September 8, 2015
KSIS enhancements support K-State's Student Success Collaborative
As part of the university's ongoing commitment to improve academic advising, student retention and graduate rates, several new and innovative features are available in the KSU Advisor Center in KSIS. These innovations provide some of the most advanced analytics and advising tools available anywhere, which enables Kansas State University advisors to quickly identify and assist students who may be in need of early intervention or long-range academic planning.
One especially visible new feature includes green, yellow and red icons, which indicate a student's risk level. In this context, risk is determined by comparing students' K-State academic performance with 10 years of K-State students' historical academic performance data. The comparison is computed by a proprietary predictive analytics model developed by EAB, which was formally the Education Advisory Board. This is an example of how big data can help gauge probabilities and identify opportunities for strategic improvements. This new type of information can helpfully inform advisors in their complex and consequential work and can assist students in their pursuit of maximally informed and effective academic career decision-making.
Additional enhancements in the KSU Advisor Center enable advisors to quickly access EAB's Student Success Collaborative Advisor Platform. The Student Success Collaborative Platform contains additional advising tools and analytics, including individualized recommendations to help students understand what alternative majors might best suit them and what curricular choices are most apt to improve their likelihood of graduation.
K-State's Student Success Collaborative, under the direction of the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Studies, is in the first of a three-year pilot. The first pilot groups — business, engineering, global campus, human ecology, open option and sociology, anthropology and social work — began in July and are well underway. The next round of pilots will kick off this week and will include advisors from nearly every other major unit on campus. EAB consultants will conduct three training opportunities Wednesday, Sept. 9, and Thursday, Sept. 10, on the Manhattan campus. Our long-range goal is to train and provide access to anyone with the KSIS advisor role who is interested in having such access.
Please contact Steve Dandaneau at dandaneau@k-state.edu for more information on K-State's Student Success Collaborative and Diana Blake at dkblake@k-state.edu for more information on these KSIS enhancements.