Student Success

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Academic Planning For Equitable Success

Program Status: Monitor/Assess

Ad Astra+AASCU will provide an opportunity to engage with colleagues from other schools who are interested in improving their approach to creating balanced, effective course schedules. It provides an opportunity to learn and discuss best practices and solutions. In addition, Ad Astra will provide technical and data analysis assistance in helping PSU and other participating institutions address this barrier through a process of preparing, reflecting, prioritizing, acting, and monitoring. The main goal of the Academic Planning for Equitable Success project is to address the course schedule barrier, close equity gaps, maximize resources, and improve efficiencies. This project is largely a discovery of the ways we might improve PSU scheduling from a student-centered lens. 

Accomplished

  • The team reviewed the initial benchmark data from AASCU and identified a list of 6 potential academic planning and scheduling recommendations. 
  • The team further analyzed the list of recommendations, considering both resources and impact in order to prioritize them. 
  • Initial recommendation for Time Grid Revitalization was implemented for Fall 2025
  • Initial recommendation for Degree Planner software transitioned to a new project with College Source uAcheive Degree Planner tool.

In Progress

  • AASCU is updating a few pieces of the benchmark analysis based on our feedback. They will send another round of updated data, and then the team will solidify the recommendations and share them with the Provost and campus community as a whole. 
  • Initial recommendation to expand usage of Waitlists has resulted in workgroup developing a Universal Waitlist policy for Fall 2025. 
  • The current APLES project received a 5 month extension through August 31, 2025
  • Katherine Barich will attend AASCU conference sessions for APLES on behalf of PSU

Project Team

Executive Sponsor: Shelly Chabon
Leads: Katherine Barich
Project Coordinator: Mikky Bell
Team: Deb Arthur, Nicolle DuPont, Andrea Garrity, Michelle Giovannozzi, Mark Jones, Beatriz Lafferriere, Amy Mulkerin, Vicki Reitenauer, Pronoy Rai, Jacob Suher, Karenna Wait, Lindsey Wilkinson, Eki Yandall
Collaborators: Office of Information Technology, Registrar's Office, Office of Student Success