In an academic year defined by social distancing and virtual learning, it was more important and difficult than ever to keep students connected and engaged. Despite these challenges, we saw many institutions, especially their housing and residence life departments, rise to the occasion. Skyfactor Benchworks recognizes seven colleges with an Assessment and Impact Award for Housing and Residence Life.  The Assessment and Impact Award for Residence Life was established in 2019 to recognize colleges that have successfully used data to analyze and make changes to better their residence life programs. Please join me in congratulating this year’s winners:  Miles Community College (MT) was recognized for high performance on survey scores related to sustainability. MCC encouraged students to volunteer in a campus service initiative that connected students with their environment as well as their local community, bringing food-related efforts with community-building efforts together.  Millersville University (PA) was recognized for significant improvements to survey scores related to personal interactions, diverse interactions, and satisfaction with student staff. MU used data to determine the success of their new resident engagement model which included adjustments to student-staff training and an increased focus on living-learning communities.  The Oxford College of Emory University (GA) was recognized for high performance on survey scores related to diverse interactions and satisfaction with student staff. Using mindful messaging, diversity-focused training, and dynamic programming, Oxford worked to embed values of diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout their department.  The University of Alaska Southeast (AK) was recognized for their significant improvement in survey scores related to residence hall environment satisfaction. UAS saw improvements to their housing and residence life department after making adjustments to their staff training, implementing a requirement for roommate agreements, and prioritizing community-building values.  The University of Central Florida (FL) was recognized for significant improvement to survey scores related to sense of community. As a result of feedback during COVID-19, UCF made modifications and changes to their residential curriculum and their system for creating student connections.   University of Northern Colorado (CO) was recognized for significant improvement to survey scores related to community environment satisfaction. UNC transitioned from a traditional programming model to one focused on one-on-one conversations that prioritize first-year residents.  The University of Tampa  (FL) was recognized for significant improvement in survey scores related to academic initiatives and personal interactions. UT’s increase stems from the implementation of a new residential education model, an increase in staff engagement, and intentional conversations between residents and student staff.  The 2021 winners were chosen this spring through a careful analysis of multiple years of data from the ACUHO-I/Benchworks Resident Assessment. The Skyfactor Benchworks Analytics and Research Team first conducted a quantitative analysis and review of applications and then interviewed finalists to learn about improvements in residence life.  Send a Kudo or drop a comment below to congratulate our 2021 Assessment & Impact Award Winners!  ## Benchworks assessments are the most widely used programs in higher education housing and have been available for nearly 20 years. The ACUHO-I/Benchworks Residents Assessment is used by nearly 300 institutions each year, and is one of more than 50 different assessments from Benchworks on topics important to college success, including housing, orientation, and student affairs and service. The survey includes questions about student satisfaction with facilities, programs, dining, safety, room assignment, and roommates, as well as learning related to personal interactions, diversity, sense of community, academic success, transferable skills, sustainability, and healthy habits. ... View more

The Millersville University of Pennsylvania (MU) was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for dramatic improvements in survey scores related to personal interactions, diverse interactions, and satisfaction with student staff. MU implemented a new resident engagement model that focused on using data in a way that aligns with the institution’s core values. They made modifications to student staff training and focused on connecting living-learning communities to a broader audience.  View the overview of MU’s use of data for strategic and intentional improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below. 2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - Millersville University of Pennsylvania     ... View more

The University of Central Florida was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for significant improvement to survey scores related to sense of community. UCF used assessment data to determine residents’ needs during the pandemic, which included virtual programs, adjustments to their residential curriculum, and an emphasis on contributing to a sense of belonging and community. View the overview of UCF’s use of data for continuous improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below.  2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - The University of Central Florida ... View more

The University of Alaska Southeast was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for their significant improvement on survey scores related to residence hall environment satisfaction. The assessment data collected by UAS led to continuous improvement for key initiatives like prioritizing staff training and requiring roommate agreements, along with continuous efforts to empower residents and create a sense of community. View the overview of UAS’s use of data for continuous improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below. 2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - University of Alaska Southeast ... View more

Miles Community College in Montana was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for high performance on survey scores related to sustainability. MCC used assessment data to inform strategic planning initiatives and understand the experience and perceptions of their on-campus residents. For example, MCC hosted a service initiative that brought resident volunteers into their local community and added vegan dining options to their campus dining. View the overview of MCC’s use of data for continuous commitment to their sustainability in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below. 2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - Miles Community College ... View more

Oxford College of Emory University was awarded the 2021 Assessment & Impact Award in Housing and Residence Life for high performance on survey scores related to diverse interactions and satisfaction with student staff. Oxford College used assessment data to track the progress of its goals to embed diversity and inclusion into their culture and understand their current population of residents. Their adjustments and efforts include diversity-focused summer training, mindful messaging rooted in student development theory, intentionally sharing results and relevant data points with campus partners, and more. View the overview of Oxford College’s use of data for continuous improvement in the attached Assessment & Impact Award winner profile below.  2021 Housing and Residential Life Award Winner Profile - Oxford University at Emory University ... View more

Now On-Demand With a year like we've collectively experienced, we all deserve a win. This webinar, which features lessons and tips gleaned from the 2021 winners of Skyfactor's Assessment and Impact Award for Housing & Residence Life, delivers exactly that. Register today to hear first-hand accounts of useful assessment practices that made a significant impact on the lives of students at schools across the United States, in a year when students most needed it. View the Recording! View the Recording ... View more

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2021 Higher Education Assessment Conference hosted by New England College! And now… drumroll please… the winners of our sweepstakes, represented by their institutions! Lehigh University (PA)  Juniata College (PA) Ball State University (IN) Midland University (NE) Thanks to everyone who entered! If you have not checked out the presentation decks and session recordings from this year’s Higher Ed Assessment Conference, we invite you to check them out! Here you will find: Assessments that Drive Desired Outcomes: Early Alerts, Interventions and Improving Student Success - Recording. In this session, Glenn Skaggs and Mandy Shaffer demonstrated how institutional outcomes could be improved by pairing brief retention surveys with program assessments. Assessments that Create Connections: Fostering Deep Learning in Person and Online - Recording. In this session, Dr. Edna Ross explored the ways that student engagement tools and best practices can have a real-time impact on insight and analytics that improve key student retention factors. Watch the recording to learn more about how to use polling and asynchronous quizzes to facilitate active learning, gain student feedback, and foster connections whether online or in-person. Infographics on using storytelling to share compelling assessment data. Tips for engaging students online and in HyFlex courses. On-Demand webinars and other resources. In the meantime, if you are interested in utilizing assessment solutions to improve student engagement and outcomes, connect now with an Assessment specialist! Congrats again to the winners! ... View more

Access the slide decks and session recordings for the Higher Ed Assessment Conference sessions: 'Assessments that Create Connections: Fostering Deep Learning in Person and Online' and 'Assessments that Drive Desired Outcomes: Early Alerts, Interventions and Improving Student Success' here. ... View more

Now On-Demand From COVID-19 to systemic racism, 2020 brought about an increased focus on continued issues related to equity, including in higher education. For students to succeed, we must acknowledge this reality and actively work to embed solutions into our persistence and graduation initiatives. How does this work in practice? Join us to learn about an approach to student success based on leveraging student equity surveys to inform impactful interventions. We’ll also discuss a new equity initiative that was crafted to connect students to expert guides, address significant challenges, and provide a pathway towards success. View the Recording! View the Recording! ... View more

Now On-Demand! For many, the idea of new student retention initiatives involves a long, complicated, and intensive process. But, it should not - and does not - have to be this way. In this webinar, we discussed an easier approach to supporting student persistence with short, research-informed surveys that can be launched immediately, inform earlier interventions, and complement existing retention solutions. We hope you were able to join this interactive discussion of practical and proven student success and retention tips from a student success professional. View the recording! View the recording! ... View more

Congratulations to Matthew Venaas and Cate Morrison on the publication of their article "Agreeing (how) to Disagree" in the latest issue of Talking Stick! Talking Stick is a bi-monthly publication produced by ACUHO-I,  the Association of College and University Housing Officers-International. The publication, written by experts in the field, focusses on the latest in housing news, innovation, and professional development information. In the current issue, Venaas and Morrison use  a Skyfactor survey to prove that roommates who complete their roommate agreements in the beginning of the year are more likely, across the board, to have a positive roommate experience, than those who do not. This data-supported conclusion supports the necessity for housing departments that are committed to housing agreements--read it here!  Click here to learn more about Skyfactor housing surveys Click here to learn more about ACUHO-I ... View more

Skyfactor and Macmillan Learning are delighted to announce that our very own Senior Director of Analytics & Research, Sherry Woosley, has received the Corporate Friend Award for the 2021 ACUHO-I Awards! The ACUHO-I Awards  highlight the service and accomplishments of professionals who have worked to strengthen the Association and the campus housing profession as a whole. Congratulations, Sherry! Click here to learn more about Sherry Click here to learn more about the ACUHO-I Awards ... View more

Our 2021 FYE Conference presentation, 'Improve Student Success in the Age of COVID-19 and Beyond', presented by Sherry Woosley, Ph.D., Amanda Shaffer, James Mantooth, Ph.D. highlighted easy-to-implement retention tools designed to work fast and light with respect to short timelines and small budgets - specifically, how short, research-based retention surveys can be used to improve student success. The session featured concrete implementation tips from The University of Tennessee, Martin, who began using the tools in the midst of COVID-19.  ... View more

The Benchworks New Student Survey enables you to assess how well new students are acclimating to campus by providing insight into the critical topics that impact new student satisfaction including: academic adjustment, educational goals, non-cognitive skills, social connections, and residence life experiences. ... View more