Division of Student Affairs and Success Background and History
In 2011, the Campus Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor (CP/EVC) announced results of a strategic planning process with publication of Envision UC Santa Cruz. Envision established
“Five for 2015” goals, two of which focused directly on undergraduate student success: increase retention rates for undergraduate students and enhance academic pathways to allow students to graduate in four years or less.
In Spring 2013, the CP/EVC appointed Jaye Padgett, a professor of Linguistics, as Special Assistant to the CP/EVC to convene a committee charged with addressing and operationalizing these goals.
In January 2014, the Student Success Steering Committee (SSSC) was formed, providing leadership and direction to the campus' efforts. The SSSC includes members representing campus administration, the faculty senate, colleges, divisions, and units involved with student success, programming, and initiatives.
In Fall 2015, the CP/EVC created the new Division of Student Success and appointed Jaye Padgett to the position of Interim Vice Provost for Student Success. In doing so, she moved Retention Services, led by Assistant Vice Provost Pablo Reguerin, from Campus Life to the new Division of Student Success to better align and coordinate academic services.
In Winter 2017, the CP/EVC further expanded the Division's oversight, adding the Dean of Students, off-campus Student Conduct, and Student Health Services to it's portfolio.
In Spring, 2017, Dr. Padgett was selected to serve as the founding Vice Provost for the newly established Division of Student Success.
University of California President Janet Napolitano has made it clear to the UC community that raising four-year graduation rates is a priority. Toward that end, she has provided multi-year financial support to the UC Santa Cruz campus to improve graduation rates and close achievement gaps between underrepresented minority students and the overall student population.
In 2016-17, additional one-time funding was provided through the UC Office of the President via the California State Legislature (SB 1050) focused on expanding or launching new iniatives that addressed retention, graduation, and time-to-degree for lower-income and first-generation underserved students and expanding outreach and admissions of local control funding formula (LCFF+) high school students.
Beginning July 1, 2020, the Division of Student Success made important changes to better serve the needs of our students at UC Santa Cruz (UCSC). These changes were first announced to the campus community by Chancellor Cynthia Larive in May of 2020. After thoughtful consideration, the Division of Student Success (DSS) officially changed its name to the Division of Student Affairs and Success (DSAS). The name change first came as a recommendation from the Division of Student Success Review Task Force in February 2019.
