Propelling 100,000 people to earn high-value credentials from NAU.
928-523-5511
admissions@nau.eduAbout RAISE
NAU’s vision is to be the nation’s leading engine of opportunity, vehicle of upward mobility, and driver of social impact for students and the communities they represent. The RAISE plan is helping NAU deliver on this vision by harnessing the university’s collective strengths—rooted in its people, programs, and place—and organize impactful actions to ensure that no matter where students are in life, they have equitable access to high-quality, high-value postsecondary educational opportunities. Ultimately, the goal of RAISE is to set NAU on a path to awarding high-value credentials to over 100,000 people by 2035.
RAISE impact
By 2035, NAU will award high value credentials to over 100,000 people.
Awarding credentials to 100,000 people by 2035 is projected to result in at least $12 billion in lifetime social benefits (Helios Education Foundation, 2023). NAU will intentionally broaden access, provide equitable supports and impactful programs, and propel postgraduate success for students from all walks of life, ensuring that the promise of higher education and its life-changing impact are available to all.
“The RAISE goal of awarding 100,000 people credentials of value underscores our national leadership in delivering equitable postsecondary value. An NAU education provides our students with lifelong social and economic mobility and has enduring value to the health and vitality of our communities and the state of Arizona.”
Strategic actions
Strategic actions were established to set the course of work from 2023-2026. Successful execution of these actions will result in meeting our RAISE goal and significantly impacting credential earners, their communities, and the broader populations in our state.
Access actions – broadening equitable access to higher education
Action #1
Cultivate the nau.edu domain and webpages to deliver an unparalleled user experience that drives engagement and connection with the NAU brand.
Action #2
Create highly accessible, personalized, mobile-first, and multi-lingual technology experiences to serve NAU students from prospect to graduate.
Action #3
Implement specialized recruitment plans for underserved and distinct student populations, such as Indigenous Peoples, HSI/Latine, first-generation, out-of-Arizona, transfer, and adult learners.
Action #4
Broaden the impact of statewide partnerships through creating a multi-directional transfer, enrollment and credential ecosystem and launching the Arizona College Excellence (ACE) credential attainment.
Interconnected actions – spanning both access and attainment and success
Action #5
Reimagine and extend orientation for students of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences, with a particular focus on navigating university norms and expectations, cultivating a sense of belonging, and identifying their academic and career purpose.
Action #6
Foster a student-centered culture of care by launching a community-wide educational initiative driven by trained and prepared NAU employees who share the fundamental goal of providing an excellent student experience.
Action #7
Expand capacity to resource efforts where the institution is least “student ready” including: stop outs, lower GPA students, statewide, transfer, upper division, and financially insecure students.
Action #8
Increase awareness and utilization of student-serving policies and programs by reviewing individual policies and the broader policy ecosystem, integrating into current operational practices, and providing visibility of resources and tools.
Attainment and success actions – empowering students to graduate
Action #9
Coordinate and deliver differentiated programs and services across the student lifecycle to student populations at the right time and place to maximize impact and outcomes.
Action #10
Review the transfer experience, including common courses, career coaching, and non-traditional support offerings, to design a robust and connected structure of support for transfers.
Action #11
Implement an early and ongoing alert system for students that delivers timely faculty feedback and campus support for strong academic outcomes.
Action #12
Expand utilization of course-aligned academic support by maximizing proximity to related classes and faculty-staff partnership on content development and delivery.
Action #13
Support faculty curriculum and course design, and implementation of best practice pedagogical strategies that promote student academic success and momentum.
Rising to the challenge: RAISE foundational pillars
The foundational pillars serve as the bedrock for RAISE and will forever be important, continuously evaluated and improved, as they are integral to the success of the RAISE plan.
People
Supporting faculty and staff, so they can best support students.
Programs
Accessible and student-centered academic programs and pathways.
Place
Technical and physical infrastructure to support living, learning, and working.
Pricing
Price and positioning for equitable postsecondary value.
Stay informed with latest program updates
Meeting the RAISE goal means success for our students and for our institution, helping to secure the resources we need to continue our mission, including investing in our dedicated faculty and staff and the programs and services we provide.
Learn more about important initiatives and our efforts to reach these goals.
RAISE Leadership
RAISE is coordinated by a group of Sponsors and Team Leads to ensure the plan’s success. The RAISE Team Leads move each strategic action forward in partnership with their team members. Team Leads recognize that achieving the Grand Challenge requires participation and support from the entire NAU community.
Contact the RAISE core team
Contact us – whether to ask a question, or submit a suggestion to the core team.