University of West Georgia improves student retention and saves time by moving FERPA waivers online
When the University of West Georgia (UWG) turned to CampusESP to move their FERPA waivers online, the results were immediate: 24% higher retention rate for students with a parent receiving updates, a 93% decrease in paper forms processed each month, and 38 workdays saved in administrative time (and counting!).
For a campus serving over 8,600 undergraduates, with a large first-generation and low-income student population with high need, this transformation wasn’t just about efficiency.
It was about giving families the visibility they need to help students stay on track.
From paperwork to partnership: Why FERPA needed a refresh
Before 2021, UWG’s FERPA waiver process relied on paper forms; it was tedious, time-consuming, and decentralized. Staff had to manually process each submission and respond to faculty requests about student permissions.
UWG’s team saw an opportunity to simplify operations and strengthen student success by making FERPA digital.
“It helps to treat parents as partners so students can get the
information that’s necessary for them to succeed. Parents and
family members are involved and play a big role in that.”
– Olubanke Taiwo, Associate Director, Department of Student Solutions at UWG
The goal was twofold: eliminate manual processing and empower families with timely, appropriate access to their student’s information, an especially critical step for UWG’s large first-generation population.
Student retention improves significantly with family engagement
Through CampusESP for FERPA Management, UWG families can receive updates on important student information – such as holds, financial aid requirements, and grades – when their student grants access through a digital FERPA waiver. That transparency helps families step in early when support is needed.
CampusESP compared the retention rate for 295 full-time, first-year students who were enrolled at UWG in Fall 2021 and had a family member receiving updates on their progress to students whose families did not receive similar updates.
The results were striking: 97% of first-year students were retained when a FERPA waiver in CampusESP was completed, which is 24% higher than UWG’s institutional retention rate. When CampusESP conducted the same analysis across nine other universities, student retention is 8% higher on average when families receive updates.
“The data reaffirms that it’s working and shows the real life impact for our students,” said Ashlee Pollard, Director of Student Solutions & Momentum Center at UWG. “Families have a massive role in their student’s ability to be successful when they get access to correct information from the source. It’s inspiring, especially for first-gen parents.”
UWG saves staff time from massive decrease in processed paper forms
Before CampusESP, UWG processed an overage of 120 paper FERPA waivers per month. After implementation, that number dropped to just eight — a 93% decrease.
UWG took things a step further to calculate their exact time savings impact from FERPA processing improvements. It takes up to 10 minutes of staff time to manually enter each individual paper form into their campus SIS, Banner. As a result of having to do less manual data entry, UWG has saved 38 full workdays of staff time over an 18-month period.
“Freeing up our time is a game changer for how much more service we’re able to offer from within our office if we’re not having to process paperwork,” said Pollard.
The improvement wasn’t limited to one office. Before using CampusESP, faculty and staff would contact the Momentum Center to see if a student had a waiver on file. More than 150 faculty and staff now use CampusESP to look up FERPA permissions directly, saving additional time and reducing duplicate requests.
“It’s not just a time saver for those of us that have to process the paper forms, but it’s a time saver for other campus partners as well,” said Taiwo. “It creates better partnerships with other teams on campus because the process has become so much easier.”
Since launching CampusESP in July 2021, 4,799 UWG families have requested access to their student’s academic and financial information. Everything FERPA-related now lives in one secure, centralized platform, for students, families, and staff alike.
By eliminating manual forms and empowering families through appropriate transparency, UWG has built a stronger, more connected community that directly supports student success.
“Ultimately, partnering with CampusESP is like adding an additional member to our team!” said Pollard.
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