Transforming Student Success Completion Lessons Learned Implementing i

Transforming Student Success & Completion Lessons Learned Implementing i. PASS Technology Solutions

Speakers Dr. David Plummer, Vice President for Information Services, Planning, Performance & Strategic Initiatives, South Texas College Isaac Garza, Strategic Initiatives Project Manager, South Texas College Julia Lawton, Associate Director, Integrated Student Support Strategies, Achieving the Dream

Session Objectives By the end of this session, you will have: ØA clearer understanding of the integrated student supports approach ØA better sense of what this approach looks like in practice at South Texas College ØIncreased awareness of lessons we are learning about how to implement this approach

Integrated Student Why Redesign? Supports

69% Of community college students plan to complete a bachelor’s degree or higher 39% Of community college students actually do complete a degree or certificate within six years 63% Of community college students want support in identifying the academic plan that best suits their goals and needs 54% Of community college students actually use advising or planning services Data soured from Noel Levitz, NSC, and SENSE,

“Unless we become more nimble in our approach and more scalable in our solutions, we will miss out on an opportunity to embrace and serve the majority of students who will need higher education and postsecondary learning. ” Office of Education Technology. Jan 2017. Reimagining the Role of Technology in Higher Education. Retrieved on Jan 20, 2017 at https: //tech. ed. gov/files/2017/01/Higher-Ed. NETP. pdf

Integrated Student In Theory and Practice Supports

Integrated Student Supports Approach Effective Change Leadership for Transformative Redesign + + + Course Academic, Career, & Financial Planning Coaching, Advising, & Counseling Early Alerts & Intervention Targeting Transfer & Articulation

Student Supports Redefined Sustained Ongoing support rather than an “inoculation” approach. Strategic Differentiated services to maximize capacity. Integrated Services are an integral part of all students’ experiences, and are not viewed as stand-alone interventions. Proactive Services are designed to provide students information and services before they request them. Personalized Students receive the support they need when they need it, from an individual who knows them well. Karp, M. M. , & Stacey, G. W. (2013). What we know about nonacademic student supports. Research Overview. New York, NY: Community College Research Center, Teachers College, Columbia University.

Technology Ecosystem Bryant, G. . (2015). Driving Toward a Degree: The Evolution of Planning and Advising in Higher Education. Boston, MA: Tyton Partners.

Technology is not the solution or the change. What matters is how you use the technology to enhance the learning that comes only from relationship building between faculty and staff and the students they serve.

Transformative Change Structural Change Lays the framework for new behaviors, thereby encouraging improved student experiences throughout the institution. Process Change Reforms how people do their jobs at an individual level. Attitudinal Change Occurs when individuals start to understand their work and view work processes in new ways. CCRC – Working Paper no. 89. – “How Colleges Use Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success (i. PASS) to Transform Student Support” http: //ccrc. tc. columbia. edu/media/k 2/attachments/how-colleges-use-ipass-transform-student-support. pdf

I Wish We had Known…Technology Ø Design policies and processes with the student in mind at the start, preferably before picking your technology solution Ø Also consider whether your existing technologies will integrate well with the new technology Ø Technology implementation is often the easiest aspect of this work because is, more often than not, a logical solution Ø Technology implementation is not the same as technology adoption Ø Build data capacity and identifying an evaluation plan early • How to best use the new student data you have access to through this new technology? • Which data should you focus on from this new data set? Ø IT is not the only department that will need to connect with the vendor(s)— work together with support services to manage this relationship

I Wish We had Known…Project Management Ø Adaptive leadership at the college level must be aligned leadership at the project level • Leadership must understand this is a holistic change, not just a technology implementation Ø Tell people early and often your vision for how this will impact them and their students Ø Connect student success efforts and strengthen collaboration across silos Ø Place key stakeholders in leadership roles, particularly someone from IT and someone from student services or instruction Ø Regularly celebrate early wins as you progress through the work Ø Plan ahead to overcome human resource challenges

Institutional View: South Texas College

Five Campus Locations Starr County Campus Rio Grande City Nursing & Allied Health Campus Pecan Campus Mc. Allen Technology Campus Mc. Allen Mid Valley Campus Weslaco

The Purpose of STC Our Vision South Texas College is a world-class institution advancing regional prosperity through education for a better quality of life in our community. Purpose Statement South Texas College is an innovative, public, post-secondary institution providing quality education and career pathways for the people and communities of Hidalgo and Starr counties. The College achieves student success, nurtures talent development, and promotes economic vitality through collaborative and creative approaches to teaching, learning, and support services.

LIVE VOTING QUESTION #2 What is your institution's area of advising and planning redesign (i. PASS) focus? A. Predictive Analytics B. Early Alert C. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) D. Degree Planning E. Career Planning F. Advising or Coaching Redesign

Strategic Focus Areas • Enrollment • Improve Process to Enroll/Re-enroll • Ability to Measure Recruitment Campaign • Persistence • Improve Degree Planning • Decrease Dev. Ed Completion Time • Completion • Increase Individual Course Completion • Increase Student Achievement of Educational Goal

STC Enrollment Target Traditional Enrollment Dual Matriculation

STC Degrees and Certificates Awarded

STC Fall to Fall Persistence Rates

Which Technology Selected? • Degree Planning Tool • Integration of Guided Pathways • Less Courses Taken Outside of Degree Plan: Decrease Time to Graduation • Early Alert System • Replaced Limited Home Grown System • Targeting of at risk Students Early in the Semester • Connection of Faculty, Student and Advisors via Central Communication System • Intervention Tailored to Meet Individual Need

Why Technology Selected? Cont. • Constituent Relationship Management (CRM) • Enrollment/Re-enrollment Process Improvement • Mobile Ready Capabilities • Improved Recruitment Campaign (R. O. I) • Targeted Campaigns

Lessons Learned in Implementation Degree Planning Tool • More Complex than Anticipated • Required more Consulting: Limited Staffing Resources and Time • Need to Re-Engineer Internal Processes Related to Student Success • Better Self Advising Capabilities

LIVE VOTING QUESTION #2 LIVE VOTING QUESTION #3 What is your institution's current stage of implementation in your advising and planning redesign? A. B. C. D. Currently considering options Planning Implementation Currently Implementing Implementation complete

Ever Had This Project Experience?

i. PASS 1 (2013 -2015) Degreeworks: Student Personalized Educational Plan • 6/2013 to 2/2015 • Successfully Installed and Implemented the Degree Works System • Rolled Out to All 34, 000 Students Lessons Learned • Need to Track Cost of Project • Needed More Technical Support than Anticipated • Business Owners, Users’ Need to Be More Engaged in Design • The Project Ended and Adoption Slowed • Lessons Learned were Used to Build a Better Project Management Process for i. PASS(2)

LIVE VOTING QUESTION #3 LIVE VOTING QUESTION #4 Q. Should an institutional project be initiated and completed by a Certified Project Professional (PMP)? A. B. C. D. Yes, always It would be nice but not essential No Not sure

PMP ROLE: Integration Management PMP Global Standard in PM What It Can Feel Like…. .

i. PASS 2 (2015 -2018) ® HOBSONS

STC’S EA PURPOSE: Revamp and Improve our Connection with Students, Faculty, and the College’s Support Systems. Goal: Increase Student Course Completion Starfish Project Team Data • i. PASS Year 2 (2015) • Project Hours: 2000 • Expected Formal Project Delivery (May 2017): • Agreed Upon Time • Within Allotted Budget • Meets Identified Customer Expectations Starfish Project Team • President & VP Support • Director of Advising • Associate Dean of Humanities • Technical Lead • Director of Learning Excellence • Financial Aid • Subject Matter Experts

Starfish Training

Full Implementation: Spring 2017 1 st Progress Survey (4, 718 Profiles Set Up) 2/27/17 • 4, 807 Course Sections • 2, 131 Surveys Viewed • 2, 007 Survey’s Completed 21, 894: Total Tracking Items Sent to Students • 1, 573: Attendance Concern • 3, 769: In Danger of Failing • 223: No Show • 16, 329: Keep Up the Good Work

Starfish Lessons Learned • Building Your Starfish System Small and Build Up Functionality • Dependencies: Technical & Administrative • Consulting Hours: (Important Value Added to Project) • Project Team Participation: (Essential for Project Success) • Starfish Administrator Role: (Critical for the Life of Starfish)

Radius: Improve STC’s Application Process/Admissions Process and to Create a Personalized Student Communication system. Goal: Redesign the Recruitment & Enrollment Process Radius Project Team Data • i. PASS Year 2 (2015) • Project Hours: 850 • New Inquiry Form Designed and Fully Implemented • Custom Communication Plan Radius Lessons • Project Requirements • Consultant to Design Communication Plan • Custom Design Takes Time • Trust the Project Plan • Next Phase: Custom Chat Feature, Application Beginning With Dual Credit Academies

THANK YOU • Achieving the Dream • Julia Lawton • Leon Hill • Terry Manning • Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation • Leona & Harry B. Helmsey Charitable Trust

1. Don’t Buy a Product YET 2. Go Into Project Mode BEFORE 3. Complete Requirements FIRST 4. PLAN, PLAN 5. Project Documents are CRITICAL 6. If you already bought it and it “DOESN’T WORK” 7. Rework is VERY EXPENSIVE 8. ALWAYS Formally Close a Project 9. LESSONS LEARNED TO IMPROVE your project process and thus future project outcomes 10. TRAINING: Project Team Members should be trained in PM (General Knowledge) 11. HIRE a Certified Project Manager LESSONS LEARNED

Advising Redesigne d Integrated Advising and Student Supports Institute October 2 – 5, 2017 New Orleans, Louisiana Join peers and colleagues to learn about and develop strategies to redesign and integrate your advising and student support services by leveraging technology to transform the student experience and radically improve student success. Register Today! www. Achievingthe. Dream. org/Advising. I

Session Objectives By the end of this session, you will have: ØA clearer understanding of the integrated student supports approach ØA better sense of what this approach looks like in practice at South Texas College ØIncreased awareness of lessons we are learning about how to implement this approach

THANK YOU!! Dr. David Plummer, Vice President for Information Services, Planning, Performance & Strategic Initiatives, South Texas College Isaac Garza, Strategic Initiatives Project Manager, South Texas College Julia Lawton, Associate Director, Integrated Student Support Strategies, Achieving the Dream jlawton@achievingthedream. org