Our Strategic Impact Group tackled the wicked problem of student attendance as a measure of engagement and likelihood to graduate. Initially, our group quickly identified class attendance and how to measure class attendance as the focus of our project. Our goal was to devise a way to easily identify students with poor attendance for the purposes of directed outreach and support. Then, as we engaged with this learning process, met with experts on campus, and regrouped, we cast a wider net to look at the more difficult question of student engagement. By dialing back and refocusing, our group arrived at an appreciation for the work others have done toward this wicked problem; the variety of approaches that are possible; and ultimately identified potential methods and interventions that are achievable with existing resources.
- Holly Greatrex, Senior Development Officer, Major Gifts, Advancement
- James Moretton, Assistant Registrar, Registration & Records, Registrar’s Office
- Jason Etele, Associate Professor, Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
- Kevin Mackay, Manager, Architectural Services, FMP
- Melanie Leblanc, Assistant and Graduate Program Administrator, Journalism and Communication
- Peter (Xiaoping) Liu, Professor, Systems & Computer Engineering
- Richard Mann, Associate Dean (Curriculum, Programs & Planning), FASS
- Susan Burhoe, Coordinator of Programs, CIE