About the Office for Access & Opportunity

Structure

The Office for Access and Opportunity (A&O) is part of the Division of Student Affairs at Washington State University.

Vision

The Office for Access and Opportunity will be seen as the preeminent office at Washington State University that provides outreach and comprehensive support services that improve the transition, persistence, retention and graduation outcomes for first-generation, low-income, and otherwise underrepresented students at WSU.

Mission

The mission of the Office for Access and Opportunity is to provide the executive administrative oversight and leadership to advance the development and implementation of effective outreach and retention programs with a specific focus on underrepresented student populations.

To meet the mission of The Office for Access and Opportunity our approach is to

• Build key partnerships to increase the number of students from underrepresented backgrounds that successfully transition and graduate from WSU.
• To serve as a critical advocate for student access and success in higher education.
• Oversee the delivery of didactic services (such as instruction and tutoring) and experiential services (such as cultural events and workshops) that give students the academic skills, self-confidence, and career guidance to continue in and successfully complete college.
• Provide professional development opportunities for staff in order to provide relevant and effective services.
• Procure external grant funding to continue to enhance the delivery of services provided to students and to enrich the educational experience of underrepresented student at WSU.