University Task Forces

Presidential Task Force on Student Success

The following goals and strategies will be implemented and in some cases completed during Phase One.

GOAL 1 - Increasing Student Retention & Academic success at NIU

Goal 1A - Develop centralized coordination of student academic support functions

• Explore establishing a portal through which students can be referred to existing services
• Establish formal on-going programming throughout the academic year to address issues of student transition and success
  • Pilot the development of a “mid-semester check” program (fall and spring) to offer programming to students directed at development of critical skills (time management, financial literacy, study habits, etc.)

Goal 1B - Enhance enrollment management strategies to impact the makeup and characteristics of incoming class and attract and retain well-prepared students to match the mission and resource capabilities of NIU

• Share enrollment and retention data with key stakeholder
• Develop programs, with the Office of Admissions, colleges, departments and programs to improve the yield of admitted students by 2%
• Develop marketing strategies to sustain enrollment
• Develop campus visit programs for high-ability students
• Develop enrollment management program for recruitment of freshmen and transfer students
• Develop strategies to improve retention
• Initiate Pre-Collegiate Program to prepare, recruit, and enroll students from under-served populations
• Improve the success of Latino students
  • Outreach to area high schools and middle schools with programming to promote academic success and college planning
  • Develop campus visit programs for Latino students from area high schools
  • Develop Spanish version of financial aid materials
  • Hire a transfer recruiter and admissions counselor to focus on recruitment of African American and Latino students
  • Establish a campus committee to develop a plan for recruitment and retention of Latino students

Goal 1C - Develop a process to indentify students at risk and initiate early interventions to aid student success

• Expand existing early alert programs
• Pilot standardized early alert mechanisms

Goal 1D - Develop a coordinate system of developmental advising for undecided students and students who may be moving towards academic difficulty

• Pilot an advising summit to bring together advisors from across campus to develop issues to be addressed

Increasing the Positive Culture of NIU

Goal 2A – Highlight the principles of and ideals inherent in the NIU mission and integrate the throughout all services to students

• Incorporate a consistent, campus-wide focus on providing exceptional service that communicates that NIU values students
• Participate in the Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year

Goal 2B – Foster a sense of unity and pride in being a part of the NIU community as a student, member of the faculty or staff

• Identify and analyze faculty, staff and student perceptions of NIU
• Develop ad hoc committee to conduct a request for proposals geared toward fostering a sense of unity and pride

Presidential Task Force on Curricular Innovations

The following goals and strategies will be implemented and in some cases completed during Phase One.

Actively Engage Students in Their Own Learning

Goal 3.1 – Increase high impact engaged learning activities

• Catalog existing high impact engaged learning activities being offered at NIU
• Re-join the College Compact
• Seek Carnegie Foundation Community Engagement Classification
• Participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
• Investigate establishing formal service learning activities
• Fund undergraduate student research opportunities (USOAR)
• Increase departmental participation in Honors Programming
• Increase opportunities for students to participate in study away experience
• Develop pilot learning communities

Goal 3.2 – Develop and implement a significantly enhanced General Education program

• Engage the campus in a review the NIU baccalaureate goals

Goal 3.3 – Develop approaches to best support a collaborative learning/teaching environment

• Begin targeted discussions exploring the establishment of learning communities within the general education curriculum.