RECAST | HAPPieR Times!
From: Gaul, Karen <gaulk@evergreen.edu>
Sent: Tuesday, December 8, 2020 1:32 PM
Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues:
As you know, there is a short faculty meeting tomorrow, during which we will introduce our work in the Holistic Advising: Policies and Practices Review (or HAPPieR) team. This is an aspect of the New Academic Directions (NAD) work. We are reviewing a range of ways to better support student success and retention. Even as we build new programs and structures through the New Academic Directions process, we need to shore up our foundational, day-to-day practices to make sure we are serving and supporting students fully and equitably. (We know it’s a busy time! If you can, please read this entire email and attachment to prepare for tomorrow’s discussion).
Why are we doing this work? Some students experience stumbling blocks, fall through
the cracks, and leave the college for preventable reasons. We hope to clarify
existing policies, find greater alignment and cohesion in our practices, and
build tools and trainings that can streamline our work in ways that serve
students more effectively.
All of us are surfing many layers of change and uncertainty right now. We hope this particular layer of work will offer a solid and stable foundation, even as new elements from NAD emerge. This work offers potential benefits for not only students, but for faculty because consistency in our practices will make our work easier (i.e., we would not have to build from the ground up each quarter) and ultimately strengthen a network of support that guides the success of our students.
Who we are and what we’ve done so far. Our amazing team is made up of more than a dozen
people, representing a diverse set of experiences in serving students (listed
in the signature). We’re inviting all of you into the conversation. A brief
summary of our work so far this quarter is attached, and we will elaborate on
pieces of it in tomorrow’s meeting.
Please realize that we are trying to provide some insight into our process and progress to this point. Nothing is fixed or decided. We have been simply sorting through all the work on the table, and this is where we are at this moment. We know you have more to contribute. We hope to visit you a few times a quarter this year to engage in important discussions. See you at Wednesday’s meeting–3:00-4:00.
Karen Gaul
(on behalf of Julie Rahn, Emily Pieper, Randy Kelley, Toska Olson, Lori Klatt, Colby Morelli, Ivana Trottman, Eric Stein, Abir Biswas, Kathleen Eamon, Elizabeth Williamson, JuliA Metzker, Nancy Koppelman)
Karen K Gaul
(she/her)
Academic Dean
The Evergreen State College
