Building a Stronger Campus Climate and Culture for Postsecondary Students in Central Texas
Chantelle George Consulting supports ACAN in highlighting climate and culture practices across IHE's in Central Texas through a multi process research approach.
The Client
The Austin College Attainment Network (ACAN) is composed of 14 education nonprofits and Institutions of Higher Education (IHEs) in Central Texas committed to addressing disparities in postsecondary access, retention and success by removing systemic, institutional, and local barriers and developing, amplifying, and replicating effective and/or promising policies and practices for underserved and underrepresented student populations and communities.
Opportunity College: Context + Needs
Some students at IHE campuses in ACAN and across our state and nation report a climate and culture that makes them feel less included and more marginalized. ACAN's overarching goal for this project was to identify and share better practices in improving campus climate and culture for students of color and other historically and currently marginalized students. In addition, ACAN wanted to understand practices that support the identities and experiences of Central Texas students, in particular noting our region’s diversity of students in race, ethnicity, and immigration status
Chantelle George Consulting Insights + Approach
Chantelle George Consulting first conducted a landscape analysis of the five Central Texas (CTX) IHE's that enroll most of the regions high needs students (Austin Community College, Texas State University, Huston-Tillotson University, St. Edward’s University, Concordia University Texas).Next, CGC developed an interview protocol and interviewed ACAN member organizations to review their culture and climate practices on campus. After gathering sufficient data, CGC compared our findings to exemplars to gain insight on how CTX IHE's compared to campuses across the country. This multi approach project gathered practices that guided our conversation and recommendations for best practices in improving campus climate and culture for students of color and other historically and currently marginalized students.
Organizational Impact
Chantelle George Consulting collaboration with ACAN produced a white paper to share with appropriate stakeholders and established a venue for IHEs to have representatives, leaders in DEI on campus along with senior administration and decision makers on student services and support, come together as a community of practice. Through this community of practice, ACAN will share definitions of equitable outcomes and inclusive practices across the network in an effort to promote a comprehensive campus climate and culture for all students. To read the white paper follow this link.
