Bradley Barnes, Ph.D., speaks at the town hall meeting. Watch a video of the event here.At a town hall meeting on Sept. 16, leaders of UAB’s SUCCESS Initiative shared progress, introduced new working groups for the initiative’s implementation phase and presented a timeline for future work. (Watch a video of the event here.)

The SUCCESS Initiative “brings together the entire institution” toward a common goal of growing enrollment and improving students’ success, noted Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost Janet Woodruff-Borden, Ph.D., in opening remarks. “You see people from all parts of campus working together with a shared vision for a path forward.”

Woodruff-Borden also thanked President Ray Watts, M.D., for his unwavering support of the initiative.

The next speaker, Bradley Barnes, Ph.D., senior vice provost for Enrollment Management and Student Success, explained key early accomplishments for the initiative and next steps as implementation continues this fall.

Key accomplishments

The SUCCESS Initiative has already led directly to multiple changes that have played a role in UAB’s dramatic gains in project enrollment in fall 2025, Barnes said.

These include:

• scholarship enhancements, enabled by new funding supported by President Watts, to increase funds for transfer student scholarships and restructure other awards;
• policy changes, including an extended course drop deadline (six weeks instead of the previous one week) that gives students time to receive assessment from their instructors before having to decide whether to drop a course;
• expanded student support, including a new tier of retention support for at-risk students and earlier advisor engagement to strengthen student onboarding; and
• recognition for faculty and staff who go above and beyond in shaping the student experience at UAB through the Student SUCCESS Champion program.

Next steps

The seven initial working groups named in February 2025 prepared detailed workplans to accomplish the SUCCESS Initiative’s goals. These plans were presented to the intiative’s Executive Steering Committee and at the fifth annual Student SUCCESS Summit in May 2025, Barnes noted. Each plan was ranked according to its impact potential (high or medium) and cost profile (high, medium or low).

Entering the implementation phase, “it made the most sense for collaborative work” to consolidate those seven working groups into four thematic groups, Barnes said. Membership of the groups has shifted because operational work requires skill sets that are somewhat different from those for planning work, and because implementation of plans requires the presence of those with operational oversight over the affected areas, Barnes said. (See a full list of thematic group members, and initial working group members, on the SUCCESS Initiative site here.)

In the period August 2025 through August 2026, the four thematic groups will address 30 plans brought forward by the initial working groups. Those include mostly high-impact, low- or medium-cost plans, Barnes said. 

“We are shaping the future of UAB”

John Jones III, Ph.D., vice president for Student Affairs, concluded the town hall with a charge to the four thematic groups. “What began as a bold vision has become a reality because of you,” Jones said. “I have the privilege to meet many of our students, and let me tell you this: They are worth it …. Every Blazer deserves nothing less than our very best.”

The spirit of collaboration that has been evident through the SUCCESS Initiative has been “inspirational and powerful,” Jones said. “Together, we are not just shaping student success — we are shaping the future of UAB.”