Observations and Next Steps
In the year ahead, we plan to refocus our efforts so that the successful strategies we have already launched can be expanded or maintained, and those that have not delivered the desired results are either phased out or revised. We realize that concentrating on a smaller range of interventions will help us use our limited resources and workforce more effectively, ensuring that our most promising programs receive the support and attention they need.
Our priority areas for continued improvement include:
• At-risk students – We want to develop earlier identification mechanisms and intervention protocols, leveraging both academic and student support resources to address students’ challenges before they become barriers to persistence.
• Collaborative advising – Building on the progress we have made with guidelines for faculty advisors and staff working together, we plan to further embed coherent, holistic advising structures that help students navigate degree pathways successfully.
• Student engagement – We are adding this as a new priority because active learning and high-impact practices have consistently shown a positive effect on student learning outcomes and career readiness, which aligns with our institutional focus on preparing students thoroughly for both educational and professional goals.
These focus areas are closely tied to our institutional mission of “support[ing] students in achieving their academic and professional goals by providing high-quality associate and baccalaureate degree programs in an affordable, accessible, and supportive learning environment” and remain aligned with the Momentum strategies we have in place. By emphasizing fewer, more targeted objectives that support at-risk students, promote robust collaborative advising, and foster enhanced student engagement, we expect to see stronger, more sustainable gains in student success.
Looking at our Momentum Plan’s broad objectives, we see a need to streamline and refine certain goals so that we can concentrate on interventions yielding measurable success for our students. For instance, the “Boost” Mindset workshops have shown solid returns in improving GPAs, and we aim to expand or enhance them further rather than introducing additional, less-proven programs.
Another major top-level goal we want to adjust involves improving academic advising through collaboration with faculty and staff. To date, we have piloted a more comprehensive advising structure, but we have encountered staff shortages and overlapping responsibilities that have diluted the pilot’s impact. Accordingly, we plan to scale that initiative more modestly while focusing on providing consistent professional development to advisors. By integrating the Steppingblocks platform into our advising structures, we hope to enhance engagement and equip both students and advisors with clearer insights for academic and professional planning.
