As summer begins to wind down and we look ahead to the start of a new academic year, it’s a great time to reconnect around the data, research, and planning that help inform our work across campus. This month, we’re highlighting how ORPE supports campus conversations, the shift toward more thoughtful and intentional use of AI in higher education, and research on why students may leave their majors and what those findings can tell us about supporting students earlier.
Data Wranglers
Insights. Impact. Student Success.
ORPE ON CAMPUS
The ORPE / Data Wranglers team shares research and data to support campus conversations and student success.
🎯 Strategic planning support
👥 Enrollment & student success insights
📊 Survey and dashboard updates
🤝 Cross-campus decision support
AI + Higher Ed
From experimentation to intentional use
✅ AI can help brainstorm, summarize, and organize work
✅ Use AI to support thinking, not replace judgment
✅ Protect sensitive student and institutional data
✅ Review outputs for accuracy, bias, and context
Why it matters ↙
- Builds AI literacy across campus
- Encourages responsible and practical use
Research Spotlight
Why students leave their majors
Our research finds students may leave majors when they feel underprepared, unsupported, or overwhelmed.
🔵 Academic challenge can drive uncertainty
🔵 Support and belonging matter
🔵 Early intervention is important
🔵 Data can help identify where support is needed
Reference: Why students leave their majors: A meta-ethnography. (n.d.). Inside Higher Ed.
👥 QUESTIONS FOR CAMPUS
-
- Where do students seem to struggle early?
- How can advising and support respond sooner?