Next Practices:

Retention is often treated like a finish line, where you hit the number and move on.This conversation pushes back on that. When outcomes improve, the work doesn't settle down, it gets more precise. The obvious fixes are gone, and what's left takes more attention, better questions, and a willingness to keep testing things that aren't guaranteed to work.

John Rindy, Assistant Vice President for Career and Ac...

Most implementations focus on reaching go-live. But the real test often begins after launch.

In this Signals audio edition, we look at the handoff no one talks about: the space between what technology can do and what teams actually do with it. Through Lawrence Technological University's six-week Civitas Learning deployment story, we explore why speed matters, why ...

This Signals edition — adapted for audio in the Next Practices feed — explores a question many institutions are facing:

What does it actually take to sustain student success gains over time?

Six years ago, Slippery Rock University was told that improving retention by a single percentage po...

This Signals newsletter edition — adapted for audio in the Next Practices feed — explores a common challenge across higher education:

If your teams can see risk, why does action still stall?

Early-alert systems and predictive insights are now widespr...

This Signals newsletter edition — adapted for audio in the Next Practices feed — explores a common challenge across higher education:

If insight is clear, why doesn't action follow?

Institutions have more data and analytics than ever. But when insight doesn't move cleanly across teams and ...

This Signals newsletter edition — adapted for audio in the Next Practices feed — explores a common challenge across higher education:

If teams can see risk, why does action still stall?

Early-alert tools are now widespread across campuses, but visibility alone doesn't improve outcomes. What matters is whether insight arrives ear...

This Signals newsletter edition — adapted for audio in the Next Practices feed — examines why alignment is the real lever behind student success.

Drawing from Aesop's The Lion and the Mouse and insights from Slippery Rock University, we explore how responsiveness, trust, and partnership determine whether effort compounds ...

What if AI could help student success teams act earlier, work smarter, and focus more on human connection—without requiring perfect data or adding more burden to already stretched staff?

In this special bonus episode of Next Practices, we're sharing a recent conversation featuring Civitas Learning CEO Will Ballard on the Higher...

What if your advising system could see students not just as a collective, but as individuals with unique needs, goals, and challenges? At the University of North Dakota, that vision is becoming reality. In this conversation, we explore how a campus-wide transformation in student advising is already producing measurable success through rising retention rates, stronger relationships, and the power of shared data.

Introducing new technology into an institution is only the first step. Ensuring that teams are fully prepared to use it in ways that align with strategic goals is where the real work begins. Strategic enablement is more than training users on where to click. It's equipping people to apply data and tools thoughtfully, effectively and consistently to support long term student success. 

In this episode I talk...

Across Purdue Global's virtual halls 38 000 students, nearly all of them working adults, log in after shifts and school runs, yet they are moving toward Purdue degrees faster because the university treats their lived experience as real academic currency. Dr. Frank Dooley, Chancellor Emeritus of Purdue Global, explained how his team built policies that convert military medic training, corporate leadership courses, and o...

Nothing beats seeing a student's confidence bloom when the right support team steps in. At Austin Community College, Dr. Giao Phan, Dean of the Public and Social Services Division; Kathy James, a nineteen-year advising veteran who now coordinates support across every campus; and Dr. Rania Salman, Assistant Department Chair and dedicated mentor in early childhood education, have turned collaboration into an everyday hab...

What if the programs designed to help students were actually making things worse or simply doing nothing at all? It's a question more institutions are asking as they confront the hard truth: not every initiative leads to better outcomes. This episode takes a closer look at the data behind student success and how colleges and universities can learn which efforts are truly making a difference.

You'll hear fr...

When students need support, it often makes all the difference when help feels personal, not procedural. At Utah Valley University, Ryan Bailey, Director of the Student Success Center, and Jamie Muhlestein, Associate Director of Student Success and Support, have helped build an innovative program that brings recent graduates and upperclassmen into part-time professional roles, focused on reaching out to students exactly...

When a simple check-in email leads to a 77 percent increase in student persistence, it's clear something powerful is happening. At Greenville Technical College, data is more than numbers on a dashboard. It's a way to connect, support, and transform student outcomes. What started as a pilot outreach project by a team of data analysts quickly became a catalyst for campus-wide change.

In this episode, Kevin M...

Higher education stands at a crossroads. With growing public skepticism about the value of a college degree and mounting financial demands on both students and institutions, the need for bold, student-centered leadership has never been greater. Today, you'll hear from someone who has not only confronted these problems, but also turned them into possibilities for positive change.

My guest, Dr. Nicholas S. Z...

Student success in higher education isn't just about reacting to problems — it's about building systems that anticipate them. And at the University of North Carolina Asheville, that proactive approach is making all the difference.

Joining today's conversation are two incredible leaders who are doing this work every day: Regine Criser, Director of Student Success, and Lynne Horgan, University Registrar. Reg...

Welcome back to Next Practices! Today, we're delving into a critical topic for universities and colleges: declining enrollment. Join us as we explore how North Dakota State University (NDSU) is spearheading a holistic approach to tackle this challenge head-on.

Our guest for today's episode is Philip Hunt, Special Assistant to the President & University Registrar at NDSU. With over 20 years of experience in...

In our rapidly evolving educational landscape, it's crucial to recognize that students are not just statistics or numbers; they are individuals with unique challenges, needs, and aspirations. As educational leaders, it's imperative to adopt a holistic approach that considers the whole human behind the student.

Joining us is Chris Campbell, the Chief Information Officer at Devry University. With a wealth of...