The new Center for Learning, Advising and Student Success at West Virginia University is officially open on campus, offering centralized academic success resources for students.

The new Center is a key component of the university’s commitment to the “whole student,” also exemplified by the university’s Project 168. This comprehensive, visionary reconfiguration of academic support services occurred this summer in the Office of Undergraduate Education, according to associate provost Sue Day-Perroots.

“We have always had a tremendous depth and breadth of services for our students, but they were dispersed across campus,” Day-Perroots said. “When we sat down and looked at how to best serve our students, whether they need advising, tutoring, or more personalized assistance, we realized we wanted a one-stop shop where they could find all of these resources.”

The CLASS is helmed by Joseph Seiaman, the executive director of academic advising and student success, and encompasses a myriad of academic support units, including student advising and support services formerly offered by University College, the Office of Student Success, and the Upward Bound, TRIO, ACCESS and McNair Scholars programs.

President E. Gordon Gee, who jokingly calls Seiaman the University’s “dean of completion,” said he is excited by the new structure.

“We want our students to feel confident from the moment they set foot on this campus that they are going to graduate in four years,” Gee said. “Many of our students will need guidance along the way, and it is our mission at West Virginia University to give them the tools they need to succeed. I am delighted that now, no matter what students may need, we can send them to CLASS.”

Day-Perroots, who worked closely with Seiaman and other leaders across campus to develop the CLASS structure, noted that there is extensive research suggesting that making academic support services centrally and easily accessible improves retention and graduation rates.

“Students who come to CLASS will be engaging with professional advisors, with experts in learning, study skills and academic planning. I think we will have a lot of ‘repeat customers’ as students see all that we have to offer them to strengthen their education.”

Along with the creation of CLASS, Day-Perroots also announced a number of other new initiatives in Undergraduate Education, as well as some new reporting lines for important units that will help university faculty and staff better serve all students. These new developments include:

• The implementation of the Student Success Collaborative, a platform that permits advisors to easily access student achievement data and to advise students strategically and effectively.

• The move of the Office of Accessibility Services from the Division of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to the Office of Undergraduate Education. The OAS is directed by Dr. Ann Richards, a special education professor with extensive experience in student services.

• The move of the Career Services Center to the Office of Undergraduate Education.

• The consolidation of the Teaching and Learning Commons, including iDesign and iTeach, in the Office of Undergraduate Education.

• The establishment of the Office of Academic Excellence and Assessment in the Office for Undergraduate Education.

• The launch of the Living and Learning Communities across campus.

• The integration of Project 168 into all aspects of WVU student learning.

• The transformation of Freshman Seminar 191 into First-Year Seminar.

• The movement of the Center for Service and Learning to the Division of Student Life.

• The relocation of the Regents Bachelor of Arts Program from the Office of Undergraduate Education to the College of Education and Human Services.

For more information about the many comprehensive academic success services provided by the WVU office of undergraduate education, please visit http://undergraduate.wvu.edu/.

-WVU-

ac/9/6/16

CONTACT: Sue Day-Perroots, Associate Provost for Undergraduate Academic Affairs 304.293.2641

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