There’s a new resource on campus to address perceived systemic barriers to student success.
The Rocket Roundtable brings together multiple University offices to collaboratively address systemic issues of concern and reduce barriers for students. Members of the committee include representatives from academic and student affairs, admissions, academic advising, financial aid, registrar’s office, students and faculty.
“Bringing together representatives from these different areas has multiple advantages,” said Angela Paprocki, vice provost and chief of academic operations at the University. “We can quickly triage barriers to success that span multiple functional areas, while also learning how action in one office impacts another. Hopefully having that operational knowledge will help us proactively avoid conflicts before they become barriers for students in the future.”
The committee addresses all aspects of the student lifecycle at UToledo, focusing on a handful of topical areas, including:
• Academic Progression: Ensuring that academic advising, course availability and academic support and policies drive student success.
• Financial Support: Applying financial aid, scholarships and other financial strategies to maximize financial wellness and student success.
• Student Engagement: Enhancing student involvement in campus life, extracurricular activities and student organizations that support retention, persistence and completion.
• Retention and Graduation: Identifying and mitigating factors that may prevent students from completing their degrees.
• Recruitment and Admissions: Addressing barriers related to student recruitment and the admissions process through our continued efforts related to the University’s Strategic Enrollment Plan.
• Post-Graduation Support: Ensuring students are prepared for their careers or further education upon graduation.
“We realize most of the barriers our students face relate to these six categories, but we recognize the need and want to hear from our students and their families. We also encourage our staff and faculty, who support our students, to connect with us to ensure we’re getting a clear picture of the challenges that impact the success of our students,” Paprocki said.
Campus stakeholders, community members such as high school teachers and counselors, or parents and family members can submit concerns using the form on the Rocket Roundtable webpage.
Rocket Roundtable meets monthly to review and address systemic concerns referred to the committee from University stakeholders. All concerns will be addressed. Those found not to be systemic in nature will be sent to the appropriate individual/department for resolution. The group also will be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the Academic Success and Engagement Plan.
