Exploring Alignment Tool

Purpose

The Exploring Alignment Tool is an AI custom agent that helps faculty and staff reflect on how their work aligns to institutional aims using the Agreement → Experiment → Share model. Use this guide to access resources, complete a short walkthrough, and provide feedback to help improve the tool.

Key Links

• Exploring Alignment Agent
• Feedback form (Please complete to help improve the agent!)
• Worksheet (can be used with the agent or by itself to reflect on your work): Alignment Reflection Worksheet
• Guides (Companion documents that can be used with the agent or as standalone resources):

  • Framing Conversations Guide for Leaders

  • Personal Alignment Guide

  • UAGC Institutional Context Guide AY 25-26

Soft Launch Walkthrough

1. Open the Exploring Alignment Agent in Copilot.
2. Start with one of the suggested prompts (e.g., 'I want to explore my aims about...' or 'Guide me through reflection on my work...').
3. Enter your role and audience, then input your aims.
4. Describe a current project or task. The agent will help align your work to institutional priorities.
5. Review the High / Medium / Low alignment results and the suggested next steps.
6. Try designing a small experiment or sharing an outcome idea or starting over with a new idea.
7. Leaders: When you start a new chat, there is a prompt available to explore how your direct reports’ align – if you don’t see it, select “see more” under the prompts.
8. Complete the feedback form to share your experience and suggestions.

Notes:

While the agent is now ready for testing, the GitHub reference pages that power its deeper logic are still being indexed by Bing, so you may see limited context for a few days. Once indexing is complete, I’ll share an update so you can see the full alignment examples in action. Until then, follow the link to the resources in the Key Links section above, and you can grab snippets of institutional context if you feel like it’s not giving you specific or relevant answers.

Leaders

In addition to the built-in prompt, can you test out this prompt by copying it and pasting it into the agent message box. Update the examples for Projects to reflect the work that your direct reports are currently working on. You can also change the aims to your personal aims to see how these projects align to those. I’ve added our department’s aims as a placeholder if you want to use those.

Leader Prompt:

I want to explore how my team’s current projects align to institutional priorities.

Faculty Affairs Department Aims:

1. How might we define continuous improvement processes so that they are organic to faculty work?
2. How might we improve how we prepare educator-practitioners, so that they can succeed in the UAGC academic model? 
3. How might we capitalize on the UAGC learning outcomes assessment infrastructure to support UAGC’s becoming a national leader in institutional assessment strategy and practice?
4. How can this department effectively and authentically collaborate to combine data and stakeholder – especially faculty – voices to further faculty and, in turn, student success?

Projects:

1. Caption-correction AI tool
2. Faculty onboarding redesign
3. Assessment Transition: Waypoint to Canvas
4. GAC Accreditation

Please:

• Identify which institutional categories these align with (Student Success Goals, Organizational Key Results, CARES Pillars, WSCUC areas, etc.).
• Group projects that share similar alignments or outcomes.
• Suggest 1–2 collaboration or communication opportunities.
• Summarize the results so they could inform a progress or accreditation report.

GUIDES:

Framing Conversations Guide for Leaders

Personal Alignment Guide

UAGC Institutional Context Guide AY 25-26

WORKSHEETS:

Alignment Reflection Worksheet

 

The following information is temporary for use with the Exploring Alignment Agent. 

Exploring Alignment Agent: Reference Guide

Alignment Categories Breakdown

Each alignment category below lists the name, definition, check alignment (the logic that the agent will use to check alignment), and audience considerations (checks alignment based on the intended audience as well as the other indicators). Student Success Drivers also have a supports category that lists the Critical Student Success goals the driver supports.

Critical Student Success Goals

1. Retention

Definition: Helping students persist through their first year. 

Check Alignment:

• Work that improves early engagement, onboarding, or support systems.
• Faculty development that enhances first-course teaching.
• Resources that reduce barriers to entry or confusion. 

Audience Considerations:

• Associate faculty-facing work is often aligned.
• Full-time faculty work may align if it affects early curriculum or mentoring.
• Staff-facing work aligns if it supports onboarding or advising.

2. Completion

Definition: Helping students finish their degrees or certificates. 

Check Alignment:

• Work that improves instructional quality or consistency.
• Faculty development focused on assessment, feedback, or scaffolding.
• Resources that support long-term academic planning or persistence. 

Audience Considerations:

• Associate faculty-facing work aligns if it improves teaching practices.
• Full-time faculty work aligns if it affects curriculum design or program structure.
• Staff-facing work aligns if it supports advising or academic policy.

3. Value

Definition: Helping students earn credentials with marketable skills. 

Check Alignment:

• Work that connects instruction to career-relevant outcomes.
• Faculty development that emphasizes real-world application.
• Resources that support skill-building or employer alignment. 

Audience Considerations:

• Full-time faculty work often aligns if it involves curriculum or program design.
• Associate faculty work aligns if it includes teaching marketable skills.
• Staff-facing work aligns if it supports career services or employer partnerships.

UAGC Three-Year Strategic Objectives

1. Stabilize enrollment through sustainable growth

Check Alignment:

• Work that improves student experience or retention.
• Faculty development that supports consistent teaching quality.
• Resources that reduce friction in the student journey.

2. Evolve academic portfolio and structure

Check Alignment:

• Curriculum innovation or redesign.
• Faculty development that supports interdisciplinary or stackable credentials.
• AI or tech tools that support new program formats.

3. Expand partnerships for workforce alignment

Check Alignment:

• Work that connects instruction to employer needs.
• Faculty development that includes career relevance.
• Resources that support alumni or employer engagement.

4. Exceed peer benchmarks in student success

Check Alignment:

• Any work that improves retention, completion, or value.
• Faculty development that supports instructional excellence.
• Resources that improve student outcomes measurably.

AY26 Organizational Key Results

1. Support strategic imperatives

Check Alignment:

• Work that aligns with President Garimella’s goals (e.g., access, innovation).
• Faculty development that supports institutional transformation.

2. Deliver scalable, quality online education

Check Alignment:

• Faculty development focused on pedagogy or curriculum.
• AI tools that support instructional quality.
• Accessibility improvements.

3. Enhance student success services

Check Alignment:

• Work that improves advising, onboarding, or support.
• Faculty development that supports student-centered teaching.

4. Optimize IT infrastructure and data

Check Alignment:

• AI tools, tagging systems, or resource management.
• Work that improves reporting or data-informed decisions.

5. Improve employee voice and communication

Check Alignment:

• Work that supports feedback loops or transparency.
• Resources that improve internal communication.

6. Maintain compliance

Check Alignment:

• Accessibility work.
• Policy-aligned guides or training.
• Faculty development that supports regulatory understanding.

WSCUC Reaffirmation Areas for Development

1. Strengthen data infrastructure

Check Alignment:

• AI tools, reporting systems, or assessment strategies.
• Faculty development that uses data for improvement.

2. Clarify service arrangements

Check Alignment:

• Work that improves cross-department collaboration.
• Guides that clarify roles or responsibilities.

3. Evaluate faculty workload and doctoral programming

Check Alignment:

• Faculty development or onboarding.
• Workload tracking or support systems.

4. Advance financial sustainability

Check Alignment:

• Work that improves efficiency or scalability.
• AI tools that reduce manual effort.

5. Develop shared governance

Check Alignment:

• Work that involves cross-team collaboration.
• Faculty development that includes leadership or decision-making.

Culture of Care: CARES Pillars

1. Communicate

Check Alignment:

• Work that improves clarity, transparency, or feedback.
• Guides or training that support effective messaging.

2. Advocate

Check Alignment:

• Work that includes equity, inclusion, or diverse voices.
• Faculty development that supports inclusive teaching.

3. Respect

Check Alignment:

• Work that honors diverse perspectives.
• Resources that support respectful engagement.

4. Empower

Check Alignment:

• Work that builds confidence or capacity.
• Faculty development that supports autonomy or growth.

5. Student-Centered

Check Alignment:

• Any work that prioritizes student outcomes.
• Faculty development that focuses on student needs.

Workforce-Centered Learning Redesign

Definition
A university-wide transformation focused on positioning the University of Arizona Global Campus as a workforce-centered, agile, and interdisciplinary learning institution. It emphasizes program agility and stackable credentials that connect learning directly to workforce needs.

Check Alignment
Work aligns when it:

• Advances program agility or stackability (e.g., flexible 90-credit pathways, certificate-to-degree routes).
• Connects curriculum, advising, or student support to career relevance or employer partnerships.
• Improves accessibility, assessment, or resource design that supports agile program development.
• Enables interdisciplinary or workforce-aligned course structures.
• Builds tools, processes, or policies that sustain the redesign (e.g., agile APR, scalable assessment, faculty readiness).

Audience Considerations

• Full-time faculty: curriculum innovation, interdisciplinary design, program review.
• Associate faculty: teaching practices that emphasize workforce skills and adaptability.
• Staff: advising, student services, or employer-relation initiatives.
• Cross-functional teams: projects linking academics and operations such as credential-stack mapping or technology enhancements.

Supports

• Critical Student Success Goals: Value, Completion, Retention (indirectly)
• Student Success Drivers: Career Development, Academic Experience, Institutional Structure & Environment

Example Indicators

• Launch of 90-credit bachelor’s programs or certificate stacks
• Partnership development with employers or community colleges
• Process improvements that shorten curriculum-to-implementation cycles
• Faculty or staff tools enabling agile redesign or scalable assessment

Student Success Drivers

UAGC uses a student-centered approach to organizing work that supports the Critical Student Success Goals: Retention, Completion, and Value. Our everyday work can be grouped into one or more of six Student Success Drivers, which describe the way in which we contribute to student success. These drivers help categorize work and guide alignment across institutional priorities.

In addition to these drivers, there are four foundational themes that should be present in all work: Equity, Feedback Loops, Culture, and Data. These themes are not standalone drivers but represent institutional priorities that cut across all areas. For example, a project to build an institutional dashboard may not directly connect to a specific Student Success Driver, but indirectly supports student success by improving data accuracy, transparency, and data-informed decision-making. In this case, the work would be linked to the foundational theme of Data, but not to an individual driver.

Work may align clearly to a Student Success Driver, but users should also consider how they can leverage foundational themes to strengthen or support their work. The agent will use these drivers to check alignment based on the type of work described and may reference foundational themes when relevant.

Each driver listed below includes:

• Examples of work that fall within each driver
• The logic the agent will use for checking alignment
• Audience considerations
• Examples of which Critical Student Success Goal(s) the driver primarily supports

After reviewing the drivers, users can reflect on how their work supports foundational themes using the questions provided in the next section.

1. Academic Experience

Work Examples:

• Program Offerings
• Quality Courses
• Faculty Role
• Curriculum
• Instruction/Academic Feedback
• Course Design and Delivery/Content Interaction

Check Alignment: Work aligns with this driver if it contributes to the listed examples through design, implementation, support, or evaluation. The agent will look for keywords and descriptions that match these categories.

Audience: Faculty-facing work aligns if it supports teaching, curriculum, or engagement. Staff-facing work aligns if it supports advising, resource development, or student services. Mixed-audience work may align to multiple drivers.

Supports: Retention, Completion, Value

2. Student Support & Well-being

Work Examples:

• • Academic Support
  • Responsive Support
  • Financial Support
  • Workplace Support
  • Partner Relationships

Check Alignment: Work aligns with this driver if it contributes to the listed examples through design, implementation, support, or evaluation. The agent will look for keywords and descriptions that match these categories.

Audience: Faculty-facing work aligns if it supports teaching, curriculum, or engagement. Staff-facing work aligns if it supports advising, resource development, or student services. Mixed-audience work may align to multiple drivers.

Supports: Retention, Completion

3. Career Development

Work Examples:

• Workforce/Soft Skills
• Networking
• Professional Resume
• Career Connections
• Lifelong Credentials

Check Alignment: Work aligns with this driver if it contributes to the listed examples through design, implementation, support, or evaluation. The agent will look for keywords and descriptions that match these categories.

Audience: Faculty-facing work aligns if it supports teaching, curriculum, or engagement. Staff-facing work aligns if it supports advising, resource development, or student services. Mixed-audience work may align to multiple drivers.

Supports: Value

4. Academic Progress

Work Examples:

• Preparedness/Readiness
• Student Agency in Degree Planning
• Transfer Policy
• Credit for Prior Learning

Check Alignment: Work aligns with this driver if it contributes to the listed examples through design, implementation, support, or evaluation. The agent will look for keywords and descriptions that match these categories.

Audience: Faculty-facing work aligns if it supports teaching, curriculum, or engagement. Staff-facing work aligns if it supports advising, resource development, or student services. Mixed-audience work may align to multiple drivers.

Supports: Completion, Value

5. Institutional Structure & Environment

Work Examples:

• Technology Experience
• Accessibility
• Student-Centered Policies and Procedures
• Resourcing: Human Capital and Funding
• Building Capacity
• Faculty and Staff Wellness

Check Alignment: Work aligns with this driver if it contributes to the listed examples through design, implementation, support, or evaluation. The agent will look for keywords and descriptions that match these categories.

Audience: Faculty-facing work aligns if it supports teaching, curriculum, or engagement. Staff-facing work aligns if it supports advising, resource development, or student services. Mixed-audience work may align to multiple drivers.

Supports: Retention, Completion

6. Communication & Connection

Work Examples:

• Effective, Two-Way Communication
• Engagement
• Faculty/Peer Interactions
• Quality Feedback
• Belonging/Community
• Recognition and Celebration

Check Alignment: Work aligns with this driver if it contributes to the listed examples through design, implementation, support, or evaluation. The agent will look for keywords and descriptions that match these categories.

Audience: Faculty-facing work aligns if it supports teaching, curriculum, or engagement. Staff-facing work aligns if it supports advising, resource development, or student services. Mixed-audience work may align to multiple drivers.

Supports: Retention

Foundational Themes: Reflection and Alignment

The following themes are foundational to all student success work at UAGC. While they are not categorized as standalone drivers, they should be present in all projects, initiatives, and experiments. Use these reflective questions to explore how your work supports each theme:

Equity

• Does your work reduce barriers for underserved or underrepresented groups?
• Are inclusive practices embedded in your design, delivery, or communication?
• How does your work promote fairness in access, outcomes, or opportunity?

Feedback Loops

• Are you gathering input from stakeholders (students, faculty, staff)?
• How are you responding to that feedback in meaningful ways?
• Does your work include mechanisms for continuous improvement?

Culture

• Does your work reflect or reinforce UAGC’s Culture of Care?
• Are you fostering belonging, respect, and empowerment?
• How does your work contribute to a positive institutional environment?

Data

• Are you using data to inform decisions, design, or delivery?
• Does your work improve transparency or data accuracy?
• How does your work support data-informed decision-making?

 

Generalized Job Context

This document serves to train the agent on the institutional context and provides examples of aims and strategic alignment.

Definitions

Frequently Used Acronyms

• AY25: Academic Year of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025
• AY26: Academic Year of July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026
• UAGC: University of Arizona Global Campus – the only approved abbreviation or acronym is UAGC which can never be used possessively – so the agent must never use UAGC’s.
• U of A or UArizona or UA: University of Arizona (UArizona or UA are not appropriate in formal communication/content but the agent may come across these references when interacting with users. The agent should only use U of A or University of Arizona).
• WSCUC or WASC: Accreditation through: WASC Senior College & University Commission (WSCUC)
• Q1 FY26: Quarter 1 Full Year 2026 or January 1, 2026 through March 31, 2026. Similar acronyms are used for Q2, Q3, & Q4 of the calendar year.
• COIL: College of Integrative Learning
• COPA: College of Professional Advancement
• CoC: Culture of Care, includes the CARES Pillars which may be referred to as “the Pillars,” “the CARES Pillars,” or “the C.A.R.E.S. Pillars”

Audience and Content Users

This is a non-exhaustive list of content users or the audience that will be using the agent and other deliverables:

• Leadership: Vice provost, vice presidents, associate directors, managers, leads, deans, associate deans, department heads, lead faculty, program chairs. They create content for all populations/audiences within the institution and for external audiences. Work remotely and onsite.
• Staff: Various university staff who are not employed as faculty. They create content for other staff, full-time faculty, associate faculty, and students. Work remotely and onsite.
• Full-time Faculty (FTF): Full-time university employees who have various appointed faculty roles such as deans, associate deans, department heads, lead faculty, and program chairs. Examples of their responsibilities include building curriculum, teaching, and managing contracted faculty, e.g., associate faculty. They create content for students, other FTF and staff, and associate faculty. Mostly work remotely.
• Associate Faculty (AF): These are part-time contracted employees. This group of faculty makes up the largest number of instructors in our institution. They mainly create content for students. Work remotely.

Reporting Structure Notes

The Vice Provost of UAGC Division of Academic Affairs and the Vice Provost of UAGC Division of Student Success & Engagement both report to the Senior Provost of Online Initiatives, along with 3 other UAGC division leaders, and the Vice Provost of Arizona Online. Arizona Online includes all online programs of the University of Arizona. UAGC encompasses a separate set of online programs that have a different online structure, curriculum, and an entirely different set of faculty and staff. Similar to how many universities with several different colleges or divisions, UAGC is a separate division under the University of Arizona. People who work under UAGC are still employees of UA, but we have some logistics and systems that are separate. For example, we do not use the same M365 license. All UAGC courses are online and all faculty teach remotely. We share the University of Arizona land grant mission, and we respectfully acknowledge that the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. The university strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.

Institutional Identity

This information is used to define the institution’s identity.

Institutional Mission, Values, Purpose:

• Mission: To provide a community of caring and guidance for academic, financial, mental health, and career support while providing a path that makes quality college education accessible to adult learners through online, flexible degree and certificate programs.
• Values: We strive to: Empower, support, enrich, and graduate every student.
• Purpose: To transform the higher education landscape and make it accessible for everyone, no matter their background or circumstance.

Critical Student Success Goals:

Student Success work is driven by the belief that a commitment to student success is a commitment to all students. UAGC is committed to achieving the following Critical Student Goals:

1. RETENTION: Students continue through their first year. AY26 Goal: 45%
2. COMPLETION: Students complete degrees and certificates. AY26 Goal: 9000 degrees and certificates awarded
3. VALUE: Students earn high-value credentials that enhance workforce outcomes. AY26 Goal: 75%

Student Success Drivers:

UAGC uses a student-centered approach to organize work that supports the Critical Student Success Goals: Retention, Completion, and Value. Our everyday work can be grouped into one or more of six Student Success Drivers, which describe the way in which we contribute to student success. These drivers help categorize work and guide alignment across institutional priorities.

In addition to these drivers, there are four foundational themes that should be present in all work: Equity, Feedback Loops, Culture, and Data. These themes are not standalone drivers but represent institutional priorities that cut across all areas. For example, a project to build an institutional dashboard may not directly connect to a specific Student Success Driver, but indirectly supports student success by improving data accuracy, transparency, and data-informed decision-making. In this case, the work would be linked to the foundational theme of Data, but not to an individual driver.

Work may align clearly to a Student Success Driver, but users should also consider how they can leverage foundational themes to strengthen or support their work. The agent will use these drivers to check alignment based on the type of work described and may reference foundational themes when relevant.

Each driver listed below includes:

• Examples of work that fall within each driver
• The logic the agent will use for checking alignment
• Audience considerations
• Examples of which Critical Student Success Goal(s) the driver primarily supports

After reviewing the drivers, users can reflect on how their work supports foundational themes using the questions provided in the next section.

1. Academic Experience
   • Program Offerings
   • Quality Courses
   • Faculty Role
   • Curriculum
   • Instruction/Academic Feedback
   • Course Design and Delivery/Content Interaction
2. Student Support & Well-Being
   • Academic Support
   • Responsive Support
   • Financial Support
   • Workplace Support
   • Partner Relationships
3. Career Development
   • Workforce/Soft Skills
   • Networking
   • Professional Resume
   • Career Connections
   • Lifelong Credentials
4. Academic Progress
   • Preparedness/Readiness
   • Student Agency in Degree Planning
   • Transfer Policy
   • Credit for Prior Learning
5. Institutional Structure & Environment
   • Technology Experience
   • Accessibility
   • Student-Centered Policies and Procedures
   • Resourcing: Human Capital and Funding
   • Building Capacity
   • Faculty and Staff Wellness
6. Communication & Connection
   • Effective, Two-Way Communication
   • Engagement
   • Faculty/Peer Interactions
   • Quality Feedback
   • Belonging/Community
   • Recognition and Celebration

FOUNDATIONAL THEMES: REFLECTION AND ALIGNMENT

The following themes are foundational to all student success work at UAGC. While they are not categorized as standalone drivers, they should be present in all projects, initiatives, and experiments. Use these reflective questions to explore how your work supports each theme:

Equity

• Does your work reduce barriers for underserved or underrepresented groups?
• Are inclusive practices embedded in your design, delivery, or communication?
• How does your work promote fairness in access, outcomes, or opportunity?

Feedback Loops

• Are you gathering input from stakeholders (students, faculty, staff)?
• How are you responding to that feedback in meaningful ways?
• Does your work include mechanisms for continuous improvement?

Culture

• Does your work reflect or reinforce UAGC’s Culture of Care?
• Are you fostering belonging, respect, and empowerment?
• How does your work contribute to a positive institutional environment?

Data

• Are you using data to inform decisions, design, or delivery?
• Does your work improve transparency or data accuracy?
• How does your work support data-informed decision-making?

Culture of Care and CARES Pillars:

The UAGC Culture of Care fosters a community grounded in trust and belonging. We believe our culture provides opportunity for individuals to thrive academically, professionally, and personally; creating a transformative student experience.

These CARES or C.A.R.E.S. Pillars define the UAGC Culture of Care:

• COMMUNICATE: At UAGC, we are committed to timely, professional, and transparent communication. We value diverse perspectives, listen to understand, and welcome feedback.
• ADVOCATE: At UAGC, we embed equitable practices by advocating for inclusion of diverse voices in every department within the University.
• RESPECT: At UAGC, we engage respectfully in every interaction, recognizing the inherent value of diverse perspectives.
• EMPOWER: At UAGC, we empower all members of our community to speak up, participate, create, learn, and grow.
• STUDENT-CENTERED: At UAGC, we use every decision and action as an opportunity to maximize student success.

Learning Organization

Learning Organization Identity: “How might we…?”

• UAGC is evolving into a learning-centered institution focused on:
• Interdisciplinary collaboration
• Stackable, career-aligned credentials
• Faculty-led innovation at the department level
• Lifelong learning and real-world relevance
• Faculty are positioned as leaders of learning, not just content deliverers.

Aims

Aims are used instead of smart goals or objectives. These aims describe the work we want to do each year in an effort to innovate and improve performance on the UAGC three critical student goals. Here is a summary of aims:

• Not SMART goals – focus on learning, not metrics.
• Framed as questions – e.g., “How might we…?”
• Paired with experiments – activities that explore the aim.
• Shared learning – stories and insights are disseminated.
• Collaborative alignment – developed across departments, not top-down.
• Used in evaluations – “What did you learn?” not “What did you achieve?”
• Aims follow a learning cycle: Agreement → Experiment → Share Stories. This model supports transparency, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Agreement-Experiment-Share Model

A simple cycle for learning and improvement:

1. Agreement: Reach consensus on aims at the organizational, team, and individual levels.
2. Experiment: Design and conduct activities that explore those aims.
3. Share Stories: Reflect on what was learned, what worked, and what could be done differently.

This model encourages:

• Transparency
• Vulnerability in sharing learning.
• Collaborative alignment across teams.
• Continuous improvement through inquiry.

This model is grounded in a learning organization model, which draws inspiration from Peter Senge’s The Fifth Discipline and its emphasis on shared vision, continuous learning, and systemic thinking. The Agreement–Experiment–Share cycle reflects our institutional commitment to inquiry, collaboration, and improvement.

For more context, visit the UAGC Teaching & Learning Conference: The Science and Soul of a Learning Organization, which highlights this learning organization model and its application across academic and operational initiatives at UAGC.

Strategic Context

UAGC Three-Year Strategic Objectives

1. Stabilize new and returning enrollment through a sustainable growth model.
2. Evolve the academic portfolio and structure to align with the nontraditional educational division.
3. Expand internal and external partnerships for workforce alignment and program growth.
4. Exceed the 25th percentile for peer online universities' student success.

AY26 Organizational Key Results

1. 1. Improving the practice and policy of the Online Initiatives portfolio to fully support President Garimella’s strategic imperatives, Delivering on our Promise, for the U of A.
   2. Improve and deliver scalable, quality online education through cutting-edge curriculum, effective pedagogy/andragogy, and agile program development.
   3. Enhance and further integrate student success services across the student lifecycle from initial interest to completion to ensure main focus for Online Initiatives remains student success.
   4. Optimize IT infrastructure and data management to improve efficiency and increase ability to assess root causes and effects. (Building upon the current IT roadmap).
   5. Improve employee voice and improve communication, develop a sustainable process (surveys, councils, etc.) by the end of Q1 FY26 and commit to answer all townhall questions withing 5 business days of receipt.
   6. Maintain Compliance with internal and external regulations, policy, and requirements (Dept of Ed, DOD, Financial Statement audits, WSCUC, IPEDS, CFPB, ABOR, TCPA).

WSCUC 2025-2031 Reaffirmation Areas for Development

1. 1. Strengthening data infrastructure to provide more actionable insights​
   2. Clarifying service arrangements between UAGC and the University of Arizona​
   3. Evaluating faculty workload and doctoral programming​
   4. Advancing long-term financial sustainability and transparency in enrollment projections
   5. Furthering development of shared governance mechanisms

Division Aims (grouped by department)

UAGC DIVISION OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS AY26 AIMS

College of Integrative Learning

1. 1. How might we develop a resilient, creative, and accountable culture to meet the demands of institutional transformation and student outcomes?
   2. How might we enhance faculty and staff ability to support student success through proactive, data-informed strategies?
   3. How might we strengthen our collective capacity to design and launch programs aligned with workforce needs and enrollment growth?
   4. How might we build fluency and confidence in ethical, meaningful uses of AI in curriculum, instruction, and operation?
   5. How might we initiate and sustain strategic partnerships with employers, community colleges, and alumni while developing our understanding of philanthropic strategies and alumni engagement for long-term support?
   6. How might we foster a shared understanding of our mission, values, attributes, and activities as a College of Integrative Learning?

College of Professional Advancement

1. 1. How might COPA leverage new instructional standards and instructional quality review process to create a world-class educational experience?
   2. How might COPA strengthen corporate and military partnerships through tailored educational solutions?
   3. How might we strengthen the Culture of Care within COPA through feedback loops response?

Office of Academic Experience

1. 1.  Student Voice.  How might we activate and elevate student voice to meaningfully shape departmental priorities, programs, and policies—ensuring students are co-creators of their educational experience?
   2. Access. Accessibility, and Affordability.  How might we improve access and affordability by reimagining pathways, support structures, and resource allocation to reduce barriers for all learners, especially those historically underserved?
   3. Workforce Alignment and Relevance.  How might we enhance workforce alignment and relevance by embedding emerging tools (including AI), aligning curriculum to in-demand skills, and supporting college-specific strategies that prepare students for evolving industry needs and lifelong career success?

Office of Faculty Affairs

1. 1. How might we define continuous improvement processes so that they are organic to faculty work?
   2. How might we improve how we prepare educator-practitioners, so that they can succeed in the UAGC academic model? 
   3. How might we capitalize on the UAGC learning outcomes assessment infrastructure to support UAGC’s becoming a national leader in institutional assessment strategy and practice?
   4. How can this department effectively and authentically collaborate to combine data and stakeholder – especially faculty – voices to further faculty and, in turn, student success?

Office of Student Success

1. 1. Experiment with approaches to building a curated student success resource library with targeted communications and training – determine what design and types of engagement facilitate learning and use of the resources  
   2. Discover which indicators have a meaningful relationship with key student progress milestones. Build understanding of these relationships and how the information can be used to inform action. 
   3. Test new reporting approaches aligned to the cycle of actions targeted stakeholders engage in. Learn how useful the reports are in prompting meaningful change, and refine reporting approaches based on feedback and observed outcomes. Targeted stakeholders may include program chairs and/or other departments.  
   4. Collaborate with stakeholders to identify informative methods for interrogating the impact of UAGC academic policies on student experience and academic progression 
   5. Learn how to leverage external information and resources to advance student success efforts.  

UAGC Division of Student Success & Engagement AY26 Aims

 Student Affairs

1. 1. How can we elevate our student engagement experience to such an extent that it is perceived as essential to the daily lives of our students and the broader University community?
   2. How can we leverage our career development acumen and job search expertise to empower academic and student services leaders as they embed career and workforce development across their programmatic offerings and supports?
   3. What are some ways that we—in Student Affairs—can become the nerve center for the collective student voice across the University and in the public sphere?

 Communications and Strategic Engagement

1. 1. How might we improve student persistence by making milestone communications more personalized and impactful?
   2. How might we create a more consistent and streamlined communications framework for both students and employees?

Office of the Registrar

1. 1. How might we support students returning to the University upon a dismissal appeal collaborating with academic affairs, student affairs and faculty to improve student success and completion?
   2. How can we enhance the student experience through policy or process change, cross-team collaboration, student access, or other areas that touch the student experience?
   3. How can we impact student progression with review of student progression policies and processes to recommend, support and implement student-centric changes that align with student retention, completion, and success?
   4. How might we evaluate current and future student communications to ensure they are student-centric, impactful,  and focused on student success, and embrace the Culture of Care?
   5. How might we enhance any reporting (or future reporting within the Registrar’s Office) to improve efficiency and compliance to support the needs of our staff and students?

 Student Advising

1. 1. How can we identify and advocate for tools and strategies to continue improvements in student retention?
   2. How can we better create and continue to improve faculty and advisor relationships and connections?
   3. How can we review and enhance advisor-to-student support and connection?

 Articulation & Prior Learning

1. 1. How do we… Ensure our CPL and internal assessment of CPL is industry leading, meets students where they are, and aligns with our programmatic offerings. 
   2. How do we… enhance the Experiential Learning Credit Workshop (ELCW) for both?
   3. How might we collaborate with the Trust department to ensure compliance with internal and external regulations, policy, and requirements?  

Individual Example

This information provides an individual example to help train the agent.

Example Role Details

Title:

Faculty Development & Coaching Specialist

Department:

Office of Faculty Affairs

Reporting Structure:

Faculty Development & Coaching Specialist ® Associate Director or Manager ® Vice President Office of Faculty Affairs ®  Vice Provost Academic Affairs ® Senior Vice Provost of Online Initiatives

Job Description:

The Facuty Development & Coaching Specialist is responsible for supporting continuous improvement by advancing faculty educational development and institutional effectiveness through stakeholder-centered collaboration. Faculty Development & Coaching Specialists partner with stakeholders to analyze faculty needs, define scope and resources, and design, pilot, and organize educational assets and practices that drive continuous improvement. They implement cross-team action plans—coordinating with various departments to streamline processes, assess outcomes, and iteratively refine learning solutions in alignment with stakeholder goals. Additionally, they engage in scholarly research and professional development to inform departmental initiatives and foster a culture of ongoing learning and innovation.

1. Consult with stakeholders to promote continuous improvement by establishing rapport through stakeholder engagement. Analyze stakeholder needs, including identifying audience, scope, and resource allocation to optimize appropriate assets or service.

2. Develop, advise, and organize educational assets for faculty learning and engagement opportunities. Pilot, assess, and create iterative improvement practices to align with stakeholder needs, including but not limited to onboarding, faculty educational opportunities, and faculty support.

3. Implement action plans for cross-team collaboration, coordinating with various stakeholders to develop streamlined processes and enhance operational efficiencies to support meaningful, actionable, and integrated outcomes.

4. Research and participate in scholarly work and professional interests that support departmental work and foster a culture of ongoing development.

Personal Aims:

How might we improve faculty onboarding and development through integrated learning-application models that support new faculty in connecting their expertise to student success?

How might we enhance the clarity, accessibility, and discoverability of faculty-facing and departmental resources to support both user experience and sustainable implementation of accessibility practices?

How might we explore and apply AI tools to enhance faculty development, resource management, and accessibility support across our department?

Manager’s Aims:

1. Improve new faculty performance through a supportive, developmental model that strengthens confidence, instructional readiness, and long-term success.
2. Foster a cycle of learning, application, and reflection by embedding evidence-based practices into faculty training and linking instructional choices to student outcomes.
3. Advance faculty capacity to apply the CARES pillars in everyday teaching practices, moving from general awareness to intentional, value-aligned instruction.
4. How might we better understand how faculty access and use information about the institution, their programs, or their disciplines to support their students and colleagues and to assess the quality of their programs?

Department Vice President’s (Skip Manager) Aims:

1. What leadership approaches most productively advocate for and/or help develop team members’ aims?
   1. Research/benchmark shared governance-administrative relationships to refine leadership practice.
2. How might we better integrate core assessment, curriculum development, and delivery learning into AF development conversations (re: WSCUC recommendation)?
   1. Directly engage in NFE and Faculty and Student Success Committee work to facilitate addressing these topics.