T. Chase Hagood, Ph.D.
Vice Provost for Student Success

Dear Colleagues,

As we approach the close of another semester at the University of Utah, I’d like to highlight the important collaboration taking place across campus through the Activate Projects, specifically the ongoing work of Innovating in Course Fill Rates and Monitoring Thresholds. This project is designed to ensure that we optimize resources and meet the needs of our students by taking steps to address critical course demands.

Project Goals:

Data-Informed Decisions: Make decisions about scheduling and resource allocation based on the best data we can analyze.

Timely Interventions: Identify and address issues such as low enrollment or high waitlists promptly.

Collaboration and Communication: Engage regularly with department heads and Associate Deans to foster a collaborative environment.

Enhanced Student Experience: Enhance the overall student experience by ensuring that courses are available and accessible on path to degree(s).

Innovation and Flexibility: Utilize advanced analytics and flexible scheduling practices to adapt to changing student demands.

I encourage all of you to actively lead where you are on this initiative and collaborate with your respective departments to ensure its success. Together, we can make significant strides in improving our course fill rates and, ultimately, greater student success at the U.

As always, Go Utah! 

Chase 

Stories, insights, and experiences from voices across the higher education sector. Join us as we explore what it means to come together to improve student success and innovation.

This project seeks to effectively monitor and innovate in course fill rates at the University of Utah. For the AY 2024-25, thresholds will be tested and acted upon where possible. Robust activity has been taking place on wait lists during the Fall 2024 semester; full implementation is expected for Spring 2025.

The Office of General Education and GECC are excited to award Dr. Elizabeth Dewitte the Excellence in General Education Teaching Award. An Associate Professor in Art and Art History, Dr. Dewitte has shaped curriculum for over 25 years with her inclusive, engaging teaching.

Celebrate her achievements on December 13, 2024, at 10:00 AM in the Sill Center Large Conference Room.

Read more at us.utah.edu. 

Has an advisor made a difference in your time at the U? Nominations for the 2025 Outstanding Academic Advisor Awards are open and can be submitted by staff, faculty and students! 

This year, we will be awarding in three categories:

Outstanding New Advisor (less than 3 years of advising experience) 

Outstanding Experienced Advisor (3+ years of advising experience)

Outstanding Advising Administrator (3+ years as an administrator or director of an advising program) 

Nominations are due on December 8, 2024 by 5pm. 

Connect2Health mobilizes student health advocates to link individuals in our community with resources that address social determinants of health. The program provides students with an impactful volunteering experience where volunteers inform and empower patients to meet their specific needs and gain control over their wellness. The program alleviates the need for future medical services and increases access to wraparound health services.

More information can be found on Connect2Health's website.

Community Engaged Learning held its Annual Civic Leadership Conference in November. The event focused on grounding community engagement in local contexts to unleash societal impact. Students from the U and Salt Lake Community College as well as community members and leaders came together to explore tools and best practices in the field. A panel provided an interactive space to discuss how to authentically value and gain community-based knowledge. The keynote, delivered by Cassie Bingham, Director of the Center for Social Impact at Utah Valley University, offered an opportunity to learn about systems thinking and its applicability to social change. The unanimously positive feedback received was accompanied by a call to expand this event across state institutions and audiences.

Check out the Virtual Undergraduate Research Fall Symposium  which goes live on Friday, December 6 at 9:00 am.  You can view virtual presentations from undergraduate researchers in a variety of fields and disciplines—from the creative and performing arts, humanities, STEM, health and medicine, to the social sciences.

Professor Dolifka called the Navigate Hub for Exploring Students about a student with a challenging grade, ensuring it wouldn’t impact their plan to graduate in a few semesters. It showed incredible kindness and caring for this student.

Jennah has been outstanding as part of the STEMCAP team. She has stepped up in accomplishing a variety of administrative tasks, training new staff, and delivering quality programming to the youth she works with. 

Olivia has been a great mentor and leader for all the Southern Utah Access Advisors. We appreciate her guidance and the new perspectives/ideas she brings to this program.

Nicole is an amazing resource for Undergraduate Studies. It is no easy feat being the person overseeing budgets and supporting the needs of the Vice Provost's office. Thanks to Nicole whenever my team has a question or an issue arises, we can count on her support.

During this most recent round of suspension appeals, Madi really stepped up and went above and beyond in helping with post-decision processing steps. Madi's attention to detail and skillset is extremely valuable to our department and our students.

Andy is someone who leads while interacting as a peer, who strikes an excellent balance between being supportive and providing meaningful challenges, creating opportunities for everyone on his team to contribute to something important in a way that is suited to them.

Megan and I have been working together for about a year now and I am constantly in awe of how hard she works, how determined she is, and her commitment to our communities. She has a collaborative heart and strong work ethic.

Though fairly new in her role, managing a fairly new program, Karen has been incredibly helpful, patient, and consistent in her care for Learn+Earn and care for the student experience as it relates to that program. She is a ray of light and is always fun to chat with. 

I've made a lot of program webpage requests in the past few months so that our websites reflected some considerable organizational change and she has been so responsive! She is a collaborative colleague and helps making navigation of the web request process easier. So grateful for her!

Shelby came to Success Week last month to table with the Navigate Hub for Exploring Students and ended up helping with everything else too. Shelby not only worked at her table but also distributed donuts and pizza while continually engaging students walking past the event.

Rosie brings a bright light with her to work every day. Rosie’s consistency, dependability, and chill demeanor make her easy to approach and talk to. These qualities make her a stand out advisor to the students she serves and the colleagues lucky enough to work with Rosie.

Tressa has managed all aspects of AI-enabled student communication and several student interns.  She is willing to learn new technology, adapt quickly to new AI capabilities, and guide us to a strategic student-focused communication plan.

 David is an invaluable asset to the Navigate Hub for Exploring Students! His exceptional organizational skills and deep understanding of processes keep everything running smoothly. His forward-thinking approach and willingness to share his expertise make a positive impact!

Elena is truly the backbone of our HR support! As our dedicated liaison, she expertly handles an impressive volume of staff and student hires with unmatched knowledge and skill. We are beyond lucky to have her on our team, making every process smoother and more efficient!

Jill’s unwavering advocacy for students and her calm, reassuring presence make her a true champion for those navigating their path. Jill goes above and beyond to help students find their footing and achieve their goals, and her dedication shines through in every success story.

Rocio is an incredible asset to Undergraduate Studies through her work with Connect2Health! She jumped in from day one, working seamlessly with students and partners alike. Her dedication, positive energy, and can-do attitude make her an absolute standout on our team!

Creative Content Specialist, Office of Undergraduate Studies

Hana Gardner comes to the University of Utah from Los Angeles, CA. She is in her junior year and is a Film and Media Studies major in the College of Fine Arts. Hana has loved filmmaking for her entire life and she is excited for the opportunity to be able to combine that passion with her new found love for creative social media production.

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