Roadmap Action Plan

Chattanooga State

Updated 8/6/2013

Chattanooga State’s Roadmap Action Plan is directly linked to the strategies and goals of its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP), W.E. Succeed: Work Ethic First. The Work Ethic Learning Outcome is defined by four key attributes: Teamwork, Integrity, Productivity, and Professionalism. The QEP, supported by the campus research of the Access to Success (A2S) Initiative, is joining forces to develop a robust First-Year Experience, which is infused with High-Impact Practice opportunities and ePortfolio development.

For Chattanooga State, a robust First-Year Experience would integrate:

·  New Student Orientation

·  Freshman Seminar with EPortfolio Development

·  Intrusive Advising

·  Early Intervention System

·  Celebration at Completion of Learning Support Courses and 30 Credit Hours

To provide a common campus-wide language for student success, the Roadmap Team has developed a definition for student success, which will undergo review and revision this coming year.

Student Success Definition:

Chattanooga State’s mission statement affirms its goal “to provide excellence in teaching and learning while transforming the lives of students.” Chattanooga State is an educationally purposeful community where faculty, staff, and students share academic goals and strive for high standards. Hence, student success is defined as each student’s individual achievement of the Institutional Learning Outcomes: Communication Skills, Critical Thinking Skills, Information Technology Skills, Global Awareness, Work Ethic, and Competence in a Specialty in keeping with their own academic and career goals. With the assistance and partnership of the College’s academic and support services, students are able to persist at a rate that complements obligations and challenges while focusing on coursework and self-discovery that leads to the attainment of degrees and certificates, meaningful careers and committed citizenry.

To empower decisions, individual student success will be tracked as students move through specific areas of the First-Year Experience and culminate in transfer or graduation. The Roadmap Action Plan has been divided into 3 parts for ease of discussion and to allow for a thoughtful, staged implementation.

Part 1: Introduction to College and Campus: Orientation

As a result of the Roadmap Initiative, New Student Orientation has been redesigned and is currently underway for entering fall 2013 students. During a day-long ground orientation, students are divided into areas of interest and led in small groups by W.E. Succeed Student Ambassadors through four workshops listed below:

·  EPortfolio

·  W.E. Succeed Inside the Classroom

·  W.E. Succeed Outside the Classroom

·  W.E. Succeed Financially

The student ambassadors have demonstrated academic success and consist of current high-functioning sophomores or recent Chattanooga State graduates and transfer students who are attending area universities. They serve as a model for the new students and also a knowledgeable resource for campus and student information. New students also select a division in which to lunch, allowing them to connect with deans and faculty in their fields or areas of interest for undecided students. The goals of the orientation day to establish collegiate expectations, introduce campus resources, begin a professional and reflective process in ePortfolio, and engage the students within their fields of interest before the first day of class.

Part 2: Infusion of High-Impact Practices: Linked by EPortfolio

The Roadmap Action Plan seeks to engage all first semester students with at least one high-impact practice. Although coordination and accessibility for all students needs intense development, Chattanooga State already incorporates of each of the following high-impact practices in various programs:

·  First-Year Seminar

·  Service Learning

·  Undergraduate Research

·  Capstone Courses & Projects

·  Learning Communities

A design for First-Year Seminar courses is already underway. In fall 2013, a W.E. Succeed Course, Professional Success Seminar, will be piloted by the Business and Information Technology Division. Utilizing individual ePortfolio development and reflection, this course will allow students the opportunity to practice targeted work-ethic skills whileexploring topics, technologies, and careers related to the Business and Information Technology Division.

Part 3: Developing a Collaborative Campus Culture

·  Create open, strategic dialogue across divisions

·  Empower decisions through data and analysis

·  Foster creative and efficient use of resources to impact the greatest number of students

Chattanooga State is moving forward rapidly to develop a robust First-Year Experience. Cross-divisional dialogue and strategic planning is providing the momentum for institutional reflection and growth. Striving to focus on success for all students, while keeping quality and innovation at the forefront of the learning process, the College looks forward to making the Roadmap Action Plan a reality in the near future.