Strategic Priority 2

Ensure student success in degree completion and career outcomes.

Our Catholic, Sinsinawa Dominican-sponsored mission calls us to transform our students’ lives through responsive educational experiences and pathways to careers, firmly grounded in a community that is welcoming, inclusive, and engaging.

By strengthening the campus climate, including building an enhanced infrastructure to promote our HSI identity, we will nurture an anti-racist community in which every member is empowered to succeed and belong.

Acknowledging that the ability to persist is often impacted by many factors, including students’ social determinants of health, Dominican University will focus on analyzing student retention needs and how they impact completion rates for Black/African American students. We prioritize a strategic focus on strategies to improve our retention and four-year and six-year graduation rates for all our students.

We will support and advance our holistic advising framework that recognizes the social determinants of health and wellness—and respond with wraparound supports to address students’ academic, personal, and spiritual needs.

We recognize that enhancing the career outcomes of our students depends upon a comprehensive curricular, co-curricular and support services model of career development.

We will address the digital divide and provide equitable access to technology tools and services to ensure all students have the resources they need to succeed.

Priority 2 - Goal 1

Become a leader for persistence and degree completion by eliminating equity gaps.

2.1 Objectives  

  • Reduce equity gaps in completion for Black, Latinx and Pell-eligible students
  • Enhance the student holistic advising and case management infrastructure
  • Address the digital divide to provide equitable access to technology tools and broadband resources
  • Identify and foster support systems and services to identify and address students’ social determinants of health

Priority 2 - Goal 2

Strengthen campus climate and sense of belonging for students and employees by committing to action steps required to become an anti-racist campus.

2.2 Objectives  

  • Enhance institutional infrastructure to promote and investigate HSI identity, servingness, and campus climate
  • Create increased opportunities for DU faculty, staff, and students to engage in critical self-knowledge and education with a focus on equity, justice, and racial healing
  • Increase the perceptions of BIPOC faculty, staff, and students of Dominican as a welcoming and inclusive campus

Priority 2 - Goal 3

Improve graduates’ career mobility and work-place readiness.

2.3 Objectives  

  • Advance career development services through curricular and co-curricular methods
  • Enhance systems for outreach to employers, service opportunities and graduate programs to increase placement opportunities

Priority 2 - Goal 4

Increase student engagement in campus life to drive recruitment, retention, and alumnae/i engagement.

2.4 Objectives  

  • Create campus spaces and opportunities that provide engaging campus experiences and a sense of belonging