Tag: Supporting

Supporting early-career academics – in all their roles
The conventional view of a successful career in academia is a linear pathway from academic study to post-doctoral work to, finally, academic employment. However, this traditional perspective fails to acknowledge the complexity and conditional nature of entering academia.

Higher education has transformed rapidly into a multi-faceted environment, underpinned by teaching, research, industry experience, scholarly activity, and wider responsibilities – and early-career academics (ECAs) are critical to that academic ecosystem.

The challenges ECAs face can be extensive: foremost among them the planning and delivering of teaching content, added to the pressure of research, publications and preparing funding applications, as well as engaging in broader activities in pursuit of career development. When coupled with the potential uncertainty surrounding contract renewal, these factors can create an environment where stress and anxiety are pervasive.

Accessing the necessary resources, activities and support is crucial to developing a thriving career. Helping to achieve a balance between focusing on teaching, research outputs, personal wellbeing and building a strong professional network is fundamental.

Balancing the multiplicity of roles may make this initial transition difficult for ECAs. While research output and funding success of ECAs are often closely scrutinised, there is a critical aspect of their role that tends to be overlooked and under-appreciated – their teaching responsibilities.

Priority mismatch

For many ECAs, the challenge lies in being assigned increasing teaching hours, often including subjects or modules that are far removed from their research or industry expertise. This can be frustrating, diverting time from research, which is typically their primary focus.

The demands of teaching should not be underestimated. Developing module and session content, grading and providing student support all take up significant time. Combined with the need to prepare, it’s easy to see how there can be little room for research or personal development. The problem is compounded by the increased administrative burden associated with teaching, which in many universities has been on the rise in recent years.

Moreover, teaching quality is often seen as “secondary” to research output when it comes to academic progression. This can lead to a mismatch in priorities, where ECAs are forced to choose between excelling at teaching or focusing on research to meet the expectations of the next stage of their careers.

ECAs can be provided with research supervisors, but there can be limited opportunity to access support to discuss pedagogical methods of teaching and learning and preparation of sessions. Even when opportunities exist for ECAs to engage in collaborative networks, peer support and mentoring, engagement can be restricted by work environment such as lack of time, high workloads and isolation

Bridging the gap

Many ECAs receive research support, yet less focus is placed on teaching fundamentals and long-term professional development. Often, ECAs may achieve their postgraduate teaching certificate after having started teaching – and the operational guidance and pedagogical skills can often get overlooked.

Although ECA mentorship programmes do now exist within institutions, and more accessible support is available in professional networks, few universities offer formal mentoring schemes, which would pair ECAs with more senior academics to provide guidance in navigating the complexities of academic careers, specifically on teaching and learning.

Despite the best possible local institutional support, ECAs will often stress the hidden struggles to develop independently, stating that it is difficult to determine what is supposed to be done and how – or what they are “expected to know.” This results in ECAs finding themselves struggling to build necessary skills to assist them with future teaching commitments.

How we put a resource together

A formal mentoring scheme at Hartpury University led us to develop a series of infographics as a visual communication tool to assist the development and delivery of pedagogical concepts to assist teaching delivery (in the subject area of anatomy). One example can be seen here on the National Teaching Repository, with links to others below.

This was underpinned by discussing with ECAs their needs and resources to support their own teaching journey. These resources have grown organically as an operational user-friendly guide.

This “anatomy series” appears to have resonated with both mentors and ECAs – according to the downloads we’ve seen from the repository at key points in the academic annual cycle.

Through a small study (n=7), we collated an illustrative selection of narratives from ECAs and mentors on their thoughts. Both ECAs and mentors reported using the majority of the infographics “somewhat” or “to a great extent,” providing positive feedback in the following areas:
- clear, evidence-based material that is easy to digest and ready to use as a quick reference guide
- bite-sized content for quick reference during content creation or planning
- “user-friendly” approach with concise actionable guidance
- visually appealing resources that enhance clarity and learning retention.
In addition, mentors highlighted:
- effective scaffolding and signposting for module and assessment design
- succinct prompts as a helpful reminder of the fundamental principles to focus on with ECAs
- accessible, shareable resource featuring clear examples for ECAs.
Ideas for future topics provided by respondents included technology and innovation, student support and success, and lecturer wellbeing.

For a thriving academic career

A rewarding academic career needs the right support and balance to transfer knowledge, inspire a generation, and pursue research.

ECAs face complex challenges – but universities can help by improving mentorship programmes, building supportive networks, and offering guidance, as well as creating user-friendly resources that assist the practicalities of teaching.

Early-career academics are central to the academic ecosystem, yet their struggles can be overlooked, particularly within the teaching and learning environment. By establishing a more sustainable and supportive environment, we can ensure that they are able to thrive within the multiplicity of roles they are asked to take on, and contribute to the academic community for years to come.
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June 11, 2025
Supporting their success: Uncovering the underrepresentation of Chinese students in Higher Education
- Baiyu Liu is a BSc Computer Science student studying at King’s College London (KCL). He has been elected President of the King’s College London Students’ Union (KCLSU) in March 2025. His election marks the first time a Chinese student breaks into Student Union leadership in a major London Russell Group university. In this article, Baiyu writes about his thoughts on Chinese representation in student leadership.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as an undergraduate student at KCL and I will look back fondly on my experience and the positive imprint the university has left on me. As I leave my undergraduate studies and move on to my new role as President of the KCLSU, I can’t help but reflect on my time. What went well, and what could be improved about university offerings to students, especially Chinese students.

Chinese students form one of the largest international student groups in the UK, yet they are strikingly underrepresented in leadership, governance, and public discourse. Until my election at King’s College London Students’ Union, there was not one East Asian President in its 150 year history. This highlights the stark imbalance of Chinese representation in student leadership at universities in the UK. We believe this underrepresentation must be addressed in order to keep UK universities competitive in attracting Chinese international students, whose tuition fees form a large part of British university income.

At King’s College London, out of the 23,000 international students, over 7,000 are Chinese. However, despite being a third of the international demographic and a fifth of the total student demographic, there is a virtually non-existent Chinese presence in the Students’ Union or senior leadership. Even with the commendable efforts of KCL’s leadership and our renowned Student Union, there is still much more to be done to bridge the gap.

We have identified two major factors that have led to this lack of leadership representation: a lack of existing minority representation and a lack of cross-cultural interaction. In the past, there have been discriminatory beliefs about Chinese students ‘keeping quiet’ or ‘keeping to themselves’. My election is a wake-up call – UK universities’ reliance on Chinese students’ tuition fees and treatment of them as merely consumers must come to an end. I picked up the mantle of leadership not because it was absent among the Chinese community, but because nobody had envisioned that a Chinese student could be an SU President.

Due to the Chinese culture of deference and Confucian principles, which value social harmony above individual agency, many Chinese international students do not believe they are empowered to speak out or stand up for their communities. They have very few role models or trailblazers – they couldn’t see themselves being student leaders.

There is of course also an element of the self-fulfilling prophecy of the bigotry of low expectations. The stereotype of Chinese students as being ‘hardworking but quiet’ rears its ugly head when many previous student leaders have presumed that students will simply accept what they are told and the changes the SU intends to make. They do not expect Chinese students to put up a fight.

As Chinese international students often cluster and stay within their own circles, they are often apathetic to the wider happenings of the Student Union. This effectively creates a distance between them and the policymaking processes in channelling their student voice.

The wider implication of the lack of Chinese representation is that their concerns are not always adequately addressed. One example at KCL is the issue of Digital Graduation Certificates (DGC), wherein the time discrepancy between receiving their degrees and having their physical certificates shipped to them in China leads to graduates missing out on crucial job application windows. For many years, Chinese students at KCL have suffered in silence as they have missed job opportunities due to the lack of DGCs. We do not believe this is an oversight from KCL’s administration, but instead simply that they did not know this was a problem.

Authentic Chinese food is absent in our kitchens, despite the sizable Chinese demographic. Many international students find the whitewashed Asian food disagreeable to their palates, whilst calls for food reform often fall on deaf ears. Similarly, hot drinking water dispensers are still unavailable for Chinese students who are not accustomed to drinking cold water.

These problems, combined with many others, lead to Chinese students questioning whether they ought to study in the UK at all, which already costs far more than Chinese universities. UK universities, it should be noted, are also beginning to fall behind in STEM fields, which Chinese parents are becoming increasingly more aware of. It is thus in the best interests of UK universities to maintain a competitive edge in the Chinese higher education market.

We believe it is imperative that we diversify the Student Unions of UK universities and empower Chinese international student voices. Although KCLSU is a start, it must not be the end. We hope more Chinese students could be emboldened to run for Student Union positions across this country.

KCL is one of the greatest academic institutions in the world, with a great diversity of students from different backgrounds and cultures. The world-class staff of the university and the student union have done great work in enriching and fostering inclusivity. We believe that King’s could serve as a beacon to the rest of the country moving forward, especially in uplifting student voices within the Chinese community. I envision a world where all students, regardless of nationality, can see themselves in top leadership positions and have their voices heard. I hope to see Chinese students not just study in UK universities, but also help to shape them.
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May 27, 2025
Supporting Student Mental Health in the Classroom: A Faculty Guide to Compassionate Engagement – Faculty Focus

In recent years, higher education has witnessed a surge in conversations around student mental health. National surveys consistently report escalating rates of anxiety, depression, and loneliness among college students (American College Health Association 2023). Yet despite these growing concerns, faculty remain largely underprepared to intervene effectively. While staff in student affairs and counseling centers are often trained in mental health response and early intervention, faculty are frequently left out of these critical conversations. This divide has resulted in a persistent gap—both in knowledge and in action.

Studies show that students are more likely to exhibit early signs of distress in the classroom than in other campus spaces, making faculty key frontline responders (Lipson et al., 2022). However, faculty often report feeling ill-equipped or unsure about how to identify mental health concerns or refer students appropriately. A 2020 national survey of faculty found that only 51% felt confident in recognizing when a student might need help, and fewer than 30% had received any formal training (NASPA, 2020). In addition, given the other responsibilities to achieve tenure, it can be challenging to know how to prioritize a list of competing needs.

Despite the increase in mental health programming across universities, little has changed in how faculty are prepared to support students. Institutions often prioritize staff development in these areas, assuming counseling centers or student affairs teams will manage the bulk of mental health interventions. However, without better integration of faculty into institutional wellbeing strategies, students may continue to fall through the cracks.

Recognizing the Signs: What Faculty Can Do

Common signs of student distress—frequent absences, changes in participation, disorganized thinking, or emotional outbursts—often surface in classroom settings. While faculty are not expected to diagnose or treat mental health conditions, being able to recognize these red flags and respond appropriately can be lifesaving.

It is important for faculty to understand their role in the broader system of care: to notice, approach with compassion, and refer. The role does not include functioning as a therapist. Each faculty member has been socialized in their respective fields for several years. That training should not be set aside. Rather, learning how to refer students is vital. Still, the referral process can be opaque. Many faculty are unaware of what services are available, who to call, or what their responsibility is after making a referral. Closing this knowledge gap requires clear, accessible systems—and consistent faculty inclusion in mental health trainings and initiatives.

From Concern to Connection: The Power of Referral

Faculty can make a difference by normalizing help-seeking behavior and offering concrete pathways to support. A simple statement like, “I’ve noticed you seem a bit off lately—are you okay? If you’d like, I can help you find someone to talk to,” can build trust and remove stigma. Learning the language of how to intervene can help facilitate the appropriate connection to campus services. The goal is to get students connected to care in ways that faculty can provide.

The Divide Between Faculty and Staff

Staff members in counseling services and student affairs are trained in trauma-informed practices, crisis response, and developmental theory. Faculty, by contrast, are rarely required to learn these skills, even as they face growing demands to support student wellbeing.

This disconnect is structural, not personal. The division between academic and student affairs has long been a feature of higher education. Yet if we are to meet the holistic needs of students, institutions must actively dismantle these silos and build collaborative, cross-functional approaches to care. Faculty should be partners in designing wellbeing strategies, not peripheral to them.

Supporting Faculty Mental Health

It’s also essential to acknowledge that faculty are under pressure too. Burnout, compassion fatigue, and rising expectations in teaching and service can make it difficult to engage in additional emotional labor. Supporting student mental health cannot come at the expense of faculty wellbeing. It should also be noted that female presenting faculty are more likely to be approached by students to share about their mental health. Female presenting faculty may be carrying the additional stress of trying to help students in addition to their other duties.

Institutions must invest in faculty support systems—professional development, access to mental health resources, and workload adjustments—to ensure sustainable engagement. Training in student mental health should be framed not as an added burden, but as a shared responsibility that supports teaching, learning, and community resilience.

Toward a Culture of Care

UMBC is advancing a “Culture of CARE” that centers equity, resilience, and connection across the campus experience. For faculty, this means being empowered to recognize when students need help, equipped with tools to respond appropriately, and connected to a broader network of care. It also means ensuring that faculty themselves are cared for, supported, and not left to carry this burden alone.

As the Assistant Vice President for health and wellbeing, I enjoy assisting in bridging the divide between faculty and staff. By embedding mental health into the culture of higher education, we can create campuses where everyone—students and educators alike—can thrive.

Dr. Rae Chresfield is a higher education leader with over 15 years of experience in mental health, wellbeing, and student support. A first-generation college graduate, she began her academic journey at Coastal Carolina Community College and earned a B.S. in Behavioral Science from the University of Maryland University College, an M.A. in Mental Health and Wellness from NYU, and a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision from SUNY Buffalo.

Dr. Chresfield has held progressive leadership roles in higher education, including Director of Counseling Services, Associate Dean of Health and Wellness, and Assistant Professor. She currently serves as the inaugural Assistant Vice President for Health and Wellbeing at UMBC, where she leads strategic efforts to embed a holistic Culture of CARE across campus. Her work focuses on integrated service delivery and bridging the gap between mental health professionals and institutional leadership.

Widely known as “Dr. Rae,” she is recognized for her compassionate approach and commitment to student-centered systems that support wellbeing, equity, and resilience.

References

American College Health Association. 2023. National College Health Assessment: Spring 2023 Reference Group Data Report. Silver Spring, MD: ACHA.

Lipson, Sarah K., Laura H. Eisenberg, and Daniel Eisenberg. 2022. “Faculty and Mental Health: Knowledge, Confidence, and Responsibility.” Journal of American College Health 70(6): 1491–1500. https://doi.org/10.1080/07448481.2021.1909043.

NASPA. 2020. The Role of Faculty in Student Mental Health: Results of a National Survey. Washington, DC: NASPA Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.

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May 23, 2025
Supporting Performing Art Students via Wellness Resources

The image of the suffering artist is a cliché that faculty and staff who work with students in the performing and visual arts are trying to dispel. They believe that creative inspiration doesn’t have to come at the expense of health and well-being.

“You definitely have to be able to connect on some level to that artistry. But that doesn’t mean necessarily that you have to suffer mental health issues to be able to access this,” said Frank M. Diaz, professor in the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.

A growing awareness of young people’s mental health and the challenges depression and anxiety pose to student retention and college completion has inspired services for students of underrepresented minority backgrounds, student athletes and other populations on campuses.

More performing arts programs have also begun embracing education on emotional and physical well-being to equip students to succeed in college and beyond.

Under pressure: Performing arts students, like many college attendees, face academic pressures—as well as financial responsibilities to pay for college—that can put them under immense stress. A 2024 survey by Inside Higher Ed and Generation Lab found that just under half of respondents indicated their top stressor while enrolled was balancing academics with personal, family or financial responsibilities.

Performers also juggle rehearsals, whether individual training or as part of an ensemble, that can require several hours of work outside of regularly scheduled classes. Musicians are often in practice rooms for hours each day, causing them to deprioritize their well-being.

“Some of them practice for six hours,” Diaz said. “That does not include their academic courses, their music courses, their ensembles that they’re in, their lessons and their studio classes. While you pile all that on, it’s a lot.”

Young people in general are more open to talking about mental health compared to previous generations, but performing arts students often feel cultural pressures to maintain certain appearances.

“There’s a lot of stigma around the arts and mental health,” Diaz said. “Music students—we also have ballet here—don’t like to admit that they have issues. It’s seen as a weakness, so it’s been traditionally not talked about in our field.”

Additionally, the performing arts can put pressure on students’ physical health if they’re not trained or properly supported. A research study of music schools in Switzerland and the U.K. found music students had lower levels of physical and psychological health compared to the general population.

This unique combination of factors has pushed some colleges and universities to invest in specialized resources dedicated to students studying music.

Institutional change: Members of the National Association of Schools of Music, the accrediting body for most music programs, are required to provide music students with information about physical and mental health. Most institutions meet this requirement through a dedicated webpage where students can browse campus and external services. If you ask James Brody, director of the Musicians’ Wellness Program (MWP) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, College of Music, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

Brody and his colleagues have been engaging in this work informally for over a decade. In 2020 the university rolled out an embedded counseling program, which provided the College of Music with a dedicated mental health clinician, Matthew Tomatz, to lead outreach and deliver services to music students. Tomatz, a former musician himself, receives referrals from faculty and staff to meet with students and provides regular group therapy for student musicians to engage with peers and talk about their struggles.

MWP was officially established in 2021, providing physical and social wellness education to learners across CU Boulder’s school of music to prevent and recover from injuries for long-term thriving.

Approximately 160 students participate in MWP offerings each year, and more than 130 music students accessed counseling and psychiatric services in the 2022–23 academic year, according to a university press release.

The Office of Wellness and Arts Health Initiative (OWAHI) at the Jacobs School of Music was established in 2023 as a way to increase student access to supports. The school is home to 1,600 students, making it one of the largest music schools in the U.S. The size can make music students more isolated from the larger campus community of Indiana University, because “everything [within the music school] is in one place and our students never go out and venture into this Big Ten campus that we have,” Diaz said.

Instead of making students seek out resources, the school centralized offerings into the OWAHI, creating a one-stop shop for a variety of support services that are student-centered and student-led.

Social wellness: One of the undertones of performing arts programs is competition; students fought hard to win a spot at an accredited music program, which can create feelings of rivalry and isolation from their peers.

Jacobs School of Music students enjoy a holiday party thrown by the Office of Wellness and Arts Health Initiatives in partnership with the Jacobs School’s Health and Wellness Committee.

Wendi Chitwood/Indiana University

To combat this narrative, Diaz created events centered on relationships. “Our data basically indicates that people are seeking community. They don’t know how to find it; they don’t know how to build good relationships. They know they want them. So, to me, that’s the basis of everything we do.”

OWAHI offers drop-in office hours for students to get snacks, talk with their peers and engage in destressing activities, including mindfulness training, massage, games and yoga. In addition, the office partners with the School of Social Work to provide student-led wellness coaching, which both connects learners with peers and gives social work students needed supervised practicum hours.

Jacobs students participate in a meditation session provided by the Office of Wellness and Arts Health Initiatives.

Jacobs School of Music/Indiana University

OWAHI offered about 70 coaching sessions in 2023–24 and an estimated 300 sessions during this academic year, which Diaz attributes to increased engagement on campus, student-led marketing and positive partnerships. Students who participate in services are also demographically representative of the school’s population, and Diaz has been pleased to see high participation rates among male students (41 percent of participants), given perceived barriers to engagement in mental health supports for men.

At New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, acting professor Victor Verhaeghe noted that his students tended to arrive with fewer socio-emotional skills, making it harder for them to engage. Verhaeghe has started using class time to lead meditation and shared affirmations, allowing students to become more vulnerable and connected to each other, as well as create self-love.

“I say, ‘Let’s start with sharing who you are; let’s open up to discussion,’” Verhaeghe said. “Some people are not ready to share, but I’ll share my story … It’s all about rewiring, it’s about changing the programming. As an artist, vulnerability is essential. You have to be able to tap into that.”

Physical wellness: Injuries among college students often come from late-night recklessness, sports, accidents or overwork. Less common is the physical strain improper musical technique can have on musicians.

“People don’t understand that musicians get injured, and the injury rate is high—as high as 80 percent of college students,” Brody of CU Boulder said.

Brody offers one-on-one consultations and lessons with students to help them recover from injury, misuse, anxiety or physical tension, helping them connect music and the body to ensure they can continue playing for many years. “I am continually amazed at how anatomically illiterate most musicians are,” he said.

Professor James Brody, director of the Musicians Wellness Program, instructs a student musician on clarinet.

University of Colorado, Boulder

He’s passionate about physical wellness education for musicians, and admits he sometimes has to pull back from overloading students with anatomy lessons.

“Some people say, ‘No pain, no gain,’” Brody added. “I say, ‘No pain, no pain.’ It really shouldn’t hurt.”

CU Boulder music students can also receive free hearing tests, a common practice for music schools to ward against noise-induced hearing loss.

The University of North Carolina at Greensboro offers two elective courses within the school of music that connect physical health to performance, encouraging students to move strategically and reduce tension.

In the future, Brody would love to see donor support for more resources to support musician well-being, including specially designed hearing protection and vocal health support from a laryngologist.

Occupational wellness: College students in general are anxious about their careers—71 percent of students say they feel at least somewhat stressed thinking about life after college—but the performing arts has always been an especially challenging field. Recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that only about 20 percent of students with a fine arts degree actually work in arts, design, entertainment or media occupations.

“Every single student is terrified right upon getting out because of the complete unpredictable nature of this business,” Verhaeghe said.

Brody noted student musicians’ anxiety levels are high regarding their future plans, particularly due to a shrinking number of symphony orchestras and full-time opportunities. “Still, folks line up to do it,” he said. “We don’t have any lack of talent and motivation.”

In class, Verhaeghe talks about the challenging elements of being an actor, from not having work to playing demanding roles with long hours. “I think it’s important that we talk about the next phase,” he said. “I believe this is a calling to do this work, and not everybody’s called … if you really want to have a craft, then you will invest.”

Performing arts students also often live with the tension of trying to balance passion and work. Many people consider art to be a healing or soothing experience, allowing them to engage in mindfulness or relaxation. “The evidence is pretty clear that musicians and artists in general are the exception to the, ‘I do art and I feel good’ thing, like, we don’t experience that because it’s vocational,” Diaz said.

There’s one exception to this work, Diaz noted: when art becomes a service. At IU, students can participate in performances at senior centers through the Senior Outreach Program.

“Instead of going as ‘I’m going to perform this awesome thing with you,’ [it’s] ‘I’m going to connect with you, I’m going to go learn your name and learn what you like and perform for you at these senior community centers,’” Diaz said.

Faculty members agreed there’s a need to encourage students not to burn out or overexert themselves for the sake of their art, because it’s not sustainable in the long term and reduces their career potential.

“The culture is gradually changing because it has to,” Brody said. “If it doesn’t, it’s like feeding people into a wood chipper.”

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May 21, 2025
Supporting Student Wellbeing in Uncertain Times

Higher education is operating in a time of rapid change and uncertainty. Changes in federal and state policy, funding, and increasing polarization are reshaping campus environments and profoundly affecting many students’ experiences. As leaders, it is critical to understand how these forces are impacting student wellbeing—and what actions institutions can take to adapt and strengthen their supports for students.

The Action Network for Equitable Wellbeing (ANEW) is a networked community of higher education changemakers working together to advance systems-level transformation to improve student wellbeing. Drawing on the involvement of more than 200 colleges and universities, our experience shows that while there is no single solution, institutions can act quickly and intentionally to strengthen student support using a practical, data-driven, human-centered approach.

Through this collaborative work, we’ve identified three strategies that are helping campuses respond more effectively to the rapidly evolving needs of their students: using real-time disaggregated data, conducting empathy interviews, and building a rhythm of frequent data collection and sense-making.

Collect real-time quantitative data and analyze it thoughtfully

How students are doing can change rapidly as policies and rhetoric shift, availability of external resources change, significant events on campus or in the world occur, and new barriers or supports emerge. Relying on older data (e.g. survey data collected nine months ago) can miss important changes. Without timely insight, decisions may be based on outdated information or an incomplete understanding. Systematically collecting real-time data helps institutions stay aligned with students’ current realities.

To support this kind of real-time data collection, ANEW institutions have used the Wellbeing Improvement Survey for Higher Education Settings (WISHES)—a short survey, available at no cost, that provides institutions with timely and actionable data on a range of outcomes and experiences influencing student wellbeing. WISHES helps institutions monitor student wellbeing and stay responsive to the present moment.

But aggregate data tell only part of the story. To understand how different groups of students are faring, disaggregating data by relevant student characteristics can reveal patterns that may be hidden in campus-wide averages and allow institutions to focus support where it is most needed, such as groups of students who might be disproportionately struggling.

In fall 2023, the University of California, Irvine administered WISHES, disaggregated its data, and found that Middle Eastern students seemed to be experiencing more challenges than their peers in some measures. “Aggregate data really doesn’t tell you anything [about what to do]—you have to disaggregate,” said Doug Everhart, director of student wellness and health promotion at UC Irvine. “In order to find meaning behind the data, you have to follow up and ask questions to dig into the lived experience and the ‘why’. That focus is what makes [the ANEW] approach so useful.” The real-time disaggregated data allowed the team to better understand the Middle Eastern student experience and develop strategies responsive to their needs.

Conduct empathy interviews to develop actionable, human-centered insights

Real-time disaggregated survey data can reveal where differences exist—but it likely won’t explain them. Empathy interview is a method used in diverse sectors and settings to understand what’s behind the patterns in quantitative data. These insights are important for informing what specific changes are needed to better support students.

An empathy interview is a one-on-one session that uses deep listening and responsive prompts to explore the lived experience of an individual on a specific topic such as wellbeing. Empathy interviews uncover holistic and nuanced perspectives about a student’s life—including what they’re facing, what matters to them, and how they navigate challenges and opportunities. Empathy interviews are not formal research, but they offer a structured way for leaders to move beyond assumptions and gain insights that are authentic, revealing, and actionable from those who are most affected.

Katy Redd, executive director of the Longhorn Wellness Center at the University of Texas at Austin, reflected on the value of this strategy, “Going through this process pushed us to confront the gap between how we assume students experience college and what their day-to-day reality actually looks like for low-income students. Listening closely helped us notice invisible norms and structures that many students are expected to navigate without support. It shifted our mindset—away from surface-level solutions and toward deeper questions about how our systems function and for whom.”

Michelle Kelly, assistant vice president for health and wellbeing at the University of Texas at Arlington, described a similar shift in perspective: “There was a moment after our empathy interviews where it just clicked: we’d been asking students to navigate systems we ourselves hadn’t fully mapped. It was humbling—but also motivating. Hearing their stories reminded us that the data isn’t just about trends—it’s about real people trying to make it through college while juggling a hundred other things.”

These interviews, coupled with WISHES data, revealed insights that were difficult to uncover through other methods and have helped institutions think and act more systematically about what’s shaping students’ experiences and outcomes.

Develop a rhythm of frequent data collection and sense-making

Being responsive to student needs isn’t about changing course in response to every complaint—it’s about noticing patterns early and adjusting when needed, which requires more than one-time or yearly data collection. Institutions that build a regular rhythm of frequent data collection and sense-making are better equipped to detect shifts, learn from them, and adapt in ways that support student wellbeing.

WISHES is most effective when administered multiple times per semester over many years. Data collected frequently over time provide helpful context when trying to understand how students are impacted by significant events on campus or in the world. Institutions can better answer questions like: Are students struggling more or less than they were at similar points of the semester in previous years? In times of extraordinary change, it is easy to imagine that students are doing worse than they were previously. Frequent data collection and sense-making allow us to objectively determine if this assumption is true.

ANEW institutions that frequently collect data over time using WISHES have been able to understand in close to real time how large external events—such as the pandemic, October 7, and the shifting political environment—have impacted student wellbeing. Schools have reported that WISHES data enabled them to check their assumptions about the impact these events had on student wellbeing. In some cases, assumptions have been disproven using data, allowing schools to avoid trying to solve nonexistent problems or the wrong problem.

As the University of Maryland reflects, “We’ve administered WISHES 10 times over the past two years and have seen firsthand the benefits of frequent data collection and are excited for the future. We most recently have begun to build a dashboard to display our WISHES metrics over time and democratize these critical insights to a myriad of roles within our campus community, which we hope will lead to more effective support for students across our university.”

In the face of today’s challenges, higher education has a powerful opportunity—and responsibility—to lead with empathy, insight, and action. By embracing a data-driven, student-centered approach, institutions can move beyond assumptions and truly understand what their students need to flourish. The experiences shared by ANEW institutions demonstrate that meaningful change is not only possible but already underway. Now is the time for campuses to lean in, listen deeply, and build the systems that will support every student’s wellbeing.

This post was written by Joanna Adams (Rochester Institute of Technology), Jennifer Maltby (Rochester Institute of Technology), and Allison Smith (New York University), with the co-leadership and insights of hundreds of changemakers contributing to the Action Network for Equitable Wellbeing.

If you have any questions or comments about this blog post, please contact us.

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May 16, 2025
Six Strategies for Supporting the Non-Exempt Higher Ed Workforce

by Julie Burrell | April 23, 2025

Non-exempt staff make up more than a quarter of the higher ed workforce and provide frontline support to the campus community. They are the electricians, safety and security staff, custodians, office assistants, food service workers, and others who power higher ed’s day-to-day operations.

This vital workforce has also been shrinking. New research from CUPA-HR has shown a 9% decrease in the full-time non-exempt workforce since 2017, and an 8% decrease in the part-time non-exempt workforce during the same period.

It’s more important than ever to support your non-exempt employees by preventing burnout and bolstering work-life balance. Retention and recruitment must also remain a priority, with turnover rates for hourly non-exempt workers persistently high.

Here are six ideas for strengthening your employee value proposition for this key segment of the higher ed workforce.

Create Internal Career Pathways

Career growth is a key factor in employee satisfaction. Review your learning, development and promotion opportunities to ensure they provide pathways for all employees and are accessible to those who work outside of traditional office hours.

Upskilling non-exempt employees is also critical. Encourage managers and supervisors to identify who might step up to fill critical roles and who might need additional skills, certifications and competencies.

Don’t forget to include non-exempt employees in succession planning. Particular attention should be given to skilled craft staff, an area where the decreasing number of employees over the age of 55 might signal a potentially critical pipeline challenge.

Resource Spotlight: Hocus Pocus, Time to Focus: Innovative Career Development for Staff is an on-demand webinar detailing how the University of Tennessee Knoxville HR team built an innovative new career development unit. And learn how the University of Texas at Dallas’ BRIGHT leaders program uses a flexible model that encourages all employees to lead from where they are.

Prioritize Pay

Continue periodic pay equity reviews and work toward pay equity for all employees. Our research into the non-exempt workforce has found that women of all races/ethnicities continue to be paid less than White men who hold the same non-exempt staff positions.

Resource Spotlight: Reserve your spot in the upcoming CUPA-HR webinar Transitioning From a Broadband to a Market-Based Pay Structure to learn how University of Pittsburgh leaders replaced a 25-year-old classification system with a market-based job and compensation framework, including FLSA status adjustments. And learn about Maricopa Community College District’s strategic compensation plan in this two-part series on implementing a living wage strategy and establishing internal pay equity and market alignment.

Provide Flexibility When Possible

Many non-exempt staff need to be on campus to provide critical, in-person support to students and colleagues. But during the slower summer months, consider offering summer Fridays (either full or half-days off) and/or the option of longer shifts in exchange for fewer days per week worked.

For office employees, no-meetings Fridays set employees up for a successful Monday, ensuring they can wrap up their week and head into their weekend with less stress.

Last year, turnover was the highest among part-time hourly employees, at a rate of 25%. For this group, provide — and advertise — hours that support working parents and caregivers.

Tout Your Benefits

For both potential and current employees, benefits can be a key difference in recruitment and retention.

Do you offer competitive matching retirement contributions? Tuition benefits for employees and their families? Competitively priced health insurance? Prominently feature these benefits in your job recruitment materials. And partner with educational consultants from your retirement and insurance plans to make your current employees aware of their benefits.

Are outdated policies inadvertently causing turnover? Periodically review policies to increase benefits at no cost. For example, if your probationary period doesn’t allow sick leave, you may be losing recently onboarded staff.

Prevent Burnout

Because the non-exempt workforce is shrinking, it’s critical to avoid the overwork trap. Expecting non-exempt employees to do the work of multiple people can negatively impact job satisfaction.

What work might be discontinued or altered to adjust to less availability of staff? What work might be outsourced to help close the gap between staff availability and required work? Reductions in staffing should always be reviewed to determine what ongoing work is feasible and what work must be changed or eliminated.

Boost Culture

In addition to good benefits, culture is higher ed’s competitive advantage in the labor market.

Are both part-time and full-time non-exempt staff regularly being recognized for their work? Recognition is one of the lowest-cost retention tools that remains underused in higher ed overall. Examine how your HRIS and social media channels can be used to highlight consistently excellent employees.

Consider incorporating budget-friendly employee get-togethers into your campus routines, such as ice cream socials or pizza parties.

Resource Spotlight: Learn how to audit and boost your recognition program in Recalibrating Employee Recognition in Higher Education.

Explore more recommendations and the full data on the non-exempt workforce in CUPA-HR’s report, The Non-Exempt Higher Education Staff Workforce: Trends in Composition, Size, and Pay Equity.

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April 23, 2025
Supporting disabled women in academia matters. Here’s why

In March 2024 on International Women’s Day, I launched the Disabled Women in Academia Group.

It is a sub-group of the National Association of Disabled Staff Networks (NADSN) – for those who identify as a woman (or non-binary) at any career stage and from any area working in universities.

The group – set up with the support of Jacquie Nicholson and Hamied Haroon, Vice Chair and Chair of NADSN, aims to provide an inclusive space where all women feel they can join if they wish.

Sessions take place online and each session focuses on a specific topic, or we have a guest speaker.

I set up the group because I felt there was a gap in the market. While we already had schemes like Aurora and the Women in Academia Support Network, there wasn’t a specific space for disabled women to meet. Data from Advance HE (2024) clearly indicates both women and disabled individuals are underrepresented in senior roles at universities.

Given this, it is therefore apparent that disabled women are going to be even more underrepresented in these roles.

Of course, not everyone wishes to hold a senior role in a university, but disabled women deserve the right to thrive as much in the university setting as other groups.

Leadership and aspiration

A second reason I wished to set up the group was to enable disabled women to develop a sense that they could be leaders if that’s what they aspired to be.

There are already leadership schemes like Aurora for women, 100 Black Women Professors NOW by the Women in Higher Education Network, and Calibre, a leadership programme to support disabled staff in higher education and the NHS.

While this is not a formalised leadership programme or scheme, we do have discussions around leadership and career progression within our sessions. We need to be having these discussions as it is often the case that disabled women are perceived by others as less able due to the ableist nature of academia.

Jacinda Arden in her role as New Zealand’s Prime Minister redefined what leadership is for women and demonstrated that leaders could have those traits of compassion, show emotion, and remain effective leaders. Such groups like the Disabled Women in Academia Group create that safe space when we are engaging in that process.

The group has run for a year now and it is one of the things I most enjoy doing. I get to meet lots of different women, and we have built up a real sense of collegiality.

I have learnt a lot about the challenges we face as disabled women and strategies to address those challenges. I have learnt about the importance of leadership and that the higher education sector needs people to be working together to bring about real change to support students and staff (see NADSN’s RIDE Higher which is developing a framework to support disabled staff in higher education institutions).

The costs of coordination

However, this advocacy work, on behalf of ourselves and others carries with it an emotional cost. A colleague mentioned to me a book by Katherine May ‘Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Uncertain Times’.

Having a disability or chronic illness can bring with it uncertainty, especially if symptoms are unpredictable or we are awaiting medical treatment.

During these times we may need to engage in a period of “wintering” – here I am not referring to the actual season of winter – Katherine May uses it as a metaphor and acknowledges we can “winter” anytime, where we focus on ourselves and develop strategies that work for us, replenish our resources and subsequently come out in the spring rejuvenated and ready to face the world again.

For me, the Disabled Women in Academia Group provides a safe space to do this and fuels my hope of a more equitable environment for disabled women going forward.

Acknowledgments: Thanks to Jacquie Nicholson and Dr Hamied Haroon for comments on an earlier version and supporting the work of the Disabled Women in Academia Group.

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April 12, 2025
Supporting the Instructional Design Process: Stress-Testing Assignments with AI – Faculty Focus

While many of our conversations have focused on what generative AI means for student assignments and learning outcomes, there’s another question faculty are asking—often individually and quietly: How can we leverage AI in our own academic and administrative work? And more importantly, should we?

The answer, I believe, lies in using AI to help clear space for the work only we can do—the collaboration, connection, and critical guidance that makes education transformative.

That doesn’t mean that we simply use AI as a crutch for answering emails or summarizing meetings. In fact, I believe the true promise of AI comes from using it, in Ethan Mollick’s words, as a “genuine intellectual partner,” one that can enhance classroom discussions, assist with creating engaging instructional materials, and even help develop sophisticated problem sets or simulations that previously required extensive preparation time. As Mollick says, “the focus needs to move from task automation to capability augmentation.”

AI offers many potential applications for faculty work. While faculty should continue to prioritize the importance of maintaining human connection, empathy, and support in our teaching practice, we need to consider other ways AI can augment our work. Perhaps one way is in the design of our courses, the assignments and activities that chart student progress across content and outcomes. But rather than asking AI to develop prompts or notes for us, we can use AI as a tool to help develop our work in surprising ways.

Works in Theory, Wobbles in Practice

We’ve all fallen in love with that one key discussion question or written assignment prompt that just fizzles in the classroom. Despite our best intentions, we may not provide enough information, or we fail to anticipate a blind spot that leads students down fruitless paths. One of the challenges of course design is that all our work can seem perfectly clear and effective when we are knee-deep in the design process, but everything somehow falls apart when deployed in the wild. From simple misunderstandings to complex misconceptions, these issues typically don’t reveal themselves until we see actual student work—often when it’s too late to prevent frustration.

Bridging this gap requires iterative refinement—recognizing that what works in theory or in controlled conditions needs real-world testing, adaptation, and continuous improvement. It’s not just about designing something that works in the lab but ensuring our designs are resilient, adaptable, and responsive enough to thrive in the wild.

While there’s no substitute for real-world testing, I began wondering if AI could help with this iterative refinement. I didn’t want AI to refine or tweak my prompts. I wanted to see if I could task AI with modelling hundreds of student responses to my prompts in the hope that this process might yield the kind of insight I was too close to see.

The Process: AI-Assisted Assignment Stress Testing

After experimenting with systems like Claude and ChatGPT, I’ve discovered they can effectively analyze and refine writing prompts through the creation of simulated student responses. The basic approach works like this. First, provide the AI with information about your course and key characteristics of your student population. Then, share the assignment prompt. The AI internally generates multiple simulated student responses across different skill levels. After, it provides a comprehensive analysis identifying potential issues and opportunities.

You might specify that the analysis include common misinterpretations students might make or any structural or organizational challenges in the prompt. But the AI can also identify content development patterns and potential issues as well as population-specific concerns based on your student demographics. Finally, the AI can even suggest refinements to the prompt.

Seeing What You’re Not Seeing

To test this approach, I uploaded a personal narrative prompt that asks students to connect their life experiences to their academic goals—a common assignment in first-year writing courses.

The AI analysis revealed several blind spots in my prompt design. For instance, I hadn’t considered how non-traditional students might struggle with “choice of major” language, since many are career-changers. The AI modeled responses also revealed that students might have difficulty transitioning between personal narrative and academic analysis sections. Most valuable was seeing how different student populations might interpret the same instructions. Career-changers might focus too heavily on work experiences, while others might struggle with how much personal information to share. These insights allowed me to add clarifying language and support materials before any real students encountered these challenges.

The entire process took about 30 minutes but potentially saved hours of student confusion and faculty clarification emails. Of course, AI responses aren’t identical to human student responses, and we should be cautious about viewing AI as an infallible expert or source of absolute truth. But used as an additional lens when developing assignments, this approach can grant course designers a different perspective, one that triggers valuable insights and potentially reduces workload.

If you’d like to try this approach yourself, here’s a template prompt you can use with AI systems.

Course Design Multiplier

This process allowed me to develop targeted support materials for predicted problem areas before students struggle, building proactive scaffolding into course design from the beginning. And by sharing insights gained through AI analysis, departments could collectively improve assignment design practices—particularly valuable for multi-section courses where consistency matters. Over time, we could build a practical library of “what works” that faculty could draw from, including analyses explaining why certain assignments succeed with particular student populations and learning objectives.

AI-assisted assignment analysis offers a promising tool that respects our expertise while expanding our ability to anticipate student needs. While the technology isn’t perfect and will never replace insights gained from direct student interaction, it provides a valuable perspective that helps identify blind spots before students encounter them. This represents just one way thoughtfully implemented AI can help us do more of what matters: creating meaningful learning experiences. By using AI for the predictive work of assignment design, we free more time and energy for the deeply human work of guiding and connecting with our students—the work that only we can do.

Dr. Nathan Pritts is a leader in higher education, specializing in faculty development, instructional innovation, and the integration of emerging technologies in teaching and learning. As Professor and Program Chair for First Year Writing at the University of Arizona Global Campus, he has spearheaded initiatives in strategic implementation of online learning technologies, comprehensive faculty training programs, and the creation of scalable interventions to support both faculty and students in online environments. As author and researcher, Dr. Pritts has published widely on topics including digital pedagogy, AI-enhanced curriculum design, assessment strategies, and the future of higher education.

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March 19, 2025
Supporting the Instructional Design Process: Stress-Testing Assignments with AI – Faculty Focus

While many of our conversations have focused on what generative AI means for student assignments and learning outcomes, there’s another question faculty are asking—often individually and quietly: How can we leverage AI in our own academic and administrative work? And more importantly, should we?

The answer, I believe, lies in using AI to help clear space for the work only we can do—the collaboration, connection, and critical guidance that makes education transformative.

That doesn’t mean that we simply use AI as a crutch for answering emails or summarizing meetings. In fact, I believe the true promise of AI comes from using it, in Ethan Mollick’s words, as a “genuine intellectual partner,” one that can enhance classroom discussions, assist with creating engaging instructional materials, and even help develop sophisticated problem sets or simulations that previously required extensive preparation time. As Mollick says, “the focus needs to move from task automation to capability augmentation.”

AI offers many potential applications for faculty work. While faculty should continue to prioritize the importance of maintaining human connection, empathy, and support in our teaching practice, we need to consider other ways AI can augment our work. Perhaps one way is in the design of our courses, the assignments and activities that chart student progress across content and outcomes. But rather than asking AI to develop prompts or notes for us, we can use AI as a tool to help develop our work in surprising ways.

Works in Theory, Wobbles in Practice

We’ve all fallen in love with that one key discussion question or written assignment prompt that just fizzles in the classroom. Despite our best intentions, we may not provide enough information, or we fail to anticipate a blind spot that leads students down fruitless paths. One of the challenges of course design is that all our work can seem perfectly clear and effective when we are knee-deep in the design process, but everything somehow falls apart when deployed in the wild. From simple misunderstandings to complex misconceptions, these issues typically don’t reveal themselves until we see actual student work—often when it’s too late to prevent frustration.

Bridging this gap requires iterative refinement—recognizing that what works in theory or in controlled conditions needs real-world testing, adaptation, and continuous improvement. It’s not just about designing something that works in the lab but ensuring our designs are resilient, adaptable, and responsive enough to thrive in the wild.

While there’s no substitute for real-world testing, I began wondering if AI could help with this iterative refinement. I didn’t want AI to refine or tweak my prompts. I wanted to see if I could task AI with modelling hundreds of student responses to my prompts in the hope that this process might yield the kind of insight I was too close to see.

The Process: AI-Assisted Assignment Stress Testing

After experimenting with systems like Claude and ChatGPT, I’ve discovered they can effectively analyze and refine writing prompts through the creation of simulated student responses. The basic approach works like this. First, provide the AI with information about your course and key characteristics of your student population. Then, share the assignment prompt. The AI internally generates multiple simulated student responses across different skill levels. After, it provides a comprehensive analysis identifying potential issues and opportunities.

You might specify that the analysis include common misinterpretations students might make or any structural or organizational challenges in the prompt. But the AI can also identify content development patterns and potential issues as well as population-specific concerns based on your student demographics. Finally, the AI can even suggest refinements to the prompt.

Seeing What You’re Not Seeing

To test this approach, I uploaded a personal narrative prompt that asks students to connect their life experiences to their academic goals—a common assignment in first-year writing courses.

The AI analysis revealed several blind spots in my prompt design. For instance, I hadn’t considered how non-traditional students might struggle with “choice of major” language, since many are career-changers. The AI modeled responses also revealed that students might have difficulty transitioning between personal narrative and academic analysis sections. Most valuable was seeing how different student populations might interpret the same instructions. Career-changers might focus too heavily on work experiences, while others might struggle with how much personal information to share. These insights allowed me to add clarifying language and support materials before any real students encountered these challenges.

The entire process took about 30 minutes but potentially saved hours of student confusion and faculty clarification emails. Of course, AI responses aren’t identical to human student responses, and we should be cautious about viewing AI as an infallible expert or source of absolute truth. But used as an additional lens when developing assignments, this approach can grant course designers a different perspective, one that triggers valuable insights and potentially reduces workload.

If you’d like to try this approach yourself, here’s a template prompt you can use with AI systems.

Course Design Multiplier

This process allowed me to develop targeted support materials for predicted problem areas before students struggle, building proactive scaffolding into course design from the beginning. And by sharing insights gained through AI analysis, departments could collectively improve assignment design practices—particularly valuable for multi-section courses where consistency matters. Over time, we could build a practical library of “what works” that faculty could draw from, including analyses explaining why certain assignments succeed with particular student populations and learning objectives.

AI-assisted assignment analysis offers a promising tool that respects our expertise while expanding our ability to anticipate student needs. While the technology isn’t perfect and will never replace insights gained from direct student interaction, it provides a valuable perspective that helps identify blind spots before students encounter them. This represents just one way thoughtfully implemented AI can help us do more of what matters: creating meaningful learning experiences. By using AI for the predictive work of assignment design, we free more time and energy for the deeply human work of guiding and connecting with our students—the work that only we can do.

Dr. Nathan Pritts is a leader in higher education, specializing in faculty development, instructional innovation, and the integration of emerging technologies in teaching and learning. As Professor and Program Chair for First Year Writing at the University of Arizona Global Campus, he has spearheaded initiatives in strategic implementation of online learning technologies, comprehensive faculty training programs, and the creation of scalable interventions to support both faculty and students in online environments. As author and researcher, Dr. Pritts has published widely on topics including digital pedagogy, AI-enhanced curriculum design, assessment strategies, and the future of higher education.

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March 19, 2025
Supporting Non-Major Biology Students: Making the Classroom YOUnique – Faculty Focus
Supporting biology courses for non-majors involves addressing the diverse needs of students with little intrinsic motivation to study the subject. Many take these courses as part of general education, not personal interest, creating a challenge in maintaining engagement and fostering deeper understanding (Haak et al. 2011). Non-majors often struggle to connect course content to their lives, making it harder to see the subject’s value (Labrov and Singer, 2010). These students come from varied academic backgrounds, resulting in different levels of preparedness and confidence (Tobias 1990; Gormally and Heil 2022). Some may experience anxiety or feel science is irrelevant to their careers (Rice et al. 2013). 

To address these challenges, educators must adopt approaches that make biology accessible and meaningful. By creating a learning environment tailored to various majors, addressing barriers, and demonstrating real-world applications, instructors can make the classroom “YOUnique.” Making the classroom “YOUnique” tailors the experience to individual needs, fostering belonging and showing biology’s relevance. This article explores how strategies—fostering engagement, connecting biology to real-world contexts, and to students’ majors—can support non-major biology students. These strategies will help students build confidence to apply biological knowledge in their careers. 

1. Fostering Engagement in Non-Major Biology Students through a Studio Environment

Engaging students not inherently drawn to biology requires innovative teaching methods. Active learning strategies, where students actively engage in the learning process, promote participation and retention (Freeman et al. 2014). These include group discussions, hands-on experiments, problem-solving activities, and creative assessments that encourage critical thinking and peer collaboration. 

A case study of engagement is the studio-style introductory biology classroom at Kansas State University (Manhattan, KS, USA). This innovative teaching environment blends engaged lectures with hands-on, collaborative activities, with the instructor as a facilitator. The studio integrates lecture, lab, and group work in a flexible learning environment, allowing students to actively participate in problem-solving, discussions, and projects, and it supports diverse learning activities and styles. This approach fosters an interactive environment which is beneficial for student learning. 

Here are some ways the studio-style classroom helps non-major biology students: 
- Active Learning: The classroom setup encourages active engagement, helping non-majors grasp complex biological concepts through hands-on experiences, computer tutorials, and group activities, rather than passive listening. 
- Collaborative Learning: Students work in small groups, promoting peer interaction and problem-solving, which supports non-majors who may feel less confident in their knowledge. 
- Integrated Learning: Combining lecture and lab time allows students to apply theoretical knowledge to practical experiments, helping solidify learning and making complex concepts more understandable. 
- Personalized Attention: The instructor can circulate among groups, providing targeted support and reassurance, which is especially beneficial for non-majors needing more guidance. 
- Flexible Space: The studio classroom’s flexibility to use various technology allows instructors to adapt teaching styles and activities, ensuring responsiveness to the diverse needs of non-major students.
2. Connecting Biology to Real-World Contexts

For non-majors, understanding how biology applies to everyday life is crucial for maintaining interest and motivation. Without a clear connection to their personal or professional lives, students may view biology as abstract or irrelevant. By demonstrating how biological principles impact their world, educators can foster greater engagement. When students recognize the value of what they are learning—whether through daily applications or career relevance—they are more likely to stay motivated, actively participate, and retain information. 

A highly effective way to establish relevance is through interdisciplinary connections that show how biology extends beyond the classroom (Beers and Jensen 2009; Morales and Boulware 2020). Prior to the first day of class, there is a discussion board asking why biology is important to them, and instructors use the responses as an avenue to connect biology and their lives during a class discussion. For every class period, the instructor connects what they are learning to their lives. For instance, using a computer simulation called “Kansas feeds the world” students can explore how photosynthesis and cellular respiration (cell biology unit), along with energy and nutrient dynamics (ecology unit), interconnect with real world issues. In the genetics unit, students connect molecular genetics and biotechnology using an assignment where the students develop a biotechnology product and generate a print ad or video commercial. The ads are shared during class, showcasing how biological processes can drive innovations like medical devices and biofuels. Each unit follows a pattern of building basic knowledge followed by exploring implications and applications to people’s lives.  

Another effective method is case-base active learning (Chaplin 2009; Dewi and Rahayu 2023). Presenting real-world scenarios, like infectious diseases or genetic testing, makes biology come alive. For example, the instructors use a readily available MMR vaccine autism case study to explore the process of science, and let students come to their own conclusions about vaccine efficacy. 

Inviting guest speakers from diverse fields can help students see biology’s broad applications (D’Andrea and Mertens 2006; Marx et al. 2021). For example, we have graduate students presenting on the benefits of “long-term ecological research stations” (LTERs) such as the Konza Prairie Biological Center (Kansas, USA), or the Scientist Spotlights, which is biography about them and their research showing that biologists are real people. These speakers not only provide real-life examples but also inspire students to think critically about how biological knowledge could inform their own career aspirations. Hearing from professionals at the intersection of biology and their disciplines broadens students’ perspectives, reinforcing biology’s fundamental role in life and work.

3. Demonstrating Relevance to Students’ Majors

For non-majors, a significant barrier to success in biology is the perception that the subject lacks relevance to their lives or careers (Gormally and Hall 2022). Students in fields like business, art, or education may struggle to see how topics like cellular respiration or ecology apply to their goals, which can hinder motivation and engagement. 

To address this challenge, educators must emphasize biology’s connections to different majors and to generate connections that have career relevance. Highlighting interdisciplinary applications, such as the role of biology in public health (communications majors), technology (computer science majors), or environmental policy (pollical science majors), can help students appreciate its broad impact. For example, a lesson on climate change might include discussions on the biological effects of carbon emissions, connecting the topic to social and economic issues like the displacement of communities due to rising sea levels and the economic costs of extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and wildfires. 

Another effective approach is personalized assignments (Driessen et al. 2024). Personalized projects allow students to explore biology in ways that resonate with their own lives. One such assignment is a “Biology Connections” activity, where students reflect on how biological concepts connect to their major and career. For example, a business student might describe how ecological sustainability impacts corporate strategies, while an education major might reflect on the importance of understanding human development in teaching practices. This reflection promotes motivation, showing students that biology has practical applications in their daily lives and careers. These personalized assignments allow instructors to make biology “YOUnique”. 

Conclusion

Supporting non-major biology students requires efforts to foster engagement, connect material to real-world contexts, and demonstrate relevance to different majors and backgrounds. Active learning, real-world connections, and ties to their major create a supportive environment where students thrive. By addressing unique challenges and interests, educators can empower non-majors to appreciate biology’s relevance and develop skills beyond the classroom. When students see content as meaningful and tied to their lives and careers, they are more likely to engage, retain knowledge, and apply it. This approach enhances understanding and equips them with critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential in any profession. By “Making the Classroom YOUnique,” educators can foster an environment where students feel valued, leading to greater motivation, academic achievement, and personal growth. A “YOUnique” approach helps students connect with the subject matter and realize their potential as learners in the biology classroom, regardless of their major. 

Jack Sytsma is a doctoral graduate teaching assistant in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University. While his research is at the forefront of understanding how plants respond to climate, Jack is equally passionate about teaching. He finds great fulfillment in educating and mentoring undergraduate students, particularly in courses that bridge ecological principles with real-world applications. With aspirations of becoming a teaching professor in biology, Jack aims to inspire the next generation of scientists by fostering curiosity and a deeper understanding of the subject.

Robert ‘Robbie’ Bear is a Senior Biology Instructor in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University. Robbie started teaching 33 years ago as an undergraduate and ever since then he has synthesized his experiences on either side of the podium into his pedagogy of an inquiry-based student centered learning. He is currently teaching his dream course and finds happiness and purpose in people discovering the importance of Biology in their life. In the remaining years of his career, Robbie wants future educators (the Jack Sytsma’s) to have the foundational pedagogy that allows them to explore, grow, and succeed as teachers.

Eve S. McCulloch, PhD, is a teaching associate professor in the Division of Biology at Kansas State University. Eve has been teaching biology courses for 12 years, ranging from introductory to upper-level classes. Eve’s research background is in mammalogy, ecology, and conservation genetics. She is in her dream job, working to support undergraduate students both in and outside of the classroom. Eve is passionate about making the biological sciences accessible to students of all backgrounds and fields of interest, and promoting undergraduate student success while at university at beyond.

References  

Armstrong, N., and S. M. Chang. “Teaching Non-Majors Biology: Pedagogical Challenges and Opportunities.” Journal of College Science Teaching (2007).

Beers, S. F., and M. Jensen. “Integrating Science and Literacy: Enhancing Understanding of Science Through Interdisciplinary Instruction.” Science Scope 32, no. 2 (2009): 20-27.

Brewer, C. A., and D. Smith. Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education: A Call to Action (2011).

Chaplin, S. “Assessment of the Impact of Case Studies on Student Learning Gains in an Introductory Biology Course.” CBE—Life Sciences Education 8, no. 3 (2009): 297–306.

Cooper, K. M., et al. “The Impact of Active Learning on Retention of Non-Majors in Biology” (2019).

Cotner, S., S. Thompson, and R. Wright. “Do Biology Majors Really Differ from Non–STEM Majors?” CBE—Life Sciences Education 16, no. 3 (2017): ar48.

D’Andrea, M. L., and D. M. Mertens. “Creating Meaningful Connections: The Role of Guest Speakers in the Classroom.” Journal of College Science Teaching 35, no. 1 (2006): 40–45.

Dewi, C.A., and S. Rahayu. “Implementation of Case-Based Learning in Science Education: A Systematic Review” (2023).

Driessen, E. P., K. E. Walker, T. Hallman, A. Casper, S. L. Eddy, J. R. Schneider, and A. K. Lane. “‘It’s Been a Process’: A Multiple Case Study of Biology Instructor Efforts to Reform Their Sex and Gender Curriculum to be More Inclusive of Students with Queer Genders and Intersex Students.” CBE—Life Sciences Education 23, no. 4 (2024): ar51.

Freeman, S., et al. “Active Learning Increases Student Performance in Science, Engineering, and Mathematics.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 111, no. 23 (2014): 8410–8415.

Gormally, C., and A. Heil. “A Vision for University Biology Education for Non-Science Majors.” CBE—Life Sciences Education 21, no. 4 (2022): es5.

Haak, D. C., J. HilleRisLambers, E. Pitre, and S. Freeman. “Increased Structure and Active Learning Reduce the Achievement Gap in Introductory Biology.” Science 332, no. 6034 (2011): 1213-1216.

Labov, J. B., and S. R. Singer. “Community Colleges in the Evolving STEM Education Landscape” (2010).

Marx, M. A., R. L. Glaser, C. E. Moran, and K. P. Tucker. “A Creative Model for an Interdisciplinary Approach to Service-Learning.” Integrative and Comparative Biology 61, no. 3 (2021): 1028-1038.

Morales, E., and R. Boulware. “A Cross-Disciplinary Approach to Teaching Biology and Environmental Science: The Intersection of Biology and Policy.” Journal of College Science Teaching 49, no. 6 (2020): 40–47.

Rice, L., J. M. Barth, R. E. Guadagno, G. P. Smith, and D. M. McCallum. “The Role of Social Support in Students’ Perceived Abilities and Attitudes Toward Math and Science.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence 42, no. 7 (2013): 1028–1040.

Tobias, S. They’re Not Dumb, They’re Different: Stalking the Second Tier (1990).
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March 12, 2025