Institutional Level - Getting Started

Who should lead?

High-level institutional leaders play an important role in setting the charge for math pathways. Depending on the size and organizational structure of the institution, the leadership team can include the president, vice president for academic affairs, or provost. It is critical, however, that this not be viewed as a top-down initiative. The administration should work closely with mathematics faculty to build interest and a sense of ownership in the effort.

What does it take?

Implementing math pathways is a transformative process that that requires work across the system. In addition to mathematics faculty, the work involves representatives of a variety of stakeholder groups, including advising, institutional research, student services, and partner disciplines. We encourage administrators to offer release time to faculty leading the work, consider how to free up staff time, and explore ways to support the logistics of the process. Administrators should also plan to sustain the work over multiple years until it has become normative practice within the institution.

 

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3 Suggested Steps and Resources

  • Step 1

    Engage in discussion and research.

  • Step 2

    Communicate a clear and consistent commitment.

  • Step 3

    Establish a cross-functional leadership team.

Institutional leaders and mathematics faculty engage in discussion and research to determine their level of awareness and interest, and then learn more about math pathways as needed.

Institutional leaders communicate a clear and consistent commitment to math pathways that connects the work to the institutional mission.

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways (DCMP) Implementation Guideview full resourceDownloadFile, pp. 6-7

Institutional leaders establish a cross-functional leadership team with a clear charge and lines of authority.

Dana Center Mathematics Pathways (DCMP) Implementation Guideview full resourceDownloadFile, pp. 7-8