AACRAO Spotlight interviews are published twice weekly before major professional development meetings. They feature our conversations with industry experts, highlighting key issues and promoting sessions and workshops at the upcoming conference.
Below you'll find brief summaries of two recent Q-and-As with links to the full interviews.
Enhancing Student Success and Increasing Retention: Definitions, Data, and Decisions
"We are becoming increasingly more driven and more capable of making decisions using [big] data," the presenters say. "Because of the evolution of digital resources, we are past the point of wondering, How do we access this data? and instead asking, What do we do with this data?"
Attendees will develop an "action plan on how to use Big Data to affect their institution's definition and goals on student success. Admissions folks who work with transfer students and registrars collecting data will both see how they can affect the planning for student success initiatives."
What do we know about state-level college transfer policy, research and effectiveness?
At this year's Transfer Conference, two experts from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) will be sharing trends and findings in recent research about state-level college transfer policy in their presentation What do we know about state-level college transfer policy, research and effectiveness?┬"
"Although students aren't getting into the policy minutia, they are the ones most affected by the policy," the presenters note. "It's important that professionals are helping them navigate the transfer environment as effectively as possible."
The Admissions Forum @ Tech
"Generally, you go to a conference and hear a session about a specific tech application. This forum is designed to help you dig deeper into the broader question of technology at the office. We aren't talking about a specific implementation but what are all the higher level issues that come up around that technology," the faculty note.
"Each session will begin with the faculty member laying the groundwork for further exploration. Then the second half of the session is designed for engaged discussion. The forum isn't just about delivering information”it's an opportunity to engage other professionals and get a sense trends, expectations and innovations”and to see where your campus is in relation to the larger conversations."