We will build on our commitment to instructional excellence and creating a high-quality learning experience for our undergraduate students. We will promote deeply engaged learning by crafting opportunities for high-impact activities, managing our student-to-faculty ratio to encourage meaningful interaction with faculty, and creatively using technology to promote student learning. We will empower our students to fulfill their academic goals by creating a seamless transition to their degree programs and providing excellent advising.
We Will Develop Targeted Undergraduate Recruitment and Retention Plans
Actions:
- Develop, implement, and assess student recruitment and retention practices, resources, and staffing
- Inventory recruitment events for potential departmental or College participation
- Support departmental outreach events for high school guidance counselors
- Develop and implement processes to communicate regularly with prospective and admitted college students
- Share best practices for first-year programming
We Will Amplify Opportunities for High-Impact Activities
Actions:
- Create a database for undergraduate high-impact activities
- Incentivize faculty to lead student activities in research and study abroad
- Encourage and incentivize team-based interdisciplinary instruction
- Promote events and initiatives to raise student awareness of opportunities for high-impact activities
- Facilitate instruction supporting cohort-building and career-focused content
- Provide financial support for student engagement in high-impact activities
We Will Improve Student-to-Faculty Ratio to Create More Opportunities for Students to Connect with Faculty
Actions:
- Establish a framework aligned with the University’s capacity study for managing student-to-faculty ratio targets integrating enrollment management techniques and faculty hiring plans
- Collaborate with departments to assess impact of implementing manageable student-to-faculty ratio targets
We Will Enhance Digital Learning Experiences for Students and Faculty
Actions:
- Review and enhance technological and instructional design support
- Enhance the visibility and expertise of staff supporting content management systems
- Offer dedicated instructional technological support for online summer classes
- Develop strategies to engage technological innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI)
We Will Strengthen Positive and Collaborative Relationships Between Students and Advisors to Enhance Student Success
Actions:
- Co-locate academic advisors in proximity to the programs they serve
- Implement career pathways for advisors facilitating development and advancement
- Encourage regular departmental meetings with advisors to discuss issues and processes
- Organize regular briefings for advisors on academic and curricular updates
- Identify manageable student-to-advisor ratios to improve programs and outcomes
Success Metrics and Milestones:
- Achieve 25% increase in the number of students pursuing research with faculty or internships by FY30
- Attain 75% increase in the number of available scholarships awarded by the college by FY36
- Realize 65% positive responses on Office of Student Success (OSS) appraisal for first-year experience facilitating belonging and transition by FY30
- Accomplish 60% student agreement on Undergraduate Student Experience Survey that each major facilitates and builds community by FY30
- Improve student recruiting by adopting a recruiting and communication model that supports departmental recruiting efforts in FY26
- Compile an inventory of policies and statements among ArtSci faculty on teaching with AI and disseminate best practices by FY26
- Improve student advising by conducting an annual assessment of academic advising using Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS)
