reply to the following discussion post

What is the concept of the student-ready college so important?

The concept of the student-ready college is important for many reasons. Competition across institutions for enrollment is perhaps at its steepest point. Data from the National Center for Education Statistics, for instance, indicates that the immediate college enrollment rate, the annual percentage of high school completers who are enrolled in either two- or four-year institutions by October of the year of their graduation, fell from 68% in 2010 to 62% in 2021 (n. d.). Workforce needs also mean students have the opportunity to begin earning a livable wage without an educational credential. These reasons exacerbate the competition amongst institutions for students, and so being a student-ready college is vital to an institutions success. Another reason it is important for institutions to be student-ready is that college going students are increasingly becoming more diverse (McNair et al., 2022). As Dr. Bakken (2023) mentioned in his lecture this week, there has been a vast increase in the percentage of students who come to higher education as non-traditional students. These students have different needs than students who matriculate to higher education immediately upon high school graduation. McNair et al. (2022) note that student ready institutions take an intentional, systemic, holistic, and transformative approach to ensuring student learning and ensuring that every student receives what is needed to be successful (p. 6). Thus, it is important for institutions to evolve in order to support the diverse nature of students pursuing and enrolling in higher education today.

Who needs to be involved for this transition to happen?

In order for an institution to transition to a student-ready college, everyone needs to be involved. Campus leaders must ensure that campus values are aligned with being student-ready, and collaboration is required. McNair et al. (2022) note how important it is for leadership to stand firmly in support of the values necessary to be student-ready (p. 40). It is also important to understand the time this may take and the potential challenges involved. In addition to leadership, faculty and staff must also make a conscious effort to engage in the wider institution effort to be student-ready. The role of faculty is especially critical given the need to ensure equity and culturally relevant teaching practices so that all students can succeed. Staff, including support staff, also play a critical role given their frontline service to students in areas such as advising, counseling, career development, and accessibility resources. McNair et al. (2022) encourage educators to know themselves as educators and state that becoming a student-ready college requires every person to have a sense of ownership and a level of participation in the ecosystem of the institution to make it successful (p. 90). While this may seem daunting, it can be done. To drive this sort of change, leaders ought to leverage an empowering tone and perspective when engaging stakeholders across institutions.

Who will benefit from this concept and why?

The beneficiaries of a student-ready college are vast. First, students certainly benefit from a student-ready college, especially students from marginalized communities and underserved backgrounds. Students at student-ready colleges are more likely to be successful and experience a greater sense of belonging (McNair et al., 2022). Student-ready colleges also regularly employ High Impact Practices which are proven to drive student retention and success. Organizations that recruit their talent from student-ready institutions also benefit in terms of hiring a well-informed and career-ready workforce. Finally, student-ready colleges themselves benefit from this work because they are more likely to held in high regard. As we move into the future, student-ready colleges will arguably be the most viable given their emphasis on supporting and educating the whole student.

What is the benefit to the institution for doing this?

Greater student success and a sense of belonging represent two benefits to institutions who become student-ready. Given the enrollment challenges across institutions, student retention and persistence have become increasingly important in terms of institutional success. Student-ready colleges arguably retain students at greater levels and facilitate greater student success. The positive reputation of an institution in the community is also very beneficial for many reasons including a possible greater investment from external stakeholders such as employers and foundations. McNair et al. (2022) touch on this when they discuss how student-ready colleges can leverage their institutional influence and success. They also note the ways that student-ready colleges are poised to leverage external partners in order to sustain and enhance the experiences of students. Finally, I believe that student-ready colleges also benefit from an engaged and satisfied workforce. Turnover is both costly and detrimental to an institutions success, and so ensuring that the workforce at an institution is actively engaged and passionate about driving student success is critical to the sustainability of an institution.

References

Bakken, J. (2023). The student-ready college. [Lecture recording].

McNair, T., Albertine, S., Cooper, M., McDonald, N., & Major, T. (2022). Becoming a student-ready college: A new culture of leadership for student success (2nd ed.). Jossey-Bass.