The University of Tennessee, Knoxville’s, Vice Provost for Student Success Amber Williams and Vice Chancellor for Student Life Frank Cuevas were moderator and featured speaker, respectively, for the panel “Aligning Student and Institutional Definitions of Success.”

Sharing the stage with Brianne Frazier, director of student engagement and success at Arizona State University Online, Jessie Wang, assistant dean of student success and access at East Tennessee State University, and Sharon Duffy, assistant vice president for student success at Emerson College, the panel discussed the results of a survey by TimelyCare stating “three in five college students define success by their GPA.” 

The panelists pointed out that student success is defined differently based on an institution and its campus climate. Cuevas defined student success at UT as mattering, belonging, and having a sense of community and that investing in these components is beneficial to student retention. Other colleges use similar language through holistic definitions that can apply directly to the needs of different departments on campus. 

Reflecting on the conference’s previously discussed topics, Dr. Williams concluded that in addition to those components, student success can include consideration of the outcomes students receive from the support and resources universities provide. She mentioned how faculty can be involved in supporting positive student outcomes as they engage with students the most through classes and office hours. 

“Faculty is the frontline of student success,” said Wang.  

The panel also discussed how outcomes and data are important for understanding if initiatives are succeeding and what the next steps are if they are not. They specifically noted how demonstrating the effectiveness of strategic actions and learning what student groups are engaging is crucial to deciphering if they benefit the student and allow them to stay the four years and that qualitative measurement is as important as quantitative to understand how ideas positively impact students. 

Frazier recognizes that programming is a key aspect of fostering belonging for all students and, as an institution that focuses on untraditional college students, she knows the importance creating the sense of belonging among students who may not interact with classmates in the traditional manner. 

Frazier went on to reference a quote from UT Student Body President Dante Grayson, “It’s hard to make a small university feel big. But you can make a big university feel small,” as a sentiment she will take with her into work.