5 Things To Make It A “Slate” Year
The new year is an excellent time to assess current practices and make a plan to “be better.” That can mean a lot of things in the world of higher education, and especially in the world of Slate. Over the years, I have peeked behind the curtain at many instances of Slate and spoken with campus leaders around the country.
I hear many of the same questions and face a lot of the same challenges.
- High turnover with no back-up plan
- Struggles with training new team members
- Small Slate teams with never-ending to-do lists
So, I wanted to take a few minutes to highlight five things I recommend committing to in 2026 that can help with the above challenges.
DOCUMENT
As you go through your mid-cycle updates, document!. There are several free tools that can make this process easier for you: Zight, Tango, or even just recording your screen throughout. Make sure your documentation is consistent and easy to find. Whether you use the Slate Scholar Custom Content, a shared drive (with links on a portal) or something else, it is important to provide content to your team in a way that is easy to share, access, and find what you need.
CHECK IN WITH YOUR END-USERS
Ask for their input (and be open-minded). What are the processes they struggle with? Where are they still using paper and pencil? As you listen to their day-to-day processes, listen to what frustrates them the most about Slate. And think through opportunities to improve their processes using Slate features.
COMMUNICATE EXPECTATIONS
Let’s say you’re asked to build a report for your Vice President, but you have 50 other things on your to-do list. Be transparent with your leadership. Let them know what else you have on your plate and ask for their help in prioritizing the wishlist. This lets them know that you have heard their needs and gives them an idea of what else is on your figurative (or literal) whiteboard. While I’ve focused on leadership here, it is also important to share expectations with anyone on your team. Share your timelines with the team and if things need to shift, make sure you communicate it.
FOLLOW THE “GET INSPIRED” SPACE IN THE SLATE COMMUNITY
New ideas and ways to complete projects in Slate are shared on a regular basis. Another user might just post about the project you’re trying to complete. Many posts in this space come with suitcase codes and step-by-step instructions on how to complete a task. It can save you time and help you become more efficient in your work.
TEACH YOUR TEAM HOW TO USE SLATE AI
While AI is not always perfect, it can help point you in the right direction. It’s a handy companion that is always willing to help. Thinking back to that report requested in point #3, Slate AI might provide your leadership with the answer they need. Rather than building a whole report, you can build your boss a query with all the data then train them to ask AI the right questions. You’ll find several articles on Slate AI in the Knowledge Base, but this is one of my favorites.
You never know what 2026 will bring, but if you commit to these five goals, I am optimistic it will be a great year for you! And if you get stuck, reach out to your friends at FUEL!
About the Author
Susanna Lehman enjoys listening to your challenges to help you find your next opportunity – to reboot, reimagine, and find a better way.
Susanna spent close to two decades dabbling in almost every aspect of admissions. She brings experience in undergraduate, performing arts, adult, graduate and seminary recruitment: the more specialized the student population, the better! Having previously served as enrollmentFUEL’s Vice President of Slate Education, she has experience with a variety of institutions through implementation, audits and just about any kind of Slate project you can imagine.
A native northwest Ohioan, Susanna now lives in Columbus, Ohio. She loves cuddling with her cocker spaniels while watching Hallmark movies or reading a book. She’s always happy to share her recommendations.
