Student Success Recommendations from ACE Learner Success Lab Project

Overview

Iowa State University was selected to participate in the American Council on Education's Learner Success Laboratory (LSL). The 12-18-month initiative is an innovative change management process for systems, processes, programs and culture, all aimed at increasing student success. The lab process integrates evidence-based practices for persistence and completion, life design and career exploration, and workforce skills development with the goal of developing a comprehensive strategy for learner success. The lab project fulfilled Iowa State University’s Quality Initiative requirement for the Higher Learning Commission.

Project Scope

The steering committee with the help of six subcommittees completed a comprehensive review of the university's student success initiatives using the lenses of diversity, equity, and inclusion; data-informed curriculum; and agility and transformation. The six subcommittees included: Institutional Commitment and Policy; Leadership and Structure; Curriculum and Co-Curriculum; Mobility; Partnership; and  Faculty and Staff Support.

The committee's final report was shared with Iowa State University senior leadership, and the ACE program lead prior to the peer review by ACE consultants.

Project Steering Committee 2021-2022

  • Shawn Boyne, Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost
  • Jordan Brooks, College of Design
  • Sharron Evans, Dean of Students office
  • Monica Lamm, College of Engineering and Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching faculty fellow
  • Debbie Nistler, Extension and Outreach
  • Jennifer Owens, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Matt Pistilli, Division of Student Affairs
  • Robert Reason, College of Human Sciences
  • Kenyatta Shamburger, Dean of Students office
  • Amy Slagell, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
  • Charles Small, Athletics department
  • Jidong Sun, student in the College of Engineering
  • Howard Tyler, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
  • Katie Whipple, Academic Success Center
  • Kathy Wieland, Ivy College of Business
  • Susan Wohlsdorf-Arendt, College of Human Sciences and Office of the Senior Vice President and Provost faculty fellow
  • Karen Zunkel, Institutional Research

Project Timeline

  • December 2020: Steering Committee Appointed
  • February 2021: Site visits with 17 campus teams completed
  • March 2021-January 2022: Committees collected background data for the Learner Success Audit
  • March 2022: Final recommendations completed and submitted to ACE
  • March 2022: ACE Peer Review Team report submitted to ISU

Next Steps

Recommendations from the Peer Review Team report are being reviewed and integrated with the student success elements of the 2022 ISU Strategic Plan.