Decoding Student Motivational Data: Insights from TCNJ and SUNY Morrisville

Two institutions, The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and SUNY Morrisville, shared their experiences implementing the College Student Inventory (CSI) during a webinar I hosted. Both institutions found the CSI valuable for identifying at-risk students, gauging their willingness to accept help, and connecting students with relevant campus resources. The CSI’s value lies in its ability to identify students at risk, gauge their receptivity to assistance, and facilitate immediate connections to campus resources.  

The College of New Jersey (TCNJ)

The CSI’s Overall Risk Index showed Johnson that there was concern with commuter students. He was able to get this data in front of a team within their student affairs division whose core task is to support commuter students. “We’ve met with them and now they’re deploying different efforts to meet the needs based upon what we have seen.” Johnson is set to administer the Mid-Year Student Assessment (MYSA) and will use the data to help further their efforts for their commuter students.

When asked, “What types of early intervention strategies have you found to be most effective when guided by?” Johnson used two words “conversation versus correction”. Again, emphasizing that the CSI is not an aptitude test. Johnson did not want correction and score talk to be the first interaction his students had with his staff.

Johnson emphasized the importance of stakeholders seeing themselves reflected in the data when discussing campus collaboration. When a campus fosters collaboration and effectively utilizes its data, the positive impact on students becomes evident.

SUNY Morrisville

Brenda Oursler-White, director of assessment and accreditation and interim dean for the School of Liberal Arts, Science, and Society, implemented the CSI in fall 2023 to improve first-time, full-time student retention rates. There was a significant increase in completion rates, rising from 73% in fall 2024 to 85.3% in fall 2025. Oursler-White attributes this success to student engagement, clear messaging about the benefits of the assessment, and connecting students to resources based on their results.  

SUNY Morrisville’s success was partly driven by showcasing the tangible benefits of completing the CSI, specifically the increased likelihood of returning for the spring semester compared to those who didn’t participate. Oursler-White stated, “The College Student Inventory isn’t like magic wand, meaning if you complete it, you’re going to be successful. They still have to put in the work.” With a target to improve first-time, full-time student retention rates, she expressed that a key challenge was securing buy-in from faculty, staff, administration, and students.

When asked, “What types of early intervention strategies have you found to be most effective?” Oursler-White’s response was similar to Johnson’s. She put an emphasis on using the word ranking rather than score and working with the student to interpret their results. The student saw 65% and thought of it as a letter grade. When in reality they were above the national norm and at the 65^th percentile. It was important to have clear communication and to allow the student to learn more about themselves while building a relationship and a sense of belonging. Oursler-White took it upon herself to hand out over 600 student reports, meeting within the classroom to work with students hand-in-hand with their results and next steps.

Boost student success through motivational assessment

We are grateful to these two campuses for sharing their experiences to assist others with understanding how the data can best be utilized on campus. If you are interested in learning more, download the webinar recording.

To explore next steps and discover how the College Student Inventory (CSI) can impact retention and student success efforts, ask for a walkthrough or please reach out to me via email.