Executive Briefing: Student Access as a Board Priority

What Is It?

Student access allows qualified students to pursue their educational goals without unnecessary academic, administrative, financial, geographic, or technological barriers. It is central to higher education’s mission because colleges and universities exist to extend educational opportunities and benefit society. For governing boards, student access is a strategic responsibility to ensure the institution remains aligned with its mission and serves the public good.

• Access is different from success. Access determines whether students can enroll, while student success concerns whether they can persist to graduation and begin their intended careers.
• Access involves admissions; transfer pathways; tuition, fees, and financial aid; academic offerings; and educational delivery models that meet students’ needs.