Student Success Center completed, to be future of supporting students through graduation

AUGUST 25, 2020 — UTSA has taken another step forward in unifying the programs under the Division of Student Success umbrella, which focus on student retention, persistence and graduation, with the completion of construction of the new Student Success Center advising complex.

Located between the North Paseo and McKinney Humanities buildings, the complex completes the first phase of relocating university offices and programs into the facility, a move scheduled after the fall 2020 semester while campus teams work remotely because of the pandemic.

Starting in 2021, the Student Success Center will consolidate the university’s undergraduate advising services and select support programs in this one area on campus. This consolidation will make it easier for students to discover and access academic support programs and student success resources.

Construction on the $7.3 million Student Success Center began late last year when 46 modular units were intermittently transported from Houston to its location just south of the North Paseo Building between December 2019 and January 2020. Those units were then connected to form one 29,270-square-foot building. Construction crews continued to work on the facility’s interior and exterior finishes through the spring and summer months.

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“We anticipate more streamlined and integrated services among our Student Success units, which in turn, will benefit our students.”

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The Student Success Center initiative was launched in December 2019 as a key component of UTSA’s strategic plan to support each undergraduate student’s academic journey from start to finish. In particular, its primary aim was to improve first-year retention rates, second- and third-year persistence rates, and four- and six-year graduation rates, as well as every student’s campus experience and sense of belonging.

“We anticipate more streamlined and integrated services among our Student Success units, which in turn, will benefit our students’ ability to persist, eliminate barriers to success and ultimately graduate in a timely manner,” said Tammy Wyatt, vice provost for student success.

The Student Success Center will also build and encourage cross-office collaboration. The following Division of Student Success units will call the new facility home during the first phase after the fall term:

• Academic Advising
• Tomás Rivera Center’s Academic Success Coaching
• LEAD Student Success Program
• SOAR Student Success Program
• Transfer & Transition Student Success Services

“This will allow for more efficient processes, better case management, and a stronger, more streamlined referral system of services and supports across all of these units,” Wyatt explained.

Students are encouraged to take advantage of these programs in the virtual environment during the fall semester through UTSA-supported platforms such as Webex and Blackboard Collaborate. Moreover, these units along with several other offices on campus will utilize the newly implemented student success technology platform Civitas Inspire to manage cases, reach out to students and refer services based on individual needs.

The mission of the Division of Student Success is to support the academic and holistic development of UTSA’s undergraduate students. These duties include cultivating a student’s sense of belonging; guiding students in developing meaningful, personalized pathways toward an academic major and career; eliminating obstacles to success and retention; and partnering with students to develop effective academic success strategies and tools. Even during the current period of largely remote learning, UTSA is dedicated to providing all Roadrunners this network of care from application through graduation.

“This fall semester the division will continue to pursue our mission through effective, innovative and accessible virtual service delivery,” Wyatt said. “We very much look forward to serving our students in the new Student Success Center building, in person, after the fall.”

— Shea Conner

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