Committee Charge and Membership

As described in Reed College’s mission statement, “The goal of the Reed education is that students learn and demonstrate rigor and independence in their habits of thought, inquiry and expression.” The Student Success Committee was charged to examine the student experience from the student perspective to better understand campus narratives, practices, and policies that either encourage or undermine students’ ability to achieve their academic and personal goals during and after their time at Reed.

The Student Success Plan responds to the Committee’s conclusions and the challenges presented by these themes.

The College remains committed to student success by embedding it into institutional priorities and establishing a centralized accountability group to track progress. The Retention, Persistence, and Graduation (RPG) group, appointed by the President, is responsible for monitoring, evaluating, and supporting initiatives that help students navigate their collegiate journey and graduate within four years.

This cross-functional team—comprised of faculty, staff, and senior leadership—works within existing college committees to address key challenges. RPG builds on the groundwork laid by the Student Success Committee, a dedicated group of community members engaged in this work since 2018.

Current Members of RPG

Kara Cerveny, Ronald A. Laing Professor of Biology

Troy Cross, Professor of Philosophy and Humanities

Phyllis Esposito, Vice President and Dean for Institutional Diversity

Liz Gadberry, Executive Assistant to the President

Jason Maher, Registrar

Karnell McConnell-Black, Vice President for Student Life

Sheena McFarland, Executive Director of Public Affairs & Communications

Hieu Nguyen, Vice President for Advancement and College Relations

Kathy Oleson, Dean of the Faculty

Kyle Ormsby, Associate Professor of Mathematics

Suzy Renn, Associate Dean of the Faculty

Jon Rork, George Hay Professor of Economics

Mike Tamada, Director of Institutional Research

Huy Trinh, Director of Admission

Milyon Trulove, Vice President and Dean of Admission and Financial Aid

Lynn Valenter, Vice President of Finance and Treasurer

Past Student Success Committee Members

2019-20

Cindy Anderson, Interim Dean of Students
Carrie Baldwin-Sayre, Associate Dean of Students for Health & Wellbeing
Mike Brody, Vice President for Student Services
Joel Franklin, Professor of Physics
Alice Harra, Associate Dean of Students/Director of CLBR
Britt Hoover, Assistant Dean, Student Support
Mary James, Dean for Institutional Diversity and A.A. Knowlton Professor of Physics
Morgan Luker, Associate Professor of Music
Julie Maxfield, Associate Dean, Academic Life
Pax Lloyd-Burchette, student
Shulav Neupane, student
Aziz Ouedraogo, student
Sara Panetta, Executive Director of Development
Anna Ritz, Assistant Professor of Biology
Amy Schuckman, Associate Dean for Student & Campus Life
Tara Sonali Miller, Program Director, SEEDS
Sandy Sundstrom, Director, Financial Aid
Kelsey Wirtzfeld, Student Life Systems Coordinator

2018-19

Derek Applewhite, Associate Professor of Biology
Mary Ashburn Miller, Associate Professor of History and Humanities
Jennifer Corpus, Professor of Psychology
Charles Daniel, Associate Director, Center for Life Beyond Reed
David Gruber, Director, Office of Students for Academic Support
Dayspring Mattole, Director, Office of Inclusive Community
Julie Maxfield, Associate Dean of Students
Sandy Sundstrom, Director, Financial Aid
Nick Egan, student
Nikhita Airi, student