UVI Launches Retention Program to Enhance Student Success

The University of the Virgin Islands is participating in the Student Success Collaborative (SSC), an initiative developed by the Education Advisory Board (EAB) to examine the impact of every aspect of campus life on student retention, the institution of higher learning announced today.

According to the release, UVI is now one of more than 200 institutions of higher education currently implementing this program. The EAB’s goal is to help colleges and universities promote a culture of success by incorporating data-driven insights into advising interactions.

“UVI’s Center for Student Success joined SSC as part of its ongoing effort to enhance the student experience and improve retention and graduation rates,” said Dr. Stephen Moore, executive director of Student Success and Honors Program. “We will also begin a targeted advising campaign that will focus on students who need specific types of interventions.”

EAB is a data collection and analytics team that combines SSC-Campus technology, research, process improvement and predictive analytics to assist UVI staff and faculty with hardwiring student success throughout the University.

Moore and his colleagues will work with the University’s Access and Enrollment Services personnel, financial aid staffers, faculty advisors, student success specialists and other campus services to create a coordinated care network. Risk analytics is only a first step toward improving the student support infrastructure. SSC-Campus technology will also help to upgrade student tracking systems and develop a comprehensive database to track student performance. This system will effectively keep documentation, which will include notes, alerts, and interactions with students, which will facilitate proactive interventions. Other features include campus-wide case management, and central reporting and evaluation.

In the upcoming months, each department on campus will work with the Center for Student Success to develop the student tracking and analytics system. “Various staff and faculty members will be called upon to assist with the rollout,” said Dr. Moore. “I look forward to working with them on behalf of all UVI students.”