Tools & Resources
To match the many facets of the issues, institutions and participants involved, CUE draws upon a broad spectrum of theoretical frameworks, grounds them in proven principles and applies them through a highly customized institutional effectiveness model.
CUE's collaborative approach is far from an "off-the-shelf" application. CUE works intensively with campus teams to gather and disaggregate data by race and ethnicity. From academic and transfer readiness to retention and student excellence, these teams probe why the data look the way they do and set benchmarks to measure improvement.
CUE combines multiple theories and methodologies in problem solving with these campus teams. Its consultants offer expertise in discussing race and ethnicity to develop equity-mindedness, organizational learning and cultural change.
Available Services
CUE's latest resource, the Benchmarking Equity and Student Success Tool (BESST), can assist college leaders, faculty, system heads and staff collaborate to set goals on their campuses.
It's been designed to help accomplish the very goals that are so much at the forefront of the national higher education agenda, namely improving the rates of college completion, as well as enhancing racial-ethnic equity and high rates of achievement in student success.
Developed by CUE through years of research at a number of higher education institutions in California and several other states, the BESST tool facilitates dialogue and decision-making and is available for use by states and campuses to set and achieve benchmark goals.
CUE's faculty and professional staff provide expertise by helping stakeholders' choose a targeted area for inquiry and action; build consensus on the problem of practice; determine goals for improvement and set benchmarks to measure success.
The BESST consists of two components to facilitate the benchmarking of performance improvement:
- A PowerPoint graphical interface illustrating the success rates of a cohort of students at important academic milestones.
- An easy-to-manipulate Excel spreadsheet which includes the stakeholders' own student cohort migration data.
For an illustration of CUE's BESST Benchmarking Tool, click here.
CUE is available to assist states and institutions seeking real solutions to improving student outcomes. Teams of policy makers, faculty, institutional researchers, counselors, deans and administrators work with CUE consultants to reexamine the data. Disaggregated, the data tell a clear story and prompt meaningful investigation with the CUE Equity Model. Then institutions can respond with intentional actions to address problems of equity.
To bring CUE’s expertise to your state or institution, call (213) 740-5202.