At any college or university, student success is a great concern — and UH is no exception. So in order to bolster the graduation rate, UH has established the Student Success Team Administrative Review, or S-STAR.
“The Provost (John Antel) has been leading a series of meetings to examine our admissions and enrollment data, and to develop programs to promote retention and graduation,” Executive Vice President of Administration and Finance Carl Carlucci said in an email. “As part of this, we are trying to pull in all of the student support services so that they work in a coordinated way.”
According to a UH news release, the S-STAR is essential for UH to become a residential campus instead of commuter campus.
Studies have shown that students who live on campus are more likely to participate in University activities, leading to a positive outlook on college and, eventually, a higher graduation rate compared to those who commute.
UH is aiming to have at least 8,000 beds on campus by the fall of 2013.
The S-STAR will also scrutinize the University’s organizational development, including academic, business and facilities planning, and will also develop an integrated business plan.
“By developing the S-STAR committee, the University will coordinate its entire community on reaching the next level of excellence and provide the supportive culture throughout the campus to help our students reach their full potential,” Executive Director of Media Relations Richard Bonnin said in the news release.
With the eventual transition to a more residential campus, Assistant Vice President for University Services Emily Messa said it’s important for the University to “begin looking at core services in different ways.”
“By having all of the administrative team around the table in support of Academic Affairs, we ensure that as we transition, we are all connected,” Mesa said. “That (way) our services can align with and support the University’s academic mission.”
Melissa Rockwell, executive director of Facilities Management agreed with that statement.
“This is an opportunity to support the Research and Residential model that will allow us to begin to strategically align the support services with the overall academic mission,” Rockwell said.
