Higher ed leaders talk a lot about student success, but the real work often happens in the spaces between departments. When academic affairs and student affairs operate separately, students can feel the gaps in everything from advising and course scheduling to basic needs support and completion pathways. This conversation looks at what can happen when those two sides of the institution stop working around each other and start working together.

Dr. Andrew Tomko, Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost at Bergen Community College, and Dr. Anthony "A.J." Trump, Vice President of Student Affairs, join the conversation to share how their partnership has helped reshape the way Bergen approaches student outcomes. They talk about what that partnership looks like in practice, starting with one of the most everyday but important pieces of campus life: the course schedule.

From there, the conversation moves into how Bergen is using its own student data to challenge assumptions, make better decisions, and help faculty and staff see where change is actually needed. Dr. Tomko and Dr. Trump also discuss developmental education reform, microcredentials, completion rates, and the kind of cross-campus collaboration it takes to make student success more than a talking point.

Show Notes:

[03:05] Andrew Tomko introduces himself as Vice President for Academic Affairs at Bergen Community College and reflects on his 30 years at the institution.

[04:17] A.J. Trump shares his role as Vice President of Student Affairs and explains Bergen's goal to increase retention and completion rates by 1% each year.

[05:21] We learn why student support and basic needs are essential to student success, especially at a community college.

[08:34] Scheduling becomes the first major example of their work together, including how misaligned course times created real obstacles for students.

[11:43] Honest feedback from faculty and staff becomes part of the change process, especially around sensitive issues like course scheduling.

[14:33] Listening, credibility, and patience become key themes in working with faculty who are attached to long-standing practices.

[17:47] Developmental education becomes a central example, as low completion rates reveal the limits of standalone developmental courses.

[20:36] We look at how data challenges assumptions, especially when a practice sounds helpful in theory but produces different results in reality.

[23:12] Weekly leadership meetings between academic and student affairs help teams address issues, review data, and make continuous improvements together.

[26:58] Financial aid limits and English language learners become part of the developmental education discussion, especially when extra coursework can slow or stop student progress.

[30:33] Microcredentials come into focus after Bergen finds that more than 2,000 students had earned certificates but never applied for them.

[34:01] Faculty are encouraged to think differently about transfer, workforce preparation, and the value of a single course in a student's life.

[37:28] One hope is that silos stay broken and that people continue using data to guide change rather than reacting to isolated exceptions.

[39:56] The episode closes with the importance of perspective, communication, and giving academic and student affairs teams more opportunities to understand one another's work.

Links and Resources:

Civitas Learning

Bergen Community College

Andrew Tomko, Ph.D. - Bergen Community College

Dr. Anthony (A.J.) Trump - Bergen Community College