AAUA 2026 - Dr. Timothy Renick | Exec. Director, National Institute for Student Success

Data-Driven Student Success in Higher Ed: Dr. Timothy Renick on Equity, ROI, and Change Management In this AAUA 2026 podcast episode, Dr. Timothy Renick, Executive Director of the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) at Georgia State University, joins host Matt Roche and AAUA President & CEO Dr. Sandra Affenito to explore how colleges and universities can dramatically improve student success, retention, and completion rates while advancing equity and strengthening the higher education value proposition. Drawing on Georgia State’s nationally recognized record of boosting graduation rates by 70% and closing equity gaps across race, ethnicity, and income, Dr. Renick explains how institutions can leverage data, predictive analytics, proactive advising, and process redesign—even in restrictive DEI and regulatory environments—to achieve measurable ROI and more just outcomes. Geared toward faculty, department chairs, deans, student affairs leaders, and senior administrators, this episode offers practical insights on change management, breaking down silos, using evidence-based practices, and crafting compelling student success narratives that resonate on campus and with external stakeholders. Listeners will also get a preview of Dr. Renick’s upcoming AAUA annual conference keynote at Cleveland State University, making this a must-hear conversation for anyone committed to building more effective, equitable, and financially sustainable institutions. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction 01:15 About Dr. Renick 03:18 About the National Institute for Student Success 06:28 Student Success at Georgia State University 11:47 Regulatory Environments and DEI 19:48 Change Management & Data-Driven Change 26:38 Driving Change through Narrative 36:11 Outro Keywords: student success in higher education, data-driven student success, college student retention strategies, improving graduation rates in college, closing equity gaps in higher education, DEI and student success, National Institute for Student Success, Georgia State University student success model, predictive analytics in higher education, proactive academic advising strategies, change management in universities, higher education value proposition, improving completion rates in college, equity-minded leadership in higher ed, breaking down silos in higher education