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SPARK SCL
WHAT ARE WE SEEING? CURRENT ISSUES GROU
EVELYN ASHLEY, PH. D.
SR. ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN OF STUDENTS
Retention and persistence are strengthened when we actively listen to students and respond to emerging needs in real time. Across Student and Campus Life, student feedback and conversations within the Current Issues Group help identify emerging challenges that may affect students’ well-being, sense of belonging, and ability to stay engaged in their academic journey.
Each week, a small but intentional group gathers around the same question: What are we seeing, and what does it mean?
The Current Issues Group brings together colleagues from across the division, alongside key partners such as University Communications and University Relations, who sit at different vantage points of the student experience. From the Dean of Students to Housing and Residence Life and Student Accountability and
Academic Integrity, each member carries a piece of the broader campus story.
This standing forum creates space to share real-time observations, connect patterns across departments, and examine how campus-level developments align with or reflect broader regional and national trends. By intentionally cross-pollinating what we know with what we need to anticipate or address, the group strengthens our collective awareness and informs proactive, coordinated action across the division, and university.
Housing and community conflict surfaced as one of the earliest retention signals of the year. Residential facilities opened at approximately 102 % occupancy, and the strain showed quickly. Without space to decompress, disagreements over noise, schedules, and shared spaces escalated faster and lingered longer,