The NISS Diagnostic identified a key challenge related to insufficient access to and use of data to support students. Temple has collected actionable student data. However, fragmented data access makes it difficult for faculty and staff to take action on these data. As a result, data show higher than average time to degree among many of the largest first entering majors, high rates of D, F, and withdrawal grades in first-year courses, and significant variation in course success rates by section.
The Recommendation
Improve the quality of and access to actionable student data to empower faculty and staff to make timely, proactive, and data-informed decisions about high DFW courses, course scheduling, program design, and the alignment of academic supports.
Suggested Action:
- Create, institutionalize, and empower administrative structures to coordinate the regular distribution, analysis, and collaborative use of course-level and student success data.
- Systematically track and share data, such as DFW rates, time-to-degree, and course availability to identify potential bottlenecks and inform strategic course scheduling.
- Focus academic supports in high-enrollment gateway courses with significant DFW rates.
Alignment:
Access & Use of Data to Support Students is aligned with Forward with Purpose through the Student Success priority. In particular, this recommendation supports the Foster Holistic Student Development principle through the Leverage University Innovation Alliance project.