During this year's Student Success Launch, we sought to showcase the Student Success Ecosystem of guiding documents, governance structures, and the committees/groups that focus and drive our efforts with a collaborative and growth-oriented mindset.
In this article, I outline the ways we are intentionally shifting the purpose of some of the campus-level groups that are driving change for student success based on feedback we’ve gathered, clarity as we engage in the work, and to increase transparency and engagement.
Spartan Undergraduate Experience Strategy (SUES) Executive Committee
Purpose and Goals
2024
We started with a goal to enhance the institutional coordination, collaboration, and communication of undergraduate student success projects and initiatives to reform MSU’s practices, processes, and policies so that every undergraduate student can learn, thrive and graduate.
2025
During our first year of discussions, we have started focusing on leading campus change for Spartan student success by addressing complex problems as One MSU. This requires our leaders to align campus policies and practices, financial, human and operational resources, and engage in strategic doing toward shared commitments so that every MSU Undergraduate student learns, thrives, and graduates.
Additional members are joining the work this year, and we appreciate their commitment–
- David Souder, Dean, Broad College of Business
- Cameron Thies, Dean, James Madison College
- Eric Hegg, Dean, College of Natural Science
- Brent Donnellan, Dean, College of Social Science
- Heidi Hennink-Kaminski, Dean, College of Communications, Arts, and Sciences
- Jim Hintz, Vice President for Student Affairs
- J Batt, Vice President and Director of Athletics
- Lisa Frace, Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
- Patricia Martinez, Associate Vice President, Residential Hospitality Services
- Sam Carrell, University Registrar
- Jeremy Van Hof, Director, Center for Teaching and Learning, Operational Area 2 Lead
- Carmen Crist, Assistant Vice President for Marketing Operations, Operational Area 2 Lead
- Jason Beaudin, Executive Director Educational Technology, Operational Area 2 Lead
- Lesa Louch, Assistant Provost Enrollment Services, Operational Area 1 Executive sponsor
Student Success Executive Advisory Committee (SSEAC)
This group is currently being re-envisioned now that updates to the 2030 Strategic Plan have been completed and described in the “Greenprint” shared with all Launch members. Of note, Student Success is the one theme that crosses all the major areas of focus in our strategic plan.
Undergraduate Advice and Deliberation (UGAAD)
Purpose and Goals
2024
Last year, UGAAD (at the time Undergraduate Associate, Assistant Deans, Directors and Partners) was responsible for building a campus community for undergraduate student success that supports an organizational growth mindset about the five opportunity areas for student success. Members were charged with engaging the campus community in understanding and coordinating efforts across five opportunity areas for undergraduate student success through recognition of efforts, updates, and community engagement on important topics.
2025
Keeping the UGAAD acronym, this group will now be referred to at the Undergraduate Advice and Deliberation group building a campus community through collaborative consultation around undergraduate student success that supports an organizational growth mindset for enacting five opportunity areas for success. View UGAAD membership here.
Campus Student Success group (CSSG)
Purpose and Goals
2024
Last year, this group of campus partners gathered monthly to coordinate and prioritize institutional aggregation of all undergraduate student policies, processes, and practices around the five opportunity areas for undergraduate student success.
2025
This fall the group will be addressing spartan student pain points in policies, processes, procedures and practices and plan to engage with SPIRE in AACC to accomplish our goals.
Specifically, CSSG has been discussing policies and procedures around academic holds, late drops, enrollment holds at 56 credits, and the major change process. We will also be exploring other policies related to all five areas of success and considering collaborations that reduce costs while continuing key student experiences.
Five Areas Learning Community
2024
Last year we provided an opportunity for campus colleagues to come together for guidance, suggest changes and additions, and provide general feedback on the five opportunity areas of success and the accompanying Strategy guide. The guide has been updated with those suggestions and changes for 2025-2026.
2025
This year we invite you to join members of a campuswide community that will contribute to new discoveries and refine the institutional commitments and metrics for five opportunity areas of undergraduate success outlined in the Spartan Undergraduate Experience strategy guide. The first meeting was held on Sept. 18, and we invite the campus community to join in conversations led by Maria O’Connell, Laleah Fernandez, Assistant Director Institutional Research, and Rebecca Dean Director of Assessment and Data Analytics, Undergraduate Education. Learn more about the Learning Community.
And these core groups do not operate in isolation but strategically and intentionally collaborated with key decision-making groups:
University Council Undergrad Ed (UCUE)
The University Committee on Undergraduate Education exercises the faculty’s delegated authority on grading policy for undergraduate students and the use of grades and grade point averages for undergraduate admissions and for advancement in or graduation from undergraduate academic programs. UCUE reviews all changes in undergraduate academic programs proposed by academic units and recommends their approval or rejection to the University Committee on Curriculum.
Council of Undergrad Ed Deans (CUED)
Associate Deans for undergraduate programs in the colleges gather, share information, translate information/policy, learn, and advocate and engage the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education to coordinate and collaborate on behalf of undergraduate students.
University Advising Leads (UAL)
UAL serves as a collaborative forum for undergraduate advising leads to identify and resolve issues in various systems, communicate Academic Standing of Undergraduate Students (ASUS) updates each term, and recommend process improvements to UCUE. While not a member of academic governance, UAL holds significant influence in shaping Registrar procedures to enhance advising efficiency and is occasionally consulted on policy proposals affecting student success.
Enrollment Management Operations Group (EMOG)
The Enrollment Management Operations Group brings together functional leads from across the university to foster collaboration, coordination, and shared understanding of the student enrollment experience from admissions through orientation. By providing a forum for open communication, aligning processes, and sharing expertise, the group ensures that operational decisions and practices support a seamless, student-centered enrollment journey while advancing institutional goals.
Retention
Executive Committee on Student Retention (ECSR)
ECSR brings together executive leaders to discuss enrollment and retention data, identify and remove barriers, set retention goals, and reform policies and practices to increase retention and student success.
Council on Undergrad Retention (CUR)
The Council on Undergraduate Retention unites campus partners to address academic, social, financial, and wellness factors influencing retention and student success. The council coordinates and provides leadership for campus wide retention initiatives and leads data-informed efforts to support student persistence and degree completion.