Goal #2

Action 4

We will create an endowed Carleton Impact Fund that will provide students on financial aid with increased opportunities for funded summer internships, externships, research experiences, or off-campus study programs.

Research has shown that certain “high-impact practices” have an outsized effect on student learning. These include individualized learning opportunities such as student-faculty research, internships, off-campus study, and community-based learning. Many students take advantage of such opportunities during the summer, but students on financial aid who have a summer work requirement may need to earn more than such opportunities provide. The Carleton Impact Fund will fund such high-impact experiences or cover the gap between a valuable experience and the income needed.

Action 5

We will establish a new Carls Helping Carls fund for timely grants to cover unexpected student expenses.

The Dean of Students Office currently provides emergency funding to students who are experiencing unanticipated financial burdens. However, demand for those limited resources has grown significantly as Carleton has increased the number of lower-income students on campus, and many unanticipated needs arise that may not be emergencies, but are nevertheless difficult to manage on a limited budget.

With two recent Reunion gifts dedicated to student support, the Class of 1972 Get Started Fund and the Class of 1973 Stay the Course Fund, as strong models, the creation of a Carls Helping Carls Fund will enable the College to provide more substantial, flexible, and timely funding to students. Such a fund could be supported by a combination of endowment and designated annual fund gifts.

Action 6

We will create a tiered salary system for student work to foster more equitable and meaningful student employment.

With more than 80 percent of students holding a position on campus during their time at Carleton, student employment is a distinctive characteristic of the Carleton experience. However, paying similar rates for very different work experiences disadvantages students working in areas like dining that are very demanding, and fails to recognize differing levels of experience or responsibility.

Following strategy 3.2.3 of the IDE Plan, the Financial Aid Working Group subcommittee on the Student Work Experience, in its December 2022 report, recommends the creation of a tiered salary structure that would offer greater financial incentives for more demanding jobs and more accurately reflect the wide range of roles undertaken by students at the College. The creation of that structure will involve student and community input in recognition of the important role of student work within the overall campus culture.

Action 7

We will create First at Carleton, a First-Generation and immigrant-origin student success program.

Carleton’s first-generation student population is currently approximately 15 percent and growing. Nationwide, a recent report from the Presidents’ Alliance on Immigration notes that students from immigrant families make up nearly one-third of all students enrolled at American colleges and universities.

Creation of First at Carleton would provide programming and support for all first-generation and immigrant-origin students, building upon the proven successes of dedicated support programs such as TRIO (federally funded), Posse, QuestBridge, FOCUS, and CUBE, as well as Carleton’s status as a First-Gen Forward Institution. These programs would help first-generation and immigrant-origin students to succeed at Carleton by encouraging pride in their accomplishments, connecting them with College resources, and building community among peers.

Action 8

We will use the recommendations of the Student Mental Health Working Group to create a comprehensive focus on student mental health and wellness.

Mental health challenges affect all students, and have a disproportionate impact on students who are low-income, BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse, or part of other historically excluded identities. The new Student Health and Counseling (SHAC) multipurpose facility that will be completed in 2025 provides a new opportunity to evaluate and deepen our student health and wellness programs in support of all students, including those with visible or invisible disabilities.

Recommendations from the Community of Belonging Task Force report include hiring an additional case manager to assist in providing support and care for students, and offering courses within the physical education requirement that include focus areas such as healthy eating and nutrition, sleep, stress management, and other mental health and wellness topics. The Student Mental Health Working Group is developing additional recommendations, including examining the College’s disability accommodation processes in light of increasing student demand.