Leveraging Technology: Strategies to Engage your Students and Make your Job Easier! Chryssa Jones, Veterans Services Coordinator University of California, Riverside
What Are Your Challenges? Tweet them now using the #NAVPA13 tag
What Are Your Challenges? You are too busy Busy researching overpayments & debt letters Busy calculating net payer adjustments Busy monitoring student registrations, degree plans, add/drop/changes, fee changes, & attendance Busy processing certifications & paperwork You are busy answering student questions Students don’t read Students don’t listen to what you tell them Students don’t use the resources they have No time for outreach (because you’re too busy) New tools are too complicated
Technology Can Help! Job Processes: Reporting tools & campus data systems Automation & templates Cloud-based collaboration Batch processing Sharing “Best Practices” Technology Outreach: Social media Student/Campus network Your “official” website Articles & blogs Direct & list-serves Old-fashioned word of mouth
Job Process Improvements Student Data System Take the time to learn your data systems Workflows & automation Write improvement proposals Data Elements VA file number Chapter 33 eligibility % Certification data Restricted fund sources Processing Comments Document Imaging Easy to review at any time Automate Processes Installment Plans Degree-plan Checking Report batching Reporting Tools Cert reports Add/drop reports FinAid adjustment reports
Sample Cert Report
Other Time-Saving Tips: Use templates & auto-responders Use Mail Merge Wizards to send customized (more effective) messages Use cloud-based collaboration tools when appropriate Batch processing (including social media) Learn & share ideas with others!
Outreach & Collaboration Text messaging Social media Campus network Your “official” website Student peer support Campus programs Community events Articles and blogs Bulletin boards and handouts
Why Use Web & Social Media? It’s where your students are Empowers your students to connect with and support each other Improve your situational awareness Establish a voice in your community BUT…. You have to do it right!
Facebook Pages Friends are individuals Pages are for businesses and organizations Groups are perfect for your student veteran organization “Like” other pages to easily share content Use scheduling tools like Hootsuite to manage future updates Post Often
Twitter Your students are on Facebook, but your colleagues are on Twitter Follow others for updates and easy retweets Link accounts for easy updates to both OR optimize each separately for maximum reach
Campus Social Network Find out what platform is used and what tools are available Use a combination of social networks, not just one Post often!
Keep Your Website Current Your website is your information portal Easy to find info = fewer student phone calls Link to VA pages and other sites (but check the links periodically) Great tool: a Twitter box automatically updates your website with your current tweets
Blogs & Articles Write articles about topics that interest your students Create a blog or use another online document repository to begin a reference library When questions come up, point students to the article Troops2college.blogspot.com
Other Collaboration Tips Use workstudy students or volunteer Peer Mentors to maintain communication channels Make contacts with veteran service organizations in your community Ask partners to provide post-ready content Participate in community-building events Do joint events with other schools in your community
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