Our Work

IPASS Grant

The supports universities working to transform advising practices, student support services, and systems in support of student success through the utilization of new technologies. Recipients of the iPASS grant are specifically focused on addressing education planning, counseling and coaching, and risk targeting and intervention.

As a recipient of an iPASS grant in 2015, USF utilized the funding to develop a case management approach to student success that focuses on identifying and addressing individual student needs in their moment of need. In doing so, USF has fulfilled its iPASS grant vision of providing the right support to the right student at the right time.

The results of these efforts, along with the collaborative work of other student success programs and initiatives, have been substantial, with USF achieving a six-year graduation rate of 71 percent and a retention rate of 90 percent by the end of the grant period in 2018. Our students are now persisting and graduating at all time highs.  Additionally,  USF has qualified for state Preeminence, a designation reserved for the highest performing institutions in the State University System of Florida, which unlocks additional funding for investment back into our students.


PARTNERS

  • Project Partners: ,
  • Funding Partners: ,
  • Change Leadership Training Advisor:
  • Research and Evaluation Partners: ,


Grant Proposal & Award

In 2015, EDUCAUSE announced the results of the iPASS grand competition, awarding iPASS grants of up to $225,000 to USF and 25 other institutions. Use the links below to view USF’s iPASS grant proposal and award information.

 
Initiatives

The purpose of the Case Management process and supporting system at the University of South Florida is to bring all student support personnel into a coordinated network of providers that will contribute more timely and targeted support to at-risk undergraduate students so as to accelerate USF’s path to state Preeminence and AAU eligibility.

The iPASS grant has allowed USF to complete and continue several initiatives aimed at achieving USF’s iPASS vision of providing the right support to the right student at the right time. The impact of these initiatives has been substantial, with USF making significant gains in retention and four and six year graduation rates.

first year retention rates graph
4 year graduation rate graph
6 year graduation rate graph

COMPLETED

  • The on-campus hosting of three experts from NACADA who conducted a multi-day program review and gap analysis of our university-wide academic advising program; this engagement helped us engage stakeholders across campus in iPASS and the change efforts, prioritize our areas of focus related to iPASS’ call for advising reform, and also set the stage for development of an Academic Advising Strategic Plan.
  • The collaborative drafting of a university-wide Academic Advising Strategic Plan by advising leadership with guidance from the Vice Provost for Student Success; this work enhanced alignment of academic advising goals and priorities with the USF’s goals and priorities outlined in the USF 2013-2018 Strategic Plan, while also helping to establish case management as a primary focus of USF’s iPASS work.
  • Successfully supporting the persistence, retention, and timely graduation of actual students directly through the Case Management process/system
  • Successfully training more than 150 professionals on new ways of communicating and coordinating delivery of student support services through the Case Management system
  • Uptake of the Case Management system by ßÙßÇÂþ»­ St. Petersburg and ßÙßÇÂþ»­ Sarasota-Manatee, two campuses at USF, which serve approximately 6,000 additional students who now receive services provided through the system
  • Presentation of the Case Management process and system at multiple conferences, nationally and internationally, for best practices sharing


IN PROGRESS

  • Enhancements to the case management system
  • Archivum Insights and first-year student experience
  • Male student persistence initiatives
  • MWell4 Success program to address mental health literacy
sprint planning team working

Campus stakeholders come together with IT to map out the next sprint for Archivum Insights, USF’s proprietary case management tool.

persistence committee meeting

USF’s Persistence Committee is at the core of its case management model. This cross functional group convenes regularly to resolve issues that arise impeding student success – either finding a solution for an individual student or addressing policies and procedures affecting the broader student population.


USF iPASS Team

Dr. Allison Cleveland-Roberts
Associate Dean for Academics, College of Arts & Sciences

Dr. Paul Dosal
Vice President, Student Affairs & Student Success

Carrie Garcia
Director, Application Services, Information Technology

Valeria Garcia
Assistant Vice President, Office of Decision Support

Dr. Melissa Irvin
Assistant Dean, Advising & Analytics, Undergraduate Studies

Sarah Thomas
Director, Office of Decision Support

Dr. Travis Thompson
Associate Director, Information Technology

Leslie Tod 
Director, Office of Academic Advocacy


Publications & Media

REPORTS

STUDENT SUCCESS ANNUAL REPORTS

PRESENTATIONS

MEDIA

  • , July 7, 2016
  • , Nov. 9, 2016
  • , Inside Higher Ed, July 5, 2017
  • , The Chronicle of Higher Education, August 13, 2017
  • , December 4, 2017