As campuses begin to welcome students back for the fall 2021 term, they are hyper-focused on continuously expanding their capacity to efficiently serve their students. More than ever before, they are exploring and implementing new approaches and technology tools to boost student success through improving the student experience.
It’s widely accepted that there won’t be a universal definition of student success–or even what the student experience encompasses–across all institutions. However, at every campus, no matter the mission and goals, CIOs and their teams should be vital players in shaping the technology strategy and evaluating the right-fit systems and applications.
Though it’s challenging to figure out where to begin the process of vetting and selecting student systems and platforms, the good news is that no matter how unique each institution may be, CIOs can steer their journey on the right path by taking the following four steps.
Start with accessibility
Student systems should be selected and implemented with accessibility features front and center. In today’s mobile environment, students expect to access core functionality from any device, from any location, at any time. As your campus evaluates solutions to meet your student success goals, mobile-ready is essential.
Students also expect to access multiple functions in one place, so having a one-stop-shop is table stakes in creating a seamless student experience. Institutions should not require students to download numerous apps, visit several web pages, or log into additional portals to meet their needs.
Furthermore, prioritize platforms that are committed to achieving Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (CAG 2.0) and consider students who may not bring their technology devices to campus. Student systems should be accessible whether your student is on campus, off campus, sitting in an institution computer lab, or on their laptop.
Rebekah Russell is the Research Director, CRM and Student Solutions with the Tambellini Group. She researches and publishes in the student and CRM technology space, including platforms that focus on recruitment and admissions, student retention and engagement, advising, financial aid, and student management.
Rebekah brings over 11 years of experience working in higher education. Prior to joining the Tambellini Group she held various roles at Western Kentucky University, including work in student engagement and retention, parent and alumni programming, information technology administration, and most recently, as Assistant Vice President for Budget, Financial Planning & Analytics.