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Building Movements Scaling proven ideas across the nation
Initiatives
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Transforming Institutions Bringing leaders together to redesign systems
Every student’s journey to a degree is different. Because of their diverse backgrounds, demands outside of school, and unique talents and abilities, every student must chart their own path to graduation. Institutions committed to student success are doing everything they can to provide wraparound supports that meet basic needs so nothing gets in the way of a student’s goals.
Problem
Certain populations of students—especially low-income, first generation, and Black and Latinx students—experience hardships at a higher rate. From food insecurity to childcare to financial constraints, students can find themselves juggling huge burdens outside the classroom. Many institutions are not equipped to proactively identify and meet these needs.
~60%
of college students experience basic needs insecurity
48%
of college students are parents of dependent children—over 40% of whom are single mothers
1,200
students are assigned to just one advisor at many broad-access colleges
Strategies
Active Academic Support
Provide students with programs and services to help them develop the academic skills needed to be successful.
Proactive Advising
Require advisors to take a preemptive approach that anticipates and helps eliminate concerns, roadblocks, and barriers affecting student success. Through strategic and consistent outreach, ensure advisors are a resource for students, working with them to create a holistic plan for a timely graduation.
360° Coaching
Provide students with a designated coach to contact whenever issues arise in and outside of the classroom. Train coaches to work with students to find answers, identify appropriate resources, and advocate or intervene on their behalf.
Student Basic Needs Support
Ensure that students have access to food, housing, childcare, physical and mental health services, financial assistance, and transportation.
NACADA Academic Support Resource List
Resources compiled by NACADA for advisors looking to help students get the information, resources or skills to be successful.
Proactive Advising Planning
An essential component of a GPS Direct system is an advising protocol. Use this protocol checklist and template to ensure effective advising at your institution.
Academic Advising Today
Academic Advising Today is the quarterly electronic publication (e-zine) of NACADA: The Global Community for Academic Advising. It exists to provide a venue for sharing of advising experiences and discussion of ideas related to the theory and practice of academic advising in higher education.
NACADA Academic Coaching Resource List
Resources that highlight NACADA member written articles, external resources/articles, institutions that have coaching programs, vendors that sell coaching software and some ways to become certified as a coach.
Postsecondary Pathways Out of Poverty: City University of New York Accelerated Study in Associate Programs and the Case for National Policy
CUNY ASAP has been shown to have large positive effects on associate degree graduation rates and to cost less per graduate than regular college services.
Alliance Highlights
Learn from CCA's Content Experts
CCA has connections to dozens of higher-ed professionals with experience shaping policy, perspective, and practice for the benefit of their states, institutions—and students.
