UAB is one of about 250 members of the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities, a research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Through its “Powered by Publics” program, APLU has convened 125 institutions within 16 “transformation clusters” to solve different pieces of the student success puzzle. UAB is a member of the Southern Cluster, the focus area for which is closing the achievement gap in specific student populations by identifying best practices in the areas of affordability, student belonging, and academic support.