UNC Charlotte is one of six universities nationally selected to participate in the Student Experience Project (SEP).
A collaborative of university leaders, faculty, researchers and national education organizations has launched the SEP to put into practice more than a decade of social psychology research demonstrating positive experiences of community, belonging and support on campus and in the classroom can increase a student’s likelihood of persevering through academic challenges toward graduation.
As institutions of higher education enroll more diverse student populations than ever before, national data on college student success reveals the urgent need to design campus environments to foster equitable learning and achievement. While institutions are testing, implementing and scaling innovative practices, they know that student experiences must be transformed to ensure every student has an equal opportunity to graduate.
At four-year institutions, 56.4 percent of students graduate within six years. Another 11.4 percent transfer to another institution and graduate within six years. Completion rates remain significantly lower among students of color, students from low-income households and those who are the first in their family to attend college, who face barriers to entry into college.
“Every student deserves an equal opportunity to graduate. The six universities involved in the Student Experience Project are stepping up to advance a promising and bold new avenue for helping every student achieve a post-secondary degree,” said Shari Garmise, executive director of the Coalition of Urban Serving Universities and vice president for urban initiatives at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, which are jointly providing support for the initiative.
“Research shows that when students experience a sense of belonging and schools provide support in and out of the classroom, they’re more likely to persist through academic challenges and earn their degrees. We have emerging tools and the will to take action to change this,” she added.
In addition to UNC Charlotte, the other participating universities are Colorado State University, University of Colorado Denver, The University of New Mexico, University of Toledo and Portland State University.
The institutions will collaborate on testing, implementing and scaling innovative practices to transform the college student experience and support student success.
The SEP will launch initially with a focus on improving equity in students' experience in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Significant data show that students in STEM fields face unique challenges to feeling a sense of belonging and staying on track academically. Replicable models will be created that can be applied more broadly on campus, for students studying in all fields.
Lisa Walker, associate dean for graduation and advising at UNC Charlotte, said, “Joining the SEP team is allowing me to bring my research to practice in helping to remove the equity gap for underserved students. With the collaboration across campus and institutions, we will be able to set more students up for success.”
The SEP is a partnership between six national education organizations committed to tackling inequities in college education:
- Association of Public and Land-grant Universities////
- Coalition of Urban Serving Universities
- College Transition Collaborative
- Education Counsel
- PERTS
- Shift