Title

College Mobile App

Status
Status:
Completed
Start Term
Start Term:
Spring 2020
End Term
End Term:
Fall 2020
Project Leads
Project Leads:
Dean of Students
Core Team
Core Team:

Dean of Students, Director of Student Engagement, Director of Business Services, Director of Applications and Infrastructures, Lead Applications Developer

Ad Hoc team
Ad Hoc team:

Computer Help Desk, Business Services, Academic Advising, Communications and Marketing, Career Services, Campus Life and Housing, Librarian, Equity and Inclusion Office

Pillars of Success
Pillars of Success:
Student Success
Project Purpose

Project Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the landscape of education and how to communicate, engage and connect with ºÚÁϹÙÍøs. Students rely heavily on their mobile phones and the addition of a mobile app to M State was seen as a way to maintain and enhance engagement.

Deliverables

Deliverables

A fully functioning mobile app that isn’t simply a replication of the college’s website. The mobile app is for ºÚÁϹÙÍøs and the content focused on the ºÚÁϹÙÍø experience.

Project Scope

Project Scope

In Scope

Identifying, selecting and contracting with a mobile app provider per Minnesota State system guidelines. Building mobile app content.

Out of Scope

Hiring new staff.

Effectiveness Measures

Effectiveness Measures

Project Goals

  • Engage ºÚÁϹÙÍøs with the college
  • Connect ºÚÁϹÙÍøs with each other in a social platform
  • Create a space to keep ºÚÁϹÙÍøs connected to each other and the college

Performance Indicators

Student usage and engagement in the mobile app.

Metric Review Schedule and Reporting

Performance indicators for the app will be collected and reviewed every fall and spring semester. Data will be shared at college leadership meetings.

Constraints

Constraints

  • Time of staff involved from across various departments.
  • Unknowns of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Financial Impact

Financial Impact

  • Engaged ºÚÁϹÙÍøs will impact ºÚÁϹÙÍø retention which will impact tuition and fee income.
  • HERRF funding is being utilized to fund the mobile app as allowed under Federal Government guidelines. The college will need to use general funds when HERRF funding is no longer an option.
Summary of Results

Summary of Results

Data from Ready Education shows the top tiles ºÚÁϹÙÍøs use by traffic (number of clicks) is SpartanNet (45.8%), followed by Financial Aid (7.73%), Academic Calendar (6.62%), Moorhead (6.27%) and book orders (4.45%).

Next steps for this project include surveying ºÚÁϹÙÍøs spring 2023 to determine the return on investment, streamlining content and alignment of financial resources (e.g. explore creating a SpartanNet app and/or tiles in SpartanNet for ordering books, Financial Aid, etc.).

Future Direction

Future Direction

The mobile app was discontinued after FY23 due to low ºÚÁϹÙÍø usage.