In line with its 20-year strategic plan, the University of Rhode Island is continuing to reimagine itself as a university of the future with the Kent and Diane Fannon Institute for Student Success.
The Fannon Institute for Student Success has officially been in effect since its announcement on Friday, Oct. 17.
A renaming from the University College for Academic Success to the institute is more of a marketing strategy, according to Dean Libutti, associate vice president for enrollment management and student success.
Students found UCAS to be a misleading name given that it is not a degree-granting college, according to Linda Moffat, assistant dean of UCAS.
“It doesn’t make sense on face [value] to students, parents or supporters,” Moffat said. “[UCAS] suffers from an identity crisis.”
Implementing the institute started one to two years before the launch when UCAS brought in national consultants to look at URI’s undergraduate advising, according to Moffat and Libutti.
“University college” is a general term used by universities to house undeclared or exploratory students, according to the institute’s director, Kimberly Stack. In URI’s case, it is also the home of academic support services and other resources.
“The university college model is an older model now, and a lot of colleges and universities are looking towards, ‘How can they modernize the work that they do to continue to help students thrive?’” Stack said.
The driving theme behind the institute is the URI C.A.R.E.S. acronym: career and experiential education, academic enhancement, retention and academic success, exploratory studies advising and student-athlete support services, according to Stack. The institute’s student advisory board created the mnemonic device to encompass the five departments of the institute.
The directors supported the acronym, given that they want to center student voice in the work that they do, according to Stack.
Advising, which is one of the five departments, has been the most enhanced by the institute’s development, according to Libutti.
“One of the things we’re seeing so much more is that not as many students come in undeclared anymore, but a lot more students change their major over and over and over again,” Moffat said.
One of URI’s major roles as a public institution is helping all its students navigate the many major choices available, according to Stack.
“[Exploratory studies advising] is meant to help prepare them with all of the right information and pathway options,” Stack said.
Over time, the institute also hopes to add success coaches to its team of undergraduate advising faculty to continue its student support, according to Moffat. This is due to large student demand for advising.
“I think that having [success coaches] supplement what we’re doing is just going to make good sense, especially based on what we’re seeing the students’ needs are,” Moffat said. “They need a lot of reassurance.”
It will take some time to change all logos and websites where UCAS still appears, according to Moffat.
As the institute continues to shape, develop and evolve, Libutti hopes that the renaming will help students, prospective students and families.
“To me, what’s really important about this is connecting when we’re recruiting students to understand, ‘What is a URI education all about?’ but also, ‘How will you be supported academically in your journey?’” Libutti said.
Students should take advantage of the institute’s resources at any and every step of their URI journey, according to Libutti.
“No matter how talented our students are, you always need help in something,” Libutti said. “The reality is successful students use support services on campus.”
To explore new areas of study, build academic skills, discover a career path and request academic support, visit the Fannon Institute for Student Success webpage on the URI website.
