Independent colleges face mounting pressures—from enrollment volatility and demographic shifts to affordability concerns and rising expectations for student outcomes. For senior leaders, meeting these challenges requires more than incremental adjustments. It demands an integrated, mission-centered approach that aligns academic priorities, enrollment strategy, and financial decision-making.
Grounded in the work of the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) Student Success Hub, this interactive pre-conference workshop provides a practical framework for connecting data, strategy, and financial practices to advance sustainable student success. CIC’s Insights Tool provides access to information about your institution in the context of similar peers. To dive deeper, workshop participants will explore how to evaluate program performance, align investments with institutional priorities, and scale high-impact initiatives beyond short-term or siloed efforts.
Through facilitated discussion and scenario-based exercises, leaders will develop a shared language around academic investment and financial stewardship, identify key cross-functional metrics, and draft an actionable roadmap for integrated planning—positioning their institutions to thrive in a resource-constrained environment while staying true to mission.
By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:
- Explain how data, institutional strategy, and financial practices can be aligned to support student success and institutional sustainability.
- Identify opportunities to strengthen cross-functional planning and decision-making across their institutions.
- Apply mission-centered approaches to institutional priorities, investments, and resource allocation.
- Develop practical next steps for advancing integrated planning and sustainable student success.
Attendees should bring a laptop or tablet with them to be able to fully participate.
Workshops require pre-registration as space is limited. The registration fee covers materials, meals, and refreshments. To add a workshop to an existing Institute registration, please contact conferences@cic.edu. Fee: $200
Workshop Coordinators
Resche D. Hines
Student Success Hub Subject Matter Expert, NACUBO
Resche D. Hines combines his research experience in data visualization, implementation and dissemination with his organizational leadership expertise to lead data-driven decision-making and institutional change. Hines has partnered with key stakeholders across a diverse group of institutions to support the institutionalization of high impact practices, development of integrated enrollment management plans, data governance, stewardship and security structures, alignment of enrollment planning and budgeting practices to support institutional effectiveness, implementation of program-specific competency assessments initiatives. Hines’ educational background includes a doctorate in educational administration from Michigan State University, a master’s in community psychology and a bachelor’s in psychology from the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.
Ellen Peters
Director of Strategic Research and Assessment, Council of Independent Colleges (CIC)
Ellen Peters joined the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC), in 2024 as the director of strategic research and assessment. In this role, she provides leadership for CIC’s member engagement initiatives, utilizing data to make informed decisions about future programing and offerings to current and prospective members. Prior to joining CIC, Peters was the associate provost for institutional research, planning, and student success at the University of Puget Sound (WA), a CIC member institution. She’s worked in institutional research roles at Puget Sound, Bates College (ME), and the George Washington University (DC). Peters is working on a doctorate in education leadership from the University of Washington, and has a master’s degree in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University, and a bachelor’s degree in psychology and theater from Bates College.
Kelli Rainey
Senior Director for Student Success Initiatives, National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO)
Kelli Rainey is a higher education strategist and data-informed leader with extensive experience in institutional effectiveness, student success, and data analytics. She currently serves as senior director for student success initiatives at the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO), where she advances analytics-driven approaches that align financial decision-making with student outcomes. Rainey holds a doctorate in higher education and organizational change and brings deep expertise in accreditation, program assessment, and organizational improvement. Her work bridges research, practice, and leadership, supporting colleges and universities in navigating complexity, strengthening transparency, and building sustainable, student-centered strategies for long-term success.
Workshop Schedule
7:15–8:00 a.m.
Breakfast
8:00–8:30 a.m.
Welcome, Introductions, and Workshop Objectives
Facilitators welcome participants, review the purpose of the workshop, and orient participants to the learning objectives and expected outcomes.
8:30–9:15 a.m.
The Case for Integration: Mission, Student Success, and Institutional Sustainability
Using the NACUBO student success work as the organizing framework, participants examine why enrollment strategy, academic planning, student success, data, and finance must operate as one decision system. Discussion emphasizes mission as a decision criterion and finance as a strategic partner in advancing student outcomes.
9:15–10:00 a.m.
Seeing the System: A Current-State Alignment Scan
Participants map how priorities currently move through planning, budgeting, program review, enrollment management, and student success processes at their institutions. They identify handoff failures, data gaps, duplicated decisions, and places where stronger cross-functional coordination could improve results.
10:00–10:15 a.m.
Break
10:15 a.m.–Noon
Leveraging Tools and Frameworks for Student Success
Participants are introduced to CIC’s Insights Tool and NACUBO Student Success Hub toolkits to help identify resources which help to strengthen alignment among institutional priorities.
Noon–1:00 p.m.
Networking Lunch
1:00–1:30 p.m.
Integrated Planning and Cross-Institutional Collaboration
Participants will explore how integrated planning connects finance, data, and student success efforts to support more aligned and effective decision-making. Teams will consider how these approaches can be adapted and applied within their own institutional context.
1:30–2:30 p.m.
Guided Scenario
Through a facilitated scenario, participants will apply what they’ve learned to real-world challenges and opportunities. They will discuss solutions and share peer insights to test new strategies.
2:30–2:45 p.m.
Break
2:45–3:30 p.m.
Connecting Tools to Action Planning
Participants will begin drafting a tailored action plan to integrate workshop learnings into their institutional context. This session emphasizes practical next steps and cross-functional collaboration.
3:30–4:00 p.m.
Reflection and Wrap Up
The workshop concludes with reflections on key insights, commitments to action, and closing remarks. Participants leave with concrete ideas to implement on their campuses.