doteduguru

Sharing Local Data to Improve University Decision-Making
TPR / 9:30 AM / Monday
Kevin Lavelle and Rob Liesland, Xavier University

Why?

• User  - they don’t know what to ask for - where info is, who has it, how we can get it
• Geek - “you’re stupid … just let me do it”;  we know what data we have, and how WE use it … we may not be thinking about how others might be able to use that data
• Sharing the data helps the university and makes you (the geek) look good

Analytics Reports

• User - I manage my own website
• Geek  - You could be doing a better job
• What do users want?
• Scheduled reports
  • Each month - send data based on the previous 3 months: trended traffic (to help them see effectiveness of campaigns, ads — seeing what works, what doesn’t) and top pages (showing them — what matters to them — might not always be what matters to your audience!)

Online Application

• User - students use our application to apply
• Geek - we can learn a lot more
• Communications to submit
  • automated emails to remind incomplete apps to be completed
  • provide data to admissions or students who have completed the majority of the app — so the admissions counselors can follow up and help them complete the app
• Forecasting for enrollment
• Stealth applicants
  • 1/3 of Xavier’s students first official interaction with them was when they applied — so they didn’t know anything about the students until that point.

Road to Xavier

• User - guide admitted students to enrollment
• Geek - what is there to look at?
• Stats Report
• Other tracking apps

Alumni

• User - I want active alumni, and I want to know who they are
• Geek - Don’t make it too difficult
• User community
• Giving process
• Know when to say WHEN

Advertising

• User - we advertise
• Geek - does it work?
• Campaign URLS - proving what works and what doesn’t — pushing your users towards using more effective methods of communication; helps administrators make decisions about future ad buys;