Success in Stockton:
A Chief Technology Officer’s Pathify Journey
Success in Stockton:
A Chief Technology Officer’s Pathify Journey
If you visit the University of the Pacific’s website, you’ll see a tagline highlighting “big university choices with small college caring.” As California’s first chartered university, there’s a major standard of excellence — the university offers nearly 100 areas of study across three campuses, all while seriously promoting individual student success. Faculty and administrators ensure a supportive and inviting environment, offering dedicated resources and assistance.
At Pacific, enhancing student success isn’t just a goal — it’s deeply embedded in the institution’s mission of providing a superior and student-centered experience. As Pacific’s Chief Technology Officer, Rob Henderson led the university’s technology transition from Ellucian Luminis to Pathify, a shift revolutionizing how they approach student success, support and persistence.
Vision for a Digital Workspace
Faced with the impending Luminis sunset, Henderson and his team set out for a portal replacement that aligned with the vision of a comprehensive digital workspace. “We wanted more than just a portal,” Henderson reflected. “We wanted people visiting the new system daily for news and events, completing tasks, finding clubs and organizations, viewing assignments. We also wanted a one-stop digital location for everyone at the university — students, faculty and staff.”
After a reference call with fellow Pathify customer Antelope Valley College, Pathify’s Engagement Hub became the top choice. “We went through a competitive bid process, but Pathify offered a well-rounded package of solutions,” explained Henderson. “We felt other products were designed for more transactional processing of SIS capabilities as opposed to the digital workspace we were searching for.”
Removing Roadblocks
Before Pathify, Pacific campus communication relied on email — or students checking Luminis— causing missed notifications and confusion in finding information. “You could write a book on why students didn’t know about certain action items,” Henderson said.
After going live with the new Pathify “myPacific” app in mid-2023, improvement surfaced quickly. Henderson highlighted the registration process as a prime success. “Before Pathify, we saw over 900 students with registration holds each semester,” he recalled. “Using Pathify tasks and announcements, we drove students toward getting those holds fixed on time. When registration started, we only had 140 students with holds — people here said ‘We’ve never seen something like this before.’”
The nearly 85% decrease in registration holds majorly alleviated time spent sending emails and tracking students down while improving overall student success metrics. “Student retention between semesters is incredibly important,” Henderson noted. “It’s a huge win in educating students on why they have holds so they can quickly resolve them.”
Right Resources, Right Time
At Pacific, registration holds are just one common obstacle — a student may encounter up to nine different holds, ranging from financial aid to housing and meal plan holds — “so it’s key for us to provide clear action items to address those barriers,” said Henderson.
Alongside removing registration-related roadblocks, Pacific also experienced a reduction in late student payments. “Pathify widgets and tasks, our SMS-based chatbot and Pathify’s Transact integration are significant contributors in getting student payments submitted on time,” he added.
Pathify also provides customization and standardization opportunities — allowing flexibility and creativity, while ensuring certain resources always remain visible. “In myPacific, there’s a link to tutoring resources and it’s permanently pinned to the menu bar. Students can’t change it and we don’t want them changing it,” Henderson explained. “We keep key resources — like tutoring services — as accessible as possible.”
Future Student Success Initiatives
Moving forward, Henderson envisions Pathify widgets surfacing more complex information like displaying all holds or semester meal plan balances. “There are a number of students who leave money on the table — their meal plan dollars don’t roll over. We want them seeing what their balances are in a widget or a notification so they aren’t losing out on their dining dollars,” he said.
With nearly an 85% reduction in student registration holds and decreases in late student payments, Pacific’s investment in its digital campus has paid dividends — both on the administrative and student sides. “Pathify puts information in a location where students will read it,” concluded Henderson. When students consume the right resources at the right time, it impacts retention, satisfaction and success. For the University of the Pacific, removing roadblocks with Pathify ensures students are informed, aware and continually guided to success.
About the University of the Pacific
University of the Pacific is a comprehensive national university located in northern California, with campuses in Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco. Established in 1851, it is California’s first and oldest university and is ranked by the Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education in the Top 100 nationally and Top 20 in the West. Pacific takes pride in providing a superior, student-centered learning experience integrating liberal arts and professional education and preparing individuals for lasting achievement and responsible leadership. With 10 schools and colleges and nearly 100 areas of study, Pacific educates a student body of more than 6,300 students. For more information, visit pacific.edu.
“Pathify puts information in a location where students will read it,”
Rob Henderson
Chief Technology Officer
