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A framework that helps you develop more effective planning processes.
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Discussions and resources around the unresolved pain points affecting planning in higher education—both emergent and ongoing.
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Access a world of integrated planning resources, connections, and expertise-become a member!
- Planning Types
Planning Types
Focus Areas
-
A framework that helps you develop more effective planning processes.
- Challenges
Challenges
Discussions and resources around the unresolved pain points affecting planning in higher education—both emergent and ongoing.
Common Challenges
- Learning Resources
Learning Resources
Featured Formats
Popular Topics
- Conferences & Programs
Conferences & Programs
Upcoming Events
- Community
Community
The SCUP community opens a whole world of integrated planning resources, connections, and expertise.
Get Connected
Give Back
-
Access a world of integrated planning resources, connections, and expertise-become a member!
Blog Post
Higher Ed’s Missing Link: Turning Your Big Data Into Institutional Change
Published September 6, 2019By Sadie Wutka, Director of Content Strategy, SCUP
Institutions referenced in this resource:
The University of Texas at El PasoMost think there’s a tension between access and excellence—you have to choose one of the two. Not so, according to two planners from University of Texas El Paso (UTEP).
David Ruiter, associate provost for student and faculty success, and Roy Mathew, associate vice president for planning, described how UTEP found a third choice—turn access *into* excellence.
Over the last 30 years, UTEP has pursued and accomplished the following:
- Increase access to UTEP for the local population, which is 82% Hispanic
- Earn a R1 Carnegie Classification
How did they do this? With metrics-based planning.
Below is a short recap by Sadie Wutka, director of content strategy, Society for College and University Planning, from Mathew and Ruiter’s presentation at the SCUP 2019 Annual Conference in Seattle.
Moneyball for Higher Ed
Inspired by the book Moneyball (the true story of how the Oakland A’s used data analytics to build winning baseball teams using less money than their competitors), UTEP developed their metrics-based planning framework based on comprehensive planning literature.
Principles of Metrics-Based Planning
- Establish clear mission and identify KPIs of progress related to goals
- Turn comparative advantages into competitive advantages
- Develop a systems perspective of outcomes
- Analytics combined with social learning results in continuous improvement
An Example: Research Activity
How does it work? One example is how UTEP increased their research activity. They knew what they had to do—improve faculty productivity to increase research activity. The real question was, “How?”
To find out, UTEP looked at their most highly productive faculty. They learned that faculty members who had a more extensive social network—both inside and outside the institution— also produced more research. So, UTEP focused on strategies and tactics that expanded the social networks of less-productive faculty. Faculty productivity and research activity increased.
People Are Rational
The framework is grounded in a belief that most people act in a way that makes sense for them. They just need new cues to change their behaviors. “Provide the right set of signals for people to take rational action,” Mathew explained. “People always take rational action, but often not on the right signals.”
For example, there was a time when most UTEP faculty were disengaged from initiatives to improve student success. UTEP planners sat down with faculty and showed faculty the number of students in their classes that came from low-income families. Then, planners showed faculty how much income these students were losing by not graduating on time. The impacts of poor student performance went from abstract to tangible, motivating faculty to improve classroom instruction and participate in more student supports.