The Center for Student Success, which provides academic and personal support to students, experienced a transition beginning in the summer of 2015. Former administrative assistant Tiffany Byers was named director of multicultural services, which was added to assist minority students in achieving their academic and personal goals.
Along with this addition, the TRiO Student Support Services program, a federally funded grant program that seeks to provide additional resources to first-generation college students from lower-income families, ceased at Harding after the university’s grant application was not approved to continue the program.
In 2015, assistant professor of education Dr. Kevin Kehl replaced Dr. Todd Patten as the new dean of the center when Patten returned to teach in the Professional Counseling program.
Kehl said that although the exact reasons the TRiO program was not refunded are unknown, the government bases funding requirements on many considerations.
“There’s a regular cycle in which (the TRiO program) must reapply for their funding,” Kehl said. “It’s just normal, and everyone must do it. Some (reasons we no longer receive funding) are related to government accountability, government funding and so many other things. It’s difficult to know why exactly we didn’t receive funding; it’s likely due to several factors based on the wider group of those applying for funding.”
Despite the loss of the TRiO program, students who received tutoring or other support from this program can still receive assistance from the center regardless of federal funding, according to Kehl.
“Harding has always been about supporting students so that they can succeed academically, spiritually and physically,” Kehl said. “That pre-dates any federal programs at Harding.”
According to Stephanie O’Brian, director of academic resources, many changes occurred in the center beginning in the summer. Despite these changes, she noted that the ultimate goal of the center is to serve students.
“The goal of the center has been, simply stated, to bless the students,” O’Brian said. “We are, in so many ways, our own community of mission within the center. We have always been that way and will continue to be that way.”
Senior biology major McKenzie Evans, a tutor in the center, said she believes the center remains a great resource for students.
“I think I can speak for every tutor when I say that (O’Brian) made the whole process very easy for us,” Evans said. “She works so hard and is a great boss. The majority of the center has remained the same. It’s still a great resource for students to get tutoring or just to come and study.”
