SIU panel urges ‘culture of care,’ expanded advising to boost retention

Southern Illinois University System leaders and longtime student-success professionals on Friday framed a “culture of care” — centered on personalized advising, early intervention and peer support — as the best way to keep historically underserved students enrolled and progressing toward degrees.

Dr. Sheila Caldwell, vice president for Anti-Racism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion for the Southern Illinois University System, opened the recorded panel and said the conversation would focus on “student success, fostering a culture of care, and ensuring that every student has the opportunity to thrive across SIU campuses.”

The panelists stressed that the first step in building a culture of care is asking students about their lived circumstances rather than making assumptions. “Stop and listen and think about it before you ever say, ‘well, I’ve got an answer for you,’ because I don’t even know what your questions are,” said Father Joseph Brown, the inaugural 2023 ADEI Lifetime Achievement Award winner for the SIU Carbondale campus, who urged advisers to “teach the students in front of you, not the ones you went to school with.”

Why it matters: Panelists…