National Institute for Student Success (NISS)
The University of Kansas was one of seven institutions selected by the Kansas Board of Regents to partner with Georgia State University’s National Institute for Student Success (NISS) to adopt innovative, evidence-based initiatives to further help our students succeed. Intended to serve as a catalyst to drive student success changes in higher education, the NISS uses a diagnostic process to arrive at a clear-eyed, evidence-based assessment of our institution’s current student success efforts and potential areas of opportunity. The work of the NISS aligns with KBOR’s strategic plan, Building a Future, as well as our campus strategic planning work through Jayhawks Rising.
- Completed Initiatives and Projects
- Coordinated process and timeline for all scholarships
- Common deadlines for institutional scholarships
- UKASH scholarship platform launched
- Continued need based aid packaging for incoming students
- Pushed utilization of KUEC funds
- Jayhawk Finances (JF) Team Launched
- Student Finance Workgroup Convened
- Launched Plan to Pay student outreach campaign
- KU Finance Calendar audit
- Hosted a Student Finance Experience Summit
- Student Finance Experience Monthly Newsletter
- 2024-2025 Initiatives and Projects
- Streamline scholarship process for campus partners to spend funds and create a better student experience
- Jayhawk Finances student programming launched
- Students able to meet with Financial Coach
- Hosting Second Student Finance Experience Summit
- Finance Calendar audit improvements
- Completed Initiatives and Projects
- Restructured to Embedded Advising Model for all UG students
- Standardized Academic Advising Training
- 300:1 Ratios or less for all KU academic programs/students
- Consistent student experience
- Retention Rate gains (met or exceeded since implementation)
- Student Re-Enrollment gains
- Advisor Retention gains
- NASPA Excellence Award
- 2024-2025 Initiatives and Projects
- Implementing a Staff Advising Model for Adult learner/online graduate programs
- Completed Initiatives and Projects
- Student Digital Experience Workgroup Formed
- myKU portal updated
- System-wide student facing tech audit
- Degree Planner RFP and implementation
- ChatBot RFP and implementation
- Student facing system alignment efforts
- 2024-2025 Initiatives and Projects
- Orientation Platform implemented for non-trad modalities
- ChatBot implementation
- Completed Initiatives and Projects specific to KU’s EAB Instance (Jayhawk GPS)
- Expansion to more service units for appointments
- Nudges, Campaigns and Quick Polls launched
- Integrated Career Services notes
- Piloted Academic Standing Notices
- Activated Handraise
- Integrated tutoring, SI and Writing Center
- KU Pathways Data intergrated
- 2024-2025 Initiatives and Projects (Jayhawk GPS)
- Full integration of Career Services in EAB
- Graduate Advising expansion
- Completed Initiatives and Projects
- Degree Map Needs Assessment
- RFP for Stellic Degree Planner and Implementation
- Degree Map Collection from academic units
- General Education Requirement Alignment
- Merger of Exploratory Pathways and Career Communities
- Launched KU Student Pathways
- Hopes and Dreams Incoming Student Survey
- KU Pathways integrated into New Student Orienatation
- Events and experiences mapped to Pathways
- 2024-2025 Initiatives and Projects
- KU Pathways curriculum integrations
- Stellic Deployment
- Graduate Degree Maps