Institutions should select a population of students experiencing disparities in wellbeing outcomes. Examples include first generation students, low-income students, veterans, parenting undergraduate students, justice-impacted students, students with disabilities, students who are or were in the foster care system. Below is guidance to help you select a population.

Examine existing quantitative and qualitative data that you have easy access to for insights about differences across student populations.

Examples of data sources include:

  • Previously conducted focus groups and other insights into the experiences of different groups of students
  • Academic achievement and graduation rates
  • Previously administered health, climate, and/or student experience surveys that can be disaggregated by demographic variables

Identify disparities

  • Disaggregate existing data by demographic variables
  • Identify specific disparities in experiences and outcomes by different groups of students.
  • Recognize and consider intersectionality. For example, students could be first-generation AND low-income. Their experiences are shaped by the intersections of these identities. Understanding these complexities from intersectionality is crucial for closing disparities in outcomes.

Consider the enthusiasm, openness, readiness, and ability of essential individuals or groups within your institution to engage in a deep, transformative, structured collaborative improvement experience.

  • Involve your Core Team and other key stakeholders to inform the decision-making process. This may include students, faculty, staff, and administrators.
  • Is there already ongoing focused work aimed at supporting specific populations within your institution?
    • If yes, would any of these populations of focus make sense to select for your Collaborative efforts? Consider:
      • Is there anyone who would need to be involved in order for the work with your population of focus to advance in a meaningful way?
      • Are there departments or individuals who have primary responsibility for supporting the population of focus (e.g., office for student veteran engagement)?
      • Consider the campus dynamics at play
        • To what extent is there an openness to try new methods and approaches?
        • Is there space and enthusiasm for synergies and collaboration
        • What might co-leadership look like?
    • If no, consider: 
      • Are there any campus dynamics at play? 
      • Will other people on your campus be motivated to join you in the work of pursuing long-term, large-scale impact to enable more students in this population to flourish? 
      • Will there be support for those people who want to get involved in the work (e.g., able to attend meetings)?  
      • Could your team imagine this work being sustained beyond two years?