Purpose

An intuitive and inviting student online experience has a direct effect on student engagement, as well as how students perceive the university. When each individual department or unit seeks to create better online tools and transactional systems without a larger context the result can create a disjointed and artificially difficult experience for students. By integrating and unifying campus-level services and support from the perspective of the students, rather than that of the service areas, the campus will enhance how students find the resources they need to succeed and thrive at CU Boulder. To achieve integrated and unified services the university has established the following policy to complement its Unified Student Experience program.

Policy

  1. CU Boulder commits to providing a set of well-coordinated service programs for students conducting business with the various units across campus.
  2. CU Boulder commits to digital (online and mobile) student services programs that are wellcoordinated, student-centric, and easy to use. Digital student services will be developed following the principles below:
    1. Online or mobile applications used to facilitate a student’s interactions with CU Boulder shall align with campus-wide procedures and best practices to maintain a unified student experience.
    2. Online or mobile applications shall follow usability best practices, be evaluated by qualified third-party assessments, and designed using direct student feedback, focus groups, and surveys.
    3. Any phone-in or online help, information, or service center serving students shall align with campus-wide best practices and procedures to maintain a unified student experience.
  3. Campus departments and units are responsible for working with the USE program to ensure that digital services align with USE program principles, standards, and best practices.
  4. To provide oversight and direction CU Boulder will establish an ongoing USE Working, Steering, and Executive Teams. The USE Executive Leadership Team is comprised of the Provost, SVC and CFO, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Associate Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management, the Dean of the Graduate School, the Associate Vice Chancellor for Information Technology, and one or more deans as designated by the Provost. The USE Executive Leadership Team will:
    1. provide strategic leadership to guide the coordination of student support services and their alignment with CU Boulder’s strategic goals;
    2. work with each other, with their organizations, and across the campus to coordinate the purposes and effects of the student service programs in their areas;
    3. review/approve recommended revisions to this policy, and changes to the USE standards or procedures, which may be self-forwarded or recommended by the USE Steering Team; and
    4. grant exceptions to this policy, which may be self- forwarded or recommended by the USE Steering Team. Exceptions will be noted and reviewed annually.

Responsible Offices:

  • Office of Student Affairs
  • Office of Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education
  • Office of Enrollment Management
  • Office of the Graduate School and
  • Office of Information Technology.

Owner: Associate Vice Chancellor for IT and CIO

Effective Date

Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Approved By

Philip P. DiStefano, Chancellor

Author(s)

VCSA, VPUE, AVC for Enrollment Management, Dean of the Graduate School, and the CIO