Here are a few things that have been happening and likely will continue to happen:
AASCU
We recently threw our hat into the ring to join an AASCU project that focuses on equity in student success, which almost immediately begs the question: Who’s hat was that? Where is this ring? And why did we throw a hat, of all things, to express interest? I don’t have answers to any of these questions, which is why it’s important to know that we also submitted a formal application. If accepted, we would have an opportunity to not only share what we have learned in the pursuit of equitable success, but also to participate in discussions with like-minded institutions in the development of a project (or practices) that further enhance our achievement of equity goals. And your work has been nifty in recent years, narrowing and in some cases reversing long-observed equity gaps in student outcomes.
Mini-Scrums
It may be hot enough to cook steak and eggs on the sidewalk right now (pro tip: don’t), but the fall first-year recruitment “season” is just around the corner. To that end, I’ve been working with Andrea Martin and her team on our recruitment plans and processes. Much of this effort is manifesting in the form of “mini-scrums” where we work intently on a specific project for a relatively brief period of time. The first of these is focusing on a review of the application process.
Dual Enrollment
In an adjacent neighborhood, we’ve been working with core members of the dual enrollment team on a new and improved version of our dual enrollment strategy. The over-arching intent is to cultivate a program that leads to student success (not just in dual credit courses, but in the pursuit of a college degree) and expands our enrollment pipeline of prospective students. The aim is to do this with a program anchored by high-quality learning, superb partnerships with selected high schools, and additional elements of competitive differentiation (e.g., the excellent Teacher Academy). I’m looking to review the initial draft with President Pollard, and then we hope to consult with other campus stakeholders before bringing the plan to life.
Scorpion First Step
Finally, I enjoy rolling up my sleeves and getting my figurative hands dirty in working on an NSC project, but sometimes it is nice to simply answer a few emails, find a few (Gates Foundation) dollars, and watch the magic happen as faculty build a promising program without my interference (er, I mean, involvement). That’s exactly what is happening right now as our esteemed math faculty work on a boot camp (“Scorpion First Step”) that preps incoming students for gateway math and looks to ameliorate student outcomes that waned during the pandemic.
