Organizing your Institution for Success
How to work together as an institution to maximize the value you receive from an automated coursework evaluation tool
Introduction
Implementing our product within your institution offers immense benefits in streamlining the transcript review process and enhancing student engagement. To ensure your university harnesses the full potential of DegreeSight's TraCC and minimizes confusion within your respective departments, it is crucial to organize your institution effectively and use a model that works best for you. This article outlines the different models that institutions can adopt when utilizing our product, discussing what we consider the main "role archetypes" are in the workflow.
Models of Product Utilization
Different institutions may adopt various models of product utilization based on their unique needs and organizational structure. Here are a few examples:
1. Registrar-Driven Model
In this model, the Registrar assumes comprehensive responsibility for all roles except live chat engagement. They take on the "unofficial transcript evaluation" lifecycle and perform all related tasks. This approach ensures a high level of engagement and control within the Registrar's office.
| Task | Registrar | Admissions Team |
|---|---|---|
Live chat with students | ||
Receives an alert in the CRM that a transcript was submitted | ||
Reaches out to students who register and login but don't submit | ||
Receives transcript submission email alerts and matches the inputs to grants | ||
Creates new rules from individual and historical decisions | ||
Manages rules over time as they change |
2. Admissions/Enrollment-Centric Model
In this model, the Admissions/Enrollment office assumes the Engager and Reviewer roles, focusing on student interactions and the evaluation of transcript submission requests. However, they delegate the Rule Creator workflows to the Registrar's office. This model allows the Admissions/Enrollment office to focus on the initial stages of the evaluation process, while the Registrar's office takes charge of rule creation and maintenance.
| Task | Registrar | Admissions Team |
|---|---|---|
Live chat with students | ||
Receives an alert in the CRM that a transcript was submitted | ||
Reaches out to students who register and login but don't submit | ||
Receives transcript submission email alerts and matches the inputs to grants | ||
Creates new rules from individual and historical decisions | ||
Manages rules over time as they change |
3. Admissions/Enrollment-Comprehensive Model
In this model, the Admissions/Enrollment office performs all roles involved in the product lifecycle. They engage with students, review transcript submissions, and actively contribute to rule creation and maintenance. The Registrar's office, in this case, provides insights into matches outside of the system, updates rules in bulk annually, and ensures the system's accuracy over time.
| Task | Registrar | Admissions Team |
|---|---|---|
Live chat with students | ||
Receives an alert in the CRM that a transcript was submitted | ||
Reaches out to students who register and login but don't submit | ||
Receives transcript submission email alerts and matches the inputs to grants | ||
Creates new rules from individual and historical decisions | ||
Manages rules over time as they change |
Role Archetypes
To think of it a different way, using DegreeSight's TraCC (or, generally running an unofficial transcript evaluation workflow) can be done by using a few main role archetypes. Each archetype has distinct responsibilities within the student's lifecycle. Take the following role archetypes as an example, knowing that this might flex a little bit at your individual institution:
A) "Engager"
Engagers are individuals who directly interact with students, addressing their queries and providing assistance. They can have either a "View Only" or an "Evaluator" role. Engagers are responsible for the following tasks:
Receiving Notifications and Assignments in the CRM
Engagers receive timely notifications and assignments within the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. These notifications may include updates, important announcements, or specific tasks related to student interactions.
Reaching out to Students who Log In but Don't Submit
Engagers want to follow up with all prospective students, especially those who may have stopped in the process before they finish submitting their data. This list is available in TraCC, and the Engager's job is to reach out and lend a helping hand.
Enabling "Live Chat" and Engaging with Students
Engagers activate the "live chat" feature to promptly respond to student inquiries. By engaging in real-time interaction, Engagers address concerns, provide guidance, and create a supportive environment for students.
B) "Reviewer"
Reviewers focus on the transcript submission process, ensuring accuracy and matching requests to internal granted courses. Reviewers must have an "Evaluator" role or higher within the system. The primary responsibilities of Reviewers include:
Receiving Notifications of Transcript Submissions
Reviewers receive notifications whenever students submit transcripts through our product. These notifications streamline the review process and ensure prompt attention to each submission.
Updating Individual Requests and Marking them as "Approved"
Reviewers evaluate transcript submission requests and accurately match them with the appropriate internal granted courses. By carefully reviewing each request, Reviewers maintain accuracy and consistency in the evaluation process, marking the requests as "approved" upon successful completion.
C) "Rule Creator"
Rule Creators develop and refine persistent rules within the system. These individuals must have a "Rule Creator" role or higher and often perform the duties of a Reviewer as well. The main responsibilities of Rule Creators include:
Making Individual Decisions and Confirming Persistence as a new Rule
Rule Creators determine whether decisions made during the evaluation process should be treated as persistent rules for future reference. Confirming persistence contributes to the growth and learning of the system over time.
Reviewing and Converting Historical Decisions into Rules
Rule Creators meticulously review historical decisions that have not yet been converted into rules. By identifying missed equivalencies and converting them into persistent rules, Rule Creators improve the efficiency and accuracy of the evaluation process.
Updating and Editing Equivalencies Over Time
Rule Creators periodically update and edit equivalencies manually to ensure the system remains aligned with evolving requirements. Keeping the system in sync with existing back-end databases enables seamless integration and accurate decision-making.
D) "Overseer"
Overseers are individuals who just focus on the analytics, KPIs, and performance of the team. They can have either a "View Only" or an "Evaluator" role, or as high as an "Admin". Overseers are responsible for the following tasks:
Receiving Notifications when a Student's Request gets Delayed
Overseers want to ensure that no student is left behind! So, they can configure customized alerts to see if a student submitted their transcript 5 days ago or more and yet does not have an answer. This is a good safety backstop to ensure the quality of service of the institution as a whole stays on brand.
Reviewing Analytics and Reports
Along with the above goal of "quality of service," Overseers want to know when things are going well, not just when they're going wrong! To this effect, they may want to review whether or not the system is heavily automated and performant or whether it is going slower for students because there is a gap in data with a specific feeder school or other.
Combining your team into different matrixes of responsibilities will lend different results, but you can set this up in whichever way makes the most sense for your individual team, culture, and organization.
E.g., we often see our institutions fall into the following pattern:
| Team member | Engager | Reviewer | Rule Creator | Overseer |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Registrar | ||||
Transfer Counselor | ||||
Director of Transfers | ||||
VP of Enrollment |
Conclusion
Organizing your institution to maximize the usage of our product involves understanding the different models of product utilization and the role archetypes involved. By adopting a suitable model and assigning appropriate roles and responsibilities, your institution can optimize student engagement, streamline your credit evaluation processes, and foster a seamless experience for all stakeholders involved.
Last updated