UW System investment provides timely tools for COVID-19 responses
MADISON, Wis.—A University of Wisconsin System investment in the student advising software Navigate has proved fortuitous as campuses turned to remote instruction and advising in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Within the first weeks of campuses moving to remote instruction, UW universities immediately identified ways to expand their use of the Navigate software to engage with students located off-campus.
“I’m very pleased to see how UW institutions are using Navigate to provide holistic support for our students,” said UW System President Ray Cross. “The software has proven to be remarkably flexible, helping ease the transition to remote learning and will continue to be an important tool as we connect with and advise students for the fall. This is another way we can help ensure student success.”
In December 2018, the UW System Board of Regents entered a contract to usethe Education Advisory Board’s (EAB) Navigate Student Success Collaborative software aimed at improving undergraduate retention and guiding students on a path toward graduation.
UW-Parkside, for example, used Navigate to quickly identify students who needed a loaned laptop or hotspot before they could participate remotely. The university scheduled more than 1,100 counseling appointments in the first weeks after moving to remote instruction. UW-Parkside, UW-Superior, and UW-Whitewater used Navigate to help identify students who could benefit from assistance programs, including the newly created federal Emergency Grants program. Faculty have used the software to identify students who were missing early activity in their online courses or had yet to log in to courses.
“Students have responded incredibly well to the campaigns that we created using Navigate this spring,” said Mickey Fitch-Collins, UW-Superior Executive Director of Student Services. “Students were able to seamlessly schedule appointments with key staff on campus to help realize their goals academically, socially, and personally. It has been a real difference maker for us.”
“Going remote disrupted students’ communication with faculty and their advisors, so we used Navigate to fill some of that gap,” said Greg Cook, UW-Whitewater Interim Provost. “It was indispensable for reaching out to individual students to meet their particular needs.”
UW universities are now looking at how they can use Navigate to help prepare for the fall. UW-La Crosse, for example, uses the text messaging feature to send reminders to students who still need to register for classes.
“Any student who doesn’t register within 24 hours of their registration time receives a text reminding them to register and asking if we can help,” says Jo Arney, UW-La Crosse Director of Student Success. “Navigate is a great tool that also helps us with student advising, communication campaigns, and scheduling appointments.”
Rob Ducoffe, UW-Parkside Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs, recognizes the positive impact Navigate has already had and could continue to have going forward. At UW-Parkside, overall enrollment fell by less than 0.5 percent during the spring semester and summer enrollment increased by about 8 percent.
“EAB Navigate facilitated our efforts to stay connected with students, especially at-risk populations, throughout the spring 2020 semester,” he said. “We look forward to using it again this fall.”
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
More about the Coronavirus Pandemic
- Governors Tony Evers, JB Pritzker, Tim Walz, and Gretchen Whitmer Issue a Joint Statement Concerning Reports that Donald Trump Gave Russian Dictator Putin American COVID-19 Supplies - Gov. Tony Evers - Oct 11th, 2024
- MHD Release: Milwaukee Health Department Launches COVID-19 Wastewater Testing Dashboard - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Jan 23rd, 2024
- Milwaukee County Announces New Policies Related to COVID-19 Pandemic - County Executive David Crowley - May 9th, 2023
- DHS Details End of Emergency COVID-19 Response - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Apr 26th, 2023
- Milwaukee Health Department Announces Upcoming Changes to COVID-19 Services - City of Milwaukee Health Department - Mar 17th, 2023
- Fitzgerald Applauds Passage of COVID-19 Origin Act - U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald - Mar 10th, 2023
- DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Feb 10th, 2023
- MKE County: COVID-19 Hospitalizations Rising - Graham Kilmer - Jan 16th, 2023
- Not Enough Getting Bivalent Booster Shots, State Health Officials Warn - Gaby Vinick - Dec 26th, 2022
- Nearly All Wisconsinites Age 6 Months and Older Now Eligible for Updated COVID-19 Vaccine - Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Dec 15th, 2022
Read more about Coronavirus Pandemic here
Mentioned in This Press Release
Recent Press Releases by Universities of Wisconsin
Universities of Wisconsin preliminary enrollment up overall despite federal student aid disruptions, lack of tuition promise, campus closures
Sep 16th, 2024 by Universities of WisconsinEight universities show enrollment growth