Cardinal Success Quarterly, Issue 1 -- Spring 2024 (Ball State University)

CARDINAL SUCCESS QUARTERLY ISSUE 1—SPRING 2024

Student success can be defined as an institution’s ability to equitably support every student to achieve their goals as the institution partners with students to recognize their full potential.

Our mission at Ball State reflects this definition as we seek to “ENGAGE STUDENTS IN EDUCATIONAL, RESEARCH, AND CREATIVE ENDEAVORS THAT EMPOWER OUR GRADUATES TO HAVE FULFILLING CAREERS AND MEANINGFUL LIVES ENRICHED BY LIFELONG LEARNING AND SERVICE.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS WELCOME

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STUDENT SUCCESS AT BALL STATE: A GUIDING FRAMEWORK

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DATA FLASHLIGHT

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WHAT IS HAPPENING IN STUDENT SUCCESS? ACADEMIC ADVISING

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LEARNING CENTER

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STUDENT SUCCESS COACHING

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FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

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CELEBRATING THE WORK OF OUR COLLEAGUES

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STUDENT SUCCESS SUPER STARS

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SAVE THE DATE

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FIND US HERE

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DEAR COLLEAGUES: WELCOME TO OUR NEW QUARTERLY E-MAGAZINE, A PUBLICATION THAT WILL HIGHLIGHT STUDENT SUCCESS STORIES, DATA, AND EFFORTS AT BALL STATE! Over the last two years, we have hosted two important summits to learn from one another more intentionally about how to best support our students and their academic successes. We are now launching Cardinal S.U.C.C.E.S.S.—Sustained University-wide Campus Conversations on Equity and Student Success. This publication is your one-stop shop for all the latest news regarding student success and is designed to keep you informed on the latest trends, and developments in the world of student success at Ball State and in higher education.

As you know, there are many student success efforts underway at every level at Ball State to support educational opportunities and close opportunity and outcome gaps. We are committed to providing our students with the knowledge, skills, and resources they need to achieve success in all of their endeavors.

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As we continue to mature in our strategic student success work, my hope is that our sustained conversations about equity and student success will allow us to reach more students in ways that are authentic and meaningful. Here’s what you can expect from each issue:

News We will keep you up to date on student success trends in higher education, events that promote student success on-campus, and highlight innovative practices that are curated by our faculty, staff, and students.

Analysis We use data as a flashlight to help us uncover how to best support our students. In each issue, we will explore Ball State student success data, the impact of our student success efforts, and share initiatives to improve academic outcomes.

Recommendations We will provide practical recommendations for just-in-time strategies and interventions that support student success.

Recognition In future editions, we will highlight a Student Success Super Star: students, faculty, or staff that are leveraging Ball State’s enduring values in support of students and their success. If you wish to nominate someone for inclusion in an issue, please complete the student success recognition nomination form here.

I hope you enjoy the Student Success Report.

Jason Rivera Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College

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STUDENT SUCCESS AT BALL STATE: A GUIDING FRAMEWORK For the past two semesters, Dr. Jason Rivera, Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College, has taught a course—Student Success in Higher Education—for master’s students in the Student Affairs Administration in Higher Education program at Ball State. In that course, students explore the complexities associated with defining student success and how to integrate the institutions definition, if one exists, with the students’ distinct goals and aspirations. Unfortunately, conversations like this do not often happen on college campuses. Instead, institutions create definitions of student success that are often institutionally centered rather than student-centered. As a result, definitions are absent of student voice and reflect metrics that are unfamiliar to students.

This approach has unintended consequences—obscuring student aspirations and goals and clouding the institution’s responsibility for ensuring every student has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. Put simply, if a student is accepted to Ball State, we should provide them every resource and opportunity to succeed.

Helping our cardinals fly should be our primary focus. As an institution, then, we should embrace a holistic approach to our student success efforts—one that is interdisciplinary, student-centered, asset-based, and equity-minded. As the centralized unit for student support, University College has proposed how we can achieve this by promoting four key components of the student experience: an ethic of care, sense of belonging, high impact practices, and identity consciousness.

Taken together, these components represent the foundation of a framework for student success that aligns with Ball State’s enduring values. Moving forward, we hope to better educate the campus community about the specific ways in which this framework can guide our student success efforts and empower students to achieve their fullest potential. Of course, we cannot ignore the important role students play in their own success. Thus, an important underlying expectation is that we instill in students a sense of academic responsibility.

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Helping our cardinals fly should be our primary focus. As an institution, then, we should embrace a holistic approach to our student success efforts— ONE THAT IS INTERDISCIPLINARY, STUDENT-CENTERED, ASSET-BASED, AND EQUITY-MINDED.

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Students must partner with us as they navigate their collegiate journey and they, too, must understand their role and become accountable for their success. Only working together can we ensure students fulfill the promise of higher education.

ETHIC OF CARE Every student interaction should be grounded in an ethic of care. Thus, care should be understood to mean an ethic that includes a carer (the person enacting care) and the cared-for (the person receiving care) engaging in a mutually agreed upon relationship characterized by caring for and about the cared-for’s wellbeing and academic success. This type of caring is not colorblind. Furthermore, this care carries with it a mutual responsibility on the part of the carer and the cared-for.

The carer has an obligation to acknowledge the cared-for’s needs while considering their race, culture, gender, SES, sexual orientation, and any other sociocultural factors that might influence their lived experiences. The cared-for has a responsibility to demonstrate receptivity, recognition, and response (Gay, 2000; Noddings, 2005; Rivera, 2015).

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SENSE OF BELONGING Sense of belonging is, at the most basic level, whether students feel respected, valued, accepted, cared for, included, and that they mater in the classroom, at college, or in their chosen path (Strayhorn, 2012).

IDENTITY CONSCIOUSNESS Identity consciousness intentionally acknowledges and values a student’s multiplicity of identities rather than one-identity marker and how each of those identities and their intersections are at play in student experiences (Pendakur, 2016).

HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES High Impact Practices (HIPs) are active learning practices that promote deep learning by promoting student engagement as measured by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). To be a high-impact practice, the experience must satisfy the definition established by George Kuh (2008) and his colleagues at the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U): achievement of deep learning, significant engagement gains, and positive differential impact on historically underserved populations.

Think about the ways in which your work fits within this framework. Together, we can discover ways to enhance the equitization of student outcomes as we work to support each student achieve success.

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STUDENT SUCCESS: A UNIVERSITY-WIDE EFFORT Ensuring that all students succeed will require a host of strategies, from better understanding who our students are, their strengths and challenges, to supporting faculty and staff development. At Ball State, we embrace the mindset that every student deserves an opportunity to successfully complete their degree and it is our responsibility to ensure our systems, processes, and structures make that possible.

While there are no quick fixes, we have created cross collaborative teams that are specifically helping dismantle barriers to student success. Below, we highlight three.

THE STUDENT SUCCESS STEERING COMMITTEE (SSSC) The Student Success Steering Committee was created to enhance the alignment of student success work happening across the University. The primary goals of the SSSC are threefold: 1. To foster greater collaboration and cooperation among units across the University engaging in student success related activities and initiatives; 2. To establish clear priorities for our student success efforts; and 3. To foster a culture that will lead to greater positive impact on all students.

The SSSC is chaired by Provost Marri and Vice Provost Rivera and includes representatives from academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment planning and management, business affairs, chief strategy, institutional technology, and marketing and communications.

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STUDENT SUCCESS CENTERS Student Success Centers now exist in all colleges. These Centers were created to help coordinate college-specific resources, supports, and services for students.

The Directors of each of these Centers serve on a Student Success Center Directors Advisory Council where they are able to discuss strategies and approaches to supporting students within their respective colleges. These collaborative conversations help to uncover systemic and structural barriers to student success that prevent students from seamlessly progressing in their academic programs.

Learn more about the work of some of the Student Success Centers included in the section, Celebrating the Work of Our Colleagues, beginning on page 28.

STUDENT SUCCESS STUDENT ADVISORY BOARD The Student Success Student Advisory Board is comprised of current undergraduate students at Ball State. These students meet monthly and help inform all things related to student success. They are routinely asked to assist in identifying challenges, discussing project development/implementation, and making recommendations regarding programming, policy, etc. Essentially these students serve as and represent the student voice which supports the development of University-wide student-centered programs and services that enhance their success.

The current board includes representatives from every academic college across 14 different majors.

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DATA FLASHLIGHT: ILLUMINATING THE DATA THAT INFORMS OUR WORK Ball State University’s commitment to student success reached new heights with the successful implementation and launch of Navigate in June of 2022. Navigate brings together students, administrators, advisors, faculty, and other staff in a collaborative online network.

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Students access the resources and tools they need to stay on track and reach their goals. 21,314 unique students first or last logged in between June 1, 2022 and December 31, 2023. 21.6% are new user logins and 78.4% are return users during that same time period.

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Advisors, success coaches, and support teams collaborate to reach students with support and guidance. There are 20 care units availble to students to make connections with through Navigate.

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Faculty report on students’ progress and raise flags that automatically alert staff.

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Administrators can access key insights and data to make informed, strategic decisions.

One of the key drivers behind Navigate's success has been its data-centric approach, which has enabled the university to make informed decisions, support students effectively, and elevate academic outcomes. In this data-focused section, we demonstrate how Ball State harnessed the power of data through Navigate, highlighting user logins, appointment scheduling, and midterm progress reporting.

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THE IMPACT OF PROGRESS REPORTS AND EARLY ALERTS Because of the diligent work of faculty providing vital information about: student attendance, course work concerns, poor quiz/test grades, tutoring and writing skill needs, assistance with obtaining textbooks, and midterm grades, timely support and intervention strategies have increased with the use of Navigate.

A SNAPSHOT FROM ONE FIRST YEAR ADVISOR: The academic advisor was assigned 317 students during the Fall Semester 2023.

Faculty submitted 736 alerts throughout the semester for 152 of those students which resulted in 471 "cases" regarding specific needs to address.

Once cases were created, student outreach was initiated, in most cases by the advisor, and conducted systematically via email and phone. Of the 152 students with alerts, 133 engaged in services during the Fall Semester 2023.

Those services included:

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ACADEMIC ADVISING APPOINTMENTS

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TUTORING SESSIONS THROUGH THE LEARNING CENTER

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STUDENT SUCCESS COACHING MEETINGS

Cases are "closed" when students have responded to contacts with the goal being, in most cases, for students to effectively engage in campus resources appropriate to the need. The submission of alerts to Navigate is just one of many ways that advisors and faculty connect to support student success.

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NAVIGATE APPOINTMENTS: FOSTERING STUDENT-STAFF CONNECTIONS Navigate is the primary scheduling platform for academic advising, tutoring, and student success coaching appointments, as well as for 20 student service offices around campus. Thousands of students utilized Navigate to schedule appointments during the fall with the highest number utilizing the system to connect with Academic Advising (9985 distinct students for 17,300 scheduled or drop-in appointments). The Learning Center (1846 distinct students) and Student Success Coaching (424 distinct students) also yield high use numbers in Navigate, but all 20 service offices combined to support student needs through the 32,105 appointments conducted throughout the fall.

NAVIGATE APPOINTMENTS Fall Semester 2023 August 21, 2023–December 15, 2023

DISTINCT STUDENTS

13,017

SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS

17,388

total number of appointments scheduled by students and/or staff

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DROP-IN

14,717

not scheduled appointments—dropin or ad hoc documentation through Appointment Summary Report

FALL 2023 MIDTERM PROGRESS REPORTING: EARLY INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT Midterm progress reports in Navigate are early alerts that allow instructors to identify students who are at risk of failing the course so that academic advisors, success coaches and other support staff can provide guidance, direct to campus resources, and discuss the implications of dropping or staying enrolled in the course.

FALL 2023 MIDTERM PROGRESS REPORTING INSTRUCTOR REPSONSE

RESPONSES FROM PROFESSORS

54%

55,085

percentage of total evaluations that have been submitted

total number of evaluations professors have submitted

SPRING 2024 PROGRESS REPORT SCHEDULE: THE ROAD AHEAD Progress reporting is a cornerstone of student success, offering invaluable insights into academic performance and opportunities for early intervention. By providing a snapshot of students' progress, it enables student success staff to identify students who may require additional support and tailor assistance to their specific needs. This proactive approach can lead to improved retention rates, higher graduation rates, and enhanced overall student outcomes. Our focus now shifts to the Spring 2024 Progress Report Schedule, ensuring continued commitment to student success.

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WHAT IS HAPPENING IN STUDENT SUCCESS? In this section, you will find updates on student success related areas and activities at Ball State. If you are engaging in exciting or innovative practices, we’d love to highlight them in future publications. Reach out to Laura Pittman, Director of Student Success Initiatives in University College at lpittman@bsu.edu.

ACADEMIC ADVISING Utilizing a student-centered approach, 45 academic advisors in University College and our partners doing advising work in Honors College and Ball State Online are dedicated to teaching students how to successfully access academic information and connect to crucial Ball State resources. Advisors equip students with the skills necessary to develop a high-quality educational experience and achieve timely graduation.

During a student’s first year, they are assigned an academic advisor who specializes in working with freshmen and first-year students. Students are assigned a major advisor once they have completed 30 or more credits (sophomore status) and one academic year. Academic advisors provide personalized, one-on-one support throughout a student’s undergraduate experience in the following areas: •

Dealing with personal transition issues

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Assessing interests and exploring majors/careers

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Understanding degree requirements including major courses and those in the University Core Curriculum

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Creating and managing a digital 8-semester academic plan as mandated by the State of Indiana

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Learning to use academic tools (DegreeWorks, Self-Service Banner, Navigate)

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Selecting and registering for courses each term

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Monitoring academic progress by conducting proactive outreach using Navigate, addressing faculty alerts and midterm deficiencies, and connecting students with support services

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Conducting additional intervention with students in academic difficulty

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Relating the content of the major to personal and professional goals

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Planning for graduate school and/or careers

Between August 21 December 15, our academic advisors in University College engaged with 9985 unique students and led 17302 appointments.

In addition to working individually with students, advisors also engage in programming, outreach, admissions events, and mid-year orientation programs.

During the first week of the semester, 659 first-year students met one-on-one with an academic advisor during drop-in advising hours. An estimated 700 additional contacts were made through email and phone.

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This year an inaugural “Meet Your Advisor Fair” was held in August on University Green introducing all University College advisors to undergraduate students.

Nearly 3000 first-year students attended a Pre-Registration Advising Meeting during the week of September 11. Participants learned about academic tools and how to prepare for their individual advising registration appointments.

Near the end of each semester, all advisors engage in retention outreach to current students who have not yet registered for the following semester with the goal of helping these students register and plan for the future.

Advisors serve as a key leader in our student success efforts—and their partnership with faculty and students is a Ball State point of pride.

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LEARNING CENTER The Learning Center, located in North Quad 350, is the premier and centralized hub for campus peer academic support services. With appointment-based tutoring, satellite drop-in tutoring, Supplemental Instruction, embedded tutoring, and testing accommodations for students with disabilities, we strive to help students meet the rigors of academic coursework.

APPOINTMENT-BASED TUTORING Appointment-based tutoring provides in-person and online (Zoom) peer tutoring for more than 130 courses on campus. Students access Navigate to make an appointment with one of our 52 tutors. During the tutoring session, tutors use collaborative techniques to engage the student in active learning.

During the fall semester, 719 students made 2,560 visits to the Learning Center for appointment-based tutoring. The most requested courses were MATH 125, CHEM 111, and CHEM 101.

SATELLITE DROP-IN TUTORING Drop-in tutoring takes place at satellite centers around campus. During the fall semester, 297 students made 840 visits to the satellite drop-in tutoring centers in Robert Ball (math satellite) and the Foundational Sciences Building (biology and chemistry). Students do not need appointments; they just drop in during the advertised times to get help.

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EMBEDDED TUTORING Embedded tutoring was a new program piloted during the fall semester. Embedded tutors attended class with the students enrolled in one of our two pilot courses and provided tutorial support during class, which is structured as a flipped or hybrid class. This provided time for students to practice and learn together. Embedded tutors also held drop-in hours to support students outside of class.

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION (SI) Supplemental Instruction (SI) is an approach to learning that supports students toward academic success by integrating “what to learn” with “how to learn.” Using the model developed by the International Center for Supplemental Instruction, SI consists of regularly scheduled, voluntary, out-of-class group study sessions led by SI student leaders in courses they have already taken in the past and earned an “A.” Our 28 SI leaders attended classes and held two or three study sessions every week outside of class. They created supplementary materials such as study guides, practice tests, visual aids, games, and other collaborative activities for the students. Typically, SI targets courses and sections with high DWF rates and courses that have a high rate of requests for tutoring. This fall, we placed SI leaders in 25 different courses/sections in a variety of subject areas. With 4,190 visits serving 1,088 students through 647 study sessions during the fall semester, SI is our largest program in terms of student contact hours.

TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS The Testing Desk provides accommodations for students registered with Disability Services. During the fall semester, 699 tests were administered to 169 students. Testing accommodations include extended time, a distraction-reduced environment, readers, scribes, and adaptive technology. Students arrange to take their exams in the Learning Center in a proctored, secure situation.

With 4,190 visits serving 1,088 students through 647 study sessions during the fall semester, SI IS OUR LARGEST PROGRAM IN TERMS OF STUDENT CONTACT HOURS. 19

STUDENT SUCCESS COACHING Through dialogue, assessments, and exploration the Student Success Coaching office helps students gain insight into themselves as they pursue success academically and personally. Our five certified student success coaches offer individual coaching sessions (in person, virtually through Zoom, and by phone) that are student-centered, strength-based conversations, partnering with students to develop the necessary tools to create a thriving experience at Ball State and beyond. Students come to coaches for a variety of reasons including:

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overcoming obstacles such as procrastination and motivation

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working through interpersonal issues with friends and roommates

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enhancing time management and study strategies skills

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helping students define their strengths and values as a strategy for major selection

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exploring different strategies of learning and identifying learning styles

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identifying appropriate techniques for self-advocacy

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providing accountability for achieving goals

During the fall semester, students participated in 808 appointments with coaches, an increase of 60% from the same time period last academic year.

Coaches engage with students from all class levels,45% are freshmen, a clear result of our proactive outreach this fall semester. A significant number of all appointments in the fall were students on academic warning (probation) for the term which reflects the strong emphasis of the coaching office to support university retention efforts.

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Although individual coaching sessions is a main priority, Success Coaches regularly offer other types of support for students. During the fall semester, the coaching team presented to hundreds of students in first-year experience courses, collaborated with campus partners to present to students in STEM, disability services, student organizations, and Jumpstart programs. Coaches also offered nine workshops and 17 outreach events open to all students throughout the semester where we tracked connections with over 1,000 students.

To support faculty, Success Coaches presented Coaching in the Classroom during the Spring 2023 Provost Faculty Summit: Equitable, Inclusive, and Innovative Practices and the Fall 2023 Student Success Summit. This session highlighted an innovative approach to creating a classroom that fosters student involvement and engagement by including students in the making of the classroom rules/assumptions, syllabus, and assignment/reading schedule while also meeting the accreditation standards.

During the fall semester, students participated in 808 APPOINTMENTS WITH COACHES, AN INCREASE OF 60% FROM THE SAME TIME PERIOD LAST ACADEMIC YEAR.

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NEW FOR SPRING 2024: Two new student success services will be offered this Spring Semester 2024.

First, coaches will offer a ‘buddy system’ approach to helping students complete necessary tasks by serving as an accountability partner. Students would schedule a time with a coach, sign in online and let the coach know what they need to complete.

The coach would offer encouragement, then both parties mute their computers but leave their cameras on. The student works on their task and the coach completes office work. Specific hours will be available.

The other service our office will offer during the first two weeks of the semester is Initial Scheduling Assistant hours. Once a student receives their syllabi for the semester, they will print them and bring them to the coaching office. A coach will assist the student to input all assignments and exams through a time management and/or calendar app of choice. The student will be responsible for doing the assignments throughout the semester, but this will give them a sense of when assignments need to be started and completed and reduce stress.

Our coaching team believes in the power of collaboration. We take a personalized approach to students and their development; partnering with them to achieve their goals. We also collaborate with colleagues across the University to leverage coaching strategies, grounded in positive psychology, to develop student-centered resources and support services. Together we can help all students fly!

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During the fall semester, the coaching team presented to hundreds of students in first-year experience courses, collaborated with campus partners to present to students in STEM, disability services, student organizations, and Jumpstart programs. COACHES ALSO OFFERED NINE WORKSHOPS AND 17 OUTREACH EVENTS OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS THROUGHOUT THE SEMESTER WHERE WE TRACKED CONNECTIONS WITH OVER 1000 STUDENTS.

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FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE: FIRST IN FLIGHT The First-Year Experience at Ball State begins with a fundamental understanding that students have a better chance at success if they feel like they belong here. In First-Year Experience, we are committed to helping new students find their people and make connections between their curricular and co-curricular activities. We want them to know that they belong here and have every chance to thrive, as students and members of the Ball State community.

SUCCESS GUIDEBOOK In August all incoming first year students were given the book, “You Made It, Now What? A College Student’s Guide to Success.” Campus partners received copies of the book along with a facilitator guide which was designed to help them direct students to use the book as a tool to address common questions/concerns like goal setting, self-care, stress management, preparing for texts, understanding learning styles, and more.

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FIRST YEAR SEMINARS The heart of the first-year experience is a first-year seminar (FYS) taken by first-year students, largely in their first semester at Ball State. First-Year exploratory students and students in the College of Health, the College of Communication, Information, and Media, the College of Sciences and Humanities, and Teacher’s College take a common, one-credit seminar that serves as an extended orientation to Ball State University and immersive experience in the resources, support services, and cocurricular activities available to them. This fall semester 23 sections of first year seminar courses were offered with nearly 400 total students enrolled. Firstyear students in the College of Fine Arts, the Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning, Honor’s College, and the Miller College of Business take college-designed courses that provide an introduction to Ball State and to pursuing majors in their individual colleges. We design curricular materials available in a Canvas library for use in all Ball State seminars.

PEER MENTORS Peer mentors play a vital role in the delivery of the first-year seminar and in connecting new students to the Ball State community. Our 21 mentors commit to five hours per week, including time in the FYS, individual and group meetings with students, and time in organized social activities on campus. Student mentors are quick to note the value of the program. As one 2023 mentor noted, “in my own first semester, I was holding myself back, afraid of being judged by others.

As one 2023 mentor noted, “IN MY OWN FIRST SEMESTER, I WAS HOLDING MYSELF BACK, AFRAID OF BEING JUDGED BY OTHERS. I HAD TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH MYSELF AND MAKE A DECISION TO PUT MYSELF OUT THERE. I JUMPED AT THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A MENTOR SO I CAN HELP THEM OVERCOME THEIR FEARS AND GET INVOLVED.” 25

I had to be transparent with myself and make a decision to put myself out there.

I jumped at the opportunity to be a mentor so I can help them overcome their fears and get involved.”

EVENTS/PROGRAMS In addition to the FYS, we provide promotional support for mentor-led co-curricular events; program and present our own events, create connections for first-year students to Ball State academic support; plan and promote the Early Start program in Summer Bridge. The “Meet Your Major Fair” this fall provided undergraduate Ball State students a central location to learn from campus experts—who represented their departments and majors—about the benefits and expectations of a variety of academic programs. In attendance were 325 students, who had opportunities to ask questions and gather information from the 35 departments which represented 75 different majors.

NEW FOR SPRING 2024: Starting in spring semester, First Year Experience will produce First-Year Radio, a podcast focused on the people and events important to the first year. This podcast will feature students, faculty, and staff, and will serve as another method to highlight success strategies to the campus community.

First-year Experience has a rich history at Ball State, taking many different forms over the years. Currently, FYE is excited to partner with academic colleges, academic support, housing and residence life, and student affairs to provide to best experience for each first-year student.

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The “MEET YOUR MAJOR FAIR” this fall provided undergraduate Ball State students a central location to learn from campus experts—who represented their departments and majors—about the benefits and expectations of a variety of academic programs.

IN ATTENDANCE WERE 325 STUDENTS, WHO HAD OPPORTUNITIES TO ASK QUESTIONS AND GATHER INFORMATION FROM THE 35 DEPARTMENTS WHICH REPRESENTED 75 DIFFERENT MAJORS.

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CELEBRATING THE WORK OF OUR COLLEAGUES COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION, INFORMATION, AND MEDIA The College of Communication, Information, and Media (CCIM) is excited to announce the launch of our inaugural student success unit this Fall 2023 semester led by Tréon D. McClendon, Director of Student Success for CCIM. Our ASCEND (Attuned, Success, Care, Empower, Navigate, and Development) program provides essential resources and executive skills to undergraduate students enrolled in one of CCIM's academic programs. ASCEND provides undergraduates with a one-semester course in each of their first three years of study. These three courses provide extensive opportunities for students to focus on career exploration, professional growth, and self-identity.

They will also meet with industry professionals, career coaches, academic advisers, success champions, community leaders, and mentors who will be established with them during their first year. The ASCEND program is intended to provide every CCIM undergraduate student with a competitive advantage in the workplace and community. The ASCEND program core focuses on (1) holistic development (2) wrap-around support (3) mentoring (4) high-impact linked courses and (5) retention and graduation. During the fall semester, students participated in CCIM events including the Super Party, Dogs and Donuts, and First-Generation Celebration Week.

During the Spring 2024 the ASCEND Mentoring Program, Student Success Inclusive Excellence Focus Groups, Student Leadership Organization Taskforce, and Faculty Champions will be launched.

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COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS This fall, the College of Fine Arts (CFA) launched the SOAR program—Success, Opportunities, Aspirations, Readiness. Coordinated by Stephanie Haglund, Director of Student Success for CFA, and modeled after the Miller College of Business structure, the program includes three 1 credit hour courses designed to engage students at critical junctures in their academic careers. All 540 first-year CFA students were enrolled in CFA-111, Introduction to the College of Fine Arts. The content focuses on orienting students to the campus and college while integrating self-awareness work to ensure student success at a personal level. The 200-level and 300-level courses are currently in the pilot phase with a small group of students. These courses build upon CFA 111, with CFA-222 centered on building and communicating their identity as artists and how they interconnect with the larger community. The culminating course, CFA-333, is a senior-level course that focuses on cultivating professional practices and preparing for life after graduation. The co-curricular component of the program includes various activities and offerings.

One highlight was the “CFA Talks” event where alumni from the college discussed how their education has influenced them in, around, and beyond the arts in their careers. Over 300 students attended this event and the next “CFA Talks” event will be in the spring with a theme of entrepreneurial impact.

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COLLEGE OF HEALTH The College of Health (COH) Student Success Center, led by Nickolas Atlas, Director of Student Services, has hosted an assortment of activities with students from diverse majors this fall semester including: •

the COH Jumpstart program with 40 first-year students

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several welcome week events including the annual tent event

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a #NationalComingOutDay event

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a program collaboration with the career center to host Reid Health to showcase the college’s interprofessional community clinics, simulation labs, programs, and conversations with faculty and administrators.

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working with the Living Learning Communities to ensure COH first-year students feel more connected

Additionally, the COH launched a student ambassador program where students who represent all departments/schools within the college can provide insight into their peers' needs as a way to better serve the students. During the spring semester the COH Student Success Center will continue to use data, targeted outreach, and community engagement to serve COH students however they define success.

One first-year CAP student shared, “THANK YOU FOR THAT! I MET KRISTIAN THE OTHER DAY IN YOUR OFFICE. I LOVE MAKING THE MODELS AND QUITE FRANKLY, I AM EXCITED TO GET MORE IMMERSED IN THIS PROGRAM. I AM APPRECIATIVE THAT YOU BOTH TOOK THE TIME TO DO SOMETHING SO POSITIVE. I LOVE IT. THANK YOU FOR MAKING MY EFFORTS FEEL MORE THAN JUST A CHECK IN A BOX.” 30

COLLEGE OF SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES The College of Science and Humanities (CSH) Success Hub opened Monday, August 21st in North Quad 160 with the focus of listening to and supporting our students through targeted services and programs, as well as through connections to existing campus resources. Led by Dr. Melisa Stevens, CSH Director of Student Success, the new Hub’s staff includes two GAs and four undergraduate Success Ambassadors.

In addition to one-on-one appointments with students, this fall the Hub hosted six events including STAR Party, Careers with Meaning Alumni Panel and Exploring a CSH Minor reaching nearly 200 students. The Hub also serves as a comfortable study and relaxation spot for hundreds of students between classes each week.

In January, refreshed furniture will make the space even more inviting. Upcoming events for Spring 2024 include the Law School Exploration Event, Careers for Humanities Majors Panel and Careers in the Nonprofit Sector. To learn more, visit

bsu.edu/csh/successhub.

R. WAYNE ESTOPINAL COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING To help first-year students in the R. Wayne Estopinal College of Architecture and Planning (CAP) understand the who, where, what, and why of CAP, this fall a series of videos were created with the intent to give students a sense of belonging and normalize their experiences and feelings. Under the coordination of Lori Pence, Director of Student Services, the topics were created based on discussions with upper division CAP students and recent alumni. Upper division students are featured in the videos that are emailed to students and are no longer than 60-90 seconds in length. First-year students are also given the option to meet with the student highlighted in each video, and can provide additional ideas for topics in future videos.

One first-year CAP student shared, “Thank you for that! I met Kristian the other day in your office. I love making the models and quite frankly, I am excited to get more immersed in this program. I am appreciative that you both took the time to do something so positive. I love it. Thank you for making my efforts feel more than just a check in a box.”

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STUDENT SUCCESS SUPER STARS DR. JASON RIVERA Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College Co-Authored equity publication Dr. Jason Rivera, Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College recently co-authored Achieving the Dream’s Equity Toolkit: A Research-

Based Guide to Operationalizing Equity.

The Toolkit brings together lessons from research and Achieving the Dream’s two decades of experience working with community colleges to create more equitable institutions and help more students complete college and find careers that pay familysustaining wages. The toolkit provides comprehensive research, tools, and resources to help college teams design and operationalize equity-centered approaches to all aspects of the college’s work as well as provides lessons learned from ATD Network colleges that have successfully increased student outcomes and eliminated equity gaps. At a time when the nation is becoming more diverse and colleges and the communities they serve have struggled to close equity gaps in educational outcomes and post-completion earning power, this tool is critically important.

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TRÉON MCCLENDON CCIM Director of Student Success, Selected for highly competitive NASPA Institute Tréon McClendon, CCIM’s new Director of Student Success, has been accepted into the NASPA Institute for Aspiring Vice Presidents for Student Affairs—an intensive four-day program designed for professionals considering a move to the vice president for student affairs position or for those simply seeking to learn more about the role.

This exclusive professional development program is an institute. Unlike conferences where participants choose to participate (or not) in concurrent sessions, during this institute, all attendees will participate in the same cohort experience and are expected to engage fully in all aspects of the program including meals. It is a very intensive experience.

JULIE RIDGWAY Academic Advisor Published article in NACADA journal Julie Ridgway, Academic Advisor in University College, wrote an article that was published in NACADA Academic Advising Today December Issue. The article, Considerations for Advising STEM Community College Transfer Students, draws on Julie’s expertise in working with Biology and Medical Technology majors as well as students pursuing Pre-Professional programs. Her piece investigates who attends community colleges in the United States, outlines information about community college mental health, and offers specifics on what to consider when advising a STEM community college transfer student.

Considerations for Advising STEM Community College Transfer Students

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SAVE THE DATE JANUARY 8

Classes Begin for Spring Semester

JANUARY 15

Martin Luther King Jr. Day (University Closed)

FEBRUARY 7

Student Success Coaching Workshop: Emotionally Equipped: Coping with College Demands & the Emotions that Come Along with it, 4 p.m., AJ 341

FEBRUARY 20

Student Success Coaching Workshop: Major Selection: What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?, 4 p.m., Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room

MARCH 3–10

Spring Break (No Classes)

MARCH 14

Student Success Coaching Workshop: Finding Motivation:

MARCH 18

Course Withdrawal Period Ends for Full Semester Courses

MARCH 20

Registration for Summer Semester Opens

MARCH 25

Student Success Coaching Workshop: Fighting Procrastination:

APRIL 1-12

Registration for Fall Semester Opens

APRIL 17

Student Success Coaching Workshop: Finals Prep, 4 p.m.,

Spring Break’s Over Now Let’s Get Back to Work, 4 p.m., LB 123

When Fear and Self-Sabotage Hold You Back, 4 p.m., WB 154

Multicultural Center Multipurpose Room

APRIL 30–MAY 3

Final Exams

MAY 4

Graduation

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This inaugural issue of the Cardinal Success Report is designed to introduce our success initiatives and practices in University College as well as highlight the work of our colleagues across campus. Distributing a timely report on the work that impacts our students (and the data that informs that work) will help keep you informed on how we are executing our mission and commitment to help students map a successful journey at Ball State University and beyond.

TO SUBMIT IDEAS FOR CONTENT OR REQUEST INFORMATION ABOUT THE CARDINAL SUCCESS REPORT, PLEASE CONTACT LAURA PITTMAN, DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SUCCESS INITIATIVES IN UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, AT 765-285-1185 OR LPITTMAN@BSU.EDU.

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FIND US HERE University College provides a common gateway to the academic programs available to students attending Ball State University. Our programs and services focus on assisting students with the development of the knowledge and skills needed for success in the collegiate environment.

As a hub for student academic support, University College houses Academic Advising, Student Athlete Support Services, the Learning Center, Student Success Coaching, and the First-Year Experience. Each of these service areas work collaboratively to provide a menu of services for students to promote academic excellence and to enhance student retention and persistence.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE www.bsu.edu/universitycollege University.College@bsu.edu JASON RIVERA Vice Provost for Student Success and Dean of University College, NQ 340A jason.rivera@bsu.edu 765-285-8094 BRIAN GORMAN Associate Dean of University College, NQ 243D brian.gorman@bsu.edu 765-285-5478 DAVID FRYE Director of Academic Platforms, NQ 308 dwfrye@bsu.edu 765-285-5514

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LARA HILLENBERG Director of Student Athlete Support, NQ 243E lara.hillenberg@bsu.edu 765-285-5866 LAURA PITTMAN Director of Student Success Initiatives, NQ 310 lpittman@bsu.edu 765-285-1185 JENNY HALEY Learning Center Director, NQ 352 jhaley@bsu.edu 765-285-1008 DANI WITZIGREUTER Executive Director of Academic Advising, NQ 336 dlwitzigreu2@bsu.edu 765-285-1182

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www.bsu.edu/universitycollege university.college@bsu.edu (765) 285-4015 North Quad 340

University College

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