The go-to data point used to indicate whether an institution is helping students reach success has tended to be its graduation rate. Post-graduation employment is another indicator but the definition of student success has evolved to include many more areas.
However, many examples exist of non-linear and sometimes abrupt changes in ecosystems. A change may be gradual until a particular pressure on the ecosystem reaches a threshold, at which point rapid shifts to a new state occur. Some non-linear changes can be very large and have substantial impacts on human well-being.
Human activities can have a powerful effect on ecosystems and the way they change. This is known as human-induced succession, which can lead to changes that are often unexpected and sometimes seriously detrimental to the benefits that people derive from ecosystems.