Across the nation, colleges and universities are facing significant challenges regarding non-academic operations allocations, but at Broward College there are positive changes moving forward. Dr. Marielena DeSanctis, College Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Student Services, recently shared the following information with the faculty and staff.
On June 30, the Broward College District Board of Trustees approved a Greater Impact Budget that prioritizes investments in programs and services that will lead to more equitable outcomes for students and a better return to the community. The Greater Impact Budget proposes monumental, not incremental change. While requiring difficult decisions, the structural changes to this budget build toward a resilient organization that can continually improve, year after year, even when faced with the inevitable cycle of challenges.
The Greater Impact Budget allows for the hiring of a minimum of 36 full-time employees in critical areas that directly impact student success. Specifically, the College will hire an additional 30 academic advisors to improve the student-to-advisor ratio, an investment that benefits all students. Data assessed by the College for the previous academic year shows students who met with advisors in the fall term persisted to the spring at a rate of 78 percent compared to 58 percent for those who did not. Also included in the Greater Impact Budget is the launch of embedded tutoring in courses with high failure rates, as well as investments in additional resources to address achievement gaps among its students based on race, ethnicity, poverty level, and age, and establish on-campus food pantries. Lastly, we will continue the search to hire, at a minimum, six full-time faculty positions in the fall term to support unmet instructional needs.
At a time in which resources are scarce and the entire community is feeling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, we may often feel the need to put our heads down and continue business as usual. Through the leadership of Broward College President Gregory Adam Haile and long before the pandemic, we began this process of looking at where we could have the most significant impact on our students. I believe the Greater Impact Budget approved by the Board of Trustees provides a means to weather this storm and keep sailing towards the horizon so we may continue to serve our great community now and for generations to come.
I am honored to be able to share with our civic leaders, our corporate partners, our alumni and our philanthropic investors, the many impactful ways they can support our community by giving to Broward College through the Broward College Foundation. We embrace our responsibility, mission and purpose to transform lives, resulting in more success stories from our graduates who have been Empowered By Broward!
Nancy O’Donnell-Wilson
Vice President for Advancement, Broward College
Executive Director, Broward College Foundation