Blog - Raftr

Campus Engagement, Higher Ed

What University Students Find Important in Their Digital Community Technology

Throughout the pandemic, we’ve witnessed the growing importance of digital communities for universities and their role in fostering connection, especially when campus communities cannot convene in person. Developing an active and thriving higher education community platform has become an integral part of campus life, and Student Affairs leaders must innovatively drive virtual and hybrid engagement each semester. It’s not an easy feat, especially when students and staff are experiencing Zoom fatigue, and the omicron variant has shifted plans this spring. However, digital communities can be a lifesaver when it comes to lifting campus community morale. So to help provide Student…

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Academics, Higher Ed

10 Technology Must-Haves for Universities Leveraging Hybrid Learning

As universities prepare for the start of the spring 2022 semester on top of the omicron variant spike, virtual instruction and hybrid learning will continue to be critical. This semester, educators will have to continue to adapt and innovatively design their courses around the university's latest guidelines. To help build upon your current strategy, we have compiled 10 technology must-haves for universities leveraging hybrid learning, to encourage your students to academically and socially thrive, this new year. 1. Prioritize student privacy - maintain a private, authenticated & secure digital classroom Adopting an advanced classroom management system will ensure your classroom…

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General, Product Updates

Raftr Support: January 11 Update

All platforms: SSO onboarding updates so that emails link directly to communities' SSO login screen Interim Home page improvements Updated "All" to be a "Rafts" page by name and with list including only Rafts, as well as hiding update previews and unread dots Most recently viewed tab on any device will be the default when you re-open the Home page on that device, until you view an alternate tab (similar to Campus pages) Some fixes and improvements Updated text on Post composers to be consistent across Post types and platforms Updated compact view for Extensions to use the same aspect…

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General, Product Updates

Raftr Support: December 21 Update

All platforms: Updated order of Home page sections, with Chat as the new default Enabled hiding DM conversations from Personal Chat feed Enabled disabling default Channels Some fixes and improvements, including Option on Home page to join more Rafts now filters the opened list to only be Rafts for the active community Clicking bookmark icon on Posts and chat messages now removes the bookmark Android: Some chat updates to better support finding the oldest unread message Added a banner to support quickest navigation to the oldest unread message when that is not where a conversation opens (ie: if you enter…

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Higher Ed, Orientation

4 Strategies to Build a Thriving First Year Student Experience Program for Mobile-First Students and their Families

The First Year Student Experience has always been critical to ensuring that students feel included and confident transitioning into their first year of college. But, in recent years, especially with the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic, the FYE program has had to transform to meet the dynamic needs of incoming students and their families. When it comes to mobile-first students it’s time to shift and upgrade the FYE leveraging modern technology to advance it. With that in mind, we’ve compiled four must-haves when supporting long term student success to help students feel a strong sense of belonging throughout their academic…

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General, Product Updates

Raftr Support: November 30 Update

All platforms: DM and PMG updates Include segments/pages for PMG's for Chat, Events, and Polls (the latter two depend on the Channel having at least one Event or Poll to show) Replaced bookmark, file, and media archives for DM's with filters in the conversation view Updated Raft Settings menu to include Chat (Basic) / Chat & Channels (Premium) section, pulling these settings up a higher level from the Content section Updated Raftr users in Directories and Guides to include the newly introduced Discord and TikTok social profiles, when the users have added them to their Profiles Android: Adding options to join Rafts…

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Alumni Reunions, Higher Ed

Reunion 2022: Building a Strong Alumni Community with a Digital Reunion App (4/4)

Now that we’ve reviewed the significance of the 2022 alumni reunion, navigated how to optimize alumni engagement, and provided best practices for event logistics & welcoming up to 60% of your alumni back to campus, it’s time to discover how to build a strong alumni community with a digital reunion app. With an alumni app, take advantage of these eight modern technological features to build a thriving alumni community online and build alumni engagement all throughout the year. 1. Spark alumni conversations with group channels dedicated to each prior graduating class Each graduating class has their recollection of nostalgic memories,…

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Higher Ed, Student Affairs

Student Affairs Leadership: How to Successfully Manage Your First Team

As a new student affairs professional, managing a team all on your own might be uncharted territory. It can be a nerve-wracking experience to suddenly be responsible for so many employees looking to you for feedback and guidance. But you’re ready for the challenge! Thanks to your training and education in student affairs, you are more than equipped to be an effective team leader. It’s all about honing in your strategy and following through with the application. Follow these eight leadership best practices to help successfully manage your first student affairs team. 1. Set expectations Early with Your Student Affairs…

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General, Product Updates

Raftr Support: November 9 Update

All platforms: Enabled adding Discord and TikTok social media accounts on Profile Some fixes and improvements Updated onboarding to better distinguish account creation from login options Updated the Share option on items on all List post types to link directly to that item (instead of the Post its on) Updated text when deleting Channels Show the most recent Event on a Channel’s Events page when there are no upcoming Events Android: Enabled deleting Rafts Continued cobranding support Continued metrics updates Some fixes and improvements Refreshed the “card” view for regular Posts Updated contextual create options throughout the app to make…

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Alumni Reunions, Higher Ed

Reunion 2022: 5 Pro Tips to Help Plan for Multiple Alumni Reunions (Part 3 of 4)

Planning a large event like a multi year alumni reunion requires dynamic qualities. According to respondents from a research study, the top five most important event planning skills are: people skills, organization, time management, flexibility and passion. These characteristics are even more valuable when alumni committees are preparing for multi-reunions for up to 60% of their alumni. There’s no doubt that your alumni relations team and reunion planning committee possess even more than these talents, and will host an extraordinary event. If anything, we want to contribute to your initiative and help make it less stressful and more streamlined. It’s…

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