Bridging the Data Gap in Higher Ed

Your Pathway to Becoming a Data-Informed Institution

At Pivot Marketing, we’re always looking for new ways to support our clients more effectively, which is why we’ve been developing our latest product: the Pivot360 Dashboard, a real-time, full-funnel reporting solution built specifically for higher ed. As we’ve worked to create a more streamlined and meaningful way for institutions to better access and act on their data, The Chronicle of Higher Education released a timely report, The Data-Informed Campus. The report lays out a thoughtful, wide-ranging reflection on how colleges and universities are grappling with the flood of data often available right at their fingertips, albeit frequently scattered across disconnected systems and software. It makes the nuanced, yet important distinction between being data-driven and data-informed. While being data-driven implies indiscriminately following the numbers, being data-informed invites curiosity, critical thinking, and strategic use of data to guide human-centered decisions. At Pivot Marketing, we often see that institutions need a centralized, connected source of data to make strategic, informed decisions with greater ease and confidence. The Pivot360 dashboard helps to fill that gap, offering a powerful, integrated solution for colleges and universities that are ready to turn overwhelming data into actionable insights.

The State of Data in Higher Ed: Why This Moment Matters

Colleges and universities are collecting more data than ever through CRM systems like Slate and Salesforce, marketing platforms like GA4, Google Ads, and Meta Business Manager, LMS platforms, swipe card systems, surveys, and more. But The Data-Informed Campus report reveals a striking truth: most institutions are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of data, under-resourced to analyze it, and unsure how to act on it.

We often see a lack of centralized data warehousing, which makes it even more difficult to connect disparate data points into a cohesive, actionable story. And now, artificial intelligence is playing an increasingly prominent role in how institutions collect and analyze data. At Pivot, we believe AI is an incredibly powerful tool that should absolutely be leveraged, but only when paired with the right kind of human oversight.

Data without human context can be misleading. Automation can uncover patterns, but it can’t always interpret the nuance of human experience. That’s why the Pivot360 Dashboard isn’t just a tool, it’s a service. Our team, deeply experienced in higher ed data, builds and customizes each dashboard, helping institutions see the full picture. And we don’t stop at setup; we work alongside institutional leaders to interpret what the data is really saying, adjust strategies, and make smarter, more informed decisions.

Data Challenges: Familiar and Persistent

The Chronicle report outlines several key challenges to becoming a data-informed campus. Most notably:  

• A lack of time, staff, and software to process and act on data

• Disconnected systems and unclear data ownership

• Static, siloed reports that lag behind real-time needs

• A shortage of data literacy among leadership and staff

• A cultural divide: data isn’t yet part of the decision-making DNA
  

At Pivot Marketing, we see these challenges arising in our work with colleges and universities — the same challenges the Pivot360 Dashboard is designed to solve.

The Pivot360 Solution

1. Real-Time, Centralized Data: Gone are the days of waiting for a static, end-of-year PDF report to look back and make decisions out of sync with real time needs. Pivot360 integrates real-time data from all your different platforms into one centralized, easy-to-use dashboard. Institutions can see what’s happening now and respond now.

2. Meaningful Metrics, Not Just Data Dumps: We start each engagement by helping clients define their goals and key performance indicators (KPIs). Our mantra: If the data doesn’t help inform a strategy, we de-prioritize it. This helps institutions avoid drowning in detail and focus on what moves the needle.

3. Designed for Data-Literate (and Non-Data-Literate) Users: You don’t need to be a Slate/Salesforce power user or a GA4 expert to benefit from Pivot360. Our dashboards are visual, intuitive, and built to support institutional leadership, enrollment VPs and directors, marketers, and decision-makers at all levels.

4. Supports a Culture of Data Literacy: A beautiful dashboard is meaningless if it isn’t used. That’s why Pivot360 is not just a software solution; it’s a change agent. We help institutions create a culture where data is accessible, trusted, and shared. This includes training, onboarding, and the ability to build out glossaries or data dictionaries to ensure teams are speaking the same language.

5. Trusted Source of Truth: As the Chronicle rightly points out, without trust, data fails. Pivot360 provides a centralized, validated system where stakeholders can agree on the facts before debating the path forward.

A Dashboard Is Not the Whole Answer, But It Does Pave the Way

As Rick Staisloff from rpk Group says in the article, becoming a data-informed campus is “less a function of new software, and more a function of cultural change.” We agree wholeheartedly. Pivot360 can do the heavy lifting on integration, visualization, and accessibility—but institutional leaders must create a culture that values inquiry, embraces training, and builds trust in the data. 

We love our data champions. We find often within the institutions we work with, there are the folks that “get” data. They understand that having faster access to information isn't just about convenience; it's about agility, equity, and student success. They ask questions like: "How will this data shape our next step?" and "Are we building a more inclusive future with what we learn?" These data ambassadors are critical to encouraging change at a cultural level. 

The Chronicle's report makes clear that there is no shortcut to becoming a data-informed campus. But there are accelerators. Pivot360 offers one such solution—a flexible, integrated, human-centered dashboard that supports the kind of institutional reflection and action The Chronicle calls for.

If your school is ready to stop reacting and start strategizing with data, let’s talk. We’d love to help you build a smarter, more data-informed future.