This year UCCS is preparing to launch the Student Success Network, a software that will replace the current Starfish platform used to connect students with academic advisors and faculty.
Student Success Network will offer the same amenities that Starfish does now, but the new software is more robust and will allow for further growth opportunities in the future.
Chuck Carter, senior project manager for the Office of Information Technology (OIT), said that students can expect this replacement to happen very soon.
“We intend to turn off Starfish after this semester, so students will be using the new tool as early as [the] summer semester,” Carter wrote via email.
According to Christian Harden, the organizational change manager for the University of Colorado, the biggest benefits the Student Success Network offers UCCS students is ease of access and enhanced features.
“We have several [CU] students already involved with the tool and the response from them has been overwhelmingly positive,” Harden wrote via email.
The Student Support Network is part of a series of Salesforce tools being implemented at UCCS. The first tool, Admissions Connect, was launched in fall 2021.
“With Recruiting & Admissions implementing Admissions Connect last year, leadership identified an opportunity to align its [constituent relationship management (CRM)] strategy by adding Student Support Network to the portfolio,” Harden said.
Harden also explained that students are not required to complete any formal training to prepare for the implementation of the new software.
“When the software is released, students will receive communication regarding accessing the tool and resources for assistance and navigation. From the student’s perspective, the tool is … intuitive so there will not be formal training needed,” he wrote via email.
For more information, students, faculty and staff can access UCCS’ informational guide on SharePoint or email [email protected].
UCCS’ online Starfish interface. Photo by Kira Thorne.