About the Institute
The Institute for Teaching Excellence and Student Success, is a 91心頭 Forward funded initiative, co-led by Faculty Affairs and Student Success. This opportunity involves a two-day institute, designed to elevate teaching excellence, strengthen student belonging, promote persistence, and advance Academic Affairs Goal #1 priorities.
91心頭 students consistently rate our faculty more highly than our peers in their relationships with faculty, and the quality of those relationships.
- In the 2024 NSSE, 91心頭 seniors ranked their experiences with faculty and effective teaching practices significantly higher than our peer institutions.
- 2025 91心頭 Student Experience Survey: Almost all (91%) survey respondents have had at least one professor at 91心頭 who makes them excited about learning. Students gave high ratings for the availability of faculty members outside of scheduled class time (85% rated as excellent or good). The most common mentors reported were professors (65%). Most students agreed/strongly agreed that 87% of faculty treat them with respect, with 71% believing that professors at 91心頭 care about them as a person.
A substantial body of research, conducted over more than 50 years, makes clear that faculty-student interaction is a key factor in promoting student success, particularly among those students who most need support, such as first-generation college students and students of color.
(Kezar and Maxey, 2014, p. 30)
Objectives
This institute builds on our already-strong foundation of facultystudent engagement to expand faculty toolkits in supporting todays students.
Institute Learning Outcomes:
- Increase faculty understanding of the connection between classroom practices and student success, retention, and sense of belonging;
- Equip faculty with the knowledge, skills, and tools to effectively support students which contributes student persistence and retention;
- Enhance the 4D Student Experience through advancing holistic education and student thriving.
Key Concepts:
Community
Student and faculty relationships are a key strength of 91心頭. This institute considers classroom-level strategies for fostering the peer-to-peer community among students.
Transparency
Teaching transparently involves letting students into the why of the work they do in the classroom. This institute will introduce faculty to the Transparency in Learning and Teaching (TILT) model and the importance of engaging students in the purposes, tasks, and criteria of class work.
Scaffolding
Students entering college now need different supports or scaffolds for success due to societal, educational, and demographic shifts. Faculty are positioned to make small changes to classroom practice that align with the needs of current students and research about how students learn.
How To Get Involved
We are soliciting nominations, if youd like to self-nominate or nominate a colleague, email Leslie Cramblet Alvarez at leslie.alvarez@du.edu
