SESSION OUTLINE
1. Why consider implementing a Student Success Center?
2. Model Varieties
3. The Planning Process
4. Cardinal Stritch’s SSC
5. Challenges & Opportunities
6. Relationships
WHY IMPLEMENT A STUDENT SUCCESS CENTER?
A comprehensive way to increase student service through:
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Shared Vision and Goals
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Intentional Collaboration
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Better Communication
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Cross Training
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Student Focused
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A Foundation for Student Success
GUIDING CONCEPTS*
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Are communities of practice
Take a central position between academic and student affairs
Foster collaboration
Support the institution’s mission
Have some relationship with the general education
Sponsor faculty and staff development
*Evenbeck, S. E., Jackson, B., Smith, M., Ward, D. & Associates. (2010). Organizing for student success: The
University college model. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The
First-Year Experience and Students in Transition.
•Discrete Structures
•Individually provides oversight for the distinct aspects (e.g., retention, orientation, advising, firstyear seminars), but there is limited or no coordination among these structures
•Multiple Administrative Structures
•cooperates to administer and align policies, practices, and programs
•Formal Coordinating Body
•oversees a broad range of first-year efforts and has institutional authority for oversight and alignment of
initiatives; usually structure is a standing committee that provides campus-wide oversight for elements of
the first year but does not provide daily administrative leadership to any one component
•Single Unit Administrative Structure
•Meets some but not all of the conditions in a comprehensive structure
•Comprehensive Single Unit/Administrative Structure
•provides campus-wide oversight and alignment of first-year efforts, also appears on the
campus organizational chart, has a director, and has a reoccurring operational budget
*Evenbeck, S. E., Jackson, B., Smith, M., Ward, D. & Associates. (2010). Organizing for student success: The
University college model. Columbia, SC: University of South Carolina, National Resource Center for The First-Year
Experience and Students in Transition.
USE EXISTING RESOURCES AND DATA
Noel Levitz Retention Consultant exploratory visit-a series of focus groups
clarified key themes that need to be addressed including:
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Developmental Education
FYE
Advising
CORE
Faculty role in retention
Transfer students
CBM students
Financial Aid processing/counseling
Customer Service
Academic Support
University Retention and Graduation Report Data
CASE STUDIES
Case studies on over 40 different institutional structures:
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Both Student Success Centers and University College models
 Control
 Enrollment
 Title
 Services/Areas Included
 Most intriguing/innovative
 Most concerning or non-translatable
 What aspects of the design are adaptable to the institution
MODEL MATRIX PROCESS
Considering areas of inclusion:
 Can, Should, and How will incorporating these areas:
 Reduce complexities
 Increase efficiencies
 Improve practice
 In the theme areas identified
REFOCUSING OF GOALS AND PURPOSE
Answering the why?
 As a Retention Committee: how could this structure assist us in
meeting retention goals?
 As an institution, how could this structure support the visioning
and planning goals?
 Goal 1: Academic Excellence
 Goal 2: Enrollment Growth
 Goal 3: Reducing Complexities
 Goal 4: Vibrant Student Experience
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
 Committee reviewed a number of different frameworks
 8 individual areas pulled from Enrollment, Student Affairs, and
Academics grouped under a Senior Director
 5 semi consolidated areas pulled from Enrollment, Student
Affairs, and Academics grouped under a Senior Director
 3 consolidated areas pulled from Enrollment, Student Affairs,
and Academics grouped under a Senior Director
 Agreement on one framework that best supports goals and
organizes for graduation
KEY ASSUMPTIONS
Key assumptions that guided the process:
 Connected to Academics
 Most of these things are being done-focus on creating capacity
and resources on a larger scale
 Liberal Arts CORE change
 Need for common student experiences/reduce fracturing
 Organizing to serve all undergrads
 Creates culture of and institutionalizes collaboration around
student success
KEY IMPLICATIONS
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Control
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Reorganization
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Scope of Service
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CORE revision
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Location
PURPOSE
Student Success Center Purpose Statement:
To provide dynamic student driven services and experiences
designed to develop each student’s capacity to achieve
academic success and discover their purpose.
YEAR 1 GOALS
By August 2014, the Student Success Center will create the appropriate infrastructure
to increase communication, promote collaboration, and align resources, to meet
student needs.
By August 2014, the Student Success Center will create a culture that is accessible
and responsive to students and encourages visibility and engagement in the campus
life of the undergraduate student population.
By August 2014, the Student Success Center will develop curricular and co-curricular
supportive activities and programming with articulated student learning outcomes
and identified assessment measures intended to promote students’ personal and
academic success.
By August 2014, the Student Success Center will create and implement a Retention
and Graduation Management Plan and tracking system in order to accomplish
annual persistence, retention, and graduation goals for all Cardinal Stritch University
students.
By August 2014, the Student Success Center will complete a 3-5 year strategic plan
for the Student Success Center.
CHALLENGES
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Changing Student Perceptions
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Communicating with our stakeholders
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Creating systems to work together
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Defining roles
OPPORTUNITIES
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Collaboration and Dialogue
 Led to two new pilots with grant funding
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Increased Communication and Effectiveness within the Center
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Better partnerships with faculty
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Student Employment
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Cross Training
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New programs/ program enhancements
THE WACRAO CONNECTION
ADMISSIONS
OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR
Communication Flows
Early Alert Systems
New Student Registration Days
Retention Tracking and Reporting
Orientation
Transfer student continuum
Advising Continuum Referrals and
Tracking
New program development and
recruiting
Expanding articulation agreements
Changes to placement testing
requirements
Expanding articulation
agreements
Online Registration and daily
processes
Strategic intervention processes