Student Success Academy Experience
The Student Success Academy consists of live webinars, on-campus inventories, in-person roundtable retreats and virtual consultations that will help you methodically and holistically approach your student success challenges and opportunities.
In the Academy, you’ll examine four key factors to identify your current realities and discover areas of opportunity for improving student success:
- Data: Who are your students? What do you know about them?
- Initiatives: What are you doing to support student success?
- Infrastructure: How do your processes, policies and procedures affect student success?
- Engagement: Who is engaged in student success efforts? How is student success promoted and recognized?
Program Structure
Orientation: A webinar series presented by HLC provides an overview of the Academy’s framework, guidance on building an effective Academy team, and information to prepare the team for the next task.
Data Inventory: The team conducts an inventory of available data on the institution’s student populations and assesses its capacity for managing it. The team also conducts an institutional survey on perceptions of what student success means.
Data and Initiatives Roundtable: At this in-person, multi-day event, Scholars and facilitators guide the team in analyzing the Data Inventory and provide next steps for the Initiatives Inventory.
Initiatives Inventory: The team conducts an inventory of current initiatives at the institution supporting student success, the resources they require and their documented impact.
Initiatives and Infrastructure Roundtable: Scholars and facilitators guide the team in analyzing the Initiatives Inventory and provide next steps for the Infrastructure Inventory.
Infrastructure Inventory: The team conducts an inventory of the institution’s processes, policies and procedures and considers how they may be inhibiting or promoting student success.
Progress Updates and Responses (ongoing): The team documents its findings and plans and receives feedback from its assigned Mentor and Scholar.
Infrastructure and Engagement Virtual Roundtable: Scholars guide teams to analyze the findings from the Infrastructure Inventory. HLC also presents information on how to create institution-wide engagement in student success efforts.
Engagement Inventory: The team conducts an inventory of personnel engaged in student success efforts, means of promoting and recognizing student success at the institution, and resources allocated to supporting engagement.
Engagement and Planning Roundtable: Scholars guide teams in analyzing findings from the Engagement Inventory and support teams as they construct and develop their Student Success Plan recommendations.
Second-Year Mentor Consultation: The Mentor consults virtually with the institution to review information gathered in the inventories and identify challenges and opportunities.
Implementation Webinar: HLC provides direction on creating a Student Success Plan that integrates the institution’s strategic priorities.
Student Success Plan: The team creates a draft plan to address gaps in data, initiatives, infrastructure and engagement that will guide the institution in systematically improving student success.
Optional Program Extension: Equipped with the skills, support and strategies to begin implementation of the Student Success Plan, you may opt to continue participating in events or formally graduate from the Academy.
Optional Program Extension
The Student Success Academy is officially a two-year commitment. Institutions seeking additional support may opt to extend Academy participation to a third year for implementation guidance. Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have additional questions about the program extension.
Academy Teams
Institutions participate by creating teams to attend Academy events and carry out the on-campus activities. A team is made up of five to eight individuals and should include members of the faculty, staff and administration. HLC gives guidance on selecting members and team leaders during orientation.
Each team is assigned a Mentor and a Scholar who provide support for the duration of the Academy experience.
SparQ
SparQ is HLC's online platform for project management, resource sharing, discussion and discovery, where participants can be inspired by new ideas and build a community of shared learning. In SparQ, teams build a record of their progress, track improvements and document analysis. Teams also receive Mentor and Scholar feedback through SparQ.
Additionally, team members can take part in topic-based discussion groups with fellow Academy members and receive additional guidance from leaders through Q&A forums.
HLC Annual Conference
Institutions taking part in the Student Success Academy are encouraged to participate in HLC’s Annual Conference. Time is reserved during the General Program for graduates to showcase their Academy work and discuss common concerns with other Academy members.
