Fueling student success and opportunity
IU Indianapolis student success statement
Student success impacts how we structure our programs, design our curricula, and position ourselves to respond to the evolving demands of the workforce in central Indiana and beyond. Metrics to assess progress toward our goals will be benchmarked against our urban peers and will include enrollment, retention rates, four- and six-year graduation rates, career outcomes, social mobility indices, and reductions in the cohort loan default rate.
Goal 1: Strengthen student enrollment
IU Indianapolis must broaden and diversify key strategies aimed at stabilizing and expanding undergraduate and graduate enrollments through improved retention, relevant academic programs, and effective financial aid leveraging strategies.
- Academic offerings. Promote quality, variety, and versatility of current academic programs and develop offerings to serve students (including transfer students) and the community.
- Educational value. Develop recruitment strategies, business partnerships, and practices that link the value of higher education with workforce demands.
- Financial aid support. Develop a broad financial aid strategy, integrated with school scholarship support.
- Access and equity. Enhance recruitment and yield strategies that elevate access and equity among historically marginalized populations leading to increased enrollment.
- School partnerships. Strengthen the partnership between the School of Science and the School of Medicine to enhance learning and boost student exposure to cutting-edge research.
- Computer science programs. Create new computer science programs at Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering – Indianapolis.
- Increase the percentage of students receiving need-based aid to 58%. This was 54.4% as of spring 2023.
- Decrease the average unmet financial need (excluding loans and work-study) for in-state undergraduate first-degree-seeking students.
- Increase the percentage of historically marginalized student enrollment to 45%. This was 38.6% as of spring 2023.
- Create a program that will offer qualifying students in the School of Science a direct pathway to enrollment in the School of Medicine.
- Develop increased capacity for undergraduates, master’s, and PhD computer science students at Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering – Indianapolis by 2030.
- Establish a formal process for non-degree enrollment of working professionals via enrollment partnerships.
Goal 2: Increase retention and graduation rates
Enhancing retention and improving on-time graduation at IU Indianapolis will strengthen student enrollments, improve affordability for our students, and ultimately support our state through the contributions of our graduates to the workforce.
- First-year experience. Provide a consistently high-quality, first-year experience to help students build a solid foundation for their future studies and to create a sense of belonging.
- College costs. Strategically leverage institutional aid to reduce unmet financial needs and expand opportunities for student employment and paid student internships to help students manage the cost of college as they progress toward their degree goals.
- Workforce demands. Develop, update, and enhance degree programs to meet workforce demands.
- Flexible learning. Support student retention by meeting students where they are through online and hybrid learning options.
- Holistic support. Ensure continued holistic support for each student as they persist to timely degree completion.
- Inclusive teaching. Enhance curricula, pedagogy, and inclusive teaching practices to engage students and accommodate different learning styles.
- Academic access. Eliminate barriers to student success and improve processes, particularly in academic advising.
- Experiential learning. Integrate high-impact practice experiences, including experiential learning, into curricular and cocurricular programs for all undergraduate students.
- Student well-being. Promote student wellness, safety, and mental well-being.
- Increase four- and six-year graduation rates to the top 25% of the peer group.
- Increase retention rate for first-year, full-time students to the top 25% of the peer group.
- Increase the number of STEM graduates and other high-demand fields by 10% to support the state’s growth. This was 782 degrees in Indiana Commission for Higher Education (ICHE) high-impact fields in the fiscal year 21-22.
- Decrease DFW rates (students who withdraw from or receive a D or F in a course) with no equity gaps by race, first-generation status, or income level in 80% of course selections at the 100 and 200 levels. This was 38% as of spring 2023.
- Ensure degree programs are aligned and continually updated by 2030 as a part of the program review cycle for quality and viability.
- Decrease the average debt of undergraduates by 10%. This was at $25,806 as of spring 2023.
- Increase enrollment in online or hybrid programs by 10%. This was at 1,999 as of spring 2023.
- Embed experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, service learning, research) into 100% of undergraduate degree programs.
- Implement timely and effective use of the Student Engagement Roster by instructors teaching 100- and 200-level courses. As of spring 2023, 49.9% of instructors use it.
- Increase student participation in proactive advising (weeks 2-7 of the semester) and strategically targeted appointment campaigns by advisors, particularly among students at risk for attrition.
- Improve student awareness of student mental health services based on periodic system-wide student surveys.
Goal 3: Bolster graduate and professional education
Graduate and professional students add immeasurably to the campus community through their research, student leadership, graduate teaching, and other activities. Bolstering recruitment, enrollment, and support of graduate and professional students at IU Indianapolis will enhance our campus’s reputation, strengthen our research programs, and further energize our intellectual community.
- Enrollment growth. Grow enrollments in graduate programs at or above IU Indianapolis’ peer institutions to strengthen research and attract top students and faculty who will build a vibrant academic community.
- Graduate student outcomes. Increase student retention and degree completion on par with IU Indianapolis’ peer institutions, with a focus on providing student support and professional development.
- Accelerated degree programs. Align curricular offerings with workforce demands with a particular focus on accelerated degree programs.
- Increase degree completion in the top 30% of the peer group for master’s and doctoral degrees with an emphasis on doctoral programs.
- Improve doctoral retention rate to 92%. It is currently 88%.
- Improve graduation rates in doctoral-research-level programs by 5%.
- Increase enrollment at IU Indianapolis in master’s degrees and doctoral research programs by 5%.
- Increase the number of master’s and doctoral program degrees conferred from the School of Science and Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering – Indianapolis by 10%.
Goal 4: Improve equity and inclusion across the student experience
IU Indianapolis enrolls one of the most diverse student populations in the state, with equity and inclusion undergirding everything we do. It is critical to prioritize equity and inclusion as we make strategic decisions about the student experience. This will benefit all students and the expanded diversity of the student body will contribute to the excellence of our campus.
- Inclusive culture. Ensure all students experience a welcoming and inclusive campus culture.
- Cultural competency. Foster cultural competency among faculty to build a more inclusive learning experience.
- Strengthening equity. Boost participation in experiential learning opportunities for students from historically marginalized groups to help close the achievement gap, build confidence and resilience, and provide a sense of belonging.
- Student support. Lead peer institutions in terms of mental health, wellness, and adaptive educational experiences to help ensure students are better equipped to manage the demands of academic life.
- Increase a sense of belonging among the student body as measured by campus climate survey, National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), and/or others.
- Increase the number of tenure-track promotions with a diversity, equity, and inclusion pathway.
- Embed experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, service learning, research) into 100% of undergraduate degree programs.
- Increase the percentage of students using health and wellness programming as well as Accessible Educational Services.
Goal 5: Enhance undergraduate career outcomes
The earnings gap between college graduates and those with less education continues to widen. It is critical to ensure that IU Indianapolis students are adequately prepared with the skills and knowledge to meet the workforce needs of the communities they will serve, preparing them for success in their chosen careers.
- Comprehensive career support. Provide wide-ranging career services as outlined by the Council of Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS) to all students regardless of major or school to prepare them for the job market and help them make informed decisions about future careers.
- Social mobility and career outcomes. Expand career development support for Pell-eligible, 21st Century Scholars, and first-generation students to improve social mobility and career outcomes.
- Career readiness. Ensure all degree programs include integrated experiential learning experiences to help students become more career-ready and competitive in the job market.
- Strategic relationships. Engage in strategic employer relationship cultivation and management to support student career success.
- Increase positive career outcomes of all graduates to 90%, including Pell-eligible, 21st Century Scholars, and first-generation students, as reflected in the First Destination Survey. As of spring 2023, this is at 86% for all bachelor’s degree recipients, 83% for bachelor’s recipients receiving a Pell Grant, 86% for bachelor’s recipients who were 21st Century Scholars, and 84% for first-generation bachelor’s degree recipients.
- Embed experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, service learning, research) into 100% of undergraduate degree programs.
- Increase engagement with employer partners year-over-year as measured by the Career Services Council Annual Metrics Reporting Form.
IU Indianapolis
Office of the Chancellor
University Hall, Suite 5010
301 University Blvd
Indianapolis,
IN
46202
USA