Fueling student success and opportunity
IU Indianapolis student success statement
Student success impacts how we structure our programs, design our curriculum, and position ourselves to respond to the evolving demands of the workforce in central Indiana and beyond.To measure progress toward these goals, IU Indianapolis will benchmark its performance against peer urban institutions. Key indicators will include enrollment, student retention, four- and six-year graduation rates, career outcomes, social mobility measures, and reductions in cohort loan default rates.
Goal 1: Strengthen student enrollment
IU Indianapolis will broaden and diversify strategies to stabilize and expand undergraduate and graduate enrollment through improved retention, relevant academic programs, and effective financial aid. These efforts will increase access and ensure more students can pursue an IU Indianapolis education.
- Academic offerings: Promote quality, variety, and versatility of current academic programs and develop offerings to serve students (including transfer students) and the community.
- Educational value: Develop recruitment strategies, business partnerships, and practices that link the value of higher education with workforce demands.
- Financial aid support: Develop a broad financial aid strategy, integrated with school scholarship support.
- School partnerships: Strengthen the partnership between the School of Science and the School of Medicine to enhance learning and boost student exposure to cutting-edge research.
- Computer science programs: Create new computer science programs at Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering – Indianapolis.
- Increase the percentage of students receiving need-based aid to 58%.
- Decrease the average unmet financial need (excluding loans and work-study) for in-state undergraduate first-degree-seeking students.
- Create a program that will offer qualifying students in the School of Science a direct pathway to enrollment in the School of Medicine.
- Develop increased capacity for undergraduates, master’s, and PhD computer science students at Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering – Indianapolis by 2030.
- Establish a formal process for non-degree enrollment of working professionals via enrollment partnerships.
Goal 2: Increase retention and graduation rates
IU Indianapolis will strengthen retention and improve on-time graduation through holistic support, innovative learning experiences, and expanded access to academic resources. These efforts will improve affordability, strengthen enrollment, and prepare more graduates to support Indiana's workforce and economy.
- First-year experience: Provide a consistently high-quality first-year experience to help students build a solid foundation for their future studies and to create a sense of belonging.
- College costs: Strategically leverage institutional aid to reduce unmet financial needs and expand opportunities for student employment and paid student internships to help students manage the cost of college as they progress toward their degree goals.
- Workforce demands: Develop, update, and enhance degree programs to meet workforce demands.
- Flexible learning: Support student retention by meeting students where they are through online and hybrid learning options.
- Holistic support: Provide robust support for each student as they work toward their degree.
- Innovative teaching: Enhance curricula, pedagogy, and inclusive teaching practices to engage all students and accommodate different learning styles.
- Academic access: Eliminate barriers to student success and improve processes, particularly in academic advising.
- Experiential learning: Integrate high-impact learning opportunities, including internships, research, service learning, and other applied experiences, throughout curricular and co-curricular programs for all undergraduate students.
- Student well-being: Promote student wellness, safety, and mental well-being.
- Increase four- and six-year graduation rates to the top 25% of the peer group.
- Increase retention rates for first-year, full-time students to the top 25% of the peer group.
- Increase the number of STEM graduates and other high-demand disciplines by 10% to support the state’s growth.
- Reduce DFW rates (students who withdraw from or receive a D or F in a course) to 20% or lower in 80% of course sections at the 100 and 200 levels.
- Ensure degree programs are aligned and continually updated by 2030 as part of the program review cycle for quality and viability.
- Decrease the average debt of undergraduates by 10%.
- Increase enrollment in online or hybrid programs by 10%.
- Embed experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, service learning, research) into 100% of undergraduate degree programs.
- Implement timely and effective use of the Student Engagement Roster by instructors teaching 100- and 200-level courses.
- Increase student participation in proactive advising (weeks 2-7 of the semester) and strategically targeted appointment campaigns by advisors, particularly among students at risk for attrition.
- Ensure that 80% of priority first-year students have a proactive advising meeting, and 75% of sections of 100/200 level courses report data on student performance (through the student engagement roster) in the first four weeks of class.
- Improve student awareness of student mental health services through periodic system-wide student surveys.
- Increase a sense of belonging among the student body as measured by the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) and/or others.
Goal 3: Bolster graduate and professional education
IU Indianapolis will enhance the recruitment, enrollment, and support of graduate and professional students. These efforts will strengthen the university's research enterprise, enrich campus life, and further elevate IU Indianapolis's reputation and intellectual community.
- Enrollment growth: Grow enrollment in graduate programs at or above IU Indianapolis’ peer institutions to strengthen research and attract top students and faculty.
- Graduate student outcomes: Increase student retention and degree completion on par with IU Indianapolis’ peer institutions, with a focus on providing student support and professional development.
- Accelerated degree programs: Align curricular offerings with workforce demands, with a particular focus on accelerated degree programs.
- Increase degree completion in the top 30% of the peer group for master’s and doctoral degrees with an emphasis on doctoral programs.
- Increase the doctoral student retention rate from 88% to 92%.
- Improve graduation rates in doctoral-research-level programs by 5%.
- Increase enrollment in master’s degrees and doctoral research programs by 5%.
- Increase the number of master’s and doctoral degrees conferred from the School of Science and Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering – Indianapolis by 10%.
Goal 4: Enhance undergraduate career outcomes
IU Indianapolis will prepare students for success in their chosen careers by providing the skills, experiences, and support needed to meet evolving workforce demands. These efforts will improve career outcomes, expand social mobility, and strengthen the communities our graduates serve.
- Comprehensive career support: Provide all students, regardless of major or school, with comprehensive career services aligned with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS), preparing them for the job market and helping them make informed decisions about their future careers.
- Social mobility and career outcomes: Expand career development support for Pell-eligible, 21st Century Scholars, and first-generation students to improve social mobility and career outcomes.
- Career readiness: Ensure all degree programs include integrated experiential learning experiences to help students become more career-ready and competitive in the job market.
- Strategic relationships: Engage in strategic employer relationship cultivation and management to support student career success.
- Increase positive career outcomes of all graduates to 90%, including Pell-eligible, 21st Century Scholars, and first-generation students, as reflected in the First Destination Survey.
- Embed experiential learning opportunities (e.g., internships, service learning, research) into 100% of undergraduate degree programs.
- Increase engagement with employer partners year-over-year as measured by the Career Services Council Annual Metrics Reporting Form.
IU Indianapolis
Office of the Chancellor
University Hall, Suite 5010
301 University Blvd
Indianapolis,
IN
46202
USA