The Strategic Student Success Initiatives (SSSI) Project Management Group provides coordinated leadership and support for Michigan State University’s student success portfolio. The group brings together executive sponsors, project leads, strategy, assessment, and communications partners to align initiatives, clarify expectations, and remove barriers to progress.
Through shared planning, assessment, and cross-project collaboration, the group strengthens connections across initiatives, supports learning through iteration, and promotes transparency and accountability in project execution. The goal is to ensure that individual efforts collectively advance MSU’s student success strategy while recognizing progress at every stage of the work.
Vision
The SSSI Project Management Group envisions an integrated, collaborative student success ecosystem where projects are aligned, barriers are addressed early, and learning is shared across teams.
Guided by MSU’s values and a growth-oriented mindset, the group emphasizes equity, clarity in project management, inclusive engagement, and continuous improvement - advancing meaningful and sustainable improvements in undergraduate student success across the university.
Current Initiatives
MSU Learning Goals
The university’s Undergraduate Learning Goals (ULGs) were last revised more than 15 years ago. Since then, the landscape of higher education has shifted dramatically, driven by rapid technological change, evolving workforce expectations, and a growing imperative to define the distinctive value of an MSU degree. Today, we face the challenge of articulating a more current, coherent, and compelling set of learning outcomes that reflect the knowledge, skills, and capacities our graduates need to thrive.
Academic Standing
The purpose of this project is updating the ASUS policy, identifying early‑warning data points for timely outreach, and reviewing current monitored intervention practices. These components will guide a coordinated intervention plan that advances an equitable and proactive support system for MSU undergraduates.
Purpose
The purpose of this project is to update the Academic Standing of Undergraduate Students (ASUS) policy, identify early warning data points that enable timely outreach, and review current monitoring intervention practices. Together, these components will inform a coordinated plan that strengthens an equitable and proactive support system for MSU undergraduates.
This project has three working groups:
- Working group 1: Early Warning
- Working group 2: ASUS Policy and Procedure
- Working group 3: Monitored Interventions and Outreach
Goals
The goals on this project are to reduce the number of students placed on academic probation, recess, or dismissal through clearer policies and stronger proactive support.:
- Improve early‑warning system to be more effectively identify students who may be at academic risk before their GPA drops below 2.0.
- Improve outreach and communication practices that help students navigate challenges and connect with resources earlier.
- Clarify and strengthen the university’s Academic Standing (ASUS) policies and processes so they are consistent, easy to understand, and student centered.
- Gain a deeper understanding of coordinated, monitored intervention strategies across colleges to develop recommendations for a universal monitored intervention pilot for undergraduate students.
Timeline
Spring 2026
Early Warning:
- Submit a report outlining early warning system options, including strengths, weaknesses, pricing, and implementation considerations, for leadership review and decision-making.
- Develop recommendations for faculty and staff reporting guidelines informed by analysis of existing interventions, best practices, and benchmarking with peer institutions.
ASUS Policy & Procedure:
- Proceed through the SPIRE protocol for policy updates with proposed language revisions, based on feedback from stakeholder groups.
Monitored Interventions & Outreach:
- Complete data analysis of various monitored interventions for students on probation across MSU.
- Begin drafting the final report and recommendations for a universal monitored intervention pilot for the 2026–2027 academic year, informed by academic probation outcomes.
Summer 2026 and Beyond
ASUS Policy & Procedure:
- Review and revise ASUS terminology to replace outdated, punitive language with student-centered wording, following academic governance procedures (timeline pending AACC priorities).
- Launch a coordinated communication strategy to share policy changes with the campus community, integrated with broader Academic Standing project messaging to reinforce alignment and transparency.
Monitored Interventions & Outreach:
- Complete the final report and recommendations for a universal monitored intervention pilot for the 2026–2027 academic year based on analysis of academic probation outcomes.
Project Lead(s)
- Project Lead: Maria O’Connell
- Project Stream – Early Warning (Lead): Talitha Wimberly
- Project Stream – ASUS Policy & Procedure (Lead): Debra Thornton
- Project Stream – Monitored Intervention (Co-Lead): Justin St. Charles and Danielle Flores Lopez
Contact
- Maria O’Connell (jacomema@msu.edu), Project Lead
Spartan Success Center
The purpose of the Spartan Success Center initiative is to define and advance a shared vision for a centralized student success space that supports meaningful connections and a consistent student experience, aligned with university-wide student success goals, the 2030 Strategic Plan, Presidential Initiatives, and the Five Opportunity Areas of Student Success.
Purpose
The purpose of the Spartan Success Center initiative is to define and advance a shared vision for a centralized student success space that supports meaningful connections and a consistent student experience, aligned with university-wide student success goals, the 2030 Strategic Plan, Presidential Initiatives, and the Five Opportunity Areas of Student Success.
Goals
- Define the desired student experience when students enter the Spartan Success Center
- Establish shared expectations, scope, and deliverables for the visioning work
- Engage cross-functional stakeholders through structured discussion, reflection, and feedback
- Inform future planning through benchmarking of national Student Success Center models and student input
Timeline
- Fall 2025-Fall 2026 (Opening Spring 2027)
Project Lead(s)
- Executive Sponsor: Renata Opoczynski
- Project Lead: Christina Bridges
- Project Lead: Heather Shea
Contact
- Christina Bridges (bridgec3@msu.edu), Project Lead
- Heather Shea (hshea@msu.edu), Project Lead
Transfer Student Success Initiative
The Transfer Student Success Initiative encompasses six workstreams designed to ensure students starting at other institutions can seamlessly transition to MSU, foster accessibility, opportunity, and equality for all Michiganders.
Purpose
The Transfer Student Success Initiative encompasses six workstreams designed to ensure students starting at other institutions can seamlessly transition to MSU, foster accessibility, opportunity, and equality for all Michiganders.
Goals
- Improve credit evaluation
- Expand Envision Green
- Make MSU a transfer friendly institution
Timeline
- January 2024-July 2027
Project Lead(s)
- Project Director: Portia Watkins
- Operational Excellence Lead: Lesa Louch
- Envision Green Lead: Laura Wise
- Transfer Student Success Center Lead: Charles Jackson
- Academic Mapping Leads: Becky Keogh and Kari Stone-Sewalish
- Credit for Prior Learning Leads: Sara Barnwell and Justin St. Charles
- Communications Leads: Jessica Livingston and Kristina Beatty
Contact Info
- Kristina Baas (BaasK@msu.edu), Project Manager
Undergraduate Course Scheduling Reform
This university-wide initiative ensures students can access the courses they need to maximize students’ ability to complete their degree efficiently, while optimizing structural capacity, specifically Room Utilization Rate (RUR) and Seat Occupancy Rate (SOR). The plan aligns with national benchmarks and applies SUES principles: equity, student-centeredness, data-informed decision-making, institutional thinking, transparency, and progressive improvement.
Purpose
This university-wide initiative ensures students can access the courses they need to maximize students’ ability to complete their degree efficiently, while optimizing structural capacity, specifically Room Utilization Rate (RUR) and Seat Occupancy Rate (SOR). The plan aligns with national benchmarks and applies SUES principles: equity, student-centeredness, data-informed decision-making, institutional thinking, transparency, and progressive improvement.
Goals
- Gain a clear understanding of room scheduling policy, utilization and course availability through the examination of available data sources.
- Gain a clear understanding of the current-state course scheduling process and areas for improvement.
- Better understand the customer experience by engaging with students, advisors, faculty schedulers, and other stakeholders.
- Identify quick, short-term adjustments to be implemented to improve course scheduling.
Timeline
- June 19, 2025-March 6, 2026
Project Lead(s)
- Project Lead: Lynmarie Posey
- Current Process and Policy Workstream Lead: Zach Reichard
- Room Scheduling Practices and Room Utilization Workstream Lead: Susan Richter
- Stakeholder Experience Workstream Leads: Ebony Green, Lynmarie Posey
Contact
- Lynmarie Posey (poseyl@msu.edu), Project Lead
- Annette McLane (mclane@msu.edu), Project Manager
Undergraduate Digital Experience
This project will establish a student-centered framework and roadmap for creating a unified digital experience for undergraduate students, spanning from enrolment through graduation. The effort will focus on gaining a deep understanding of student needs and expectations while actively engaging faculty and staff to ensure alignment and support.
Purpose
This project will establish a student-centered framework and roadmap for creating a unified digital experience for undergraduate students, spanning from enrolment through graduation. The effort will focus on gaining a deep understanding of student needs and expectations while actively engaging faculty and staff to ensure alignment and support. It will include inventorying existing content, data, and systems, as well as mapping the student journey through current platforms to identify gaps, redundancies, and pain points. Additionally, the project will assess technical feasibility for integration and improvement, culminating in the delivery of actionable recommendations for Phase 2 implementation.
Goals
- Deliverable is a future state map of the undergraduate digital experience and recommendations for implementation in a separate project.
Timeline
- January 1, 2026-June 30, 2026
Project Lead(s)
- Jason Beaudin
- Carmen Crist
- Jeremy Van Hof
Contact Info
- Kristina Baas, BaasK@msu.edu, Project Manager
Strategic Retention Initiatives
The Strategic Retention Unit emphasizes proactive approaches to retention and persistence. Through intentional policies, practices, programs, and supports, they strive to create an inclusive environment where all students can succeed.
Completed Initiatives
Lansing Spartan Scholars
The Lansing Spartan Scholars (LSS) Program is a presidential initiative led by the Office of Undergraduate Education at Michigan State University. It is committed to expanding pathways from Lansing to MSU by increasing access to higher education through multiple routes- including direct enrollment from high school and transfer opportunities from community colleges and universities - and supporting scholars’ success through academic, social, and career-focused resources.
Purpose
The Lansing Spartan Scholars (LSS) Program is a presidential initiative led by the Office of Undergraduate Education at Michigan State University. It is committed to expanding pathways from Lansing to MSU by increasing access to higher education through multiple routes- including direct enrollment from high school and transfer opportunities from community colleges and universities - and supporting scholars’ success through academic, social, and career-focused resources.
Goals
- Provide a comprehensive support system to help Lansing-area students thrive academically and socially at MSU.
- Support academic and career readiness through seminars (e.g., UGS 110 and UGS 201) and experiential learning opportunities.
- Foster inclusive community and belonging among Lansing Spartan Scholars.
- Expand access to high-impact experiences such as internships, service-learning, leadership development, and research opportunities tailored to students’ goals.
Program Lead(s)
- Project Co-Lead: Jared Stratz
- Project Co-Lead: Dr. Joy Hannibal
Current Initiative Lead
- Cece Sumpter, Program Director
Contact
Request On-boarding
Project Management Process
SSSI Team
Executive Sponsors
Vice Provost and Dean of Undergraduate Education
Assistant Provost, Undergraduate Student Success
Project Management Team
Associate Dean, Student Success Strategic Initiatives
Project Manager – Strategic Student Success Initiatives, Undergraduate Education
Contact
Michigan State University
426 Auditorium Road
Room 345
East Lansing, MI 48824
(517) 353-5380