As Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) implemented a new student success initiative with commitment to holistic and personalized student support, data on campus revealed the need for an early alert system and student success solution. As the team evaluated and selected software, IWU instituted a clear process to identify campus needs, create specific campus criteria, set a strategy for implementation, and ensure a successful campus wide adoption.
IWU needed buy-in from the executive level for a positive and easy selection process. Understanding who needs to be involved and aligning this initiative with the institution’s strategic plan helps enhance student outcomes and ensure collaboration.
To find the champions for the launch of a new product, IWU wanted to find out who was using their current system and the challenges they faced. This feedback from staff helped shape implementation strategies.
IWU created a task force with wide representation from campus, charged with uncovering additional needs and finding a platform where academic advisors, faculty and success coaches could impact student success and retention.
By aligning their software needs with their institutional philosophy, IWU was clear with vendors about their priorities. They balanced expectations and set clear parameters for demos to help compare products.
By presenting feedback from campus staff who will use the platform daily, IWU was able to outline their concerns with their previous system and address them during implementation, ensuring those issues would not occur again.
IWU quickly noticed how important it was for all faculty and staff to be in sync, and set clear expectations to help the team prepare. With so much data coming in, campus staff needed to be ready to frequently verify that information.
IWU wanted to empower relationships by allowing campus staff to follow students on the platform. This would allow the team to monitor academic progress and provide more holistic support for both personal and academic issues.
To ensure a successful campus-wide adoption, institutions must ensure that all departments and offices across campus are properly trained on how to use the new technology.
The team established a goal of making sure every faculty member knew how to look up a student and submit an alert, and celebrated this win in the first year.
Clearly communicate the benefits of the solution to help bring users on board. IWU reinforced that the new tool ensures students stay informed about their progress, and without it, it would be difficult for the team to quickly determine whether students are hitting key milestones.
At IWU, academics, athletics, and various other student life offices were always in constant communication.
IWU held multiple training sessions to address staff concerns, highlight successes, and inform staff of any updates.
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IWU staff have averaged 197 key engagements each month, ensuring students receive the attention they deserve. | |
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In the first year, IWU reduced student dismissals by half in comparison with the previous year. | |
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In the first 12 months, IWU increased retention 3% leading to 70 more students signing up to stay on campus. |
“Student Success & Engagement was quickly adopted into all facets of the college. The response from key stakeholders has been overwhelmingly positive. We are already seeing the impact in student care shortly after implementation.”
Jason Stephens, Associate Dean for Student Engagement, Indiana Wesleyan University
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