How Pueblo Community College Leveraged Faculty Partnerships and Technology to Address the Community College Enrollment Crisis

Two years into the pandemic, Pueblo faced serious enrollment challenges. Higher-than-expected summer melt in Fall 2021 led them to investigate causes that could threaten future semesters. Cross-campus communication issues, limited access to faculty during summer, and a lack of buy-in to student success initiatives were among the most pressing contributors.

Pueblo leadership identified a two-pronged approach to address their enrollment problem. First, they created clearer advising processes powered by Navigate360. They also leveraged Navigate360’s student app to engage students throughout the advising process.

Pueblo’s initiative empowered faculty and staff to clarify their roles in the advising process, limit time spent on wrong-fit tasks, and develop mutually agreed-upon strategies for more effective student care. The faculty progress report response rate-a measure of active use and collaboration with staff advisors-increased by 11.2%, and faculty advising appointments increased by 191% in the 2021-22 academic year. The new process increased student engagement as well, yielding a 42% increase in Navigate360 app usage across the same timeframe.