As we know, student success and opportunity are fundamental to the IU 2030 strategic plan. This commitment is at the core of Indiana University’s focus and at the heart of the work of our campuses and the Office of the Vice President for Student Success team. I want to thank each of you for your efforts to advance our shared student success goals; your work is seen and valued, and it makes a difference.

Julie Payne-Kirchmeier. Photo by Wendi Chitwood, Indiana UniversityWhile we have accomplished much this past year for and with our students, we know there is more to do. To that end, the Office of the Vice President for Student Success embarked on a data-informed process to establish priorities for the 2024-25 academic year, guided by proven practices and feedback from many campus-based partners. Based on our collective work, I am pleased to share these priorities with our larger community:

Priority 1: Improve undergraduate academic advising

IU Academic Advising, and our advisors, are truly a cornerstone of student success. We know effective academic advising is correlated with higher levels of retention, academic achievement and timely attainment of a degree. By focusing on coaching training for advisors, streamlining processes, developing critical and consistent expectations, and expanding technology resources for both students and advisors, IU will provide the guidance and support needed to help students successfully navigate their academic journey.

Priority 2: Increase retention of priority populations

IU has long been committed to supporting students from priority populations. Recognizing that students are multifaceted individuals with diverse needs and challenges, we will engage priority populations in proactive advising and mentoring and develop robust intervention tools to provide individualized student support. In this way, we will make progress on becoming a student-ready institution.

Priority 3: Remove barriers to student well-being

We are committed to providing enhanced holistic support services, including increasing student access to and use of financial wellness and mental health resources. Engagement in student life and activities, better use of wellness technology, advancement on the Student Mental Health Initiative, and leverage of our MoneySmarts program are some of the ways in which we will focus our efforts.

Priority 4: Improve academic experience for undergraduate students

At IU, we believe in a robust academic experience for our students. Investing in opportunities that are proven to benefit students academically, reducing administrative difficulties and enhancing high-impact learning opportunities all help students to thrive and progress to degree. Working with our campus partners, we will improve student-facing technology, analyze data, and develop critical procedures and processes designed with students in mind.

Priority 5: Improve student experiences with career development

For all students, their time at IU is a critical part of their career development journey, and our campuses understand this. In partnership with campus career professionals and academic partners, we will increase opportunities for student career growth. Through clear expectations and training for career development teams, creation of student career-related milestones, and leveraging both technology and training for students, we will help students hone critical skills and engage in a career they love.

Progress on each priority is already underway. In the coming months, we will provide updates on our progress on our website, and share information about the impact that progress is having on our students and our community. We also encourage you to subscribe to our biweekly IU Student Success newsletter for highlights of both campus and university-wide work.

We invite every member of our university community —students, faculty, staff, and alumni— to join us in the advancement of these priorities. Student success work is shared across IU, and you are a vital part of it. Please feel free to email me at vpss@iu.edu with any thoughts, reactions or ideas you may have to help us bring them to life. Together, we will create an environment where every student can achieve their fullest potential.

Here’s to a year filled with growth, discovery and endless possibilities for our students and for Indiana University.

Julie Payne-Kirchmeier is Indiana University’s vice president for student success and a professor of practice of higher education and student affairs in the IU School of Education in Bloomington.