Student success is a key element in IUPUI’s strategic plan, with student recruitment, retention, learning, engagement, and timely persistence to degree completion among the key goals and objectives. Meaningful relationships between students and their peers, faculty, and staff members can all contribute to a sense of connectedness and belonging. Active and continual engagement on campus and in the community can also strengthen belonging. Additionally, the ease with which students can navigate processes, resources, and services on campus can determine their overall sense of belonging and satisfaction with IUPUI.
Several existing councils, committees, and offices work on various matters related to student success, and each has a specific role and function. The purpose of this task force was to bring together the perspectives from these entities to focus on the ways in which IUPUI can create a more welcoming campus for students. This occurred by identifying opportunities for greater collaboration across campus, areas of strength that should be continued and expanded, and areas we were not presently addressing but should consider, all for the purposes of strengthening our welcoming campus culture.