UTSA's innovative iPASS program serves as a model for other institutions
(August 18, 2016) -- The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Office of Information Technology (OIT) is leading the way with innovative approaches to promote student success through advising programs and services.
The iPASS program is funded through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. The goal of the program is to transform advising and student support services to increase student success and degree completion.
“Student success initiatives are a top priority for UTSA and initiatives like iPASS support campus wide efforts to help students graduate on time and in an efficient financial manner,” said Vanessa Hammler Kenon Ed.D., assistant vice provost of OIT and iPASS Principal Investigator.
UTSA’s iPASS program has been recognized as an innovative higher education program that aligns with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s strategic plan. The latter plan aims to see at least 60 percent of Texans, ages 25-34, earn a degree by the year 2030 and make sure students complete programs with marketable skills, among other goals.
The iPASS project focuses on the integration of several systems to form a complete advising platform. UTSA is currently utilizing Ellucian DegreeWorks, which helps students plan their top-tier coursework and monitor their degree progress. The program helps students identify courses completed and gives them a glimpse of how changing majors will affect their future academic journey.
This fall, UTSA will launch the Education Advisory Board's Student Success Collaborative Campus (SSC-Campus). UTSA advisors will be using SSC-Campus to provide more personalized and powerful advising. SSC-Campus merges information from several systems into one platform and allows advisors to identify and target at-risk students.
“These two powerful products will change the advising culture at UTSA and provide advisors with tools to engage in more insightful, individualized sessions,” said Kenon.
UTSA was one of 24 higher education institutions nationwide selected for the iPASS grant funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. The $225,000 grant is a collaboration of the Provost Office, Academic Advising, Institutional Research, and the Office of Information Technology at UTSA.
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Events
This event will acknowledge graduating seniors from the McNair Scholars program at UTSA before inducting the new cohort of scholars into the program.
North Paseo Building (NPB 5.140), Main CampusAt this memorable celebration, UTSA graduates will be introduced one-by-one to cross the stage and accept their doctoral degrees.
Arts Building Recital Hall, Main CampusRoadrunner Walk is an event for graduating students to have a memorable walk on campus to celebrate an important milestone and their achievements. Graduates will walk along the Paseo while being celebrated by the UTSA community, friends, and family members.
Student Union Paseo, Main CampusCelebrate the accomplishments of College of Education and Human Development, College for Health, Community and Policy, College of Sciences and University College.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.Celebrate the accomplishments of Alvarez College of Business, College of Liberal and Fine Arts and Klesse College of Engineering and Integrated Design.
Alamodome, 100 Montana St.