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Student Success Faculty Advisory Council

The Student Success Faculty Advisory Council is an integral part of the Division of Student Success and its commitment to enhancing the overall educational experience and future prospects of its students.

Through effective communication, data-driven decision-making, and collaborative efforts with various departments, the Student Success Faculty Advisory Council strives to:

  • Increase undergraduate persistence and graduation rates
  • Eliminate achievement gaps
  • Ensure that graduates are well-prepared for successful careers.

This comprehensive approach reflects the division’s dedication to nurturing the holistic development of its students and maximizing their potential. The success of these efforts will rely on broad staff and faculty engagement and support. To ensure a robust communication and feedback pipeline, we have formed the Student Success Faculty Advisory Council.

The Student Success Faculty Advisory Council will:

  • Advise and provide feedback on critical initiatives facilitated by the Division of Student Success (DSS) on behalf of the university to support division-wide initiatives and engage the faculty community best

Chair: Amber Williams, Vice Provost for Student Success Initiative Representative: Krystyne Savarese, Assistant Vice Provost for Student Success Faculty Membership

    • Scott Barnicle, Associate Professor of Practice of Sport Psychology, College of Education, Health & Human Sciences

    • Lynn Beeler, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Nursing

    • Alex Bentley, Professor of Anthropology, College of Arts & Sciences

    • Eric Boder, Associate Professor, Associate Head, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Tickle College of Engineering

    • Mary Cooper, Assistant Director of Undergraduate Programs, Haslam College of Business

    • David Golden, Professor & Faculty Fellow, Herbert College of Agriculture

    • Guy Harrison, Associate Professor of Journalism, College of Communication & Information

    • Bayyinah Jeffries, Associate Professor & Associate Head of Sociology and Africana Studies, College of Arts & Sciences, Faculty Senate

    • Bill Lyons, Director of Policy Relationships, Baker Center for Public Policy

    • Robert Mindrup, Clinical Associate Professor & Director, College of Social Work

    • Heather Sedges, Affiliated Associate Professor of Child & Family Studies, College of Education, Health & Human Sciences, Faculty Senate

    • Scott Wall, Professor, College of Architecture + Design

    • Caroline Wienhold, Senior Lecturer of Biology, College of Arts & Sciences
    • Kate Shepas, Student Success Librarian for User Experience, University Libraries

    • Appointed faculty members will serve a two-year term (fall 2023-spring 2025)

    • One two-hour launch meeting each fall to provide members an overview of the Division of Student Success, including its reporting units, key performance indicators, and major activities anticipated for the year ahead

    • Quarterly 90-minute advisory meetings with lunch provided

The following initiatives, pending others that arise, will be the focus of the 2023-2024 advisory committee cycle:

    • Student Success Grant program

    • Volunteer Experience Faculty Fellow initiative

    • Vol EDGE program

    • The Thrive Summit

    • Salesforce (Customer Relationship Management) implementation

    • Socialize proposal with Faculty Senate and college leadership for feedback (April 2023)

    • Call for appointments (May 2023)

    • Charge meeting and overview (August/September 2023)

    • Quarterly meetings (2023-2025 academic year)