Purpose
A&R leads special projects used to make recommendations to inform policy, practices, and services that enhance the student experience and their success. This process leverages existing and new data sources to engage University of Arizona student leaders, faculty, staff, and administration in data-informed discussions. Often centered around equity, select projects engage assessment professionals, practitioners, and content experts in the process of applying insights into practice.
Student basic needs, COVID-19 context, and Pell grant student experience have been recent topics (see below). Contact AssessmentResearch@email.arizona.edu to partner on a future student topic or to learn more.
Although each project is unique, the typical process of consolidating data, developing insights, and sharing findings with stakeholders is shown below unfolding over a period of 6-12 months.
Recent Projects
Student Basic Needs Insights and Recommendations | 2021-24
In partnership with the Student Basic Needs Coalition, comprised of staff, faculty, and students, A&R facilitated a student survey and focus groups to examine basic needs insecurity at the University of Arizona. The focus was to identify the extent of need across various domains (food, housing, technology, health care, academic technology, clothing), use of resources, barriers to use, perceptions of university support, impact on academic success, and differences by population. This project received CARES funding support from HSI Initiatives.
Results were shared with the Arizona Board of Regents, campus & community stakeholder groups, and at the inaugural University of Arizona Basic Needs Symposium in December 2022.
A campus pantry impact survey is underway Spring 2024.
Related reports:
- UA Basic Needs Symposium Report and Recommendations - Summer 2023
- ABOR Student Food and Housing Insecurity Work Group Report
- UArizona Student Basic Needs Survey Summary - Spring 2021
- UArizona Student Basic Needs Focus Group Report - Spring 2022
- Feedback from Community Champion Presentations - Spring 2022
COVID-19 Impact on Student Experience, Needs & Perceptions | 2020-21
Responding to timely information needs amidst the global pandemic, the strategy team coordinated data collection and developed insights to inform campus stakeholders. Topics included student experiences and need within the context of hybrid and remote classroom learning, student services, as well as student perceptions and behaviors related to return to campus, COVID-19 transmission, and pandemic-related disruptions.
Related reports:
- Alex Robie – Project Director, Office of University Initiatives
- Amanda Reyes – Writer and Content Manager
- America Curl – UX Student Assistant and Senior in Information Science and Society
- Anthony Clarke – UA BookStores Business Manager
- Becky Pérez – Assistant Director of Instructional Data, Office of Instruction and Assessment
- Brad Hensely – Analyst for Retention & Completion, Advising Resource Center
- Carsen Kipley – Assistant Director, Accommodation Services
- Damien Snook – Manager, Enrollment Analytics,
- Danielle Flink – Student Success and Retention Specialist, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
- David Miller – Director of Content Strategy & Communications
- Diane Ohala – Associate Professor of Linguistics and Chair Faculty Senate Student Affairs Policy Committee
- Jen Ludwig – Sr. Associate Director, Operations & Management, Student Success and Retention Innovation
- Kadian McIntosh – Director of Research & Analytics, College of Medicine
- Kendra Thompson-Dyck – Sr. Analyst, Assessment & Research
- Laura Andrews – Sr. Analyst, Assessment & Research, Student Success and Retention Innovation
- Lara Miller – Analytics & Assessment Librarian, University Libraries
- Lauren Pring – Evaluation Specialist, Campus Health
- Lin Zhang – Coordinator of Assessment & Research, Dean of Students Office
- Linda Scheu – Senior Associate Director, Assessment and Analytics
- Lucas Schalewski – Director of Assessment and Research
- Mari John – Assistant Director Student Union Memorial Center
- Marvin Slepian – Regents Professor, College of Engineering and College of Medicine
- Megan Forecki – Sr. Coordinator of Assessment & Research, Student Engagement & Career Development
- Peggy Glider – Coordinator of Evaluation and Research, Campus Health
- Sarah Kyte – Sr. Research Scientist, Student Success and Retention Innovation
Pell Grant Student Experiences & Successes | 2019-20
Low-income undergraduate student success was selected as the topic for exploration in 2019-2020. This was informed by the Pell Pledge Grant which is expected to increase Pell enrolled students as well as UA’s Strategic Plan to increase Pell persistence-to-graduation, and to be a national leader in Pell-recipient degree completion.
The team compiled and synthesized multiple sources of data to better understand the Pell student journey at the University of Arizona. This effort produced over 40 data-informed insights on Pell undergraduates across multiple domains which were presented to campus stakeholders before COVID-19 disruptions in early spring 2020.
Related reports:
- Michaela Davenport, Student/Campus Pantry Director
- Joshua Hamilton, Interim Director of African American Student Affairs and Sr. Coordinator Masculinity in the Mix
- Alexei Marquez, Coordinator, Thrive Center
- Bridgette Nobbe, Coordinator, Campus Pantry
- Lucas Schalewski, Director, Assessment & Research
- Alex Robie, Project Director, University Initiatives
- Maggie Thom, Compliance Associate, Financial Aid Office
- Kendra Thompson-Dyck, Sr. Research Analyst, Assessment and Research