reinventing the adapt always. student experience ......reinventing the student experience (rise)...

Reinventing the Student Experience (RiSE)Providing Service to Meet the Changing Needs of Students

American University:

Scott A. Bass, Provost

Karen Froslid-Jones, Assistant Provost, Institutional Research and Assessment

Peter Starr, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences

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Session Learning Outcomes

Appreciate the need to narrow the distance between today’s students and the structures that support them;

Gain insights into how one can integrate a comprehensive approach to assessment in an overall framework for institutional change;

Draw on models and best practices inside and outside of higher education to develop new ways of approaching the student experience.

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American University

Faculty research Student retention Ratings by credit rating

agencies New facilities Undergraduate admissions

Admit Rate2014: 46%

2016: 26%

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Research Findings

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Successis never final.

Planned change is part of being successful.

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“The institution commits to student retention, persistence, completion, and success through a coherent and effective support system sustained by qualified professionals, which enhances the quality of the learning environment, contributes to the educational experience, and fosters student success.”

Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience

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“In light of the changing demographics of the undergraduate student body, the University as a whole…should carefully consider how best to support the more diverse student body and ensure that its engagement in AU’s special opportunities, sense of belonging, degree of satisfaction, and retention and graduation rates is carefully monitored and regularly assessed.”

2014 Middle States Visiting Team Recommendation

Increased diversity (socioeconomic, racial, political, other identities)

Issues of adjustment

High stress levels

Technologically savvy students

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Middle States Results in Context of Global Challenges to the Student Experience

American University

Current DataSystems

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Student Health (PyraMed)Campus

Housing (StarRez)

Counseling Center

(Titanium)

Student Organization

Network (Community)

New Student Orientation (Transition)

Volunteer Tracking

(EngageNet)

Student Conduct/

Care Network (Advocate)

Event Scheduling

(25Live)Diversity & Inclusion Advising

(Titanium)

International Students Info

System

(Custom)

Academic Support

(ClockWorks)

Eaglebucks/ Dining Dollars

(BbTS)

Meal Plan Portal

(Custom)

Student Info System

(Colleague)

Student Planning (Ellucian)

Graduation (Colleague,

custom)

Advising (Custom)

Financial Aid (Colleague,

custom)

Billing (Eagle Finance)

Retention (MapWorks)

Learning Management

System (Blackboard)

Studio Abroad

(Terradotta)

Grading System (custom) Faculty interaction

Advisor Interaction

Early Warning

Advising Appts

(Custom)

Employment Outcomes (Custom)

Career Services (Symplicity)

Student Issues

(iSupport)

Grad Admissions (Recruiter)

UG Admissions

(Custom)

Fitness Center

(Fusion)

Event Attendance

Alumni Management &

Engagement (iModules)

Fund Raising (Advancement)

OCL AA

System Manual Process

LEGEND

DAR Pres

Disparate systems set up for individual

functions

Islands of data, no integrated database

Unable to synthesize data for alerts or interventions

Adapted from the RiSE: Case for Change presentation, October 9, 2015

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When demographic, social, or economic conditions change rapidly, the relatively entrenched nature of social institutions means that a mismatch develops between existing social structures and desired or socially “optimal” practices. ”

http://www.dol.gov/oasam/programs/history/herman/reports/futurework/conference/families/lag.htm

Matilda White Riley

“Structural Lag

Research Findings

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A 20th Century bureaucracy for a 21st Century student population?

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What if you had the opportunity to redesign student services from scratchto help today’s undergraduates?

Concept

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Support

$150,000 Grant 18-month assessment of the student

experience Development of blueprint for changes

to structures, organization and culture

This phase was completed in August 2016

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Walking in Their Shoes

Examining Their World From Where They Are

Steering Committee

Task Force

Organizational Model Subcommittee

Technology

Assessment

Expert Identification

Financial and Human Resources

Faculty Engagement

Communications Strategy

Organizing forSuccess

Leadership

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29Task Force Members

20Steering Committee

Members

60 Innovation Lab

students participants

70Focus Group or Journaling

student participants

155Leadership Retreat faculty and

staff participants

250Teaching Conference Plenary faculty and staff participants

59January RiSE Retreat faculty,

staff, and student participants

2 External experts speakers

brought to campus

Stakeholder Engagement

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Research Findings

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Assessment and Research Findings

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Parent and Student

Focus Groups

Student Focus Groups

Faculty Focus Groups

Development of Student Life Cycle

Staff Focus Groups

Leadership Retreat

Student Retreat

Bench-markingData Analysis

(Retention, etc)

Secret Shopper Program

Student Semester-

LongJournals

Survey Data

Senior Staff Management

Interviews

Analysis of Staff

Positions and Roles

Assessment of the Student Experience

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Four Personas of AU Undergraduates

The First Year

The Financially

Focused

The Cultural Traveler

The College

Wise

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Communication

Social adjustment and inclusion

Resources

Complexity of university

− Policies− Structures

Common Themes among Students

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Lack of resilience and developmental differences in students

Policies and Organizational structure

− “pinch points”

Culture

Common Themes among Staff and Faculty

Developing a Philosophy of Service

Student Responsibility

Student Support

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Research Findings

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What did we learn from “experts” outside of higher education?

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To the Cleveland Clinic we go…

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Cleveland Clinic

Relationship-centered communication and the role of empathy

− Organization-wide training

Make the Cleveland Clinic a great place to work and patient experience will improve

Work on the patient experience must be very intentional

− Organized and data driven

− Tracking behaviors, not just satisfaction

− “Office of the Patient Experience”

− Ombudsman

Constant innovation, piloting ideas

Research Findings

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Emerging Ideas, Pilots, and Plans

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Work to build a relationship-centered culture that values an integrated, holistic student experience

Develop structures that make the student experience a top priority

Use technology to enhance communication, both with our students and on their behalf

Foster innovation through establishment of a Design Lab

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Our Commitment(as expressed to Mellon)

RiSE programs should be…

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Integrative Standards:AU’s “APIs”

Data-driven Holistic Agile Connected

Communicative Integrated ScalableMeasurable

Transparent Empowering ProactiveEnabling

Nurturing Replicable Reflexive Transparent

AU Experience 1 and 2 courses with peer mentors

Individualized financial aid advising/ outreach for all first year students and parents

Progress on removing “pinch points” such as service duplication, unnecessary forms, burdensome fees, etc.

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Examples of 2016-2017 Pilots and Progress

Office of the Student Experience

Integrated Advising

Faculty Engagement

Technology and Communication

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Examples of Projects Under Development for 2017 and Beyond

Institution-wide data gathering, dissemination

Authority for problem solving

Cross-unit collaboration and integration

Leadership “rounding”

Advancing culture of “One AU”

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Office of the Student Experience

Integrated first-year counseling

University-wide standards and training for school/college advisors

Thoughtful co-location of student services

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Integrated Advising

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Faculty Engagement

Educating and engaging faculty in student support

Devising strategies to improve faculty/staff interactions

Exploring ways to change the reward and merit system to better reflect work with students

Integrated student-centered data management and planning

Integrated and shared student alert system, with risk profiles and multiple access points

Dashboard for students, accessible on mobile devices

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Technologyand Communication

Research Findings

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Building a Culture of Continuous Improvement

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Building continuous improvement into hiring, onboarding, and evaluation of all employees

Developing a culture of experimentation and risk taking

Integrating results into planning and budgeting

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Creating Opportunities to Innovate and Improve

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To Learn More….http://www.american.edu/provost/RiSE/[Note: slides for presentation posted here.]

#AURiSE

#MSCHE2016

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY:

Scott A. Bass, Provost, sbass@American.edu

Karen Froslid-Jones, Assistant Provost, Institutional Research and Assessment, kfroslid@American.edu

Peter Starr, Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, pstarr@American.edu 36