In an era of accountability and a growing emphasis on college completion, successful campuses are using data to drive their retention planning and strategy development. Student satisfaction data plays a key role in retention planning efforts at colleges and universities across the country. What are the best approaches for using these types of data to improve student retention? This presentation will feature four suggestions for using student satisfaction data with an emphasis on improving retention. We will also identify several top issues facing schools and provide suggestions for improving satisfaction in these areas. As a result of participating in this session, individuals will be able to identify clear next steps on how to use their own institution’s satisfaction data to improve student success. Speaker: Julie Bryant, Associate Vice President for Retention Solutions, Noel-Levitz Julie L. Bryant, Associate Vice President of Retention Solutions at Noel-Levitz, works directly with colleges and universities throughout North America in the area of satisfaction assessment. She is responsible for client service to more than 2,000 institutions using the Noel-Levitz family of satisfaction-priorities assessment instruments. Who Should Attend: Student Affairs, Academic Affairs, Student Services, and Institutional Research Officers

1. Using Satisfaction Data for
Retention
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@SFDCFoundation
January 29, 2014

2. %
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Time • Equity •
Product
530,000+
Hours Service
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20,000
Grants
Non-profit
organizations

3. Become A Connected Campus:
Connect With Your Students in a Whole New Way
Connected
Faculty/Staff
Connected
Careers
Connected
Alumni
Connected
Students
Connected
Devices

4. Featured Presenters
Sandra Sanvido
Director, HE Marketing
Salesforce.com Foundation
Julie Bryant
Associate VP, Retention Services
Noel-Levitz

5. Utilizing Satisfaction Data
for Retention
Julie Bryant
Associate Vice President for Retention Solutions
All material in this presentation, including text and images, is the property of Noel-Levitz, Inc. Permission is required to reproduce information.

7. Noel-Levitz by the Numbers
2,800 partners 1,000 served
350,000 visits to
annually
served
www.noellevitz.com
40 years
annually
of service
Noel-Levitz
1,500 institutions participate
in Noel-Levitz conferences
800-900 downloads
600+ years of per week
130 full-time staff & experience
60+ part-time consultants

8. What are the components
of retention?

9. Retention puzzle

10. A key institutional
assessment is student
satisfaction

11. Gathering data is an important way to
understand the current situation on campus.

12. Three primary purposes for
satisfaction assessment
Retention
Strategic
Planning
Accreditation

13. The link between student
satisfaction and retention
We know from the research that there
is a link between student satisfaction
and retention at four-year institutions
and we are currently conducting a
study to better understand the link at
two-year institutions.

14. www.noellevitz.com/retentionlink

15. Linking Student Satisfaction and Retention
Variation in Retention
Institutional Features
1-4%
Demographic
Characteristics 3-4%
Student Satisfaction
17%
Unknown 75%
Schreiner, Laurie. Linking Student Satisfaction and Retention, Noel-Levitz (2009).

16. Definition of satisfaction
“When expectations are met or exceeded
by the student’s perception of the campus
reality.”
Schreiner & Juillerat, 1994

17. Matrix for prioritizing action
Very
Important
Very
Dissatisfied
Very
Satisfied
Very
Unimportant
Copyright Noel-Levitz

18. Create a culture of
Continuous Quality
Improvement

19. Using Satisfaction Data with
a Retention Emphasis

20. #1 – Impacting Retention: Focus on
campus climate items

21. Campus climate items
Institution showing concern for students as individuals
Enjoyable experience to be a student here
Institution has a good reputation within the community
There is a commitment to academic excellence
Campus staff are caring and helpful
Students feel welcome
Students feel safe and secure on campus
Seldom get the “run-around”
Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment

22. Commitment
to customer
service
Reduce
campus
run-around
Communicate
value

23. #2 – Impacting Retention:
Celebrate strengths

24. Celebrate and build on your
strengths

25. Know what you are doing well
and keep doing it

26. Identify how you compare with
institutions nationally

27. #3 – Impacting Retention: Improve
items students care about

28. How can you address your challenges?
Three ways . . .
“Just do its”
Future–strategic plan
Change perceptions
through communication

29. #4 – Impacting Retention: Communicate
regarding changes made

30. The power of the data
comes when you USE
it and COMMUNICATE
around it!
Communicate
Receive
Gather
Prepa
Change
re

31. Communicate with
leadership, faculty,
staff, students, alumni
and parents

32. Establish a
communication plan

33. Possible ways to communicate
• Presentations on campus to various groups; regular updates
by your President
• Bite-sized chunks of information throughout the year
• Through supervisory structures
• Detailed Executive Summaries
• Articles in various publications
• Postings around campus
• Postings on your Website
• Snippets on Twitter or Facebook
• Social portal such as Student
Community
• Letters to parents

34. Communication
one size does
NOT fit all!

35. Systematic assessment cycle
Inform the campus
how you responded
Respond to the data
with initiatives
Survey your
students
Review and share
your results

36. Pyramid for campus improvement
Tell what you have done
Take action
Brainstorm action plan
Clarify the data
The foundation: Gather data

37. Three issues that campuses are
facing nationally

38. #3: Seldom get the “run-around” here
Seldom get the “run-around” here
Photo slide example

39. I seldom get the
“run-around” on campus
Satisfied or very satisfied
80%
70%
60%
50%
44%
40%
50%
50%
Community
colleges
Career and
private schools
39%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Four-year
privates
Four-year publics
2013 Noel-Levitz National Student
Satisfaction and Priorities Results

40. Run-around is not just
physically around campus,
it can apply to policies and
procedures in general

41. Examine phone and Web
run-around issues

42. Create a “student central” to
handle all types of inquiries

43. FacultyPhoto slide example
provide timely feedback

44. Faculty provide timely feedback about
my progress in a course
Satisfied or very satisfied
80%
70%
60%
50%
50%
59%
54%
46%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Four-year
privates
Four-year publics
Community
colleges
Career and
private schools
2013 Noel-Levitz National Student
Satisfaction and Priorities Results

45. Gather more information
•
What examples can student
provide?
•
More an issue by class level or
within particular programs on
campus?
Communication
Feedback

46. Have faculty establish realistic
Photo slide example
expectations for response times

47. Are there quizzes early in
the term so students can
see if they are on track?

48. Discuss during faculty
in-service sessions

49. Timely feedback may also
be about getting students
to graduate within
reasonable timeframes

50. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment
Photo slide example

51. Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment
Satisfied or very satisfied
80%
69%
70%
59%
60%
50%
51%
44%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Four-year
privates
Four-year publics
Community
colleges
Career and
private schools
2013 Noel-Levitz National Student
Satisfaction and Priorities Results

52. The media’s influence on tuition perception

53. If students don’t perceive value,
they may be more likely to
leave your institution

54. Highlight what students receive for their
Photo they example
tuition dollars whileslideare enrolled

55. Share success stories of your
alumni with your students and
their parents

56. Communicate the value of their education
at key enrollment times
•
When students enroll
•
When they are
registering for classes
•
When tuition is due

57. Treat students (and parents) well
during interactions

58. Clearly link to financial literacy
and financial support information
on your Web site

59. “Affordability” may be relative
Photo slide example

60. Strong relationships can
help you to know when
tuition is an issue

61. Closing thoughts

62. Survey your own students

63. Satisfaction
assessment is
DONE
not a once and
done activity

64. Your approach
should be systematic

65. Just conducting
the assessment is
not enough

66. By taking action. . .
Photo slide example

67. And telling the By taking action. . .
campus what actions
Photo slide example
have been taken...

68. You will be able to impact retention!

69. Improved
Improved
Campus = Satisfaction
Experience
Improved
= Institution and
Student Success

70. Continue to get current updates
http:/blog.noellevitz.com
Sign up for the Noel-Levitz Blog
Follow me on Twitter
twitter.com/JulieBryantNL
www.noellevitz.com/SSI
Learn more about the satisfaction
survey options

71. Questions

72. “Getting to Grad:
A Focus On Student Success”
Webinar
• Wed Feb 26 at 11:00 PST/2:00 EST
• Presenters:
– Chase Schults of Western Governors University
– Jim Gilbert of George Mason University
1/29/14
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