Next Practices

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: Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

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: Integrated Approach to Student Success Leads to 8% Retention Lift at Northwest Missouri State University 2023 Student Impact Report Civitas Learning Platform Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

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: UTSA Achieves 16% Retention Lift with Data-Activated Student Support Ecosystem Build a Data-Activated Campus Culture with Dr. Tammy Wyatt Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform  

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: Civitas Learning Student Impact Platform How Lorain County Community College Uses Analytics to Reach Persistence and Graduation Goals Listen on  Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

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: Explore the Civitas Learning Platform

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 Season 1, Episode 7. 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: Episode 7: Boost Academic Advising Capacity & Effectiveness with Rob Freidhoff Utah State University Eases Academic Advisor Capacity Constraints Civitas Learning Website Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

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: Civitas Learning Website Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

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: Civitas Learning Website Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

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 CLICK HERE 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: Download Leadership Brief: Achieving Financial Stability with Student Success Civitas Learning Website Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts

We are so excited to announce that Next Practices Season 2 begins on May 16th! All new conversations with higher ed leaders across the country. In each episode, we’ll talk about higher ed’s most pressing challenges like closing equity gaps, delivering proactive student support at scale, removing barriers to graduation, and building financially healthy institutions. And more! Listen to this sneak peek with an upcoming guest, former University of Central Oklahoma President Patti Neuold-Ravikumar.   Show Notes: [1:29] - Patti shares the communication and data behind the collaborative and intentional work within an institution. [2:48] - What is the difference between a strategy and a vision? [4:26] - Intentional action fills a gap. [5:52] - Strategy is rarely ever done because it is repeatable with new iterations along the way. It is a living process   Links and Resources: Civitas Learning Website Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts