FOUNDATIONS OF EXCELLENCE - FACULTY DIMENSION

October 28, 2008

CurrisBusinessBuilding 323

1)Welcome / Introductions

2)FoEtec

  1. Everyone receive their login and been able to log-in?
  2. Everyone looked at it?
  3. We can add items to the CPI, especially those policies and programs from our departments / units that have an effect on the first year students

3)Example reports

  1. Available on FoEtec
  2. Just login, go to resource center, and click on the reports/view example dimension reports

4)Other Types of Evidence That May Be Useful

  1. Brainstorm
  2. Things from last time (Schmiddy’s notes – may not be all correct!)
  3. Of 10 year period – how many 4 year residents vs. transfers
  4. Tuition / Room and board costs – historically
  5. # of transfer credits coming in from high school
  6. Policies created that result in students not having first year experience (Tuition costs being lower in high school or differing tuition costs for junior and senior years)
  7. High school courses for college credit – liberal arts degree without taking any LAC courses here
  8. Different colleges work with 1st year students
  9. Capture data by exit interviews and why they left
  10. Process by which faculty have interaction with first year students
  11. Question – culture of involvement with first year students – manifest in pedagogy of engagement
  12. Faculty interaction comes from faculty predisposition, not institutional
  13. Resources for faculty doing things with first year students
  14. # of full-time faculty teaching first year / LAC vs. non-full time
  15. Culture of LAC classes – they don’t want to teach it – think about faculty teaching them and using them as a recruitment toll to specific majors
  16. Hiring of faculty – pedagogy? Buy in faculty who support
  17. Assignment to teach LAC
  18. Faculty student interactions outside of classroom
  19. If we have things, we need to contact Kate Martin about getting that data; however, if one of us has easy access, then we can pass it on to Kate and she will add it to our evidence library

5)Student Reminder

  1. Sign up for course credit if you are interested!

6)Topics in order for our upcoming meetings

  1. Open discussion about the dimension and the current feel of the university
  2. Come to a Consensus on Performance Indicators (PIs)
  3. Review Information
  4. Faculty / Staff Survey
  5. Student Survey
  6. Other resources as decided upon by the Dimension Committee (Committee members knowledge, institutional data – both assessment and reports, interviews, focus groups, evidence library – on FoEtec)
  7. Evaluate the information
  8. Write the Dimension Report (Our Dimension is set to be completed by December 15)
  9. Recommend Action Items
  10. Give an Overall Dimension Grade

7)Upcoming Meetings / Webinars

  1. Next Meeting: We will use the survey tool again
  1. Upcoming Webinars
  2. Survey Analysis –10/29, 10:30a-11:30a (Only if you have a knack for these!)
  3. Developing Dimension Reports – 11/18, 2-3pm or 11/19, 10:30a-11:30a

NOTES AND COMMENTS FROM MEETING:

Jim Davis – Kressig passing on a flier touting Educational Accomplishment

  • Not a program to control the cost of education
  • Jim contacted him via e-mail for clarification and would like to be more aggressive in truth in advertising
  • Calling ‘college credit’ high school courses as equal with college courses is not true

RECOMMENDATION – require first year experience on the college campuses

-related issue: on what basis should coursework be required at UNI

-competency based education – program competency is not now being assessed

-Need to look at how differing political views have an effect on the way in which the faculty member treats individual students

WAYS IN WHICH FACULTY INTERACT WITH FIRST YEAR STUDENTS

  • Bash with Ben
  • Advising and instruction is obvious
  • HOMEWORK – add in CPI – direct faculty contact with first year students
  • Our focus – how is it now and recommendations for the future

INFORMATION NEEDS

  • Number of faculty / adjuncts assigned to first year courses (Scheduling assignment pattern)
  • How faculty approach a 1st year course – from syllabi?
  • Courses with high first year enrollment – Non-LAC courses may also be mostly first year
  • 1st year course evaluation / student feedback
  • Pedagogy of first year course instructors
  • 1st year advisors deemed as working with first year students

-There is the ‘busy’ness of people’s lives – not much interaction among professors who are all teaching the same course

OTHER ISSUES

  • Support for first year student advisors – workshops, etc. – how many partake in them?
  • How are holds for freshmen released?
  • Individuals are advised into College Writing and Oral Communication and in summer it drops off
  • We are trying to change the culture now
  • What do we expect of first year courses?
  • Possible recommendation – not change schedule after meeting with an advisor as students can be advised one way and go completely different with other things