The iPASS Program's Enduring Effect on Student Success Initiatives

Higher education institutions across the nation share two major priorities: the quality of student learning outcomes and the rate of degree completion. Many across academia agree there's an urgent need for more to be done to support student success. Although institutions differ in their focus and the specific initiatives that support their goals, a shared imperative exists for each to evolve in order to better meet students' needs and improve their experience.

The Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success (iPASS) grant program focuses on providing students with technology-enabled advising across three main areas: degree planning, coaching and advising, and early alert and risk targeting. Funded via a series of multiyear grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the program has encouraged an integrative approach to student success that sets it apart from other initiatives.

I recently spoke with Ana Borray, Director of Professional Learning at EDUCAUSE, about her past three years managing the iPASS program, including how she believes it has altered the trajectory of student success initiatives at other institutions.

"Shiny New Initiatives" Often Draw Shudders, Not Enthusiasm

Innovative student success efforts have faltered in the past, according to Borray, due to "initiative fatigue." With so many projects under this banner under way, faculty and staff alike have become weary of initiatives with unproven effectiveness that could produce suboptimal outcomes.

Borray believes part of the issue may be a focus on the wrong metrics. She is keen to emphasize that the efficacy of student success projects should not be based on the integration of technology itself but rather on human-centered issues: "This is much more than providing administrators and educators with early alerts or intervention tools. It's about strategic next actions."

Focusing on personal challenges involves responding to specific issues—such as the reasons students drop out of programs or institutions—enabling faculty and staff to dig deep in order to fully understand what transpired and how to help other students avoid similar obstacles to success. For example, some students leave an institution because they lack the prerequisites for their desired major. Further investigation might demonstrate that this is due to the fact that those students failed to explore career choices early enough to choose appropriate courses, leading to insufficient preparation for the specialization and rigors of the area of study they had hoped to pursue.

iPASS Emphasizes Human-Centered Tech Solutions

iPASS was designed to change this dynamic. Borray makes it clear that iPASS projects aren't just technology integrations—they are focused on transforming people, culture, and campuses. For example, if advising solutions are underused or not fully understood, they won't be effective in providing support for their intended audiences. Similarly, if the advising solution lacks widespread buy-in from across campus, it is unlikely that helpful (and arguably necessary) collaboration between the academic and administrative stakeholders will take place.

iPASS served to bridge divides that previously left advising and other student services somewhat isolated. The program's impact was noticeable at the 26 institutions that initially took on the grant challenge.

"We broke a lot of silos," Borray said. "Administrations embraced a more holistic perspective. As a result, we're now able to see a broader view of students at the individual level and can more easily understand and predict their areas of distress."

A National Cohort Became a Force Multiplier

Borray is confident that iPASS has had an impact on institutions beyond the initial 26. Indeed, Borray believes much has changed in the world of student success initiatives since the iPASS grants were launched. She points out that other institutions are starting to adopt phased approaches that do a better job of taking into account students' financial status. Also, the career-preparation component of student success is growing into a much more prominent role.

Although the official grants have now come to an end, Borray believes the work should—and will—continue. As Borray says, "There should be no end to addressing student success." She believes the ongoing learning possibilities at the 26 iPASS institutions will keep faculty and staff engaged.

"We've all heard about the power of networks; here, we've been able to create a nationwide cohort that spans Carnegie Classifications. Yet many of them are working to achieve similar goals. One of the most rewarding aspects of this work has been to see a common thread through reports we've received that this has been an amazing opportunity for leadership teams to connect with others and learn what worked for them, as well as what didn't. That kind of experience is invaluable and very difficult to achieve organically."

---

Kristi DePaul of Founders Marketing provides editorial support and regular contributions to the Transforming Higher Ed column of EDUCAUSE Review on issues of teaching, learning, and edtech.