LAAP Project Beyond the Administrative Core: Creating Web-based Student Services for Online Learners

A Vision  Regis currently has the opportunity to “dream where it wants to go” in the delivery of student services.

The Administrative Core  Admissions  Registration  Financial aid  Student accounts

The Administrative Core Next Steps Establish target dates for completion of Phase I and Communicate Communicate Phase I functionality Begin Planning for Phase II

Assumptions What We Heard about Adult Students  Growth in the numbers of adult learners will continue to outstrip growth in the “traditional” student population.  The adult student is a more savvy consumer with higher expectations for products, services, and quick response.  The quality of student services a University offers will make a difference in its competitive position in the adult student market.

Assumptions What We Heard about Students  On campus as well as distance learners will demand access to student services online.  In the future, all students will be working online to fulfill course requirements.  Traditional and adult learners are more alike than different in the services they need and expect.

Assumptions What We Heard about Regis University  The fact that Regis is a Jesuit institution is extremely important and has a real impact on the life of the University.  Regis needs to shift its resources and intellectual focus to acknowledge the education of adults is as central to its mission as the education of traditional on campus students.  The University’s philosophy and culture must shift to support a learning anytime/anywhere environment for all students.

Themes from the Discussion The Uses of Technology to Expand and Improve Student Services  Technology can be used to free staff from routine tasks enabling them to provide a more “high touch” services.  Providing significant opportunities for student to student interaction online could expand service capability and meet student needs for some services, affiliation, and identification with the University.

Themes from the Discussion Technology could be used to reinforce the educational experience as it relates to the mission of Regis as a Jesuit institution:  To put students in touch with faculty and staff and with each other.  To extend campus ministry to adult students.  To convey that Regis is value centered, not value free, particularly the values inherent in the Jesuit commitment to “Leadership in the Service of Others.”

What Really Is the Regis Experience?  Ongoing Personal Contact with Faculty/Advisors  “We really want to help you solve your problem.”  Repeated Communications Using Different Techniques  Personalizing Programs to Meet Student Needs  15 to 1 ratio in Distance Courses  “Students want to be Safe, Connected, and Respected.”  Values and ethical orientation

What Might Further the Regis Experience?  One stop contact  Frontline people make decisions  Go beyond Building Community -- have a purpose  Lots of interactivity in distance courses  Creating a sense of identity with Regis as a physical location  Expand the opportunities for interaction and involvement  Less reliance on voice mail/phone menu options  Build in Student Feedback Loop

Issues  Infrastructure Does Regis currently have the system capacity to provide online student services to the numbers of students likely to be seeking access over the next few years? What is the capacity of the Datatel and the Web Advisor system to provide services beyond those currently in implementation? What capabilities does WebCT have for providing certain student services to online distance students and others?

Issues What implications do differences in tuition and fee structure have for the development of online student services? What boundaries must Regis set for the operation of services in a learning anytime anywhere environment that respect limitations in resources?

Student Services Model Admin Core Academic Services Core Student Support Services Building Community Building Community

Academic Services  Academic Advising  Library Services  Tech Support  Bookstore  ?

Student Support Services  Career Services  Counseling  Wellness  ?

Building Community  Opportunities for Interaction  Orientation around Values  Carrying out the Mission of Leadership in the Service of Others  Campus Ministry  Extending parts of the co-curricular experience to adult students  Anything that would help us meet our mission

Where Do You Start?  Considerations Resources Time Frame Importance of benefiting all Regis students Importance to the greatest number of students in terms of the reach of the service Good starting point for future development

Models Traditional ModelNew Model Functional silos Segregated departments and processes Lack of communication across departments Lines and multiple offices Limited access (8x5) Bureaucratic, paper-driven processes Sometimes-inconsistent information Cross-functional teams Integrated systems, organization, and processes Cross-trained teams “One or None” philosophy Anytime and anyplace (24x7) One source of data, electronic Consistent information, integrated, and common interfaces Shifting Student Services Model Martha Beede & Darlene Burnett, The Compelling Case for Change, Planning for Student Services: Best Practices for the 21 st Century, p. 9. Society for College and University Planning, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1999.

Auto Transaction Auto Transaction Self Help Self Help Generalist Generalist Specialist Specialist Old Process New Process

Where Do You Start?  Considerations Related to Organizational Change Need for Ownership Importance of Communication Cross Cutting Significance of message to University community Empowerment of front line service personnel

What We Heard Options  Opportunities for Interaction  Academic Advising  Career Services  Building Community  ?  Build online capability for Routine Transactions freeing staff to provide more personalized/high touch services  In what area beyond the administrative core?  Build tool to assist students in making good choices about combining various types of educational experiences-- work at community colleges, CLEP, DANTES, online, and on- campus work.

What We Heard Options  Build 1st component of “What really is Regis”  Interactivity  Campus ministry  Extension of appropriate co-curricular activities  ?  Contact Center -- one click services  For which functions?

Next Steps August 28 - September 22  Selection of Project  Appointment of the Design Team  Establish goals for the project  Preliminary Definition of Project Elements

September Meeting  Refine and Confirm Project Elements and Scope  Establish Project Time Line  Report on Time Lines and Functionality of Core Administrative Services

Web Resources  A sense of what it is like to be an online learner: National University at al al  Tips for success in an online environment: University of Illinois at s4success.htm

Web Resources  Requirements, important policies, cost information, student services, and information on how to get help: Rio Salado college at entation/index.htm

Web Resources  All student services available to distance learners: Washington State Community and Technical Colleges Online Consortium at dentUnion

Web Resources  Developing a sense of community: Washington State University edp.wsu.edu/newfront/default.asp Santa Fe Community College Dakota State University ace.htm

Web Resources  Additional Resources: University of Minnesota at University of Missouri at Brigham Young University at University of Colorado at Boulder