while continuing to relate activities and services to classroom performance. A student with proper “attitude” is engaged with learning, is motivated to succeed academically, and forms the habits to achieve academic success. Considerable resources are being devoted to this plan which came about as a result of extensive conversations between all campus constituencies – students, faculty and staff.

  1. A reduction in the number of credit hours required for graduation is an initiative in progress. The Office of Academic Affairs has been working with departments and the Faculty Senate to find ways to bring the number of course credit hours for degree programs to 120 where possible without compromising the quality of those degrees. This will reduce time to graduation, cost and improve six-year graduation rates. The Faculty Senate recently approved a reduction in hours to 120 in Mass Communication and Journalism, English (Creative Writing Concentration), English (Literature Concentration) and Spanish. Other programs are undergoing review for the same purpose.
  2. The Office of Academic Affairs is working hard to have curriculum ladders for all majors and 9-semester schedules of classes up on the website to assist students and advisors with precise and efficient curriculum planning.
  3. The University is mounting an aggressive drive to get returning students to fill out their financial aid applications – FAFSA, in a timely manner. The Office of Financial Aid is working collaboratively with faculty members to achieve this goal.
  4. The University is preparing to send a letter to all students here and those who left, in particular Kentucky undergraduate students, to find out if there are areas in which the University could assist them in their progress toward graduation. They will receive responses from officers of the University who have authority to provide assistance.
  5. The University has developed and implemented the Breds Pledge Program for students matriculating at Kentucky State University. Students who are PELL eligible, with less than $3,000 expected family contribution (EFC, as determined by their FASFA) qualify for grants and/or work program supplemental aid to assist them in covering tuition and fees, room and board and books. KSU is fully committed to promoting student success while minimizing student debt. The Breds Pledge Program is intended to recognize student success and expects student accountability.
  6. In order to streamline enrollment services, the University is opening a one stop shop. The University's vision of a Student One-Stop Shop Enrollment Services Model is based on an historical analysis of the challenges that have been faced by students, faculty, and staff at KSU, and it will:
  7. Exemplify a student centered approach to enrollment service in each OEM office;
  8. Actively engage the redesign of those critical processes that are necessary for student success;
  9. Utilize a tailored triage approach to providing services related to those critical processes; and
  10. Provide for the requisite technical training that complements and enhances these processes

This project is also informed by feedback, survey data, and roundtable dialogues with KSU staff members who have frontline experience in facilitating the critical processes that are necessary for student success.

In addition to the initiatives listed above, the University is initiating other processes to improve the retention of Kentucky undergraduate students as well as other students and their graduation

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