Facilitating Change for Students

The goal of the STEPS Changing Program project is to help eliminate hassles for students who change programs and to support advising and counseling staff who are helping these students. With these improvements, the college can provide enhanced information on the primary website for students considering changing programs and supply data for the advising and counseling staff to help identify those students who might be active in multiple programs or who have recently changed programs. 

Believe it or not, this single project may save the advising staff up to 12,405 hours each year if every student met with an advisor to discuss their intended program plan change before making a decision. We still encourage the students to speak with an advisor before changing programs, but with this proactive approach, students may make  informed decisions about changing programs, and the college can provide a means to reach out to those who have already made the decision. Advisors will spend this additional time saved answering more in-depth or detailed questions from other students along with those that have decided to change programs. 

"It is important for our students that Madison College provides information on the impact of changing programs and to have that information all together in one convenient online location. I see advising as a key part of this process," says Claudia Griesbach, Learning Programs advisor

These enhancements are part of the college retention efforts allowing the advising and counseling staff to reach out to students who might be at risk because of multiple active programs or program changes.  

Thank you to Marty Crabbs, business owner of the project and to Claudia Griesbach, team lead, as well as team members Peri Mills and Stephanie Dean, and all who helped support this project!