - Civitas has data points for predictors of success that are specific to your institution. [27:48] - Landon describes the outcomes and their impact on student retention. [30:00] - Julia explains the impact and the data that shows it just by acknowledging a student once by an advisor. [32:07] - Faculty and advisor relationships are powerful. [34:35] - Leverage and celebrate those who are doing the work. [37:22] - Find what works for students and help them get what they need. That’s the goal. Knowing the data is part of telling that story. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/26618412

Delivering Proactive Academic Support at Scale | Dr. John Rindy, Slippery Rock U. 06/13/2023

Delivering Proactive Academic Support at Scale | Dr. John Rindy, Slippery Rock U. In this episode, Dr. John Rindy covers a lot of ground when discussing proactive academic support. Dr. Rindy is the Assistant Vice President for Career and Academic Progress at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and has changed their strategies to be data informed action. Dr. Rindy shares Slippery Rock’s initiatives on how to help all students succeed with increasing student need and shrinking resources. You’ll also learn how to use data analytics to tailor student success programs and initiatives to create capacity for proactive support and improve student outcomes as well as how to build a coalition and facilitate change management between faculty and student success support staff to ensure that institutions are delivering the most effective student success initiatives and strategies possible. Slippery Rock promises a lot and through the work of Dr. Rindy and his colleagues and the five pillars they focus on throughout a student’s higher education journey, they are able to deliver on the promise of student success. Show Notes: [2:27] - Dr. Rindy shares his background in the corporate world and current role in higher education. [3:35] - At Slippery Rock, enrollment is a big focus. [5:22] - One part of the strategic plan is the promise that students will be successful and how they make sure they can be. [6:46] - If it moves, they measure it and then use the measurements in daily decisions. [8:02] - John gives an example of how they measured ending GPA and were able to identify students proactively who needed support. [9:47] - One idea was to have first year students write a letter to themselves that is then sent back to them at the end of the year. [11:41] - What predictors in data analytics can be used to tailor student success programs? [13:42] - With strong participation in student success programs at Slippery Rock, the data can show the impact. [16:07] - At many institutions, student success initiatives fall in the hands of academic advisors, but at Slippery Rock, it’s a little different. [17:52] - Conveying information isn’t the goal. It’s provoking action. [20:40] - Change management can be a struggle. John shares the work behind change management at Slippery Rock. [22:00] - People are interested in retention but they truly don’t understand what their role is in regards to retention. [24:17] - Retention is important but there are pieces of data that we can look at that can have a surprising impact on it. [26:06] - What differences do they see at Slippery Rock since taking a data informed approach to student success? [27:21] - Advocacy amplifies identity. [29:02] - How do you move the needle once you hit these higher goals? [30:58] - There are five pillars Slippery Rock focuses on from the beginning of admissions all the way through: goals, relationships, values, acting on values, and mindset. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/26549583

Lessons Learned from Student Success Redesign | Dr. Penny Kelly, SUNY Broome 05/30/2023

Lessons Learned from Student Success Redesign | Dr. Penny Kelly, SUNY Broome Rethinking strategies can be a challenge, but with the many changes we are seeing in higher education post-Covid, redesigning systems could be the key to student success. At SUNY Broome Community College, Dr. Penny Kelly explains that they’ve taken some new approaches to how they use data and technology. Dr. Kelly is the Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Broome and with the collaboration of faculty and staff, the institution is now implementing guided pathways and transitioning to a caseload based academic advising model. According to Penny, these changes have not only helped with enrollment, but with retention as well, and these initiatives have boosted the student experience through relationship building. Show Notes: [2:03] - Penny shares her background and current role at SUNY Broome Community College. [4:34] - To remain sustainable post-Covid, SUNY Broome needed to take a data informed approach and rethink strategies. [6:10] - The community surrounding the school has initiatives to get more students into the pipeline through community college. [8:50] - One focus for SUNY Broome right now is implementing guiding pathways and revising the academic advising model. [10:43] - It was hard to measure success during the pandemic, but we’re starting to see promising data after implementing a new advising model. [12:39] - What data has been tracked or closely monitored over the last year? [15:09] - The transition was a little tough, but the change has made a significant difference in relationship building with students. [17:08] - The first step was getting the buy-in of faculty and staff and that might take some time. [19:06] - These initiatives don’t only help enrollment, but also retention. [22:06] - Penny compares what they used to do and what they do now in student outreach. [24:16] - Data can really make you rethink how you communicate with students. [26:45] - The new advising model has helped with streamlining the student experience. [28:25] - It can be challenging to rethink things and change things up. [29:28] - Spend more time with students and take your time. SUNY Broome’s approach has been to take the time with relationship building. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/26549574

Build a Student Success Model that Supports Financial Health | Dr. Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar 05/16/2023

Build a Student Success Model that Supports Financial Health | Dr. Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar Today’s guest is Patti Neuhold-Ravikumar, former University of Central Oklahoma President and CEO and Principal Consultant of Arc C-Suite Advisory. To kick off Season 2 of Next Practices, Patti digs deep into the strategies behind building a student success model that also supports the financial health of an institution. Patti shares what leaders should think about when building a financially healthy institution, new and alternative approaches you should consider when developing financially sustainable student success approaches, and what pieces you need to have in place to establish a student success model that supports the financial well-being of your institution. We’ve also written a downloadable resource on this topic for you, which you can to download now. Show Notes: [2:28] - Patti shares her background, current role in consulting, and experience in higher education. [3:41] - There are several challenges higher education is seeing right now, including demographic changes and the aftermath of the pandemic. [4:27] - Prioritize what you have and how to utilize it. [5:24] - It is easier and less expensive to retain a current student than to recruit a new one. [7:35] - Retention is a common problem for all regional universities. [9:21] - We have to be strategic about financial aid distribution and spending to make the most impact. [10:37] - Faculty members are the first line of defense. There needs to be a cohesive relationship with student success initiatives. [12:35] - Data and communication are the keys to making decisions about student success. [14:54] - Early alerts are only the first step. Initiate communication with what the data is telling you. [17:21] - It is important to take a holistic approach. [18:18] - Patti shares an example of how your strategies can change, adjust, and flow. A strategy is a living process. [20:11] - It’s not everyone’s responsibility to take action on things. [21:24] - A strategy is very rarely done. It’s something repeatable. [23:12] - We all get stuck sometimes. There’s a natural friction point when it comes to student success. Patti explains how to manage this. [25:51] - Create an atmosphere of trust and productive conflict. [28:33] - Having a unified understanding and vision is crucial but it is easier said than done but should be at the top of the priority list. [30:31] - The meetings that Patti describes need to be filled with people who have the authority to make decisions. [32:33] - There can be issues that arise with data trust. [33:53] - A single source of data is the gold standard. [35:45] - Allow people to interact with the data to better understand it. [37:35] - We don’t have the time to waste. The information needs to be ready and you have to act. [39:17] - The health of one department relies on the others. [40:21] - Contact Patti through email at Patti@arc.consulting Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/26549565

Season 2 Trailer 05/02/2023

Boost Academic Advising Capacity & Effectiveness | Rob Freidhoff, Civitas Learning 08/18/2022

Boost Academic Advising Capacity & Effectiveness | Rob Freidhoff, Civitas Learning Today I’m speaking with Rob Freidhoff, Vice President of Community Development at Civitas Learning. Rob has extensive experience in higher ed as an academic advisor, advising administrator, Strategic Enrollment Manager, educational consultant focused on improving advising practices, and as an Associate Vice President for Student Success. In this episode, we’re talking about improving advising effectiveness. In our conversation, we cover how to use data analytics and intelligent case management technology to ease capacity constraints, why data analytics and intentional advising philosophies like appreciative and developmental advising need each other, and where to start when implementing a data analytics and intelligent case management software on your campus. Show Notes: [2:40] - Rob has recently joined the Civitas Learning team. He shares his extensive background and talks about his newest role. [4:59] - Having conversations and building relationships help Rob with his ultimate goal of student success. [6:12] - Building a strong advising team is a loaded question. Rob says the most important first step is to be clear on expectations. [7:33] - Most advisors are in positions where they are performing duties that shouldn’t need to be done by an advisor. [8:40] - To avoid advisor overwhelm, software helps determine which students need priority. [10:01] - By nature, academic advisors want to help. But some students need minimal assistance while others need more support. [12:06] - How do we honor and respect differences between students who need less and those who need more support? [14:07] - Having somebody else, even student workers, could reach out to students over the phone. [16:08] - There’s a predictive tool that helps get students in the advisor’s office, but then the advising team must take over and know what style will help with the student. [18:05] - You don’t have to know it all. You have to become an expert at referrals. [19:47] - When done well, advising is an art. [21:24] - When the predictive analytics tool arrives on campus, users must learn how to use it. [23:16] - What used to be different programs are now all combined into one robust system with Civitas Learning. [24:40] - Creating groups is another helpful feature that Rob describes. [26:35] - Now students, especially those who come from K-12 public schools, are accustomed to having everyone have access to their school records. [29:20] - Rob and Katy discuss the silos colleges can put themselves into. [30:42] - There should be a commonality between advisors. [33:13] - How do we have check-ins to make sure that we’re on the way to goals? [35:47] - Advising is a challenging career path. Give yourself grace. [37:04] - You can get started and make a difference even without knowing every aspect of the software you’re using. Start simple and then build from that success. [39:35] - There can be some really good success if you develop a training team using people across advising teams. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/24061041

Improve Student Success Team Data Literacy | Dr. Gene VanSickle, UNG 08/04/2022

Improve Student Success Team Data Literacy | Dr. Gene VanSickle, UNG Today’s guest, Dr. Gene VanSickle, discusses the importance of using data consistently and campus-wide to promote student success. As the Associate Provost for Undergraduate Programs at University of North Georgia, he has a great deal of insight into how you can navigate a rapidly evolving higher education landscape. And shares how use of data has made if feasible for UNG to provide proactive support to a diverse student population. In this episode, we talk about how to transform all the data we have access to into actionable insights, how to build data literacy, and how building data literacy leads to better student outcomes. We also discuss how to use data to build coalitions across academic and student affairs and why it is so important to trade in reactivity for proactive data-informed approaches for student success. Show Notes: [2:18] - The biggest challenges that University of North Georgia is facing are the ones caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. [3:36] - There are a lot of different types of data they use to approach solutions for these challenges and to be more efficient. [5:28] - In 2022, University of North Georgia is focusing on using data to find the challenges students are facing and intervene intentionally. [6:46] - Previously, data sets were used, but not consistently. Literacy and consistency is key. [8:25] - It has been impactful to make data accessible and have everyone on the same page. [9:52] - Gene shares some practices that have filtered down that all began with data. [12:01] - What tools have helped their team make sense of the data and create meaningful intervention for students? [13:49] - Data helps frame conversations and trust. [15:00] - Another result of using data more consistently is how teams on campus collaborate. [17:18] - The work ethic of the teams at UNG has proven to be remarkable as Gene saw everyone rally together to support students. [19:40] - When working across different units, there is a valuable perspective that everyone brings to the table. [21:30] - UNG’s data has shown a decrease in retention since the pandemic. [23:44] - As August approaches, Gene shares some of the concerns of the upcoming year. [24:24] - When it comes to data, it is crucial to be very intentional. [25:45] - How can you use the data to be proactive instead of reactive? If you are reactive to data, you’re too late to solve the problem. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/23896518

Build a Data-Activated Campus Culture | Dr. Tammy Wyatt, UTSA 07/21/2022

Build a Data-Activated Campus Culture | Dr. Tammy Wyatt, UTSA In higher education institutions, we are all familiar with the need to use data. We know this, but in many ways, we could be letting some opportunities fall through the cracks due to the lack of collaboration and unified goals throughout an entire campus. The University of Texas at San Antonio has been refining its use of data for the last decade, and Dr. Tammy Wyatt joins the podcast today to share their approach and the results they’ve seen. In this episode, Dr. Wyatt discusses building a student success coalition that incorporates everyone on campus, using data and analytics to unify institutional goals, and how access to actual data insights builds consensus and buy-in. She shares the step-by-step process for building a collaborative data-informed campus culture at your institution and how this can impact student success. We continue to explore how to use data-informed approaches to answer urgent questions and go beyond best practices in solving today’s higher ed challenges. Show Notes: [2:12] - What are the most pressing challenges UTSA is working on solving? [3:30] - At UTSA, they are focusing on the positives that have come out of the pandemic, including being open to multiple modalities of learning. [4:47] - Everyone’s role across the institution is to help students succeed. Dr. Wyatt shares some of the strategies used at UTSA. [6:15] - A team works together to utilize student success technology tools to meet unified goals and approaches by assessing data together. [8:06] - The technology tools used are integral to their program. [9:01] - Dr. Wyatt describes the monthly meetings with the Student Success Team. [10:10] - No matter their major, all students have basic needs in higher ed. [11:48] - There are a lot of factors involved in creating this ecosystem. [13:35] - Rather than having redundancies and competition between colleges, UTSA has a unified approach. Dr. Wyatt shares examples of what changes she has seen. [16:14] - There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for all students. Using data to inform approaches can empower institutions to adapt and build upon best practices. [18:16] - Dr. Wyatt shares that there is always constant refining in goals and strategies all based on data. [20:50] - By seeing the visual data, it impacted support staff on the success of their work and where they could be doing more. [22:54] - It used to be more common for students to seek services themselves, but coming out of Covid and the varying needs of students, outreach is important. [24:36] - Rather than being reactive, using data has been used to be proactive. [26:28] - Dr. Wyatt shares the short-term results of their work. [28:56] - Using mid-term data, UTSA reached out to students over the phone to help students in need. [30:51] - Dr. Wyatt is very optimistic about their next outreaches based on the success of their call campaign following mid-terms. [33:26] - Work smarter, not harder. Use the data in front of you. [35:20] - Now, UTSA has made large-scale changes to cultivate a culture of data-inspired outreach. They are now working on refining. [37:37] - Dr. Wyatt shares the key takeaways of their approach at UTSA. [39:24] - Data can be used in real-time. There shouldn’t be any wasted time across campus. [41:40] - You can start by looking for low-hanging fruit and start to see momentum. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/23765561

Maximizing Your Student Success IT Investment | Dr. Chelsy Pham, Hartnell College 07/07/2022

Maximizing Your Student Success IT Investment | Dr. Chelsy Pham, Hartnell College Technology helps student success professionals better understand their students and more efficiently serve their diverse needs in a rapidly changing higher ed landscape. In this episode, we explore how institutions can maximize their investment in student success solutions to help students achieve their academic goals. Today’s guest is Dr. Chelsy Pham, Vice President of Information Technology at Hartnell College. She helps us dive into the technical aspects of student success and why data is essential to help provide opportunities. She breaks down the step-by-step process of finding the right student success software and ways to get the entire campus on board. We discuss software vendor must-haves and why it is crucial to find the purpose of the program you need before shopping around. And although IT is the department that gets everything up and running, it’s ultimately the users on the frontline, so Dr. Pham demonstrates the importance of their buy-in. Show Notes: [2:22] - Dr. Pham sees the challenges in the demands in technology and how students are changing how they use technology. [3:09] - Sometimes students do not have the opportunity to develop technology literacy prior to college. [4:32] - Dr. Pham describes ways to help students gain access to technology. [5:51] - A lot of times, students aren’t able to ask for help. Data in the background shows who may need a nudge. [7:52] - Part of the solution is to have staff available to help students, but another part is having tools in place that allow you to see who needs support. [9:00] - When looking at what tools to introduce, Dr. Pham asks what difference is this going to make and to whom? [9:57] - Look at the purpose before looking at the tool. Once you have your purpose, think about your “wishlist”. [11:06] - Sometimes we want a really slick program and thinking about ways it would work for you, look for tools that match your existing purpose. [12:24] - From Dr. Pham’s perspective, a major consideration is the amount of IT support and maintenance that would be needed. [13:41] - The most important quality of a product is the amount of support provided by the vendor. [15:14] - If you don’t have campus adoption, you don’t have a product at all. It’s crucial to get buy in ahead of time. [17:40] - You also want a probation period ahead of time and see how vendors respond to colleagues. [19:14] - Credibility is also something to consider. [20:57] - Once a product is set up and a team has come together working on it, the team becomes close and communicative. Open communication is important. [22:17] - If something isn’t working out, open communication, close the loop, and deal with it. [23:39] - Sometimes, you need to go back to a wishlist and see if the product needs to be maintained or retired. [25:04] - In IT, services are implemented, but it is really the users that are on the frontline with students. [27:06] - Don’t make it your idea. The product isn’t for IT. It’s for helping students succeed. Links and Resources: Listen on | | /episode/index/show/74550116-ec4b-4ab5-9ac0-91efa47f4841/id/23585516

Next Practices

TOPICS