ERIC Number: EJ1464637
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: EISSN-2205-0795
Available Date: 0000-00-00
Addressing Systemic Barriers to Timely Degree Completion through the Establishment of a Graduation Help Desk. A Practice Report
Tammy Jordan Wyatt; Matt Keneson; Claudia Rueda; Angelica M. Barrera; Amy Buechler-Steubing; Rebecca Karoff; Mark Appleford
Student Success, v16 n1 p99-106 2025
This practice report details a large, four-year, public, research 1 (very high research activity), Hispanic Serving Institution's (HSI) approach to tackling barriers to timely graduation through the implementation of a virtual support center, the Graduation Help Desk (GHD). The GHD, established in late 2017, operates at the level of the provost's office and tackles graduation obstacles through individual referral cases, proactive outreach, and institutional policy review. By collaborating with academic departments, colleges, and support services, the GHD ensures solutions align with degree integrity and institutional standards of excellence. Its organizational position allows it to quickly elevate institution-wide issues and make recommendations for systemic changes. The GHD's impact, specifically the number of referral cases, students served, institutional policies changed, cost savings to students, and increased graduation rates is provided. As a successful, cost-effective, virtual service model, the GHD is instrumental in supporting undergraduate students, specifically at-risk and difficult-to-reach student populations, preventing graduation delays and lowering student costs. GHDs are a scalable intervention with a high return on investment for both students and institutions through improved operations and student success outcomes.
Descriptors: Undergraduate Students, Research Universities, Hispanic American Students, Minority Serving Institutions, Technical Support, Helping Relationship, Graduation Rate, Time to Degree, Barriers, Student Personnel Services, Computer Uses in Education, Referral, Outreach Programs, Educational Policy, Institutional Cooperation, Cost Effectiveness, At Risk Students
Queensland University of Technology. QUT Library, GPO Box 2434, Brisbane, OLD 4001, Australia. Tel: +61-07-3138-5345; e-mail: journal@unistars.org; Web site: https://studentsuccessjournal.org/
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Texas (San Antonio)
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A