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David Stevens, Manager of Web Services, Lehman College, City University of New York

david.stevens@lehman.cuny.edu @LehmanCollege on Twitter

Aarti Deshmukh, Senior Applications System Developer, Lehman College, City University of New York

aarti.deshmukh@lehman.cuny.edu

Beyond Recruitment & Retention: Success Via a Data-Centric Eco-System

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Lehman College is one of 23 college’s that comprise the City University of New York.

Lehman College is also one of 11 senior college’s within the CUNY system.

Enrollment (Fall 2014): 9,866 undergraduate students and 2,199 graduate students, for a total of 12,065 students.

Undergraduate Profile (Fall 2014): Gender: 69% female / 31% male. Age: Under 25: 55% / Over 25: 45%.

About Lehman College

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In 2011, we began auditing our technology environment with the following goals in mind:

Goal 1: Providing a better user experience for our students by streamlining key technology systems.

Goal 2: Creating a centralized data warehouse to better inform decision making and increase retention and graduation rates.

Eco-System Project Background

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What? The suite of tools & applications that comprise Lehman College’s enterprise data, publishing, & communication systems (technology stack).

Why? To align the college’s messaging, brand identity, and delivery of

personalized content. To communicate critical information and create calls-to-action in

support of recruitment, outreach, fund-raising, retention and graduation goals.

How? By integrating silos and shadow systems, streamlining internal processes & enhancing the user experience through a federated & strategic technology architecture.

Eco-System Defined

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Student Life Cycle / Outcomes

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Digital & Web Eco-System ERP / CRM Responsive Website Mobile App Event Management System Email Marketing Robo Calls

Data Analysis Tools Google Analytics / Social Media

Insights Business Intelligence Predictive Analytics

Student Life Cycle / Outcomes

Leverage the web and mobile ecosystem to implement digital & communication strategy. Utilize Google analytics in support of recruitment and outreach efforts. Leverage Business Intelligence and Predictive Analytics in support of retention, graduation, and philanthropy goals.

Increase enrollment

Streamline user-experience in support of retention goals

Foster alumni & donor engagement

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Eco-System At a Glance

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What? User Experience Design: Integrating silos and shadow systems,

streamlining internal processes & enhancing the user experience through a federated & integrated technology architecture.

Why?: To reduce pain-points by presenting an integrated CRM, web, and

mobile experience.

How?: Mobile-first design facilitates goal oriented digital strategy. Calls-to-actions encourage student engagement & conversion. Data analysis instructs the personalized delivery of content. Creating a centralized data warehouse to inform content strategy.

Eco-System in Practice

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Application Integration Streamline the management and delivery of content via a

federated and centralized web content management system. Parse XML and RSS data feeds and publish critical information

to websites and apps on both desktop and mobile devices from a single content source.

Data Integration Data Warehouse: Consolidate data from shadow systems

(e.g. People Soft, Blackboard, Tutor-Track, Advising, Hobson’s CRM, Social Media, & Google Analytics to inform decision-making and intervention strategies.

Eco-System in Practice

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Eco-System in Practice

Mobile First Design

Google analytics & college’s key strategic initiatives drive responsive website’s content hierarchy.

Content Syndication

Syndication feeds maximizes exposure to critical content.

Calls-to-actions facilitate user-engagement and drives student conversion.

College Website

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From Data to Knowledge

Big Data: Data from traditional & digital sources for discovery and analysis. Characterized by 3 V’s.

Business Intelligence: Tools and practices used to analyze & optimize decisions and performance.

Analytics: Statistical discovery of meaningful patterns for predictive scenarios.

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Different Questions & Tools

Past• Descriptiv

e• What

happened?

Present • Diagnosti

c• Why it

happened?

Future • Predictive• What will

happen?

Prescriptive• How can we

improve?

Reporting/BI > Analytics > Prescriptive

Davenport, 12/13 HBR

Why do this?

Recruitment & Retention

Revenue Growth

Cost Avoidance

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Strategic Information Assets

CUNYfirst/ERP

System

Blackboard

HobsonsRetention Systems

Student Engageme

nt

Business Intelligence/Predictive Analytics Platform

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Lehman College Dashboard

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Current Semester: Enrollment Snapshot

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Predictive Analytics

Lehman is pursuing the power of regression and predictive analytics.

Regression analysis: study of statistical relationships among dependent and independent variables.

Based on the variables, we may be able to impact student attrition, enrollment, graduation rates, etc.

End result of the analysis: a predictive model, suggesting intervention strategies and possible outcomes in future semesters.

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Example : Student Attrition Model

We studied attrition in a cohort of 454 FT/FT freshman students that started in Fall 2011& followed their attrition rates through Spring 2015.

Relationships among attrition and 50+ parameters were examined, including probation status, SAT scores, credits attempted/earned, cumulative GPA, etc., for each semester.

The model showed a 34% attrition rate though Spring 2015: 229 retained and 156 attrited.(68 of them graduated !!).

The model predicted that 168 students would attrit at the end of the Spring 2015 semester. Actual data shows 158 students attrited at the end of

Spring 2015.

Attrition Prediction Model

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Statistical Details of the Model

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Visualization: Relationship between Attrition & First Semester Earned Credits

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Attrition and First Term Probation

Predicted Attrition Probability for Each Student in the Sample

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Ecosystem in Practice

Personalized Push Notifications

Inform users about critical course, financial, registration, or graduation data.

Provide up-date relevant information to users, encouraging engagement, and increasing involvement.

Leverage Business Intelligence and predictive analytics to inform intervention strategies.

Course & College Information

Display course schedule, grades, academic standing, and registrar events schedule.

Links to college’s responsive (mobile optimized) website.

Lehman Mobile App

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David Stevens, Manager of Web Services, Lehman College, City University of New York

david.stevens@lehman.cuny.edu @ZenDarius @LehmanCollege on Twitter

Aarti Deshmukh, Senior Applications System Developer, Lehman College, City University of New York

aarti.deshmukh@lehman.cuny.edu

Questions