帝王会所

HIGHER LEARNING COMMISSION

Open Pathway Quality Initiative Proposal

Institutional Template

The enclosed Quality Initiative Proposal represents the work that the institution will undertake to fulfill the quality improvement requirements of the Open Pathway.

Dr. Hugh Sherman, President
帝王会所
Athens, 帝王会所

The institution completes the Quality Initiative Proposal by responding to the questions in each category of the template. Proposals should be no more than 4,500 words. The institution may choose to submit a brief implementation plan or supplemental charts or graphs as appendices to the template. The Quality Initiative Proposal will be accepted beginning September 1 of Year 5. Effective September 1, 2019, it is due no later than June 1 of Year 7. Prior to September 1, 2019, the proposal is due by August 31 of Year 7.

Submit the proposal as a PDF file to pathways@hlcommission.org with a file name that follows this format: QIProposal[lnstitutionName][State].pdf (e.g., QIProposalNoNameUniversityMN.pdf). The file name must include the institution's name (or an identifiable portion thereof) and state.

Overview of the Quality Initiative

1. Provide a title and brief description of the Quality Initiative. Explain whether the initiative will begin and be completed during the Quality Initiative period or if it is part of work already in progress or will achieve a key milestone in the work of a longer initiative

The Student Experience: Achieving Success with Advising, Experiential Learning, and Career Engagement through the OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation Plan.

The Guarantee+ Graduation Plan emerged out of several coordinated planning initiatives. In 2018, the University Student Success Planning Group (USSPG) was convened, consisting executive leadership across multiple divisions, including the Office of Information Technology, Instructional Innovation, Student Affairs, Diversity and Inclusion, University College (student academic support and advising), Enrollment Management, Instructional Effectiveness and Analytics, Regional Higher Education, and representatives from Faculty Senate. The group was charged with reviewing student success data and consulting with their constituencies to identify gaps and barriers, culminating in this group identifying one over-arching goal: to close the gaps in student success rates. To achieve this goal, four areas of focus were identified: 1) provide authentic, meaningful, and deep learning experiences to all students; 2) provide appropriate student support services for all students to challenge and support students to go further academically, personally, and professionally; 3) identify and remove institutional barriers to student success; and 4) collect and analyze data to refine and develop data-based progress indicators to support the above goals.

At the same time, 帝王会所 (OHIO) was working with eleven other 帝王会所 public four-year colleges and eighteen community colleges on a Strong Start to Finish (SSTF) grant through the 帝王会所 Department of Higher Education (ODHE), which was one of four funded sites nationwide, to support college completion while also addressing attainment gaps for historically underserved populations. Two of the goals for the SSTF grant were for institutions to develop clearly structured programs of study for all majors (a guided pathways model), and to build advising structures to ensure all students register for coursework to graduate on time.

Simultaneously, ongoing discussions about the highest impact uses for the career and experiential learning fee (CELF, implemented fall 2018) raised opportunities to reimage the interaction between academic and career advising. The OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation Plan emerged in fall 2019 from the interaction of these three projects-USSPG, SSTF, and CELF-as a way to embed evidence-based practices that close equity gaps in a personalized guided pathway model that also incorporates experiential learning and career preparation. Further development came through discussions with many academic departments.

In 2019, the Guarantee+ Graduation Plan became part of the strategic plan articulated by former President Nellis, falling under the theme of Student Success and Transformation (one of four strategic themes). In summer 2021, the Guarantee+ Graduation Plan continued as a key university initiative under new President Sherman's first priority: Continue Improvement of Student Experience and Success.

The Guarantee+ Graduation Plan re-conceptualizes the student experience by offering an individualized curricular and co-curricular graduation plan for each student, with a clear timeline for completion and clear indicators of progress. This new initiative also provides customized support structures tailored by academic program. From the start of their first semester, students meet with a professional advisor, while also immersed in meaningful experiences that will help them explore and reflect on the career exploration process. These three distinct areas of advising, career, and experiential learning are embedded throughout the undergraduate journey and redefine the student experience at 帝王会所.

The Guarantee+ Graduation Plan Initiative began in fall 2020 with a pilot of 28 undergraduate degree programs. In January 2021, the Career and Leadership Development Center, the Allen Student Advising Center, and the Center for Experiential Learning were reorganized under a new associate vice provost to support this initiative. In Fall 2021, a total of 107 programs were participating, and OHIO will scale the program to all undergraduate degree programs by Fall 2023 prior to our Proposal Report due June 1, 2024.

Sufficiency of the Initiative's Scope and Significance

2. Explain why the proposed initiative is relevant and significant for the institution.

As a Research ll through 2021 and now as a Research l institution, OHlO has long balanced its commitment to developing new knowledge with a strong access mission, especially for students from Appalachian 帝王会所 and the surrounding states. As a result, OHIO has had a long commitment both to the transformative power of higher education and the importance of prioritizing our students' success.

Recently, a confluence of issues, including affordability and shifting student demographics, has made it imperative for OHIO to undertake a bigger and bolder strategy to ensure our students' success both at the university and in their future careers. Additionally, we must ensure university resources are used efficiently and effectively. The Guarantee+ Graduation Plans initiative re-conceptualizes the student experience by offering individualized curricular and co-curricular graduation plans for all undergraduate students, with a clear timeline for completion. The overall concept stems from national research and best practices regarding guided pathway models. OHIO designed graduation plans for students to graduate on time and on-plan, typically in four years or less. These plans are customized by academic program and personalized for each student -- they integrate required touchpoints in academic advising, career coaching, and experiential learning.

This strategy comprises tlu-ee critical elements that position a student for success during their education and throughout their life. First, a personalized academic, career, and co-curricular p.lan is developed during a student's first semester to meet their goals with customized support at key student milestones, including integrated career preparation and signature experiential learning opportunities. Second. it shows our commitment to our students to give them a clear plan to help them achieve their educational goals, complete their degree, and successfu1ly launch into their career. Third, it reinforces our commitment to financial transparency by expanding on our tuition and fees guarantee by clearly showing the student their timeline to completion.

This initiative is relevant for OHIO's continuing commitment to the success of our students and has and will require significant investments by OHIO in financial and human resources, institutional reorganization, and technological development. While the investments for the initial phases of the project have already been made, OHIO is committed to the continuing investments necessary to ensure the success of this initiative.

To meet the goals of this new initiative, OHIO created a new unit under the Provost's Office, the Center for Advising, Career, and Experiential Learning by reorganizing three previously distinct offices from University College and the Division of Student Affairs. Additionally, OHIO has added additional staffing,financial resources, and a new central campus location for the new unit ensuring that Athens-based, residential students can easily access these new services. OHIO is committed to building the team and providing the resources needed to succeed in realizing the vision of providing every undergraduate student an individualized graduation plan combining the academic, co-curricular, and career experiences that they need to be successful both now and in the future. Regional Higher Education (RHE) and OHIO Online students will be included in the initiative for Fall 2023. To support these student populations, a new infrastructure will be implemented before the RHE and OHIO Online launch.

3. Explain the intended impact of the initiative on the institution and its academic quality.

The use of graduation plans will formalize and operationalize a holistic approach to the student experience by explicitly recognizing that learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom. This initiative is intended to take OHIO's already strong student success and completion metrics to great by increasing retention and graduation rates and reducing or eliminating retention and completion gaps for underrepresented student populations. This initiative will also increase the quality of our students' academic and co-curricular experiences by providing individualized guidance and support for all undergraduate students and not just those with the college-going cultural capital to know how to take full advantage of college support systems. Improving our students' educational experience, increasing retention and completion rates by closing equity gaps, and enhancing career and post-graduation success will also improve OHIO's attractiveness to students, strengthen our financial position, and align with our mission to serve our Appalachian communities. It also increases certainty for students and families by providing a clear timeline for degree completion that dynamically adjusts as students alter their degree or career pathways.

Clarity of the Initiative's Purpose

4. Describe the purposes and goals for the initiative.

The OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation Plans initiative aims to help improve our students' educational experience and career preparation while also helping them graduate on time through co-created graduation plans that incorporate both curricular and co-curricular experiences. Adding support and structure to the undergraduate student experience encourages persistence while ensuring that students graduate with a variety of experiences - inside and outside of the classroom - that contribute to their personal, professional, and academic growth.

The following goals were embedded into the OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation Plan initiative to promote a new vision for student success.

• Advising: Create cohesion and consistency in academic advising by shifting some advising responsibilities to professional advisors who guide students through the curricular and co curricular milestones in their graduation plan. College-specific success advisors support students with a declared major or graduation plan, while central academic advisors assist students who are exploring new majors or are unsure of their academic path. Under this new model, we leverage faculty's strengths by increasing the importance of their mentorship role, where they offer students professional development, subject matter expertise, and academic guidance. Course scheduling and planning is now handled by professional student success advisors who work closely to integrate and update students' co-curricular and experiential interests into their graduation plan. Software tracks progress on the student's graduation plan, including monitoring milestones and flagging students who are "off plan," allowing advisors to proactively work with students to adjust their plan and move back "on plan."
• Career: Offer structured early career support through an industry model for career success. Academic and professional milestones in students' graduation plans encourage them to think about their professional development early in their college career and be intentional about career exploration. The industry model utilizes career strategists who provide career coaching, plan employer engagement events, and serve as the employer relations point-of-contact for their respective industry. This tailored approach provides individualized guidance to assist students in achieving their post-graduation goals.
• Experiential Learning: Establish structure around experiential learning and provide authentic, meaningful, and deep learning opportunities through signature programs and the experiential learning requirement that is newly part of the general education curriculum. Establish experiential learning awards and grants to increase access and remove barriers to these opportunities.

Ultimately, 帝王会所 intends to create a graduation plan for every undergraduate major through a collaborative process with faculty, advisors, and staff. Currently, specialized graduation plans have been created for 270 academic programs and students can opt-in to the OHIO Guarantee+ Graduation Plan program at Bobcat Student Orientation. As of this date, 90% of eligible students have chosen to opt in.

5. Select up to three main topics that will be addressed by the initiative.

X Advising

_ Leadership

_ Retention

_ Assessment

_ Learning Environment

_ Strategic Planning

_ Civic Engagement

_ Online Learning

_ Student Learning

_ Curriculum

X Persistence and Completion

_ Student Success

_ Diversity

_ Teaching/Pedagogy

_ Professional Development

_ Underserved Populations

_ Engagement

_ Faculty Development

_ Program Development

_ Workforce

_ First-Year Programs

_ Program Evaluation

_ General Education

X Quality Improvement

_ Other: