The University of Hawaii (UH) is initiating a new systemwide student success initiative aimed at improving graduation and retention rates, particularly for historically underserved students.
The UH Board of Regents has approved a five-year contract worth $7.4 million for two integrated platforms—EAB Navigate360 and Edify.
These platforms are designed to track student behavior and performance in real-time, enabling advisers and support staff to proactively intervene before issues escalate.
Developed by education technology company EAB, these systems will be gradually implemented across UH’s ten campuses starting this year, with complete adoption expected by 2026.
UH President Wendy Hensel, who previously served as provost at Georgia State University—a significant success story for EAB—highlighted that the technology will empower the university to monitor and support students across various risk areas, such as academic performance and financial challenges.
Currently, UH tracks numerous data points on its students, including online course engagement, library resource usage, and tuition payment status.
The new platforms will consolidate this existing data to provide actionable insights that can help identify which students may require support early on.
According to Hensel, the initiative is not intended to replace human interaction but rather to enhance it.
If students exhibit signs of difficulties—like missing assignments, skipping classes, or falling behind in critical courses—the system will flag these behaviors, encouraging faculty or advisers to reach out for intervention.
“Using data allows us to intervene far more effectively than merely asking questions,” said Hensel.
She noted that many students do not seek help, and this initiative is aimed at reaching those students proactively.
The key focus is to enable timely interventions, correcting issues as they arise.
The Navigate360 platform utilizes population health analytics and predictive scoring to identify at-risk students based on various factors, including GPA, course withdrawals, financial aid status, and class participation.
Meanwhile, Edify assists in integrating isolated institutional data—from academics to student services—into a comprehensive dashboard for administrators.
For students, the technology is designed to serve as both a risk monitoring and communication tool.
Hensel explains that the platform will analyze historical student data spanning about ten years to recognize patterns and develop effective pathways to success.
For instance, if a student intends to enroll in a challenging combination of courses, like calculus and biochemistry during the same semester, the system may flag that situation and propose alternative scheduling options.
The technology integrates existing data collected by UH, such as course logins, library usage, and tuition payments, to generate insights that can assist in the identification of students who may need early support.
Kim Siegenthaler, senior adviser overseeing the project’s rollout, indicated that students will receive timely alerts about important deadlines, registration, or missed advising appointments, along with reminders for utilizing support services when necessary.
“This system first reminds students of upcoming registration periods and then of any preparatory tasks they might need to complete before registration,” said Siegenthaler.
Moreover, she highlighted that the platform is proactive, stating that the same structure used to identify risks can also be leveraged to acknowledge students who excel in particular areas.
As Siegenthaler explained, the system will allow for communication of congratulations or kudos to high-performing students.
The project will require extensive collaboration across different campuses and a gradual implementation strategy over the coming years, including local customization, user training, and testing.
UH plans to model many components of this system based on Georgia State University’s implementation, which has yielded double-digit improvements in student success metrics, notably among underrepresented and first-generation college students.
Hensel noted that UH is working with a demographic similar to that of Georgia State, including a significant number of first-generation students, many from low socioeconomic backgrounds and often with part-time jobs.
“Georgia State’s efforts eliminated all achievement gaps based on race, gender, and first-generation status,” Hensel remarked.
Both Hensel and Siegenthaler asserted that the technology allows for earlier and more tailored responses based on effective historical practices, going beyond the average student to address specific population needs.
“We will identify numerous indicators that suggest a student might be at risk, and from there, we’ll devise an intervention strategy that is evidence-based,” Siegenthaler concluded.
Furthermore, UH plans to evaluate the effectiveness of its outreach efforts, utilizing data to continuously refine communication and interventions over time, akin to Georgia State University’s approach to testing and improving its student nudges.
“Examining the efficacy of our interventions will be critical, just like Georgia State has done,” Siegenthaler added.
Hensel emphasized the overarching goal of the initiative: to ensure every student succeeds, particularly those who are vulnerable to academic disengagement.
“We will never be satisfied until every student who enrolls is on track to achieve their educational goals,” she said.
The university is committed to continuously improving its ability to meet student needs and recognizes that now is the right time to implement available technology that has proven successful in other institutions.
image source from：govtech
