DePauw University has drawn attention for spending far more than peer institutions on student support services, with the central question shifting to whether the increased investment improves student outcomes. The report highlights Lori White’s concern about campus disconnection and argues for creating “scaffolding for social life” to strengthen engagement. The article frames the higher spending as an attempt to address student retention and well-being through structured advising, programming, and support interventions rather than leaving engagement to chance. It also emphasizes the practical challenge of measuring impact when student support is designed to improve belonging and day-to-day persistence. For higher ed leaders, the DePauw case functions as a stress test of what “student success” budgets should buy: measurable reductions in attrition and improvements in graduation momentum, not just additional services. The outcome will likely determine how other institutions reconsider staffing, budgets, and assessment practices for student support models as enrollment pressures mount.