Addressing Inequitable Outcomes in Gateway Courses

The Office of Undergraduate Education (OUE) and the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) collaborated to bring the Student Experience Project (SEP) to the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus in fall 2025 to foster a positive learning classroom environment and increase a student’s likelihood of navigating academic challenges to graduation. Two facilitators from OUE and CEI hosted four gatherings with 37 faculty members and focused on the following modules:

• Your syllabus as a tool to promote equity, belonging and growth
• Effective growth-mindset culture messages
• Feedback to foster academic engagement and growth
• Cultivating an inclusive learning environment

Students provided feedback regarding their course experience three times during the semester. Their survey responses helped to make classroom adjustments to increase student sense of belonging and academic success. Analysis of the pre- and post-course surveys revealed that:

• Some evidence regarding faculty mindset beliefs changed in a positive direction
• There was no indication that instructor self-efficacy changed
• Instructor responses regarding a sense of agency, community and support varied considerably

Additional data analysis is needed to ascertain whether the program helps improve student rates of success in Gateway Courses. OUE and CEI identified funds to continue SEP on the Twin Cities campus for the 2026–2027 academic year and CEI is expanding SEP to campuses across the University of Minnesota.