1. THIRD-PARTY VENDORS FOR DATA ANALYTICS: FRIEND OR FOE?
Tiffany Beth Mfume,
Assistant Vice President for Student Success and Retention,
Morgan State University

2. Morgan State University Office of Student Success and Retention (OSSR)
The largest of four, public historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) in the State of Maryland
Enrollment just under 7,600 students, with approximately 6,300 undergraduate students 
Entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation -- the only college or university to earn this designation for the entire campus
Listed by U.S. News & World Report as "one of student's most popular universities“ and named by Forbes magazine among "America's Best Colleges and Universities 2016"
Identified as "one of the 25 Best Universities for African Americans, Hispanics, and Women" by the Black EOE Journal, Hispanic Network magazine, and Professional Woman's magazine

3. Morgan State University Office of Student Success and Retention (OSSR)
For six consecutive years, Morgan’s retention rate has exceeded 70%. This achievement was highlighted twice in U.S. News & World Report magazine where MSU has been listed as one of the top 12 HBCUs where freshmen return.
More than 90% of our undergraduates receive some type of financial aid and approximately 60% are Pell-eligible. 
Morgan’s student body is still primarily a first-time, full-time population of African American students, many of whom are first generation college students. 
More than 65% of our undergraduate students test into developmental English, reading, and mathematics courses. 
By every traditional measure, many Morgan students are "high risk" students.

4. Morgan State University Office of Student Success and Retention (OSSR)
The only HBCU to win a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the implementation of Integrated Planning and Advising Services (IPAS) technology (2013)
Winner of the Association of Public and Land- grant Universities (APLU) Project Degree Completion Award (2015)
Invited participant: Ed Trust OASIS (Optimizing Academic Success and Institutional Strategy) Network (2016)
Winner of the Association of Public and Land- grant Universities (APLU) Turning Points Video Competition Award (2016)
Winner of a $760,000 HBCU Student Success Project grant from the Lumina Foundation (2016)
Winner of the Hobsons Education Advances Award for Student Success and Advising (2017)
Director of Student Success and Retention, Dr. Tiffany Mfume, receiving APLU 2015 Project Degree Completion Award

5. Morgan State University Office of Student Success and Retention (OSSR)
Morgan State University has increased its retention rate from 63% (2006 cohort) to 73% (2015 cohort) and graduation rate from 28% (2005 cohort) to 38% (2011 cohort), both ten-point increases that are directly correlated to the ongoing efforts of the OSSR.
In the Fall (2015) our retention rate for the 2014 freshman cohort was 76.% for the 2nd year in a row, Morgan’s highest retention rate in 20 years; Morgan has had seven consecutive years of a retention rate above 70%.
The Fall 2017 retention rate is up an additional +2 points to 75.2% for the Fall 2016 cohort of freshmen.

6. Starfish Implementation and Campus-Wide Adoption
In 2013, Morgan State University applied for and was awarded a $100,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation for the implementation of Integrated Planning and Advising Services (IPAS) technology.
Morgan identified Starfish Retention Solutions as its designated IPAS system for implementation by Spring 2014 and named the new initiative Morgan’s STAR (Student, Technology, and Retention) Enterprise.

7. We help academic institutions.
What is Starfish?
“I made a difference for that one.”
We are.
A Student Success Company
We believe.
The campus community engaged with a student will lead to that student’s success.
We help academic institutions.
Identify. Which students are at risk now?
Guide. Where do I go to get/offer help?
Connect. When can I get help?
Optimize. How are services performing?

8. Starfish Solutions Early Warning and Student Tracking System
Feedback on students can be manually recorded when observed or through periodic surveys.
Recommendations can be communicated to the student.
Appropriate personnel are informed of tracking items raised and cleared.
Close the loop with faculty when progress is made.
Educational Support Networking System
Each student has personal My Success Network of instructors and staff.
Online scheduling for in-person meetings – both individual and group appointments.
Appointment confirmation by .
Documentation of contact with students through private and shared notes.
Service catalog of available campus support resources.

9. Morgan’s Program Goals and Objectives
University-wide academic advising technology system that interfaces with existing systems (Banner/WEBSis)
Consistent, comprehensive intervention (OSSR)
Enhance the value of Academic Advising Services
Promote the use of early alerts (flags, kudos, referrals, and to-do’s)

10. How We Measure Success
IN THE SHORT TERM
Adoption of Starfish (usage)
Increased consistency of process and data (progress surveys)
Engagement (appointments, student folder)
Course Completion (grades, GPA)
IN THE LONG TERM
Persistence (retention & progression)
Degree completion

11. Starfish Super Users at Morgan
Role of Administrative Director and/or Retention Coordinator = Super User!
Train and encourage use of Starfish among instructors and advisors - act as evangelists for the project
Assist in testing Starfish configuration and revising training materials
Advise students
Brainstorm solutions and improvements as part of steering committee
Share knowledge and gather feedback
Report issues and help troubleshoot

12. Starfish: Instructor Role
Instructors can:
Set up office hours and a profile that students can see
Raise alerts
Respond to progress surveys
Communicate with their students via Starfish
Make appointments with their students and document outcomes
Guide their students to information about available services
Review student information of students enrolled in his/her courses

13. Starfish: Advisor Role
Advising roles can:
Set up profile and office/service hours
Manage alerts, document activities and communicate with students.
Manage assigned cases and provide advising services to students
Connect students to other available services
Review student information of assigned students or students in their area
Create and document appointments

14. Starfish: Administration
Other monitoring roles (e.g. Deans/Chairs) can:
Monitor alerts
Review case information for their programs/campuses
Review student information
Central Administration role can:
Monitor and manage alert workflow
Review case information across the institution
Manage Steering committee
Collect feedback and make decisions about Starfish configuration
Develop Metrics and Reports

15. Starfish: Student All students who are Starfish users can:
Set up a profile and communications preferences
Review flags/kudos raised and respond
Find and connect to recommended/ available services
Make and Track appointments with instructors or others in their “success network”

16. Retention Advisor and Assigned Advisor
Starfish: Early Alert General Workflow
Instructor
Student
Retention Advisor and Assigned Advisor
Instructor raises a flag
Student receives a notification and flag is displayed in Tracking tab
Retention Advisor reaches out to the student and makes comments on the flag
Student makes an appointment for services
Advisor Closes the flag and enters ‘close loop’ comments which are sent to the instructor

17. 223,623 total tracking items in Starfish
Morgan State University Starfish Success
223,623
total tracking items in Starfish

18. 5,533 5.12 2.15 Starfish: Spring 2017 Update
Total Items Raised
Breakdown of items based on method raised
Item Name
Total Raised
Manually Raised
Survey Raised
System Raised
FLAGS
25221
1136
15224
8861
Attendance Concern
3386
419
2967
Behavioral Concern 24
Final Grade Flag 3
General Concern
507 70
437
In Danger of Failing
3503
263
3240
Low Participation
1179 21
1158
Low Quiz / Test Scores
3207
109
3098
Mid-Term Grade Flag
8858
Missing or Incomplete Assignments
3855
208
3647
Punctuality Concern
646 20
626
Writing Concern 53 2 51
KUDOS
5616
337
5279
Keep Up the Good Work
3733
233
3500
Outstanding Academic Performance
937 68
869
Showing Improvement
946 36
910
REFERRALS 50
Career Development Center 6
CASA (Center for Academic Success and 8
Counseling Center 11
Tutoring Referral
University Writing 5
TO DOS 12
Follow Ups
Meet with Your Retention Coordinator 1
GRAND TOTAL
30899
1535
20503
Starfish:
Spring 2017 Update
Total Unique Students with a Flag or Kudos:
5,533
Average Number of Flags Per Student:
5.12
Average Number of Kudos Per Student:
2.15
Table Includes all Starfish tracking items from 1/23/17 – 5/1/17.

19. Starfish: Progress Surveys Update
Survey Name
Survey Date
Surveys Sent
Surveys Viewed
Survey Reminders (1st)
Survey Reminders (2nd)
Surveys
Completed
Tracking Items Created
Progress Survey #2 Spring 2017
4/24/17
1485
596
1230
1057
565
9470
Progress Survey #1 Spring 2017
2/27/17
1488
736
1216
991
689
11033
Progress Survey #2 Fall 2016
11/14/16
1477
627
1084
597
10378
Progress Survey #1 Fall 2016
9/26/16
651
1245
1055
9496
Progress Survey #2 Spring 2016
4/18/16
1446
556
1165
1040
534
8294
Progress Survey #1 Spring 2016
2/29/16
1451
636
1202
1039
605
8341
Progress Survey Fall 2015 #2
11/16/15
1447
615
1163
1000
594
8903
Progress Survey Fall 2015 #1
9/28/15
1444
621
1233
584
8418
Progress Survey Spring 2015 #2
4/20/15
1484
506
1305
1093
471
6851
Progress Survey Spring 2015 #1
3/2/15
1496
673
1278
1180
7657
Progress Survey Fall 2014 #2
11/17/14
1452
560
1270
1199
528
7193
Progress Survey Fall 2014 #1
10/6/14
1453
750
1267
1121
693
9829
Progress Survey #2
4/28/14
1467
477
1142
442
3821
Progress Survey #1
3/31/14
1471
647
1019
602
7366

20. Outcomes
A Spring 2015 analysis of Starfish (IPAS) from Spring 2014 through Spring 2015 by the Office Institutional Research at Morgan found that:
the majority of D’s at mid-term were raised to C or better by the end of each semester;
the mean cumulative GPA of students with concern flags has been above 2.0, with about 75% of these students ending the semester with GPAs at or above 2.0; and,
results of the annual University Student Satisfaction Survey indicate that student satisfaction with advising increased from 2.4 to 2.6 on a scale of 0 (F) to 4 (A) from Spring 2014 to Spring 2015.

21. Outcomes
Fall 2016 Mid-term Grade Distribution by Whether Instructor Used Starfish
Instructor Status
Missing Grades A B C D F AU FL I NA PS PT S
Total
Number
Ds or Fs
Percent
Did Not Use Starfish
1302
897
836
427 24 15 5 14
176 47
3748 39 1%
Used Starfish
1285
4857
6211
6002
3751
5521 3 38
472 73 19 57
28289
9272
33%
2587
5754
7047
6429
3775
5536
486
249
104
32037
9311
29%
The Starfish Early Alert System was first used in the spring 2014 semester. At that time, analyses were conducted to see if there was a difference in grade improvement between students who received Starfish alerts and those who did not. Now that Starfish has been operational for a number of semesters, we see that the overwhelming majority of mid-term grades were awarded by instructors who use Starfish.
Fall 2016 Final Grade Distribution by Whether Instructor Used Starfish
Instructor
Status
Missing Grades A C D AU F FL NA NG P PS PT S TR TW W
Total
Number
Ds or Fs
Percent
Did Not Use Starfish 85
1675
359 45 1 72 7 34
183
171 36 38 76 6
113
3748
117 3%
Used Starfish
313
7062
6233
1891 3
3275 14
288
365
131 24
1467
28289
5166
18%
398
8737
6592
1936 4
3347 21
322
548
302 60 39
119
1580
32037
5283
16%
As with the mid-term grades, the overwhelming majority of final grades were awarded by instructors who use Starfish.

22. Third-Party Vendors for Data Analytics: Friend or Foe?
Starfish Best Practices:
Patty Raymond & Richard Calhoun!
Workflow design
Progress Surveys
Attributes
Message templates
Reports
YouTube videos
Photos of students

23. Third-Party Vendors for Data Analytics: Friend or Foe?
Communication and Ongoing Feedback:
Surveys every semester
Presentations at every Faculty Institute
Updating faculty via twice / semester
Sharing changes and modifications which have resulted from advisor feedback.

24. Third-Party Vendors for Data Analytics: Friend or Foe?
Lessons Learned:
Let Leadership Lead
Engage Strategic Partners (IT, IR, CFO)
Remember Data Integration
Discuss Tools with Users at Other Campuses
Set Clear Goals and Objectives
Make the Most of Training
Celebrate Your Wins
Evaluate and Share Results
Be Open to Tweaking and Evolving
Stay Focused!

25. Third-Party Vendors for Data Analytics: Friend or Foe?
Bottom Line:
Technology, tools, and systems can help faculty, administrators, and staff work smarter and not harder. With the support of external partners and collaborators, institutions can use technology to design and deliver strategic initiatives to foster student success and degree completion.