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The pursuit of academic excellence is embedded in our culture, yet we all know that achieving academic excellence is not effortless. Last semester I shared information about our renewed commitment to academic success and our efforts to centralize and standardize academic advising in the Division of Academic Affairs. I am writing to provide updates on each of those topics. We have seen signs of success in academic performance, including increased retention rates and fewer students on academic probation. While we have taken these steps forward to improve academic success, it is time to make greater strides.��

In keeping with our strategic plan’s call for the implementation of “evidence-based quality standards for inclusive teaching and learning to meet the needs of all students and ensure academic rigor,” six of our colleagues will attend the����(SEPI) this month. ��������’s SEPI team comprises Liz Black (Professor and Chair of World Languages and Cultures), Amy Johnson (Assistant Vice President for Academic Success), Kristal Kinloch-Taylor (Educational Program Developer in the Center for Faculty Development), Sara Morgan (Master Lecturer of Communications and Theatre Arts), Tony Perez (Provost’s Fellow and Associate Professor of Educational Psychology), and Elizabeth Swoope (Lecturer of Mathematics). They will join colleagues from across the nation to learn about evidence-based strategies for improving student learning. Upon their return, the team will work with faculty from across ��������’s campus to create communities of practice. The faculty-led communities of practice will support faculty as they develop and integrate pedagogical strategies into their courses to cultivate a sense of belonging and improve student learning.��

Next, we have made significant progress in addressing our strategic plan’s call to reform academic advising:��

• As I noted in July 2024, we centralized academic advising in the Division of Academic Affairs by streamlining eight advising structures into one.
• Advisor position descriptions have been updated to promote consistency across and develop opportunities for promotion within advising centers. These changes are currently under review.
• We have created an Advising Leadership Council (ALC), led by Lillian Haber, Executive Director for Academic Advising. Members of the ALC are Rob Batchelder, Tania Black, Tanisha Bradley, Stephanie Fahey, Sierra Garrett, Kristen Haben, Derrick Harrell, Patricia Hinton, Elko Klijn, Staci Kohen, Karthik Navuluri, Jennifer Simmons, Katie St. John, Alona Smolova, Kerri Svoboda-Musick, Lenora Thorbjornsen, Leanne White, and a representative from the faculty senate to be identified soon.

We were fortunate to receive a $200,000 grant from the National Institute for Student Success (NISS) to support our advising changes. Working with NISS, the ALC will spend the next 18 months overseeing the development and delivery of consistent advising trainings, reviewing and recommending changes to advising policies and practices, refining advisor roles and responsibilities as needed, and conducting a process evaluation, among other things. The ALC will be vital in ensuring the success of the new advising structure. I anticipate the shift to a professional advisor model to be fully implemented by Fall 2027.

Following Tia McNair and her colleagues, institutionalizing efforts to promote student belonging in our courses and standardizing academic advising are two pathways toward solidifying our standing as a student-ready institution. Let’s continue to explore ways to ensure we are ready for our students.

I would like to thank our Student Experience Project Institute team and Advising Leadership Council for their commitment to improving the institution we call home as we work toward realizing the strategic plan goals for student success outlined in��Forward Focused: Where Innovation Meets Possibilities.��