Caring Campus/Faculty brings together a group of college faculty and involves them in coaching sessions during which they identify behavioral commitments that can be employed in the classroom to increase students’ connection to the college. These faculty then engage with other instructors at their college to expand the number who are willing to employ the commitments. Using interview, survey, and other data gathered from several colleges through virtual site visits, this report discusses early implementation and outcome findings from a study of Caring Campus/Faculty conducted in 2020-2022.
The findings indicate that Caring Campus/Faculty has the potential to provide meaningful support to students who may need help and encouragement to persist in college. Such support may be crucial for students of color, first-generation students, and low-income students to navigate college well. These students often experience barriers at their institutions that make it difficult to feel welcome and comfortable. The findings also suggest that Caring Campus/Faculty is becoming a key avenue for faculty to take leadership in student success efforts and that it is working to support faculty as they seek to improve their ability to teach and support students. Finally, Caring Campus/Faculty is facilitating the development of a positive college climate, which students, faculty, and college leaders have viewed as especially helpful during the pandemic.