The U of A recently made another big commitment to prioritizing student success with the recent creation of its inaugural High-Impact Practices Collaborative — also known as the HIP Collaborative.

More than 40 faculty and staff members from throughout the U of A comprise the group, which is led by Deb Korth, assistant dean for student success in Fulbright College, and Trevor Francis, associate vice provost for student success.

The group's charge is to look holistically at how the U of A can implement high-impact student success practices — or HIPs — campuswide with significant human and financial capital.

The group's first meeting in May included in-depth discussions and several time-sensitive action items about advancing and increasing HIP opportunities for students, bridging student opportunity gaps and organizing HIP events.

The first HIP Collaborative-hosted event, the HIP Show and Tell, will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, July 27, in the Student Success Center at the Cordia Harrington Center for Excellence. This event will showcase the tangible outcomes and success stories resulting from the implementation of HIPs and offer a welcoming platform for collaboration between staff, faculty and students.

"As the U of A continues its firm commitment to student success, it's important that this collaborative, our faculty and staff, and our entire campus are reminded that there is significant support surrounding HIP initiatives campus-wide and at the CORD — both financial and functional," Francis said. "Capitalizing on these resources and the exciting energy of this group are crucial as we move forward."

Korth agreed and added that HIPs are integral to student success and that this continued support will only further endow these practices at the U of A.

"This group recognizes that broadening student engagement with these high-impact practices means incredible growth and potential for our students," Korth said. "In particular, data tells us that students who engage with these practices enjoy higher levels of learning success, especially those from demographic groups historically underserved by higher education."

The following group members have been tasked with leading their respective high-impact practices:

• Capstone Courses and Projects: Craig Schmitt, David Jensen and Rachel Piontak
• Collaborative Assignments and Projects: Aysa Galbraith, Claudia Devich, Shanda Hood and Stephen Skinner
• Common Intellectual Experiences: C.J. Mathis, Lora Walsh and Sarah Draine
• Diversity/Global Learning: Jacquelyn Mosley, Lori Lander and Sarah Malloy
• ePortfolios: Alex Dowell, Lynn Meade and Takama Statton-Brooks
• First Year Seminar: Charini Urteaga, Jake Adams, Leslie Massey and Toby Phebus
• Internship: Madison Stueve, Michelle Pribbernow and Wyann Stanton
• Learning Community: Chris Cagle, Karmen Bell and Megan Witherspoon Evans
• Undergraduate Research: Kathryn Zawisza, Kim Larsen and Sarah Denison
• Service Learning, Community-Based Learning: Caroline Beringer, Carrie Nelms, Sarah Lueke and Carmen Gardner
• Wellness: Emil Scheiderer, Erica Langley, Becky Todd and Kaleb Turner
• Writing-Intensive Courses: Celeste Fishback, Dana Blair, Ken Muessig and Amalie Holland

The American Association of Colleges and Universities recognizes these 11 evidence-based practices, to which the U of A has also added "Wellness," as integral to student success.

Learn more about high-impact practices at the U of A.