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Complex registration processes create barriers and confuse students, often discouraging them from re-enrolling. By conducting an audit of all registration holds and eliminating or revising those that are unnecessary, obsolete, or burdensome, we will enable students to continue to progress toward a degree.

Team Leads: Craig Bennett & Peter Haverkos

Many institutions lose students every year due to students' unexpected financial circumstances, often for shortfalls of no more than a few hundred dollars. As a result, it is in a school's best interest to offer retention grants to help students stay in school and on the path to graduation. Developing plans and processes to award financial assistance to address small account balances for qualified students is essential.

Team Lead: Beth Johnson

For many students, developmental education can be a barrier that slows down student progress and hinders persistence. Existing developmental education courses should be redesigned so that students deemed underprepared for college-level writing and/or math can enroll in college-level, gateway English and mathematics courses with mandatory corequisite academic support.

Students who pass all their classes can still pay preventable "hidden costs" if they take more courses than expected. Academic maps establish clear pathways to timely completion of courses that count, reducing the time (and money) to graduate. Schools should develop maps for all undergraduate academic degrees with recommended course sequences for on-time completion.

Students who transfer often cannot articulate all of their previously earned credits at their new institution. Transferring credits earned at these institutions is more complicated than it needs to be. Streamlining transfer pathways will make it easier for students and the credits they have earned to transfer successfully between two-year and four-year institutions.

Team Leads: Carolyn Haynes and Cathy Moore

Thirty-five million adults over 25 have completed some college credits without having earned a degree. Institutions have an opportunity to develop marketing and financial support plans to invite adult students back to campus. By removing barriers to re-enrollment and creating flexible learning environments, we help adult students complete their degrees.

Team Leads: Stephanie Beck and Eric Secor

Ensures high school students participating in dual enrollment programs smoothly transition to higher education or the workforce by maximizing earned credits for accelerated degree completion or career readiness.

Community-based organizations (CBOs) nationwide have successfully supported the higher education aspirations of underrepresented students. Institutions will strengthen collaborations with local and regional CBOs to expand recruitment and enrollment efforts. These efforts will include developing or expanding partnerships with local high schools to provide information to students on identifying best-fit universities, securing financial assistance, and connecting with counselors.

Builds inclusive support systems and fosters a sense of belonging to help students overcome obstacles and persist in their education, ultimately contributing to upward social mobility.

Support offices such as financial aid, career advising, academic support, and student health and counseling centers positively impact student success but are often underutilized. Institutions should create a Coordinated Care Network across offices to easily coordinate and collaborate on appropriate next steps for student support.

Aligns students' extracurricular activities and experiences with their career goals, helping them develop relevant skills and pathways for professional success.

Provide students with practical, real-world opportunities—such as internships, co-ops, or project-based learning—to apply academic knowledge, build skills, and prepare for future careers.