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