Two establishments, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and SUNY Morrisville, shared their experiences implementing the College Student Inventory (CSI) throughout a webinar I hosted. Each establishments discovered the CSI priceless for figuring out at-risk college students, gauging their willingness to simply accept assist, and connecting college students with related campus sources. The CSI’s worth lies in its capacity to determine college students in danger, gauge their receptivity to help, and facilitate fast connections to campus sources.
The Faculty of New Jersey (TCNJ)
design-3.png” alt=”The Faculty of New Jersey” class=”wp-image-60787″ type=”width:400px” srcset=”https://www.ruffalonl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Untitled-design-3.png 900w, https://www.ruffalonl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Untitled-design-3-300×201.png 300w, https://www.ruffalonl.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Untitled-design-3-768×515.png 768w” sizes=”(max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px”/>Jamel T. Johnson, director of the workplace of mentoring, retention, and success packages, spearheaded a campuswide implementation of the CSI in 2025, constructing on their earlier use inside the Academic Alternative Fund program. Johnson aimed to extend completion charges from roughly 70% to 100%. They achieved a exceptional 93.7% completion charge and are actually analyzing the info to tell focused interventions and partnerships throughout campus. Johnson’s focus is on understanding the info gleaned from the CSI to tell broader campus initiatives, signaling an ongoing technique of implementation and refinement. As Johnson said, “We’re enthusiastic about what we’ve got seen, and we’re enthusiastic about the place we’re going to be going with the evaluation.”
The CSI’s General Threat Index confirmed Johnson that there was concern with commuter college students. He was in a position to get this knowledge in entrance of a workforce inside their pupil affairs division whose core activity is to assist commuter college students. “We’ve met with them and now they’re deploying completely different efforts to satisfy the wants based mostly upon what we’ve got seen.” Johnson is ready to manage the Mid-12 months Pupil Evaluation (MYSA) and can use the info to assist additional their efforts for his or her commuter college students.
When requested, “What kinds of early intervention methods have you ever discovered to be handiest when guided by?” Johnson used two phrases “dialog versus correction”. Once more, emphasizing that the CSI will not be an inherent ability take a look at. Johnson didn’t need correction and rating speak to be the primary interplay his college students had together with his workers.
Johnson emphasised the significance of stakeholders seeing themselves mirrored within the knowledge when discussing campus collaboration. When a campus fosters collaboration and successfully makes use of its knowledge, the constructive affect on college students turns into evident.
SUNY Morrisville
Brenda Oursler-White, director of evaluation and accreditation and interim dean for the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Science, and Society, carried out the CSI in fall 2023 to enhance first-time, full-time pupil retention charges. There was a big enhance in completion charges, rising from 73% in fall 2024 to 85.3% in fall 2025. Oursler-White attributes this success to pupil engagement, clear messaging about the advantages of the evaluation, and connecting college students to sources based mostly on their outcomes.
SUNY Morrisville’s success was partly pushed by showcasing the tangible advantages of finishing the CSI, particularly the elevated probability of returning for the spring semester in comparison with those that didn’t take part. Oursler-White said, “The Faculty Pupil Stock isn’t like magic wand, which means if you happen to full it, you’re going to achieve success. They nonetheless should put within the work.” With a goal to enhance first-time, full-time pupil retention charges, she expressed {that a} key problem was securing buy-in from college, workers, administration, and college students.
When requested, “What kinds of early intervention methods have you ever discovered to be handiest?” Oursler-White’s response was much like Johnson’s. She put an emphasis on utilizing the phrase rating slightly than rating and dealing with the scholar to interpret their outcomes. The coed noticed 65% and considered it as a letter grade. When in actuality they had been above the nationwide norm and on the 65th percentile. It was vital to have clear communication and to permit the scholar to study extra about themselves whereas constructing a relationship and a way of belonging. Oursler-White took it upon herself handy out over 600 pupil studies, assembly inside the classroom to work with college students hand-in-hand with their outcomes and subsequent steps.
Increase pupil success via motivational evaluation
We’re grateful to those two campuses for sharing their experiences to help others with understanding how the info can finest be utilized on campus. In case you are inquisitive about studying extra, download the webinar recording.
To discover subsequent steps and uncover how the Faculty Pupil Stock (CSI) can affect retention and pupil success efforts, ask for a walkthrough or please attain out to me through email.
