Adopting a Strategic Approach to Measuring Student Success
Concurrent Session 8
Brief Abstract
The presenter will discuss the value of adopting a strategic approach to student success and reflect on experiences guiding their institution through a series of inventories (data, initiatives, policies, engagement) to create a student success plan and supporting infrastructure to evaluate and measure student success.
Extended Abstract
While many colleges and universities embrace aspirations of improving student success, many are faced with challenges on how to define, measure, and establish an actionable framework and system for student success, all while keeping the student at the center of their Mission and heart of their process.
University of Phoenix sought out participation in the Student Success Academy hosted by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) in early 2019, thus initiating a three-year journey focused on evaluating and improving institutional factors that affect student success. During this experience, the University engaged cross-functional stakeholders in conducting environmental scans focused on introspection to promote inquiry and action in areas that contribute to the overall success of students. The University conducted a series of inventories to look at student success data, initiatives, policies and procedures, and stakeholders engaged in supporting students to gain a holistic view of student success at the institution. These exercises helped the institution to better understand the resources and priorities for the University as well as the realities faced by its student populations.
Following the series of inventories, the University analyzed potential gaps in knowledge, processes, and student services, to identify opportunities for systematic improvement to use as the foundation for their comprehensive Student Success Plan. The University worked to create an institutional framework and definitions for student success dimensions that directly applied to its Mission and students served.
Without the support and buy-in of institutional leadership at your institution, it can be difficult to initiate change. This presentation will highlight best practices and lessons learned based on institutional experiences on how to create campus-wide engagement in supporting student success and how to embed student success into the values and practices of the institution to help students, especially underserved populations.
Level of Participation:
Following the introduction, the presenter will guide participants through a series of inventory practices focused on data, initiatives, policies and procedures, and stakeholders engaged in supporting student success. The presenter will engage participants in short break-out sessions to discuss best practices for gathering, analyzing, and evaluating student success indicators at their institutions. Finally, the presenter will share lessons learned and best practices from their experience in adopting a strategic approach to student success at their institution, including the creation of a student success plan and comprehensive infrastructure for defining and evaluating student success outcomes.
Session Goals:
Individuals attending this presentation will be able to discuss several strategies for gathering, analyzing, and evaluating student success data, initiatives, and policies/procedures, as well as how to engage staff, administrators, and faculty in institutional student success initiatives and how to challenge perceptions about student success to promote change.