SXU Provost Caress Dean, Ph.D., MPH
Caress Dean, Ph.D., MPH
The Saint Xavier University (SXU) Office of the Provost announced, via an email, that SXU Provost Caress Dean, Ph.D., will serve as the leader for the priority area of SXU’s Innovate 2028, “Refreshing and Distinguishing Our Programs.”
“This work seeks to enhance the student experience by encouraging innovative and holistic approaches to program design, ensuring our offerings remain relevant, forward-thinking, and deeply aligned with the workforce needs of today and the years ahead,” Dean explained in the email, sent Feb. 2.
Innovate 2028 is a plan to enhance the quality of student experiences at SXU–its list of priorities include “improving student success, experiences and outcomes,” “investing in people and modernizing places,” “refreshing and distinguishing our programs,” and “elevating philanthropy and engagement.”
Dean describes in an interview with The Xavierite what she believes is central to her leadership on Innovate 2028: “Being mindful of what the data is saying, and making sure that decision making is evidence based.”
“We have great data internally from our students, as well as from our faculty and other aspects of our institution to help inform, but [we] also mak[e] sure we’re using data from our community–so, our labor market demands, understanding the economy, not only nationally, but also, what the work force is looking for in Illinois, given the majority of our students remain in Illinois after graduating,” Dean further explained.
Dean said that while there isn’t a central team working with her on this project, she discussed working closely with The SXU Office of Institutional Research (IR) for data collection, as well as with advisors, deans, faculty members, and members of SXU Student Government Association (SGA).
“As we’re working to understand what measures we want to use and how we want to use it, the whole purpose is that we’re engaging different groups to make sure that we’re having a holistic view,” Dean told The Xavierite.
Dean details the process of improving student experiences, particularly with advising: “We’re making sure we have a comprehensive understanding of what the students’ needs are. Our understanding, with what students are saying some of their challenges are in the Exit Survey and SSI, in helping to inform some of our efforts. That’s an example of how we came up with the Advising Task Force–we had data from our student survey that advising is challenging.”
Dean explained in the Feb. 2 announcement and in our interview that the Advising Task force is a “unified framework that brings faculty mentors and academic advisors into even closer partnership” to improve and enhance student experiences with academic advising.
This will be accomplished, according to Dean’s email, by “clairfy[ing] roles and strengthen[ing] our coordinated support of students,” “integrat[ing] career readiness into every advising conversation,” “creat[ing] clearer communication pathways and avoid[ing] mixed guidance,” and “foster[ing] deeper mentoring relationships that empower students to thrive.”
Dean also announced that Greg Coutts, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Music Department since 1997, has accepted the role as Interim Associate Provost. She also disclosed that the Office of the Provost has begun preparation for the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accreditation site visit, which is scheduled for Apr. 2028.
Anyone can contact the Innovate 2028 Committee with any questions or concerns via email at innovate2028@sxu.edu, or visit its page on the SXU website.
**Correction: photo source aligned right**