Student Success Leaders Worry About Affordability, AI, DEI

"After yet another rocky year for higher education, student success administrators retain high confidence in their institution's core mission: Some 95 percent rate the quality of undergraduate education delivered as good or excellent. Most student success administrators (85 percent) also report strong feelings of connection to students served, and nearly as many say they're satisfied in their roles."

"Selecting up to three options from a longer list, administrators cite mental health challenges (51 percent describe this as a top challenge), financial constraints (49 percent) and lack of adequate preparation before college (48 percent) as the top barriers to student success at their institution. Community college leaders are disproportionately concerned about students needing to work while enrolled (67 percent). Just about half of all administrators believe their institution is highly responsive to student needs for flexibility."

Student success administrators express strong confidence in their institution's core mission, with 95 percent rating undergraduate education as good or excellent. Eighty-five percent report strong feelings of connection to students, and nearly as many say they are satisfied in their roles. Administrators identify mental health challenges (51 percent), financial constraints (49 percent) and inadequate preparation before college (48 percent) as the leading barriers to student success; community college leaders especially cite students needing to work while enrolled (67 percent). About half view institutions as highly responsive to flexibility needs. Sixty-one percent see strong prioritization of student success, but only 35 percent report high effectiveness using student success data to drive decisions, leaving a gap between aspiration and data-driven change. NASPA leaders flag translating dashboard data into actionable insights as a top institutional issue alongside cyberthreats and political pressures.

Read at Inside Higher Ed | Higher Education News, Events and Jobs