CHANCE Program Strategic PlanCHANCE envisions a partnership between the campus and community that provides continuous support for students wanting to earn a college degree. Research shows that the future demands a highly productive and culturally diverse workforce designed to lead the nation’s economic advancement into this century. CHANCE’s efforts attempt to reflect the global marketplace by bridging ethnic and cultural barriers, valuing individualism and differences, while capitalizing on the diverse gifts students have to offer.Strategic Assumptions of the CHANCE Model -- The strategic assumptions listed serve as the foundation for the development of a model that outlines the theoretical framework and foundation for working with students in the CHANCE Program. The assumptions are based on the principles expressed in the phrase "The POWER of Education", "The POWER of NIU". We assume that: * Success in program initiatives builds on success of other initiatives. * Financial resources are available to support program initiatives. * All aspects of the strategic plan operate at a level supporting a vital and productive program. * Success of CHANCE’s plan relies on collaboration with academic departments and faculty. * Linkages between pre-college, campus, and professional career experiences encourage CHANCE student success. * Institutional support is integral in attracting external resources. * Effective collaboration with campus units is vital to ensure comprehensive services to students at all levels (i.e. Career Services, Financial Aid, Residence Life, Housing…). * Success of CHANCE students is based on a variety of services that offer support throughout the undergraduate experience. * Program services and resources (staff and financial) are focused on and directed to resources and support that other campus units do not provide.Northern Illinois UniversityNIU_02b000fa-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42To prepare and graduate students who will continue to engage in lifelong learning and demonstrate academic competence and a commitment to civic involvement._02b0046a-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42To identify, recruit, admit, and assist capable students whose pre-college education has not fully enabled them to take maximum advantage of their potential and the opportunities of higher education at NIU._02b00564-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42On-Campus SupportIncrease On-Campus Support_02b00636-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d421Urban Non-Traditional StudentsCHANCE must engage in approaches designed to increase on-campus support at all levels to support and sustain our mission... The campus mission includes providing educational services to urban, non-traditional students. A supportive campus environment for all students encourages and promotes the campus community. Expanding the awareness and knowledge of differently admitted students helps students feel valued and wanted by the institution and impacts retention.Campus EnvironmentCreate a supportive campus environment where all CHANCE students feel valued by the institution._02b006e0-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d421.1Higher education and NIU's future is reliant on broadening opportunities for all, especially for CHANCE students. Communicating to the campus that diversity is a central part of a students' education will support the inclusion of all at NIU. Formalizing a top-level commitment to CHANCE supports our goals, activities and academic outcomes. This approach creates the foundation for on-campus support through education and awareness. Developing a "top down" and "bottom up" support helps us better measure success through multi-level institutional support. DiversityCommunicate to the University that diversity is a central part of NIU's commitment to educating students. _02b0079e-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 1.1PerceptionsAddress faculty, staff, and student perceptions regarding CHANCE students._02b0087a-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 1.2RecognitionEncourage recognition of CHANCE as part of the campus-wide mission and strategic plan._02b00938-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 1.3Learning EnvironmentEnhance and maintain a collaborative, supportive, and progressive learning environment within the CHANCE Program._02b00a32-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d422The First-Year Experience -- CHANCE works primarily with students who are underrepresented. Students and staff are exposed to a diverse community of professionals and students through various interactions across disciplines and offices which hold diversity as a priority. By connecting our students to institutional social, cultural, and academic support during their initial entry, it encourages the enhancement of diversity by helping students to adjust to a new living environment. Developing initiatives to enhance students' curricular and co-curricular experiences supports and enhances the diversity of the classroom environment. These initiatives will allow students to take command of their learning experiences so that they are more likely to participate in the classroom environment.Academic PerformanceImprove student academic performance._02b00ac8-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 2.1Student LearningStructure UNIV 101 courses to maximize student learning. _02b00ba4-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 2.2Creation of support mechanisms through courses such as UNIV 101 establishes a line of communication for new students early in their university experience. In many ways, this academic initiative serves as a "home base" for CHANCE'S freshmen class. Success in this area shows students how to more effectively negotiate the university environment. Difficult CoursesDevelop academic mechanisms to address poor academic performance in difficult courses._02b00ca8-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 2.3Retention & GraduationImprove CHANCE Retention and Graduation Rates_02b00d7a-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d423Creating a mechanism designed to graduate and reenroll NIU students supports the campus interest in supporting diversity. This initiative also speaks to NIU’s commitment to supporting all students through a non-traditional admissions program. Procedural ApproachesDevelop intrusive procedural approaches to increase student retention and graduation._02b00e1a-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d423.1This goal will ensure that potential CHANCE Program students are provided various resources that enhance the potential for academic success. Ultimately, the mission and core-values of the university will be upheld through the implementation of this goal and the climate of the university may be viewed more favorably among CHANCE students.Attrition RisksPlan a systematic analysis of CHANCE attrition patterns to identify pockets of retention risk._02b00ef6-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 3.1ApproachesImplement a series of approaches designed to address retention and graduation of all CHANCE students from freshmen through senior year._02b00fe6-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 3.2Support ServicesEvaluate the effectiveness of CHANCE support services._02b010a4-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d424Evaluation Plan -- Regular evaluation of all CHANCE programs helps support students more effectively and models more clearly for staff and the university community clear transition points. The use of varied sources of information to increase the validity of our program efforts continues to encourage the continuation of diversity that CHANCE offers to the NIU campus.MetricsIdentify and define appropriate qualitative and quantitative data to measure program objectives._02b0118a-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 4.1Pre-College InitiativesExpand Pre-College Initiatives_02b0120c-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d425Expanding pre-college initiatives supports the campuses interest in preparing students to successfully complete their first-year courses and encouraging continued enrollment for the second year. Pipeline ProgramsEnhance and develop pipeline programs for CHANCE students._02b012d4-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d425.1Using early intervention promotes student acclimation and academic success, especially for underprepared students. Research show that planned initiatives prior to full-time college matriculation support academic and social enhancement and persistence into the second year of college study.Entry & ContinuationFocus CHANCE resources on academic entry and continuation points._02b01388-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 5.1.1Programs & ResourcesPlan programs that expose students to resources designed to enhance students' intellectual and academic competence._02b01446-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 5.1.2Interpersonal SkillsOffer opportunities for pre-college students to develop effective interpersonal skills._02b0150e-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 5.1.3RecruitmentDevelop a comprehensive recruitment model designed to identify, recruit, and admit a diverse population of students through CHANCE._02b015cc-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d426By implementing and establishing effective recruitment strategies, the CHANCE program aims to promote the value of higher education, fulfill the university's initiative to attract, admit, and support a diverse undergraduate population, while facilitating a successful transition in collaboration with university resources available to students.Admissions ProcessDevelop a recruitment model that fosters a seamless admissions process for CHANCE applicants._02b01694-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 6.1Latino StudentsRecruit and admit more Latino students._02b01798-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 6.2The goal and mission of CHANCE and NIU is to service a variety of students throughout the state of Illinois. Recruiting and admitting Latino students offers a rich environment for the campus community. A model to support recruitment of Latino students encourages success and enhances campus diversity. This model might include a variety of partners such as student and faculty participation in recruiting. By communicating with the Latino community and exposing students to the riches of NIU, students are guaranteed a much better "institutional fit".ResourcesEnhance and develop external support for program initiatives and student scholarship support._02b0186a-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d427Creating policies and approaches that encourage the development and use of a diversity of resources is current. Securing resources includes educational professionals in schools, associations, external sponsors, fundraising professionals, informational resources, web and on-line materials... This component will enhance CHANCE's perception on and off campus. Extra resources will support office efforts to broaden student opportunities. Utilizing community and campus partners allows CHANCE to broaden their network base throughout the state of Illinois.NetworkDevelop a network to build financial and in-kind contributions for the CHANCE Program._02b01932-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 7.1Alumni Advisory BoardCreate a CHANCE Alumni Advisory Board._02b01a0e-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 7.2CHANCE AlumniPartner ActivitiesDevelop a list of activities to engage campus and community partners._02b01ad6-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 7.3New InitiativesResearch potential funding sources to support new initiatives._02b01ba8-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 7.4Career Planning & DevelopmentBuild a collaborative career development network for CHANCE students._02b01c8e-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d428CHANCE StudentsThis goal will ensure that CHANCE students are exposed to career development and are introduced to professional opportunities at potential diversity-sensitive work settings. Implementation of this goal upholds the mission, core-values and imperatives of the University. This goal will ultimately strengthen and extend CHANCE’s and NIU's regional and global impact in the professional community.Career EducationUse career education programs to strengthen student bonds with NIU._02b01d60-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 8.1Career Development & Graduate EducationCreate specialized career development and graduate education services to support post-college outcomes._02b01e3c-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 8.2Research suggests that students become more mature, knowledgeable, and focused when confronted with making choices about one's lifework. Planning and developing programs designed to enhance student skill sets in areas related to the context of work, such as workplace readiness supports a student's need to achieve clarity about their career goals. Graduate EducationSupport Graduate Education_02b01f2c-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d429Planning to attend graduate school can potentially put CHANCE students on a "fast-track" to a career which supports retention. This initiative will strengthen CHANCE students' working and research relationships with department faculty... Research indicates that student contact with faculty members encourages persistence and high educational aspirations. Students learn about the normative values of the academy and develop a bond with the institution. Student interaction with faculty also has significant positive correlation with enrollment in graduate or professional school.CHANCE StudentsEncourage CHANCE students to explore graduate school education._02b02008-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d429.1CHANCE StudentsStudent KnowledgeExpand student knowledge of the benefits of graduate school education._02b020e4-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 9.1.1ExperiencesCreate value-added experiences that support student interest and preparation for graduation education._02b021de-b8bd-11e4-9e91-88a5a7982d42Strategy 9.1.22015-02-19http://www.niu.edu/chance/_pdf/strategic-plan-2011.pdfOwenAmburOwen.Ambur@verizon.net