Agenda

Please see the Agenda below for the day's activities. Click here for a list of helpful FAQs.

"The size of the event was great for networking."
"Valuable exposure to educational technology and how to use to improve student success."
-Comments from 2017 Data Summit Attendees
 

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Registration Open

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop:
Unlock the Power of Your Data through Text Analytics 

Many campuses have large amounts of qualitative data that is never used, even though this information can provide incredibly valuable insights to shape student success efforts. In this interactive session led by members of the Campus Labs data science team, you will learn how to use free resources to conduct text analyses (e.g. sentiment, formality, topic modeling, word clouds, parts of speech tagging) and unlock new insights from the data you already collect, including course evaluations, early alerts and more. Through guided, firsthand experience, this session will teach you how to gain a deeper understanding of your data and how new insights can be used in key decision-making processes on campus.

Presenters:

· Dr. Tyler Rinker, Data Scientist, Campus Labs (@tylerrinker | @CampusLabs)

· Dr. Shannon LaCount, Assistant Vice President of Campus Adoption, Campus Labs (@drlacount | @CampusLabs)

Sponsored by Campus Labs.

 

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop: 
Appreciative Inquiry Facilitation: Design Research Technique

Traditional engagement approaches to dialogue and deliberation are often designed to determine local problems, resource constraints, deficiencies and unmet basic needs. These approaches are rooted in negativity and often fail to sustain college engagement. Alternatively, Appreciative Inquiry (AI) is a fun, uplifting, and meaningful process for emotionally engaging people in building the organization and world that they want to work and live in.

The process is grounded in research from positive psychology that focuses on an organization’s and individual’s strengths in order to help them evolve into a more vibrant, affirming and engaged community of colleagues.

AI encourages a broad range of stakeholders to respond to positive questions about their peak experiences and successes in order to create shared meaning and real heartening connections to each other and their work. That shared meaning is then acted upon in a collaborative and collective manner. The Appreciative Inquiry experience can serve as the wellspring for real positive transformative change in your organizational culture and student success efforts.

Participants in this highly engaging workshop will learn to (a) shift from looking at problems and deficiencies to focusing on strengths and successes, (b) frame questions using Appreciative Inquiry, and (c) use Appreciative Inquiry as a tool for building relationships and fostering change.

Presenter:

· David Katz, Executive Director of Organizational Development, Mohawk Valley Community College (@mvcc_UticaRome)

 

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop: 
Fall into Good Data Habits: Excel Tips for the New Analytics Professional

Every college, small and large, faces a regular barrage of data to process and ultimately turn into insights. With many institutional research professionals having to hold a number of simultaneous roles, limited time often exists for creating simple yet compelling data insights – or to check the quality of the data.

This workshop, geared toward IR professionals at small institutions or those who are somewhat new to the data field, will empower attendees with various tips and tricks to detect and clean common data issues using Excel. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own messy or otherwise challenging data samples for group problem-solving. Ultimately, attendees will leave with a better command of how to use Excel to not only ensure quality inputs, but also think more effectively through a data governance lens about the outputs that can best guide the path to student success.

Presenters:

· Dr. Elayne Reiss, Director of Research, Achieving the Dream (@thedoctorell | @AchieveTheDream)

· Dr. Bobbie Frye, Executive Director of Institutional Research, Central Piedmont Community College (@CPCC)

 

2:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m.

Pre-Conference Workshop: 
Using the Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool (ICAT) to Support Accreditation Needs

Student success has become an important part of accreditation and colleges look for both qualitative and quantitative data to document and support their student success agenda and document the cultural changes taking place on their campuses. The Achieving the Dream Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool (ICAT) provides colleges with college-wide data on the seven capacities of leadership and vision, data and technology, teaching and learning, equity, engagement and communication, strategy and planning and policy and practice. After the college faculty and staff complete the survey, a Capacity Café (World Café model) is held to discuss results, discuss strengths and weaknesses and potential strategies for improvement.

The capacity areas included in the ICAT will be examined in light of accreditation requirements. The process of distribution, analysis and use of data will be discussed. Attendees will examine responses to the tool and discuss ways the data can be used for not only accreditation but to stimulate improvements in institutional quality.

In this workshop, attendees will learn (1) how the seven capacity areas will be applied to the accreditation process, (2) how to document the assessment process to provide evidence for accreditation, and (3) about application of actual results to the six regional accrediting agency standards to provide broad-based qualitative data to support decision-making.

Presenter:

· Dr. Terri Manning, Strategic Data and Technology Coach, Achieving the Dream (@AchieveTheDream)

 

4:00 pm – 5:00 p.m. TCU Meeting
By invitation only.

 

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Welcome Reception

Sponsored by HelioCampus, American Statistical Association, and Zogotech.

Thursday, September 6, 2018

8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Registration Open

8:00 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.

Continental Breakfast

9:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.

Welcoming Remarks

· Dr. Karen Stout, President & CEO, Achieving the Dream (@drkastout | @AchieveTheDream)

· Dr. Nicole Melander, Vice President of Strategic Initiatives, Campus Labs (@melander | @CampusLabs)

9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.

Opening Keynote Address: Offense, Defense, or Special Teams: What's Your Data Strategy?

We often build student success plans that include a reliance on data but do not consider the vital parallel development of a data strategy. Building a coherent an dynamic data strategy that aligns with an advances your student success strategy requires developing a playbook that balances offense and defense, cuts down on turnovers and relies on special teams. 

· Dr. Karen Stout, President & CEO, Achieving the Dream (@drkastout | @AchieveTheDream)

Sponsored by Campus Labs. 

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Coffee Break

Join us at the Knowledge Bar.

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Building Institutional Capacity to Use Data Effectively

Retention is Everyone’s Business
EFFC 5D1 LEADERSHIP EXPECTATIONS
Deep Dive Attendance 7 27 18
DDDD Survey July 2018
DDDD Retention Study
Data Strategy Guidelines and Procedures 17 18
DACC Institutional Student Success Report Spring 2017 Final
DACC FT PT Student Engagement 08MAR2018


This presentation will describe how an institution can build its capacity to use data routinely and effectively. The presenter will discuss with participants how to develop a framework to analyze, report, and use data to make decisions that impact student success.

Faculty, staff, and administrators at institutions of higher education are increasingly being tasked with using data to make decisions. This is a skill set that many in higher education have not been taught or exposed to. In this presentation, participants will be engaged in a discussion about the value in developing a framework for building data capacity in all employees at an institution. I will explain how my institution has gone through this process to systematize how data are gathered, reported, and used to make decisions. Key to this process is the development of foundational institutional documents and a college-wide data literacy team. I will also make the argument that professional development of faculty, staff, and administrators is critical to success. This requires intentional training activities that help the institution's employees see the value in using data, understand how to collect it, and develop an awareness of how they can play a part in analyzing and responding to it. The overarching goal of the presentation will be to help participants understand how developing an institutional framework and documents that codify the use of data on a campus is key to developing data capacity and creating sustainable practices around data awareness, collection, analysis, and use. I will argue that all stakeholders can learn how to use data; it isn't only a skill set that can be attained and used by institutional researchers.

From this session, attendees will learn to (a) provide a framework to guide data use, production, and professional development; (b) argue for the value of using an “institutional student success report” and other key documents to make decisions and build analytic capacity in faculty, staff, and administrators; and (c) provide information on developing a college-wide data literacy team to analyze data and provide professional development to the campus community.

Presenter:

· Dr. Susan Wood, Associate Vice President, Academic Affairs, Doña Ana Community College (@DonaAnaCC)

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Telling Your Story with Data

Who needs it: Are data presented to promote courageous conversations about student progress and achievement? Do your colleagues find the data presented difficult to understand, overly complicated, or, even worse, not helpful to them? You’ve heard “data tell a story,” but do the reports and presentations really do so? Those educators who want to strengthen their ability to tell a story with their data should attend this presentation.

This presentation addresses how to identify the key stories to be gleaned from data and how to tell those stories effectively to motivate educators to action. By integrating Analytics, Human Judgment & Decision-Making, and Organizational Habits, participants will learn how to turn data into information that is useful and usable. Learning more than the mere use of clever infographics, participants will practice identifying the story they want to tell and presenting it in ways, grounded in data, that ensure their message is understood and actionable.

Presenter:

· Dr. Brad Phillips, President & CEO, Institute for Evidence-Based Change (@bphillipsiebc)

10:45 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.

Using Your Campus Data to Support First-Generation Students

First-generation students are a significant yet under-studied population in higher education. As institutions support this group of students, it is important that we continue to grow our understanding of what makes them unique. Highlighting new research from Campus Labs, this session will explore how institutions can leverage the data collected across campus to inform programming and engagement opportunities specifically in support of first-generation student success. The panel will feature the perspective of a first-generation college student who participated in the PeerForward program, as well as industry leaders addressing the needs of first-generation students.

Presenter:
· Dr. Shannon LaCount, Assistant Vice President of Campus Adoption, Campus Labs (@drlacount | @CampusLabs)
· Marci Rockey, Project Coordinator for Pathways to Results, Office of Community College Leadership, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

This session is presented and sponsored by Campus Labs.

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.

Networking Lunch
Remarks:

·  Laurie Heacock, Vice President, Data and Technology, Achieving the Dream (@Laurie_edu | @AchieveTheDream)
·  Graham Tracey, Senior Director for Starfish Services, Hobsons(@Starfish360)
Sponsored by Starfish by Hobsons.

1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.

Plenary Session: Why it’s Better to Lead Than Lag: How Leading Indicators Can Drive Institutional Change

Leading and lagging indicators are used in economic research and have not experienced the same level of use in higher education, but this practice should change. This presentation focuses on the use of leading indicators in practice and specifically how they were used to drive change at Odessa College – an Aspen Top 10 College, Texas Star Award winner, and 2018 Achieving the Dream Leah Meyer Austin Award winner.

The presenters will focus on how to determine leading indicators and how they can be used to drive changes in policy and practice.

Presenters:

· Dr. Brad Phillips, President & CEO, Institute for Evidence-Based Change (@bphillipsiebc)

· Dr. Donald Wood, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, Odessa College (@OdessaCollege)

 

2:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Refreshment Break

Join us at the Knowledge Bar.

Sponsored by ASR Analytics.

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Bridging Campus Gaps Through Data Governance

Sometimes data get stuck in campus silos with limited access, treated as a limited resource that must be doled out only when necessary. These silos have been built over time by well-intentioned data managers looking to protect privacy, ensure appropriate use, and maintain standards for reporting. Unfortunately, siloed data can lead to gaps in our understanding of our campuses and our students.

 

This session will explore how data governance programs can be used to break down those silos and promote collaboration and effective use of data for decision support. Data governance depends upon: clear roles regarding data management and stewardship; a shared understanding of the appropriate use of data; access rules that are easily deployed across systems and enforceable; clear data and report documentation; and a venue for continued cross-campus conversation and collaboration around these issues. Examples from two campuses’ experiences will be used to illuminate the principles of data governance.

From this session, attendees will be able to (a) articulate the roles within a data governance structure and their accompanying responsibilities, (b) translate appropriate federal and state regulations into the concepts of appropriate use, (c) determine how access and authorization rules can be deployed to promote collaboration and ensure security on their own campuses, (d) demonstrate the role documentation plays in promoting shared campus understanding, and (e) communicate the need for ongoing campus conversation around data governance.

Presenters:

· Michelle Appel, Director of Assessment and Decision Support, University of Maryland College Park (@msappel | @UofMaryland)

· Dr. Narren Brown, Associate Vice President of Research and Institutional Effectiveness, South Central College (@BrownatSCC | @SCCollege)

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Looking at Early Momentum Metrics through an Equity Lens

Colleges and universities have recognized the importance of measuring early momentum or progression metrics as leading indicators of success. Determining which indicators are most critical varies somewhat from college to college. Faculty and staff concerned about equity are also recognizing the importance of disaggregating progression data by key groups and discovering high-need groups of students who require additional services, focused advising, and academic supports to be successful. This session will discuss selecting appropriate metrics, determining critical groups of students who enter a college with inequities, and some strategies to address equity gaps. This process is especially critical for colleges participating in implementing pathways.

From this session, attendees will learn to (a) have a plan and process to determine key progression metrics and equity groups for their college, (b) understand what the implications are for high-need students entering their institution, and (c) view sample data disaggregated by equity groups and multiple progression metrics.
Presenters:

· Dr. Terri Manning, Strategic Data and Technology Coach, Achieving the Dream (@AchieveTheDream)

· Susan Mayer, Chief Learning Officer, Achieving the Dream (@susanmayer1976 | @AchieveTheDream)

2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Desperate Measures: Data to Action, Action to Impact

What does it mean to truly measure interventions? What does student success look like and how will you measure it? This presentation will provide you with a framework and the structural elements to design an effective measurement strategy for student success. Leave with an understanding of how to identify and develop clear and effective measures for interventions on your campus.

Presenter:

· Graham Tracey, Senior Director for Starfish Services, Hobsons (@Starfish360)

This session is presented and sponsored by Hobsons.

3:45 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Plenary Session: Automating Inequality

Virginia Eubanks is an Associate Professor of Political Science at the University at Albany, SUNY. Her most recent book is Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor, which Ethan Zuckerman calls “one of the most important recent books for understanding the social implications of information technology for marginalized populations in the US.”

In this keynote, the author will share insights from her reporting for her book and why we need to think more broadly about who the community of data science includes. She cautions that without including the voices and experiences of those who face automation’s most dire effects, data scientists may miss the opportunity to push the field towards social justice.

Presenter:

· Dr. Virginia Eubanks, Associate Professor of Political Science, University at Albany, SUNY (@PopTechWorks)

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Data and Tech Connect Reception

Sponsored by Campus Labs.

Featuring a book signing by Dr. Virginia Eubanks, author of Automating Inequality: How High-Tech Tools Profile, Police, and Punish the Poor

Books will be available for purchase.

Friday, September 7, 2018

7:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Registration Open

7:30 a.m.– 8:15 a.m.

Continental Breakfast
Sponsored by Emsi. 

7:30 a.m.– 8:15 a.m. TCU Meeting
By invitation only.

 

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Concurrent Sessions

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Measuring What Matters: Examining the Success of Associate Degree Holders in Work and Life

In 2015, Gallup partnered with Strada Education Network (formerly USA Funds) to conduct a nationally representative study of associate degree holders, measuring the extent to which graduates have “great jobs” through successful and engaging careers and lead “great lives” by thriving in their overall well-being. One key finding from that study is that associate degree holders are as likely as bachelor’s degree holders to strongly agree that their education was worth the cost. During the 2016-17 school year, Gallup partnered with Achieving the Dream and the American Institutes for Research (AIR) to specifically examine the community college experiences of alumni of 15 ATD institutions to determine how those graduates differed from those of other associate-granting schools in their post-graduation lives. In this session, participants will learn about (a) the results of the Gallup-ATD study, (b) the benefits and challenges of conducting alumni surveys, and (c) strategies for incorporating the valuable results of alumni surveys into ongoing work at colleges.

Presenters:

· Zac Auter, Consulting Analyst, Gallup (@GallupEDU)

· Dr. George Gabriel, Vice President of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness & Student Success Initiatives, Northern Virginia Community College (@NOVAcommcollege)

· Dr. Elayne Reiss, Director of Research, Achieving the Dream (@thedoctorell | @AchieveTheDream)

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m.

Hidden in Plain View: Understanding Often-Overlooked Part-Time Students

The profile of the American college student is evolving. The reality is that 37% of all college students are part-time, and 70% of community college students in Maryland are part-time. But these students, 40% never continue to the second year. How can we meet the needs of those students in a time where completion is a paramount goal?

As a result of attending this session, attendees will be able to (a) articulate basic data regarding part-time student success at community colleges; (b) expand their awareness of issues and challenges facing part-time college completion; (c) understand how some colleges are reengineering themselves to better target and serve part-time students; and (d) leave session with at least one new idea about how to better meet the needs of part-time students.

This session will explore the characteristics and issues of part-time students, engaging session participants in the discussion. National quantitative data will be presented. General solutions as well as solutions specific to session participants will be discussed. 

Presenters:

· Nicole Baird, Dean of Student Development, Community College of Baltimore County (@CCBCMD)

· Terry Hirsch, Senior Director, Planning, Research, & Evaluation, Community College of Baltimore County (@CCBCMD)

· Dr. Donna McKusick, Data Coach, Achieving the Dream (@AchieveTheDream)

 

Reverse Transfer: Credit When It's Due
 

With more than 250 institutions nationwide participating in the Reverse Transfer Service, the Clearinghouse is committed to helping all students receive the degree they have earned. Reverse transfer supports your student success initiatives by helping to increase both associate and bachelor degree attainment.

 

In this session, Michelle Blackwell, the National Manager of the Reverse Transfer Service will answer the top five reverse transfer questions by institutions including:

(1) Why is reverse transfer important to my institution?; (2) How does reverse transfer work?; (3) What are the benefits to students of earning a degree through reverse transfer?; (4) What are the best practices needed by my institution for students to get a reverse transfer degree?; and (5) How can my institution participate in the Clearinghouse’s Reverse Transfer Service?

 

Presenter:

· Michelle Blackwell, National Manager of Reverse Transfer, National Student Clearinghouse (@NSClearinghouse)

9:30 a.m. – 9:45 a.m.

Coffee Break

Join us at the Knowledge Bar

 

Concurrent Sessions

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Tools for Building a Big Data Career Pathway
 

When designing career pathways, certain tools can be useful in helping community colleges translate good intentions into building blocks that result in programs that deliver workers with the requisite skills and knowledge valued by local employers.

 

This session will share tools used by community colleges to develop Data/Big Data Career Pathways. The Profile of the Data Practitioner identifies the major work responsibilities and tasks performed by middle skilled data workers, usually as part of an organization’s data team. Associated Rubrics are used as assessment guidelines for educators and employers. The Gap Analysis Tool is used to determine the extent to which education programs and employers’ needs are aligned. The session will provide updates on activities of four community colleges who have used these tools as part of an ATE funded program to Create Pathways for Big Data Careers: Bunker Hill CC (Boston, MA), Sinclair CC (Dayton, OH), Normandale CC (Bloomington, MN) and Johnson County CC (Overland Park, KS).

 

As a result of attending this session, participants will be able to: Understand better the universe of work tasks middle skilled data workers might perform when working on a data team; Use the Profile of the Data Practitioner to design programs and curricula leading to careers in data/big data; and to help students develop resumes and prepare for job interviews; Use the associated rubrics to guide assessment; Use the Gap Analysis Tool to better align programs and curricula to industry needs; and Learn from the experiences of community colleges using these tools to guide their program development.

 

Presenter:

· Dr. Joyce Malyn-Smith, Managing Project Director, Education Development Center (@JoyceMalynSmith)
· John Hammon, Dean of Mathematics and Statistics, Montgomery Coillege (@MC_Germantown)

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Implementing Predictive Analytics So They Help – Never Harm – Students
Choosing a Predictive Analytics Vendor (Report)

As higher education grapples with promoting student success using fewer resources, predictive analytics—the use of past data to forecast future outcomes—is a promising solution. But like all powerful tools, it must be used well. New America has conducted research into what it looks like to implement predictive analytics ethically, particularly when choosing a vendor. This session will present some of the challenges of implementing predictive analytics from recruiting and enrollment through graduation. It will also provide guiding practices for ensuring these tools are used ethically and for choosing a predictive analytics vendor.

From this session, attendees will learn to (a) identify how colleges are using predictive analytics and be aware of challenges with those uses; (b) have a better idea of how to implement predictive analytics, ethically, at their college; and (c) know what questions to ask and things to consider when choosing a vendor in predictive analytics.

Presenter:

· Iris Palmer, Senior Policy Analyst, New America (@Irisonhighered | @NewAmerica)

9:45 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.

Developing an Equity Scorecard for Your College

Colleges and universities are becoming more focused on equity within their student body. In order to keep the institutions’ attention on key progression metrics and to reduce achievement gaps, many are developing equity scorecards. This session will focus on a process to determine appropriate momentum metrics and equity groups unique to your institution and suggestions for managing communication and services directed to students who need additional services to be successful.

From this session, attendees will learn to (a) explore the differences between equity and equality, (b) be able to differentiate between a scorecard and a dashboard and the implications of each, (c) have a plan and process to determine key metrics and equity groups for their college, and (d) explore options for managing a scorecard and its implications.

Presenters:

· Leon Hill, Strategic Data and Technology Coach, Achieving the Dream (@AchieveTheDream)

· Dr. Terri Manning, Strategic Data and Technology Coach, Achieving the Dream (@AchieveTheDream)

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Closing Plenary Panel: Building Stackable Credentials in Data Science and Analytics to Respond to the Supply-Demand Challenge

Data Science Clusters in Florida
BHEF 2016 DSA Competency Map

In response to labor market demand, Miami Dade College partnered with the Business Higher Education Forum to develop stackable credentials in data science and analytics and to engage the business community in the process. In partnership with NextEra Energy, Miami Dade College developed curricula to meet skills needs, designed experiential learning opportunities and created career pathways for student success.

Presenters:

· Moderator: Paul Fain, News Editor, Inside Higher Ed (@paulfain | @insidehighered)

· Antonio Delgado, Dean of Engineering, Technology and Design, Miami Dade College (@MDCollege)

· Kristi D. Baldwin, Director of Information Technology, NextEra Energy (@nexteraenergy)

· Debbie Hughes, Vice President, Higher Education and Workforce, Business Higher Education Forum (@STEMEdDeb | @BHEF)

· Dr. Yustina Saleh, Senior Vice President of Analytics, Emsi (@EmsiData)

Sponsored by Emsi. 

12:00 p.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Closing Remarks & Reflections

· Dr. Karen A. Stout, President & CEO, Achieving the Dream (@drkastout | @AchieveTheDream)





















 

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