Jenny Veltri Skagit Valley College

1. #TargetXSummit
Slow and Steady Wins the Race:
Our Retention Implementation Story
Jenny Veltri
Skagit Valley College

2. About Skagit Valley College (SVC)
● Community college focused on retention and student success
● Federal Title III Grant – Strengthening Institutions
● Involved in implementing Guided Pathways

3. TargetX Setup
● Prospect, Application, Retention
● College-wide initiative: staff/faculty advisors, student services departments
● Supportive administration
● Great implementation team

4. Planning to Implement Retention?
● Identify Goals – Big Picture and Short Term
● Prepare – Data and People
● Training – Create Buzz and Buy-in
● Results and Continuous Improvement!

5. #TargetXSummit
We All Have Issues
● No smooth, consistent advising process
● Students ping ponging around to different offices
● No way to know advising history or who else they have talked to
● Advising without all the needed information
● Very little proactive communication

6. What Are Your Goals?
Big Picture!
● One place to look for data necessary to advise a student
● Easy interface for staff and faculty advisors
● Integrated with other technology we currently have
● Proactive communication with students through email, phone, and text
● Tracking initiatives and reporting capability

7. #TargetXSummit
Break It Down: Year 1 Goals
Short Term Goals:
● Set it up! Data mapping and layout
● Incorporate SVC Early Alert System and Educational Planning Tool
● Raise awareness about TargetX - new “Advising Tool”
● Train staff and faculty in TargetX and gather feedback for improvements

8. Spring 2017
Admission
Module
Application
Supplement
Application
Process Emails
Event RSVP
Begin Data
Mapping for
Retention
Summer
2017
Retention Setup
Finalize Data
Mapping for
Retention Module
Notes & Early
Alert Function
Education Plan
Tool
Train Advising
Group
Fall 2017
Advising Pilot
Pilot - CSS 103,
Counselors,
Navigators,
Faculty Opt ins
Introduce
TargetX and plan
to faculty
Early Alert in
TargetX
Collect Feedback
and Refine
Processes
Winter 2018
Train and
Integrate
Open Trainings
for Faculty
Habit-Building
and Reports
Using TargetX
Communication
flow based on
advising policy
Introduction of
Education Plan
Tool
Spring 2018
Train and
Integrate
Additional
Trainings for
Faculty
Pilot Group
Involved in
Training
Map and Import
Financial Aid
Information
Integration of
TargetX data with
Tableau

9. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: DATA
WHAT data do we want? Affects student information
● Anything related to advising a student: advising notes, application, unofficial
transcript, financial aid, early alert information, education plan
● Big picture when it comes to data integration - integrating other programs in
TargetX may affect your choices

10. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: DATA
WHERE should it go? Affects reporting and view
● Primary data from SMS – hierarchies, objects

11. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: DATA
HOW are people going to see this? Affects usability
● Familiarity
● TargetX CRM vs. Student Success Center interface
● Cleaning up the view

13. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: DATA
WHO helps us decide? Affects buy-in
● Example: organizing advising notes
● Down the line: training and responsiveness

14. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: PEOPLE
Communicate – early, widely, briefly, simply, and often!
● Project plan to administration, campus
● Regular college-wide email communication
● President’s meetings
● Committee and department meetings

15. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: PEOPLE
Involve as many people as possible - when appropriate, in practical pieces
● Administration in goal setting and big picture
● Front line staff for projects – organizing categories, defining codes

16. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: PEOPLE
Manage expectations – don’t assume they know how CRM works!
● The ultimate savior
● The ultimate downfall of humanity
● Not plug-and-play
● Will be multiple phases, will continue to evolve/improve
● Automation less people

17. #TargetXSummit
Preparation: PEOPLE
Find champions – people who are excited about the work
● Administrators, staff, faculty
● Spend the time
● Salesforce!
● Creates future powerusers, sustainability

18. Roll Out and Training
● What is it really? Advising!
Kept people in who fear tech
● Phased approach
Core first; more controlled and
opportunity to correct
● Training = fun!
Big Picture, giveaways, general
and department specific
● Personalized views
● Responsive to feedback

19. Challenges
● Data issues and timing
● Scheduling training with faculty
● Advising emails

20. #TargetXSummit
Results…So Far
108 people trained in TargetX retention!
Student retention is increasing
Many initiatives happening, but breaking out First Quarter Experience:
● Fall start retained to next quarter: 82% in 2016, 85% in 2017
● Fall start retained two quarters later: 68% in 2016, 75% in 2017
Tracking the work
● Calling campaign – 57 AFTE
● Advising email – 25% greater open rate

21. #TargetXSummit
Year 2 Goals
● More training – staff/faculty in TargetX and gather feedback for improvements
● Further integration with Student Services departments – tracking involvement
● Explore bringing in data from Canvas (LMS) for Early Alert
● Building out texting – one-to-one, event, and group functionality
● Accountability – utilizing reports and TargetX data to inform action

22. #TargetXSummit
Take It Home
● Identify goals and let them prioritize work
● Create a project plan/timeline – be realistic yet generous with estimations
● Think through the data – where it lives, how it’s viewed
● Communicate and manage expectations
● Get people involved!
● Make training personal and engaging
● Patience – in timing and with people

23. It’s About the Students!

24. #TargetXSummit
Questions?
Jenny Veltri
Skagit Valley College
jennifer.veltri@skagit.edu
Thanks for Coming!