Cardinal Success Quarterly, Issue 2 -- April 2024 (Ball State University)

CARDINAL SUCCESS QUARTERLY

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.”

International

TeenWorks@BSU

Embedded

Midterm

Appointment

Learning

Student-Athlete

Student

DEAR COLLEAGUES:

Welcome to the second edition of Cardinal SUCCESS Quarterly.

In this edition, you will find helpful information on the work we are doing to support students experiencing academic challenges. Importantly, you will notice a shift in our terminology when referring to students who fail to meet our academic standing policies.

Last fall, Ball State University made an intentional decision to move away from using criminal justice lexicon when referring to students who fail to meet satisfactory academic standing. Instead of using the term probation when referring to students who fall below a 2.0 GPA threshold, we now refer to these students as those experiencing academic warning. This change aligns with Ball State University’s e orts to be a student-ready institution committed to ensuring every student we admit feels valued, respected, and supported. The important work of Dr. Shannon Brady and her colleagues on the use of psychologically attuned communications to improve academic outcomes for students who have not made adequate academic progress during an academic term has also informed our approach. Simply put, words matter! The utilization of terms like academic probation may foster traumatic experiences which may be particularly acute for Black and Brown students who face racial bias, microaggressions, and subtractive experiences. It may also create traumatic experiences for students who have been exposed to the criminal

justice system. Boretz (2021) argues that that “such language has an effect on underrepresented students’ sense of belonging and perceived ability to thrive as learners and future learners”1

Academic probation is meant to serve as a mechanism for “warning” students that their failure to meet academic standards is serious and can result in academic separation. Failing to meet satisfactory academic progress has disastrous implications for students including increased debt, slower time to completion, and failure to graduate. Thus, we have an obligation to ensure that our academic standing processes and communications are free of language that can trigger trauma or be polarizing.

Consequently, to mitigate the potential adverse impact of using criminal justice lexicon, Ball State has adopted academic warning in place of academic probation and academic separation in place of academic disqualification and academic dismissal. This change will more closely align us with the true intent of our academic standing policies and practices. We have an important obligation to ensure that students who are struggling academically are fully supported and that they are not subjected to any unnecessary psychological trauma or harm.

I hope you find the information shared in this edition of the Cardinal SUCCESS Quarterly informative and useful.

Happy reading!

1 http://itwebstg.fullerton.edu/aac/Academic%20Notice%20White%20Paper%202021.pdf

ACADEMIC SUPPORT FOR STUDENTS IN THE PROCESS OF ACADEMIC WARNING: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE SUCCESS SCHOLARS

Research suggests that as many as a quarter of all undergraduate students experience academic hardships during the collegiate experience. These hardships are particularly acute for first-year students. At Ball State, we have historically placed students on academic warning (formerly probation) at the end of the term when the cumulative GPA is less than 2.000. Supporting this population has been a longstanding goal of University College. In fact, 32 years ago University College created the Partnership for Academic Commitment to Excellence (PACE) program to provide first-year students with increased access to academic advisors and additional academic support servicesthrough workshops and referrals to comprehensive academic supports. Many years later, when it was clear that upper class students also needed additional support, University College created the Reaching to Inspire Student Excellence (RISE) program, which specifically targeted upper-class students. Both the PACE and RISE programs operated simultaneously for several years to support students who were struggling academically. In 2022, however, both programs were sunset and in their place the University College Success Scholars Program was created.

The University College Success Scholars Program works with undergraduate students in the process of academic warning, or who have successfully appealed academic separation (formerly disqualification). In contrast to the former programs, UCSS is a uniform program that encompasses all undergraduate students in the process of academic warning regardless of class standing.

The success of the UCSS program is its design, which centers connecting students to people (most often an academic advisor and/or student success coach) and resources as well as an individualized focus on the unique needs of each student. Participants, with the assistance of their assigned academic advisor, are required to complete an academic success plan at the start of the semester and commit to meeting with their academic advisor through the semester. The plan is designed to help students identify strengths, areas for improvement, achievable goals, campus resources, and a support team. The academic success plan is accessible to the student and their support team through the Navigate platform and becomes the foundation for the five advising and/or coaching appointments required throughout the semester. It also serves as a tool for reflecting on goal progress and attainment.

In addition to participation in UCSS activities, students with a successful academic separation appeal are required to enroll in a success strategies course (ID 298) with a strong focus on identifying strengths and values, building effective study strategies tied to individual learning styles, and providing weekly accountability through access to an instructor skilled as a senior academic advisor or student success coach. During the inaugural term for ID 298, Fall Semester 2022, 141 students enrolled in the one-credit course. The chart below details course outcomes for ID 298 (credit/no credit/withdraw) by race and ethnicity.

In comparison, the chart on the following page shows that in Fall 2023, 80 students were enrolled with Black, Hispanic, and Asian students continuing demonstrating greater levels of success.

For this spring, 828 students are in the process of academic warning and included in the UCSS program. Prior to meeting with an academic advisor in January, students complete an online assessment that is designed to help them reflect on the previous semester, identify strengths and areas for improvement, and create their own definitions of success. We know from gathering this information that 74% of those completing the assessment report that they have a network of family and friends who support their goals. 67% report liking BSU and feeling like they fit in. Procrastination (82%) and a lack of motivation (73%) are most commonly reported as obstacles for most students. Additionally, 70% of students agree that they often get so stressed or anxious that they cannot focus on their studies or attend class. It is this type of information that informs the advisor, the student, and sometimes the success coach, as they create an individualized academic plan for the semester which typically includes 5 advising appointments, and may contain referrals to the Learning Center, student success coaching, Counseling Center, Disability Services, and more.

Since the start of the Spring semester, advisors have engaged with 699 students in the process of academic warning (85%). An additional 159 students meet with a student success coach and 89 students are taking advantage of Learning Center services. The Student Success Coaching team also works directly with this population through a workshop series that includes skill sessions focused on motivation, procrastination, major exploration and selection, emotions and coping with college demands, and preparing for final exams.

Since the start of the spring semester, advisors have engaged with 699 students in the process of academic warning (85%). AN ADDITIONAL 159 STUDENTS MEET WITH A STUDENT SUCCESS

COACH AND 89 STUDENTS ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF LEARNING CENTER SERVICES.

STUDENT SUCCESS: A UNIVERSITY-WIDE EFFORT

Ensuring all students succeed requires 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. Below are three programs that are focused on the development of success strategies for special populations on campus.

GUARDIAN SCHOLARS

Founded in 2004, the Guardian Scholars is a university-sponsored, student support service for Ball State students who experienced foster care. The mission of the program is to promote equity and provide access to higher education for this vulnerable student group. The Guardian Scholars is serving approximately 40 students this Spring Semester 2024. Student Success efforts begin with helping incumbent students navigate the admissions (housing, residency, financial aid) process in lieu of parental support. Current students engage with the program’s holistic services that aim to promote their personal agency, belongingness and selfadvocacy skills. In the spring semester we have 5 program events scheduled ranging from tax filing assistance, learning how to cook with a chef instructor, social capital building seminar, and parties. Students meet with Bria Zolman, program manager, for one-on-one support as they have need. The program is currently supporting 8 renewable scholarships annually. As a primarily donor funded program, the Guardian Scholars was able to collect over $10,000 in in-kind gifts that were distributed to students in the program to help meet basic needs between terms. The program recently received a $30,000 Women of Beneficence award for the 2024 academic year.

An alumni commented on the value of the Guardian Scholars program stating, “It’s hard to put into words how helpful it was to have {Guardian Scholars} support. Being able to talk to someone about my stresses, being able to vent, being able to feel encouraged by them has meant so much to me. Having upperclassmen in the program be a part of my life and share their own struggles has made a huge difference as well. The program parties give me something to look forward to! I appreciate having the support of our partner organizations, and being able to attend our annual events.”

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT SUCCESS TEAM

The international student success team is a new unit within the Rinker Center for Global Affairs, and was created to celebrate the successes of Ball State international students, identify the institutional barriers they face, and work to remove barriers so that they can focus on their studies. Currently there are 285 international students representing 64 countries enrolled at Ball State with 64 undergraduates and 221 graduate students

New initiatives this semester include:

• Establishing a donation center within the Rinker Center in order to help provide international students with housing supplies (i.e. bedding, pots and pans, etc.) that they need upon arrival to the U.S.

• L aunching an international student advisory board to help us dig in deeper with our students to understand their challenges and to provide them the opportunity to become partners in creating solutions.

• Collecting survey responses to help identify topics for an international student success workshop series for the 2024–2025 academic year. The goal is to provide workshops and other support services that are meaningful for the students.

Finally, the international student success team is looking to partner with stakeholders across campus. The team can serve as a resource to faculty, staff, departments, and units to help others contribute to the success of our international students. Connect with the international student success team through Shane Lanning, Director of International Student Success, smlanning@bsu.edu or Jonathan Hooker, International Student Success Coach, jonathan.hooker@bsu.edu.

TEENWORKS@BSU

TeenWorks has been serving young people in Indiana for over 40 years with career readiness support programming at the high school level and began partnering with Ball State University in 2022. The TeenWorks@BSU program, led by program manager Bria Zolman, currently serves 20 students who are alumni of the TeenWorks program operating at the high school level. This program promotes student success by connecting students with campus-wide programming in the areas of career readiness, leadership, cultural awareness, and service. Students are also connected to financial support and mentorship opportunities. TeenWorks@BSU anticipates celebrating five program graduates in May, several of whom are graduating early and heading into advanced degree programs.

TeenWorks@BSU students tend to be high achieving and ambitious students who may also have intersecting identities with 1st generation or other marginalized groups and underserved communities. The program has plans to introduce a student advisory council in the 2024–2025 academic year, which would provide leadership opportunities for program participants while promoting community within the young program.

DATA FLASHLIGHT: ILLUMINATING THE DATA THAT INFORMS OUR WORK

In the inaugural issue of the Cardinal SUCCESS Quarterly, we defined student success as our ability, as a higher education institution, to equitably support every student to achieve their goals as we partner with them to recognize their full potential. As we work toward this goal, we continue to promote four key components of the student experience: an ethic of care, sense of belonging, high impact practices, and identity consciousness. While the collection and analysis of data does not in and of itself achieve student success goals, it can help to inform the work we do and the effectiveness of that work.

In addition to the vital work that we do as a University to support students not meeting academic requirements to be in good standing, like the University College Success Scholars (UCSS) program outlined earlier, there are continued efforts to provide proactive academic advising, success coaching, and campus resources to support students that are meeting GPA standards.

EMBEDDED TUTORING PILOT PROGRAM

Among the strategies used to support all students regardless of academic standing is the embedded tutoring program that was piloted by the Learning Center during the Fall Semester 2023. The program, which was highlighted in the first issue of the Cardinal SUCCESS Quarterly, is a well-researched, highly effective model of academic support in which a tutor who has taken a course and earned an A attends the course again, providing in-class support to students. Embedded tutoring works best in courses that have frequent graded assignments, quizzes, tests, or other projects, and in courses that have high rates of D’s, F’s, and W’s due to the challenging nature of the course material. The delivery in the classroom must not be solely lecture-based and there must be time for individual and/or group work and discussion. In the fall, we piloted two sections of embedded tutoring and the data was very promising — especially when we examine the DFWI rates.

OUTCOMES

MATH 125

• Section 10 (embedded tutor): 2.6 average grade with 2 W

• Section 800 (online, no embedded tutor): 2.2 average grade with 10 W

SP 201

• Section 1 (embedded tutor): 3.1 average grade with no W

• Section 2 (no embedded tutor): 3.0 average grade 1 W

DFW RATE COMPARISON

Math 125

Spring 2023 (No Embedded Tutoring)

Fall 2023 (Embedded Tutoring)

SP 201

Spring 2023 (No Embedded Tutoring)

Fall 2023 (Embedded Tutoring)

MIDTERM PROGRESS REPORTING

During the spring semester, we have continued to utilize Navigate as one tool in our network of coordinated care to support student success. By providing a platform for collecting information that can be used by students, faculty, staff, and administrators collaboratively, we can better understand student progress and connect students to appropriate resources.

SPRING 2024 MIDTERM PROGRESS REPORTING

RESPONSES FROM PROFESSORS

EVALUATIONS SENT UNIQUE STUDENTS RECEIVED AT LEAST ONE PROGRESS REPORT

82,862

total number of individual evaluations in campaign

12,555 45,734

total number of evaluations professors have submitted

INSTRUCTOR RESPONSE 52%

percentage of total evaluations that have been submitted

total number of progress report responses received

RESPONSES MARKED IN NEED OF SUPPORT 11%

calculated by how many responses have been marked in need of support divided by total responses by professors

DATA ON ALERTS BY ALERT TYPE

ALERT TYPE

COURSE WORK CONCERN

KUDOS: STUDENT WORK IS DOING WELL

POOR QUIZ/POOR TEST GRADES

TEXTBOOKS/BOOKS

TUTORING

WRITING SKILLS

NOTE: Multiple alerts can be given per student per progress report.

Spring 2024 midterm progress reports, submitted February 19–March 11, provided valuable information regarding the academic successes and challenges for over 12,000 distinct undergraduate students. Reporting midterm grade and progress reports is not only useful in informing students about performance in courses, it is also an effective method for providing academic advisors, student success coaches, and other support staff with vital information to help inform the success work and intervention strategies used with students.

Between February 19 (when faculty began submitting midterm progress reports) and the end of March, students engaged in 928 academic advising appointments specifically focused on providing academic support and discussing issues with courses. An additional 5,997 advising appointments occurred during that same time period where students selected a different “reason” for the appointment but may have included any number of support discussions, campus resource referrals, or intervention strategies.

APPOINTMENT ENGAGEMENT

Since January, the highest number of students used the platform to connect specifically with Academic Advising (9662 scheduled or drop-in appointments), the Learning Center (4445 scheduled or drop-in appointments) and Ball State Online (3110 scheduled or drop-in appointments).

Below is additional data on appointments created using Navigate360.

9,760

DISTINCT STUDENTS

Unique students who first logged in or last logged in between June 1, 2022, and October 30, 2023

10,795

DROP-IN

9,716

SCHEDULED APPOINTMENTS

total number of appointments sceduled by students and/or staff

25,421

APPOINTMENTS CREATED

includes scheduled, drop-in, and ad hoc not scheduled appointments — drop-in or ad hoc documentation through Appointment Summery Report

WHAT’S HAPPENING IN STUDENT SUCCESS?

LEARNING CENTER

STUDENT VIRTUAL CONFERENCE

The Learning Center participated in the 2nd Annual Mid-American Conference Peer Academic Success Virtual Conference from February 5–8. This virtual conference allows learning center student staff to present a juried conference presentation to learning center student staff from four institutions: Ball State University, Miami (Ohio) University, Ohio University, and Marietta College. 292 students (52 from Ball State) attended presentations, and Ball State Learning Center graduate assistant Megan Jessup presented a concurrent session titled “Study ‘Tech’niques: Tech Tools for Students,” which was attended by over 60 participants. The conference was coordinated by Jenny Haley (Ball State Director of the Learning Center), Gary Ritz (Miami (Ohio) University), Elizabeth Fallon (Ohio University), and Amanda Cech (Marietta College).

LEARNING CENTER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Learning Center Assistant Director Jim Mills and Tutoring Coordinator Kaley Sorg recently earned Learning Center Leadership Certification from the International College Learning Center Association (ICLCA). Certification involves progressive years of experience, degree attainment, professional development activities, written professional development plans and philosophy of learning assistance statements, and service to the profession. Director Jenny Haley was recently appointed as Certification Officer to the executive board of ICLCA. She also serves as the elected Chairperson of the executive board of the Council of Learning Assistance and Developmental Education Associations (CLADEA), an organization responsible for ensuring coordination, collaboration, and policy advocacy among five national learning assistance organizations.

LEARNING CENTER STUDENT FEEDBACK

The Learning Center frequently surveys students to gain feedback for tutoring and Supplemental Instruction programming, providing an opportunity for us to share success stories and to shape policies to improve our programming.

The Learning Center frequently surveys students to gain feedback for tutoring and Supplemental Instruction programming, providing an opportunity for us to share success stories and to shape policies to improve our programming.

“HOANG DID A GREAT JOB, IT WAS AMAZING BEING ABLE TO WORK WITH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS THE MATERIAL SO WELL.”

–Principles of Managerial Accounting Tutoring Appointment

“I ENJOYED LEARNING THROUGH EMILY’S STYLE OF TEACHING. SHE’S SUPER FRIENDLY AND DOES A GREAT JOB BREAKING THINGS DOWN INTO AN EASIER WAY TO UNDERSTAND.”

–Principles of Biology 1 Tutoring Appointment

“DAPHNE REALLY BROKE EVERYTHING DOWN AND EXPLAINED IT WELL.”

–Quantitative Reasoning Tutoring Appointment

“I PLAN TO ATTEND MORE SESSIONS WITH TRAVIS BECAUSE HE WAS SO HELPFUL.”

–Principles of Biology 1 Tutoring Appointment

“I ENJOYED LEARNING THROUGH EMILY’S STYLE OF TEACHING. SHE’S SUPER FRIENDLY AND DOES A GREAT JOB BREAKING THINGS DOWN INTO AN EASIER WAY TO UNDERSTAND.”

–Principles of Biology 1 Tutoring Appointment

STUDENT-ATHLETE SUPPORT SERVICES (SASS)

The Office Student-Athlete Support Services (SASS) exemplifies our student success framework through various impactful initiatives. The SASS staff prioritize understanding the individual needs and obstacles of each student-athlete by providing tailored academic support and guidance, ensuring every student receives the assistance necessary to excel in their coursework. SASS staff members actively cultivate relationships with student-athletes through personalized engagements such as one-on-one appointments, practice attendance, and competition support. During challenging periods, such as after disappointing academic performances, we provide emotional support and academic resources, guiding students through their emotional journey and fostering a positive outlook while addressing the academic aspects of their success as students. Furthermore, our advisors and coordinators collaborate closely with student-athletes to explore post-graduation career paths and develop essential professional skills. By offering personalized encouragement and guidance, we empower student-athletes to envision a fulfilling future beyond their athletic careers, facilitating a smooth transition to their next life chapter.

Programmatically, we offer a comprehensive study table program, which caters to both incoming students and those in need of a more personalized academic mentorship arrangement. Additionally, each individual student-athlete’s grades are checked weekly through Canvas, and we collaborate with coaching staffs to ensure networks of care are established and communicating. When students undergo surgery, we work closely with the Office of Disability Services to ensure that appropriate accommodations are received so the students do not fall behind academically.

Throughout the academic year, our commitment to personalized support is evident through our extensive engagement statistics:

• Over 900 appointments for academic advising or meetings with academic coordinators;

• 993 additional outreach efforts through emails and phone calls to provide ongoing support;

• More than 2100 instances of support systems on campus reaching out to offer academic assistance;

• Closure of 287 cases through Navigate, demonstrating our proactive approach to addressing student needs and challenges;

• 1445 instances of direct academic mentorship spanning 2655 hours, benefiting 61 unique students;

• 14,046 additional hours dedicated to individual study hall hours across 183 students;

• 51 students logged 224 hours of course-based tutoring through the learning center; and

• The overall Fall term GPA of the department was a 3.44 , with each individual team reporting a term GPA of over a 3.0. These marks are unprecedented in program history.

Through these endeavors, we remain steadfast in our dedication to nurturing the holistic well-being and academic success of every student-athlete at Ball State University.

The SASS staff prioritize understanding the individual needs and obstacles of each studentathlete by providing tailored academic support and guidance,

ENSURING EVERY STUDENT RECEIVES THE ASSISTANCE NECESSARY TO EXCEL IN THEIR COURSEWORK.

STUDENT SUCCESS COACHING

Partnerships: The Spring 2024 semester has been a time of building partnerships for the Student Success Coaching office. Coaches have worked diligently to connect with other resources and groups on campus to develop avenues to support the work already being done for student success. Meetings with staff in the Counseling Center, Academic Advising, and the Office of Disability Services have occurred to ensure all parties are directing students to the appropriate resources and are informed regarding when to refer a student to student success coaches. Formal procedures for these referrals will highlight student needs and ensure there are no gaps in services.

Other partnerships are centered around including success coaching in existing programs. For example, recently the office of Student Success Coaching formed a partnership with the Delta Tau Delta fraternity on campus. The fraternity identifies which students need additional support based on academic performance, and the students are paired with a success coach. The intent of the program is to have coaches assist fraternity members in making plans to improve academically and ensure they have support needed to meet goals throughout the semester.

Spring 2024 is the first semester coaching has been included in this program, and assessment of the impact this partnership has on the GPA’s and overall success of these students will take place at the conclusion of the semester. According to the national chapter of Delta Tau Delta, this is the first program of its kind to include coaching; the office of Student Success Coaching would like to pilot similar partnerships with other campus organizations.

Referrals: Since August 21, 2023, there have been 2263 coaching appointments scheduled. Of those, an impressive 26% were scheduled by students who took the initiative to make their own appointments online through the Navigate system. The remaining 74% of the students served are a direct result of referrals received from faculty, staff, coaches, and others on campus. Connecting students to success coaches by making a referral can greatly impact the students’ college experience and overall success.

REFERRALS CAN BE MADE THROUGH:

Email: successcoach@bsu.edu

The Student Success Coaching office staff review email referrals and follow-up with the student based on the request. Typically this will involve communication that state, “Referring Name referred you to our office and suggested you could benefit from student success coaching.”

Phone: 765-285-1178

Administrative assistant, Amanda Bird, can speak with you regarding our services for students and schedule appointments over the phone with any of our success coaches.

Navigate: my.bsu.edu

Campus staff with appointment scheduling access in Navigate are welcome to schedule appointments for students with any of our coaches by selecting Student Success Coaching as the “Location” and Referral as the “Reason”. Most Navigate referrals are scheduled by academic advisors.

Classroom Presentations:

An effective way to introduce coaching to your students (and “refer” them indirectly) is by scheduling a classroom visit. Success coaches are available to present around a variety of topics including setting goals, fighting procrastination, time management, study habits, motivation, stress management, organization, and more. Coaches are also available to just briefly introduce the office resources and services to classes. Classroom visits can be scheduled by emailing successcoach@bsu.edu or our assistant director at char.hawkins@bsu.edu.

Team Professional Development: Three coaches recently completed the coaching certification process which is recognized by the National Coaching Federation. This not only benefits the coaches themselves, but also the students. Having qualified individuals in the coaching role is imperative to providing the best possible experience for Ball State students.

CELEBRATING THE WORK OF OUR COLLEAGUES

Student Success Centers exist in all academic colleges at Ball State and serve as a distinct resource for students, helping to coordinate college-specific resources, supports, and services.

COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS

Ball State alumna and co-founder of “GANGGANG,” Malina Simone Bacon, returned to campus in April to lead a lecture and collaborative experience for students. GANGGANG focuses on investing directly in the creative economy with an intentional reparational slant. They aim to change the underrepresentation of creatives of color by producing more culture, beauty, and equity across cities.

During Mali’s visit, students worked with her to strategically center these values on campus. This partnership aligns with Ball State's efforts to provide students with opportunities to learn from experts in art-related fields and understand the importance of communities.

The College of Fine Arts has Student Success Faculty Champions who work closely with Stephanie Haglund, Director of Student Success for the College of Fine Arts, to address and advocate for the needs of the students within the college.

Dr. Amanda Moreno serves as the Student Success Faculty Champion for the School of Music this year. Her heart for students shows up in all that she does from teaching two sections of CFA-111 to meeting with students one on one. Along with her responsibilities as a champion, Dr. Moreno travels to other institutions to hold workshops on body mapping. These workshops help students find success in utilizing their bodies as instruments as well as reduce performance anxiety.

Audrey Barcio serves as the Student Success Faculty Champion for the School of Art this year. Audrey is a strong advocate for students within the College of Fine Arts. She serves on multiple committees and brings the student perspective to the front of the conversation. Her work as a professional artist matches her level of care for her students. Audrey is one of a group that is working to bring future opportunities in partnership with GangGang located in Indianapolis, IN.

André Garner serves as the Student Success Faculty Champion for the Department of Theatre and Dance this year. André has a clear passion for educating future performers which includes successful life skills. He regularly speaks out about the student experience and works to make positive changes for student success. This spring, he conducted a workshop with DEI expert, Dr. Philip McAdoo, on Restorative Practice for a Healthy Community. This provided students with the experience to explore pathways for healthy communication that create a better community.

COLLEGE OF SCIENCES AND HUMANITIES

The College of Science and Humanities (CSH) Success Hub continues to meet with several students this semester and hosted several events in the last few months.

On February 13–14th, the Hub hosted a drop-in event called “Resume Love” allowing students to come in to get expert advice on their resumes by Dr. Melisa Stevens, CSH Director of Student Retention and Success. In late February, in conjunction with the Departments of Environment, Geology, and Natural Resources and the Natural Resources and Environmental Management Alumni Council, the Hub team hosted its second annual Outdoor Careers & Internships Event which brought 15 employers with opportunities for a variety of CSH majors attracting more than 100 students.

Finally, on March 28, the second annual Law School Exploration Event brought five Ball State CSH alumni back to campus to the CSH Success Hub to share about their journeys to current students interested in attending law school – three are practicing attorneys and two are recent graduates who are current graduate students at the IU McKinney School of Law. To learn more, visit bsu.edu/csh/successhub.

The success centers routinely offer major-specific programs and events, help students navigate academic challenges within the college, and COLLABORATE WITH OTHER PARTNERS ON CAMPUS TO CONNECT STUDENTS WITH ACADEMIC, PERSONAL, AND CAREER OPPORTUNITIES.

STUDENT SUCCESS SUPER STARS

Student Success Super Stars are 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. (link is: https://bsu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/ SV_difC1XSwVwK989M)

DR. AMANDA O. LATZ

Associate Professor of Higher Education & Community College Leadership

Recently, Dr. Amanda O. Latz published a new book entitled Community College Student Mental Health: Faculty Perspectives and Institutional Actions (Rowman & Littlefield, 2023). Based on interviews with community college faculty, Latz describes their perceptions of and experiences with students’ mental health. Within the book, she also provides an overview of what is already known on the topic, then closes the book with two chapters focused on practical recommendations. One early reviewer, Dr. Mia Johnson, Chancellor of Ivy Tech Community College’s Anderson Campus, said “Dr. Latz’s ability to recognize the essential, yet often unseen role community college faculty play in the lives of their students, including their mental health, is unmatched. This book lays the groundwork for beginning to better support the mental health needs of this often-overlooked population of students. It is a must read for all administrators, educational advocates, and policy makers.”

Since the publication of the book, Latz has been invited to participate in an #EquityChat (https://equityavengers.com/equitychat-season-4-episode1-september-20-2023/) on the X platform (Twitter), give a virtual talk at UCLA (https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=z0OOQQQKBpc), speak to a class using the book as a required text at Iowa State University, and will soon be a part of the faculty team delivering a course (https://www.gse. harvard.edu/professional-education/program/mental-health-highereducation-theory-practice-approach-student-well) through Harvard University called Mental Health in Higher Education: A Theory-to-Practice Approach for Student Well-Being this summer. She will also soon be publishing an article in New Directions for Community Colleges focused on what community college faculty can do to support student mental health beyond just making referrals. Within this forthcoming article, she focuses on leveraging data, deploying trauma-informed pedagogies, and engaging counseling micro-skills. She has also hosted virtual office hours on the book, which can be viewed online at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?app=desktop&v=907wYOI-ix4&feature=youtu.be. Learn more about this important text here: https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781475860153/ Community-College-Student-Mental-Health-Faculty-Experiences-andInstitutional-Actions.

DR. ALICIA JOY MILLER

Assistant Director of Global Initiatives

SHANE LANNING

Directed of International Student Success

Dr. Alicia Joy Miller and Shane Lanning will be giving a presentation at the 2024 NASPA Conference on Student Success in Higher Education in late June. Their presentation, “Supporting International Student Success Throughout Campus,” will help attendees to dismantle the systematic barriers that international students may face at institutions of higher education. They will use case studies to help attendees practice the strategies presented and to bolster the attendees’ ability to engage in strategic discussion on their own campuses to better support international student success. Alicia and Shane hope this opportunity will help them (1) better support our own institution’s needs and (2) center Ball State as a resource for other universities by showing our dynamic, proactive response to supporting international student success throughout higher education institutions.

DR. MELISA STEVENS

Director of Student Retention and Success and Director of CSH Success Hub for the College of Sciences and Humanities

Dr. Melisa Stevens will be presenting at two upcoming national conferences this summer.

Student Success Centers — Academic Affairs Collaborating with Student Affairs to Support Student Success at NASPA Conference on Student Success in Higher Education, Anaheim, CA — June 2024. This will be presented by Melisa J Stevens, Ed.D. Director of Student Retention and Success, College of Sciences and Humanities and Kelley O’Neal, Executive Director, Marilyn Kent Byrne Student Success Center, School of Education & Human Development, Texas A&M University.

Collaborations, Leadership, & Culture with Faculty: Integrating Student & Academic Affairs at NASPA Mid-Level Administrators Conference, Indianapolis, IN — June 2024. This will be presented by Gayle Hartleroad, Ed.D. Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Butler University and Melisa J Stevens, Ed.D. Director of Student Retention and Success, College of Sciences and Humanities.

SAVE THE DATE

MAY 13

MAY 27

JUNE 3

JUNE 19

JUNE 26

JULY 4

JULY 19

JULY 20

Classes Begin for Summer Semester

Memorial Day (University Closed)

Summer Orientation Begins

Juneteenth (University Closed)

Course Withdrawal Period Ends

Independence Day (University Closed)

Summer Semester Ends

Graduation

T he Cardinal SUCCESS Quarterly 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.

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

765-285-4015

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

JENNY HALEY

Learning Center Director, NQ 352 jhaley@bsu.edu

765-285-1008

LARA HILLENBERG

Director of Student Athlete Support Services, NQ 243E lara.hillenberg@bsu.edu

765-285-5866

LAURA PITTMAN

Director of Student Success Initiatives, NQ 310 lpittman@bsu.edu

765-285-1185

DANI WITZIGREUTER

Executive Director of Academic Advising, NQ 336 dlwitzigreu2@bsu.edu

765-285-1182