Curricular Approach

As the Division of Student Affairs continues to focus on student learning and development, we have embarked on a process to implement a curricular approach. A curricular approach enables us to put student learning at the center of the work we do and better align our efforts with promising national practices in student affairs. This approach is based off of ACPA’s curricular approach to student affairs.

This initiative was launched in fall 2022 under the leadership of Fred McCall, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement and Dean of Students, and Sue Farruggia, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Assessment and Planning. A division-wide team to focus on the implementation has been formed. The team is project managed by Tenisha Burnett and Keith Ellis. The team consists of:

  • Fred McCall, Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Engagement and Dean of Students
  • Sue Farruggia, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Assessment and Planning
  • Tenisha Burnett, Administrative Assistant, Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs
  • Keith Ellis, Interim Director, Campus Housing
  • Jacque Bollinger, Associate Director of Residence Life, Campus Housing
  • Kevin Cane, Director, Fraternity and Sorority Life
  • Charles Farrell, Executive Director for Business Development/Director, UIC Student Centers
  • Carmen Garza, Director, Student Employment
  • Jess Joslin, Director, Dialogue Initiative and Diversity Education
  • Mary Oakes, Senior Associate Director, Campus Housing
  • Eric Pegues, Interim Assistant Dean for Community Standards, Dean of Students
  • Jean Riordan, Executive Director, Career Services
  • Nick Schiller, Assistant Director for Residence Life and Leadership Programs, Campus Housing
  • Amie Schuck, Associate Professor, Criminology, Law and Justice
  • Daniel Wilson, Assessment Specialist, Assessment and Planning
  • Allen Womble, Director, High Impact Student Engagement

Key Steps in the Curricular Approach (adapted from Kerr et al., 2020)

  1. Archaeological dig
  2. Develop your educational priority
  3. Identify learning goals and describe them through a narrative
  4. Establish learning outcomes that align with learning goals
  5. Create learning rubrics to organize learning goals and outcomes
  6. Develop educational plans that include assessment plans (assessment plans are shared with the Office for Research on Student Success)
  7. Plans are implemented