In the coming months, institutions will be able to apply for some of the $45 million Congress recently provided for a third round of the Postsecondary Student Success Grant (PSSG) competition, which helps institutions provide evidence-based supports for student persistence and completion.

In an effort to support submissions for the upcoming 2024 PSSG invitation to apply, we are excited to invite you to the second annual webinar highlighting the achievements of several institutions that have received PSSG funding in the past. Hosted by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) and the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU) with support from Arnold Ventures, this event will showcase innovative strategies and lessons learned by PSSG awardees to help support institutions in their consideration of ideas for 2024 PSSG.

Webinar Title: Advancing Evidence-Based Interventions for College Completion: Insights from Postsecondary Student Success Grant Awardees

Date and Time: Monday, July 8, 2:00-3:00 PM Eastern

Description: This webinar will feature a panel of leaders from PSSG-funded institutions sharing their experiences in developing and implementing evidence-based interventions aimed at improving postsecondary retention, transfer, and completion.

This webinar offers a unique opportunity to:

• Engage with peers and experts
• Learn from successful PSSG awardees
• Inform ideas for the 2024 PSSG competition
• Enhance your institution’s student success initiatives

Participants will also have access to resources like toolkits, reports, and workshops to support their proposals for future federal funding.

Let’s Celebrate Our 2023 and 2022 PSSG Awardees: We are proud to highlight the achievements of our APLU and USU member PSSG awardees:

• California State University, Fullerton: Fullerton RISES: Re-imagining Success for Every Student
• City University of New York System: WELCOME: Welcoming Experiences and Learning Communities to Maximize Early Success
• Colorado State University System: Systemwide Collaborative for Advancing Learning and Equity with Data (SCALED-CSU)
• Florida International University: The FIU Scaling Completion Initiative
• Georgia State University: TEACH ME: Technology Enhanced Academic Communication to Help in Math and English
• University of California, Berkeley: Project Excel
• University System of Maryland: Maryland’s ABCs for Student Success: Advising, Belonging, and Coaching for Student Success 
  
  

Please note that not all of these institutions will be represented in the webinar. However, we celebrate their contributions to advancing student success.

Do you have a great program or idea for advancing postsecondary completion? Does your institution serve high numbers of Pell or minoritized students on your campus? Are you interested in applying for federal support? We encourage you to get involved!

Register HERE

Stay tuned for more event announcements from APLU and USU. For more information, please contact Dr. Jennifer Keup at jkeup@aplu.org or @Gregory Thorntonregory Thornton at gthornton@aplu.org.

I am thrilled to announce the “Leading from Where You Are” workshop series, a set of three 90-minute workshops explicitly designed for mid-level professionals in higher education. This professional development opportunity, offered by APLU in collaboration with Dr. Alison Kadlec of Sova, provides actionable strategies and tools for leading change, fostering collaboration, and promoting equity – essential elements for driving student success initiatives. We strongly encourage you to take advantage! The three workshops are:

The Essential Skills of Student-Focused Change Leadership
Wednesday, July 10th, 1-2:30 PM ET

This first workshop explores the core skills of change leadership and their practical application in driving student-centered change. Attendees will gain insights into effective leadership practices and strategies for developing these essential skills in themselves and others.

Register here for Workshop 1

Using Short-Term Action Plans to Own Your Power
Wednesday, July 17th, 1-2:30 PM ET

The second workshop focuses on adopting an improvement mindset and applying improvement approaches to lead change from any position. This workshop draws on real-world lessons from higher education professionals who have successfully used short-term action plans to advance important work.

Register here for Workshop 2

Leveraging Relational Power
Wednesday, July 24th, 1-2:30 PM ET

The final workshop emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence and interpersonal relationships in leading meaningful change. It explores strategies for facilitating complex conversations, supporting authentic collaboration, and ensuring diverse perspectives are included in decision-making processes.

Each session requires a separate registration. These workshops will provide actionable strategies and tools for leading change, fostering collaboration, and promoting equity — essential elements for driving student success initiatives at your institution.

Participation is free, but space is limited to 100 participants per workshop. Based on your interests and availability, you can choose to attend one, two, or all three sessions. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your leadership skills and connect with peers across the Powered by Publics network.

If you have any questions about the workshop series or the registration process, please don’t hesitate to contact @Gregory Thornton at gthornton@aplu.org.

Introduction

In July 2023, New Mexico State University (NMSU) embarked on a transformative journey through the "Building an Academic Data Culture to Support Student Success" pilot program offered by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). This professional development program aimed to empower faculty, staff, and administrators to enhance student outcomes and build a robust academic data culture within their institution. The expected learning outcomes included improving academic data literacy, assessing institutional data culture, developing action plans for equitable student success, and instilling a continuous improvement mindset.

The Program

@Patrick Turner-NMSU, Associate Vice President for Student Academic Success and the NMSU lead, recognized the importance of bridging the gap between student success professionals and data professionals within a university. NMSU had experienced significant leadership turnover, which motivated Dr. Turner to foster collaboration and unity among various stakeholders. NMSU was actively involved in multiple projects through the APLU Intermediaries for Scale (IFS) initiative, which focused on gateway courses. Their intention was to engage multiple stakeholders in using data in improving success rates.

The data project selected by the NMSU team explored DFW rates for gateway courses. Through data analysis, the team learned that most students who failed these courses were also performing poorly on their mid-term grades. Armed with this information, the team identified two actions. First, they would examine student engagement data during the early weeks of class. Second, they would ask students what challenges they faced in completing the course. Based on the results, the team would identify interventions designed to improve student outcomes.

Feedback and Suggestions for Improvement

Feedback on the program's impact revealed Dr. Turner’s deliberate efforts to break down silos and build connections within the university. However, challenges remained in accessing data. As part of the program, almost 60 individuals within the NMSU community completed the Data Maturity Index (DMI).  The DMI is an assessment designed by the Powered by Public’s Data Integration cluster to assess strengths and weaknesses in the data culture on campus. The purpose of the assessment is to inform campus leaders where to focus efforts to maximize change in the data culture. The results were particularly helpful, guiding NMSU toward increasing data access and training. Dr. Turner emphasized the importance of encouraging everyone to engage with data, even if immediate actions were not taken. He acknowledged the value of the course and having a data coach who sought ways to optimize its impact.

Dr. Turner offered valuable suggestions to enhance the program's effectiveness, including inviting different speakers to increase engagement, promoting more interactive conversations, accommodating varying levels of expertise, and addressing issues related to participation and collaboration. He also highlighted the importance of offering supplementary materials for digital learning.

Conclusion

New Mexico State University's participation in the "Building an Academic Data Culture to Support Student Success" pilot program was marked by collaboration, introspection, and a commitment to fostering an equitable data culture. Dr. Turner and the NMSU team recognized the importance of data-driven decision-making, and their experiences in the program have paved the way for a more inclusive and data-savvy academic community. The program's impact at NMSU was instrumental in exploring existing data and shedding light on previously unknown aspects of data culture. The journey continues, as NMSU and APLU work together to shape a brighter future for their students through the power of data and collaboration.

To Members of the Powered by Publics Community,

We invite you to submit your CDM data to help us measure progress we have made toward our degree completion and equity goals. When we launched the initiative five years ago, we committed to collecting data through 2025. Our Data Advisory Task Force developed the Core Data Metrics, a low-effort, high-value data collection that tracks 8 key student performance measures, disaggregated by 15 subgroups. We have 4 years of data and will now collect year 5.

This year’s Core Data Metrics collection will be open from March 11 through June 30, 2024. All Powered by Publics member institutions are invited to submit data. To prepare for this year’s collection, we recommend the following steps:

1. Confirm your CDM Main Contact. Prior-year contacts will still have access to the portal. If you need to add a new contact, please complete this form.
2. One-on-one support calls may be scheduled with our team upon request at CDM@aplu.org.
3. Submit your institution’s data (16 files) before June 30, 2024. If you need additional time for this submission, please send a request to CDM@aplu.org.

The information you need for the submission can be found at our website: http://www.aplu.org/cdm. The site includes detailed guidance for data submission, a data dictionary, the template for the Annual Metrics file, an FAQ document, and access to the data portal.

Note that there are 16 total files to submit. All institutions are expected to process student cohort data through the National Student Clearinghouse and submit the institutional cohort query reports (NSC-generated) to the portal along with the annual metrics (APLU-provided) template which contains enrollment, retention, and degree data.

For those institutions that participate in the Student Achievement Measure (SAM), this process is integrated with SAM so that data submitted to CDM will automatically flow into SAM. The datasets will also be accessible to Powered by Publics members through our VSA Analytics platform to allow for custom visualization and benchmarking. Institutions that are actively participating in the Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) may grant access to APLU to use those data to populate the CDM collection. Please reach out to us at CDM@aplu.org if your institution is a PDP participant and would like to consider using the PDP data for the CDM submission.

If you have questions or feedback, please feel free to reach out to us at cdm@aplu.org.

APLU held its Annual Meeting on November 12-14 in Seattle, WA. The theme of this year’s event was Innovation for Impact. Although this was an in-person event, main sessions were recorded. Read more about Powered by Publics-relevant sessions below:

Celebrating 5 Years of Innovation with Powered by Publics

On November 12, 50-plus education leaders gathered at this special luncheon session as part of the APLU Annual Meeting to officially close out the Powered by Publics initiative, a network of 127 universities in collaborative clusters aimed at enhancing student success. The luncheon featured a panel discussion and small group activity, designed to provide members with an opportunity to reflect on accomplishments, share insights, and discuss future opportunities. Monica Brockmeyer, Senior Research Fellow, Wayne State University, moderated the panel of student success leaders (2 IFS):

• Nicole Carr, Associate Vice President, Student Academic Success, University of South Alabama, emphasized cross-institutional partnerships for innovative workforce programs, demonstrating the power of collaboration in addressing contemporary challenges.

• Tadarrayl Starke, Associate Vice Provost for Student Success, University of Connecticut, emphasized the importance of involving students in student success strategies, showcasing UConn’s commitment to student-centered approaches.

• Eugene Deess, Executive Director, Office of Institutional Effectiveness, New Jersey Institute of Technology, addressed the challenges posed by demographic declines and the need to adapt strategies to prepare students for an evolving workforce.

Next, attendees worked to uncover hidden assets in “Discover, Dream, Decide: A Discussion for Advancing Change.” These small group conversations, with questions inspired by the Appreciative Inquiry approach to collective learning, allowed participants to identify positive moments that energized their student success work (discover), envision potential enhancements (dream), and commit to action steps to drive change on their campuses (decide). Key themes that emerged included the importance of cross-functional collaboration, consistent messaging, embracing data, and sustaining momentum despite leadership changes. Though Powered by Publics formally sunsets this year, its legacy will endure through relationships formed, insights shared, and transformative impacts on student success strategies nationwide.

Talking Transformation: Does Your Campus Have What It Takes?

In this standing-room only session, a dynamic group of student success champions brought their unique perspectives on transformation efforts at their institutions:

• Jen Wells, Senior Program Officer, Postsecondary Success, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (Moderator)
• André Green, Dean of the College of Education, East Carolina University
• Kara Turner, Senior Vice President for Enrollment Management and Student Success, Morgan State University
• Nycole Courtney, Associate Vice President for Student Affairs; Dean of Student Success & Graduation, University of Wyoming

The panel explored the forces that sparked transformation efforts at their respective institutions. Green emphasized the critical role of visionary leadership which catalyzed the creation of a student success team. Turner pinpointed the transformative power of raising expectations when their president refused to accept Morgan State University’s historical retention and graduation outcomes as inevitable, and how this drove adoption of new strategies/initiatives. Courtney highlighted crisis as change catalyst. The urgency of the pandemic led University of Wyoming’s leadership to critically evaluate existing policies and structures, spurring greater collaboration and student-centeredness. Panelists reiterated that transformation is not a project with a start and end date, but rather an ongoing process of improvement fueled by data, self-reflection and student feedback. Overall, the session made clear that though change is complex, vision, courage, and cooperation make real progress attainable.

Additionally, Wells highlighted two resources from her work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, developed through multi-year research on high-performing institutions, which can assist campuses in assessing readiness, taking action, and tracking progress. To access these resources, please visit the Frontier Set and The Guide for Postsecondary Changemakers websites. DISCLOSURES: The Association of Public & Land-grant Universities and the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities served as a Frontier Set intermediary organization. Additionally, funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supported the Powered by Publics and Intermediaries for Scale initiatives.

Investing in Impact with Sustainable University Business Models:

Moderator Rick Staisloff, rpk GROUP Senior Partner, framed the session by connecting student success, value, and institutional sustainability. Jean Vock (former Senior Vice President for Business Affairs & Chief Financial Officer, University of Nevada-Las Vegas) stressed the importance of using analytics to guide strategic funding choices. She relayed how UNLV examined registration holds, finding small outstanding balances prevented student enrollment, while relaxing requirements boosted revenue. Diane Cheng, Vice President of Research & Policy, Institute for Higher Education Policy, introduced “Threshold Zero”—the minimum return students should receive on their educational investment. She explained how tools like the Equitable Value Explorer help colleges improve students’ ROI. Maggie Tolan, Senior Associate Vice President for Student Success, Virginia Commonwealth University, detailed VCU initiatives like revamped first-year courses and paid internships producing financial returns through higher retention. She stressed identifying “champions” who pinpoint high-impact changes.

Key takeaways included to start with disaggregated student data (Cheng), find efficiencies and right-size resources (Vock), identify connections between student success and sustainability (Tolan), and increase transparency around spending, outcomes, and ROI (Staisloff). Panelists conveyed the importance of reframing conversations and bringing together stakeholders from across the institution to craft financial and student success strategies focused on equity, outcomes, and sustainability.

Strategies for Improving Data Literacy and Data Culture on Campus:

Data literacy plays a crucial role in harnessing the power of institutional data to remove barriers to student success. Four university leaders discussed strategies and their experiences:

• Archie Holmes, Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University of Texas System (Moderator)
• Tom Andriola, Vice Chancellor for Information Technology & Data; Chief Digital Officer, University of California, Irvine
• Valeria Garcia, Associate Vice President of Decision Support, University of South Florida
• John Volin, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, University of Maine

Key themes emerged around data sharing, data literacy, and trust, all of which are critical for improving transparency and effectiveness. The panel also shared real-world examples such as data dashboards and qualitative data gathering techniques that support understanding the context of the student’s experiences. They stressed that getting the fundamentals right is critical, such as consistent data definitions, standards and policies around data security, a cross-functional data governance structure, and the necessary technology.

Creating a Culture of Belonging: The Student Experience Project (SEP) Institute:

In March, 14 Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU) members kickstarted the inaugural SEP Institute, focusing on applying social psychological research to foster equitable learning environments. This session, moderated by Denise Bartell, Associate Provost for Academic Affairs, Kent State University, featured leaders from four institutions who shared their pioneering practices. The panel also included:

• Eric Bailey II, Assistant Vice President for Student Academic Success, University of Memphis
• John Gunkel, Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs and Strategic Partnerships, Rutgers University-Newark
• JoAnne Malatesta, Dean and Vice Provost, University at Albany

They highlighted the critical role of faculty communities of practice in enhancing student belonging and academic outcomes. Emphasizing the necessity of these initiatives, the discussion revolved around experiences, challenges, and best practices. This insightful session provided a roadmap for institutions aiming to create more inclusive and effective educational experiences. Samantha Levine, USU Associate Director, also shared a plethora of SEP resources, including their report and First Day Toolkit.

The Powered by Publics team is pleased to announce the release of Talking Transformation, our limited podcast series that explores some of the innovative, collaborative, and transformative work done by our cluster members! Each episode features a conversation with a different cluster manager, providing a unique window into topics, challenges, discoveries, victories, lessons, and recommendations.

All episodes are available on Soundcloud and here on the Learning Exchange. Individual episode details are listed below. Please take a listen, and let us know your thoughts!

Talking Transfer Student Success with Gregory Thornton & Bao Le (24:51)

In this episode, guest host Bao Le, Assistant Vice President for Data and Policy Analysis at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, delves into the significant work of the Powered by Publics initiative. Joined by Gregory Thornton, Associate Director, in the Center for Public University Transformation, and cluster manager for the institutions focusing on transfer student success, they discuss the challenges and solutions surrounding transfer student success in higher education. Gregory emphasizes the importance of creating a transfer-receptive culture, improving communication, advocating for policy changes, and establishing dedicated transfer student centers. The episode underscores the need for institutions to prioritize transfer students, ensuring they receive the same attention and resources as first-time students. Dive in to explore the insights, best practices, and collaborative efforts that are paving the way for transfer student success.

Talking Optimizing Degree Programs with Curricular Analytics with Julia Michaels & Julia Chadwick (16:00)

In this episode, guest host Julia Chadwick delves into the transformative work of the Powered by Publics initiative, which has been driving innovative solutions in higher education since 2018. Joined by Julia Michaels, Executive Director for Powered by Publics, they discuss the pivotal role of Curricular Analytics in optimizing degree pathways. Michaels highlights the tool's ability to visualize academic challenges and its potential to enhance student outcomes by identifying and addressing problematic degree programs. The conversation underscores the importance of faculty engagement, the need for regular curriculum reviews, and the broader vision of ensuring a student-centric approach in higher education.

Talking DFW Rates with Tia Freelove Kirk & Jimmy McClellan (15:22)

In this episode of "Talking Transformation," guest host Jimmy McClellan, Assistant Director for Urban Initiatives at the Association for Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), delves into the work of the Powered by Publics initiative. Launched in 2018, this initiative collaborates with 127 institutions across 14 clusters to address challenges in higher education. The spotlight of the conversation is on DFW rates (grades D, F, and withdrawals) in gateway courses. Tia Freelove Kirk, Assistant Director in the Center for Public University Transformation, shares insights from her work with the Big Ten cluster, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, data-sharing, and a systemic approach to reducing DFW rates. The duo discusses the significance of addressing equity gaps, the challenges faced during the initiative, and the importance of collective responsibility in achieving equitable outcomes for students.

Talking Data Literacy and Integration with Denise Nadasen & Milan Ephraim (16:46)

In the final episode of the "Talking Transformation" series, guest host Milan Ephraim, Program Manager for International Economic and Community Engagement at APLU, delves into the significance of Data Literacy and Integration with Denise Nadasen, Assistant Vice President for Institutional Data and Analytics. They discuss the "Powered by Publics" initiative's journey since 2018, emphasizing the importance of data in higher education and the challenges and solutions institutions face in integrating data literacy. Denise highlights the value of community collaboration, the need for senior leadership buy-in, and the significance of assessing data culture. This episode offers valuable insights and recommendations for institutions aiming to enhance their data literacy initiatives. Join us for this enlightening conversation as we wrap up the series.

UW’s Multidisciplinary Student Success Institutional Transformation Taskforce

In this ongoing series, we explore the University of Wyoming’s transformation journey, highlighting the challenges, strategies, and their vision for future innovation in student success. This second installment delves deeper into their experiences under the Intermediaries for Scale (IFS) initiative, emphasizing their successes in fostering institutional change. In this conversation, we hear from a broader group of stakeholders from the multidisciplinary Student Success Institutional Transformation Taskforce (SSITT):

• Anne Alexander, Vice Provost, Strategic Planning and Initiatives for Academic Affairs
• Aaron Courtney, Associate Vice President, Budget & Institutional Planning; Director, Student Financial Services
• Nycole Courtney, Dean, Student Success and Graduation; Associate Vice President, Student Affairs
• Angela Davis, Program Coordinator, Student Success and Graduation
• Sue Koller, Manager, Institutional Analysis
• Hailey Sanderson, Assistant to the AVP, Student Success and Graduation
• Steve Scott, Institutional Computer Reporting Analyst
• Alec Wallen, Graduate Student Employee, Student Success and Graduation

What programs or initiatives has UW implemented as part of its participation in the IFS initiative, and how have these initiatives impacted student success?

The SSITT has significantly enhanced cross-departmental collaboration at the University of Wyoming. This initiative has effectively dismantled silos, paving the way for a holistic approach to student success. Sue noted, “It has expanded who is talking about retention. It’s made us more mindful and really start thinking about what small things can we even do to make a difference in a student’s life and wanting to stay at UW.” The emphasis on collaboration ensures a consistent approach to student success. Nycole added, “Because of SSITT, I think everyone’s thinking a little bit deeper, more meaningful around how we manage some of the work around retention.” This collaborative approach has led to a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges faced by students and a more effective strategy for addressing these challenges. Angela, a University of Wyoming alum, appreciated the integration and elevation of the student perspective in these discussions, calling it, “amazing and really informative for the group.”

Additional initiatives have emerged from the SSITT’s comprehensive and evolving approach to student success and retention. Hailey and Nycole highlighted a program that offers extra support for students on academic probation, giving them the option to engage with an academic ‘life coach’ for personalized guidance. Nycole emphasized the significance of this self-selected support, stating, “The life coaching is really about how are we going to realistically ensure you achieve your goals within your individual circumstances.” Additionally, the Cowboy Coach peer mentoring program was expanded to connect all first-year students with a peer mentor. Data-driven insights have led the university to mandate meetings between first-year students and their Cowboy Coach at least once per semester.

Can you share any success stories or examples of how students have benefited from UW’s participation in the IFS project?

Aaron highlighted the creation of a micro-grant opportunity, a proactive, data-driven initiative aimed at helping students nearing degree completion. These funds helped students overcome lingering financial barriers and cross the finish line of their academic journey. Nycole shared the success of the callback campaign, a student-led initiative that reached out to students who had not yet registered for classes. The initiative not only helped students overcome barriers to registration but also made students feel seen and cared for by the university. “Students [said], I didn’t think the university actually cared. When we called them, it actually made a difference in whether or not they registered.” Nycole also spoke about their ‘Saddle Up’ orientation program, which was in its infancy when the IFS engagement begun but has since grown into a comprehensive program that teaches students “real-time time management, study skills, resiliency, and grit.” Nycole noted that the success of the program is evident in the fact that “students from the first year of ‘Saddle Up’ are now returning as what we call our ‘Poke Packs.’ They’re the mentors that help [new students] get through the program.” These initiatives have directly helped students overcome barriers to success and created a culture of care and support.

How do you see the IFS initiative helping to shape strategic development going forward, and what are your goals for the future?

The SSITT team sees IFS participation as a catalyst for strategic development, providing tools and resources that have been instrumental in shaping their approach to student success. Anne championed the use of the Institutional Transformation Assessment (ITA) tool, stating, “[The ITA] and all the sensemaking after that we did together—which evolved into SSITT—I think we can continue to use that as kind of a temperature check to see how we’re evolving.” She envisions its regular use for ongoing assessment. Nycole shared, “One of the outcomes was that we actually built a strategic plan for student success from this APLU IFS process. But it’s also advised and has input from our SSITT team.” The team also emphasized the value of interdisciplinary collaboration in realizing their strategic goals.

Can you speak to any unexpected successes or surprises from UW’s IFS involvement?

The IFS initiative has brought about unexpected successes, particularly in fostering collaboration and enhancing data literacy. Sue highlighted the AIR Data Literacy Institute service: “I think that we’ve known for a while that we probably needed some help with data literacy in general. But I’m not sure we would have reached out to get that opportunity without having this as a catalyst.” Nycole celebrated the sense of community within the SSITT team, adding, “I think what was exciting for me to see is that people are interested in coming. They look forward to having a conversation. And it is a nice way to learn more about what’s going on in our spaces, particularly when it comes to retention.” She valued the depth of discussions the initiative sparked. Sue felt the initiative was a platform for addressing concerns, leading to meaningful discussions and solutions. Hailey emphasized the efficiency gained by having all stakeholders discuss issues together: “When they’re all in the same room, and they can talk about it in real-time, it happens a lot faster,” eliminating the need for extended meetings and projects.

Finally, do you have any advice or insights you would like to share with other universities seeking to improve student success and drive institutional transformation?

Their primary advice for universities is to adopt a collaborative, solutions-focused approach. Anne emphasized the value of a community-oriented approach, stating, “I think this so far is the one that has been most successful because of the community aspect. We have everybody in the room, and everybody comes to solve problems.” She stressed the importance of student participation in these dialogues. Nycole urged institutions to remain open-minded, stating, “I think we sometimes get into this space where we think we know all the answers. As an institution, we think we’ve got this. We’re going to solve all the problems.” Highlighting the value of different perspectives and teamwork, she stated, “I do think having interdisciplinary ideas and cross-functional components from your colleagues only helps you be better.” She encourages embracing pivotal opportunities for change, such as the IFS initiative and Powered by Publics, and concludes, “Learning from a national partner and national peers has been incredibly helpful.”

As we conclude the second installment of our series, many thanks to the University of Wyoming’s SSITT for their unwavering commitment to student success. Their cross-functional collaboration and integration of the student voice should certainly serve as a beacon for other institutions navigating their own transformation journey. Stay tuned as we further explore the IFS network's impact and delve into its subprojects. We invite you to share your thoughts, experiences, or questions in the comments below or via social media. Let's continue the conversation on student success and institutional transformation!

On May 15, APLU hosted the second virtual Data Literacy Institute (DLI) convening. This event was co-sponsored by APLU and the Association for Institutional Research, with generous support from Ascendium Education Group. At this event, teams from four institutions in the second cohort shared the results of their capstone projects, in which they used data to explore solutions to a critical student success problem on campus. Presenters included the University of Maine, Bowling Green State University, Illinois State University, and Miami University of Ohio.

During the second half of the convening, five teams from the first cohort – Kent State University, Montclair State University, Oakland University, Wright State University, and the University of Minnesota Duluth shared how they are developing a data literacy program on their campuses to continue the work they started in the DLI.

Click here to view the video of the convening:

Bowling Green State University Slides: Bowling Green State University — Data Literacy Institute 2023 Convening Presentation | Powered by Publics Learning Exchange (crowdstack.io)

University of Maine Slides: University of Maine — Data Literacy Institute 2023 Convening Presentation | Powered by Publics Learning Exchange (crowdstack.io)

Miami University of Ohio Slides: Miami University (Ohio) — Data Literacy Institute 2023 Convening Presentation | Powered by Publics Learning Exchange (crowdstack.io)

Oakland University Slides : Oakland University — Data Literacy Institute 2023 Convening Presentation | Powered by Publics Learning Exchange (crowdstack.io)

University of Minnesota Duluth Slides: University of Minnesota Duluth — Data Literacy Institute 2023 Convening Presentation | Powered by Publics Learning Exchange (crowdstack.io)

Wright State University Slides: Wright State University — Data Literacy Institute 2023 Convening Presentation | Powered by Publics Learning Exchange (crowdstack.io)