QEP Subcommittee Meeting

9/9/2011

Attendees: Ramona Smith(RSB), Dr. Laura Dunn, Barbara Kennedy,Dr. Phil Simpson, Dr. Julie Derrick, Robin Pollard, Mark Quathamer, Karen MacArthur, Vicki Price, Denise Young, David Bradford, Dr. Linda Miedema, Sue Campbell, Susan Houts, Stephanie Burnette, Lynn Demetriades

Susan Houts – Introductions & Review of Process - Survey/Review of Results/Selection of Topic/ Market Topic/2013 SACs comes/Before that entire campus must be aware of the QEP topic.

Presentation of White Papers

  1. David Bradford
  2. Visited 7 businesses asking what do they want in our graduates.
  3. Stated they want students that can read/write they can teach them the technical
  4. He stated we should be offering a degree in biometrics
  5. He believes that we should focus on learning outcomes
  6. Students should be able to sort information
  7. Implement communications across the curriculum
  8. Identify goals and try to assess it ie. Pre/Post analysis
  9. His understanding of the QEP is WHAT is the Problem/So What (what did we do)/Now What (implement changes)

Discussion over the 4 things that SACs will look at about the QEP can be found in section 2.12. Points that were noted:

QEP looks at “This is why we feel this is the problem”

Need to look at can it be measured? Grades are an indirect assessment and panels are formed to evaluate the work as a result of the QEP.

A question was raised about whether this QEP topic could incorporate technical writing.

The point of the QEP is to “move the needle”. Don’t have to reach entire population, it can be a control group.

  1. Barbara Kennedy – Student Services
  2. Survey shows advising is a significant problem
  3. Advisors need to have a plan that they follow with each student and develop a plan for each student
  4. Many of the students today are not traditional students
  5. Getting students that had to drop from a university and now have an attitude
  6. Definite need to streamline the advising process
  7. Advisors should have a template to advise from ,ie. Checklist
  8. Should utilize faculty/peer advising – peers could be 2nd year students
  9. Start w/questionnaire that was developed by a task force, from that questionnaire, the student would be assigned to a faculty member as an advisor,
  10. Need to engage students early, ie. First few days of class

Discussion:

How different from mentor program is this

Many students in mentor program don’t come back to their mentors, just want a signoff.

Research w/reference to why students drop out, number one reason given is personal reasons.

  1. Mark Quathamer – Math
  2. Cited many of the student comments from the surveys illustrating the complete opposites of many of the comments.
  3. Cited placement numbers – 51% of our students are taking a math prep
  4. Cited 1st attempt success rates and how poor the success rates are
  5. Possible solutions include:
  6. Paired Courses – corequisites
  7. Compressed Courses – register for two courses simultaneously more likely to take the second course
  8. Pointed out that success rates for the prep courses were higher in the summer term
  9. Curriculum Redesign – use a lecture/lab approach.
  10. Road maps – students only have to study the skills necessary for their program choice
  11. Discussion about whether Math XL does pre/post assessments

Discussion:

A lot of discussion over math and the fact that students struggle with math.

Discussion over why is math required, why can’t it be a business math course instead.

Stephanie Burnette pointed out state requirements for math.

Denise Young pointed out that our students our comparable to “native” UCF students in all areas except math and science where they are behind.

  1. Ramona Smith – Focusing on Core Essentials
  2. Basic Skills – reading , writing and math, learning skills and study skills
  3. 70% of students require some remediation in one of more of these areas
  4. 23% of classes in Florida Community Colleges are remedial
  5. 40% of the survey results focuses on basic skills or basic skills services
  6. Possible solutions include linking courses and creating learning communities
  7. Another community college has had significant success with what they named a Transfer Achievement Center (TAP)
  8. Could do this in phases – have a pilot phase
  9. One of the TAP’s methods is to imbedtutors into classes so they know exactly what students are working on
  10. TAP also requires mandatory meetings
  11. RSB: Discussion of a Teaching & Learning Center based in the existing learning labs with a new focus

Discussion: More discussion on how basic skills ties in to the previous topics(RSB: Ability to address aspects of almost all white papers under this topic).

More information about the TAP was requested.

Could utilize students from service learning (RSB: Honors, PTK, previous good students, etc.)as embedded tutors.

Discussion about getting these topics out to the community, having a catchy motto. A faculty brought up that they didn’t feel that the college days are utilized as effectively as they could be and that a presentation could be made there. College days could have breakout sessions.

  1. Gary Hrezo was not present to present his paper on Student Communication Tools
  2. Dr. Miedema pointed out that the new VP would be looking at the social media presence at BCC.
  3. It was decided that this would not be the QEP topic

Discussion to Select Topic:

Points that were brought up included:

  • Lots of overlaps with the topics – could possibly incorporate all topics into one
  • Need to teach communications in order to understand all areas
  • Stress over math, focus on the math neurons
  • Education is well rounded, should focus on critical thinking
  • Denise Young commented on how critical thinking is very hard to measure for QEP
  • Basic skills – math is needed
  • Nursing programs have moved to simulation labs and hybrid courses. They have found that many of their students already have degrees, but their communication and math courses are so old. Previously degreed students make their best students.
  • SLS teaches self worth but isn’t really teaching learning skills
  • Pointed out that it is following a very specific model – Skip Downing
  • More discussion about the importance of peer advising and basic skill concepts lacking
  • Denise Young spoke about UCF’s Information Fluency QEP project
  • Spoke about data sharing and tracking with UCF and that they have many models
  • She suggested we look at the magnitude of the QEP
  • UCF initially tried to incorporate everything that they thought was important and it wasn’t working well.
  • Refined the QEP based on cost
  • Created 3 circles and projects fit into each circle
  • Had someone who understood SACs , suggested starting with one circle and making choices and prioritize what to do.
  • #1 QEP problem - too broad/too much to consider as a project
  • Important to find the focus
  • SACs visit will review the QEP and look at the offsite review and verify it
  • Institutional research can be an important factor to consider
  • SACs will want to see
  • Proof it should be done
  • Proof it can be done
  • Discussed that the term basic skills is too broad, it should be narrowed to math(RSB: this comment was based on the idea that we would have limited resources- financial and personnel. Committee was instructed by Dr. Miedema to consider a plan and then worry about resources to scale the plan)
  • Previous QEP topics from other community colleges were read illustrating many of the same issues (topics) that the committee had identified
  • Discussion followed about whether the college would fund this effort. At some point the committee will have to develop a budget that will be presented to the top management.
  • May already have many of the resources, matter of rearranging and refocusing
  • 2018 the results of the QEP will be reported
  • Could be reassignment of personnel to get the job done, ie. Including release time.
  • Next step is to design a plan
  • Must determine which parts of the plan are in-kind
  • Don’t want to burn out the champions of the plan
  • Can look for internal grants to help with funding
  • Statement made that basic skills is (RBS: currently)too broad and all encompassing-RSB: Need to select components that make sense for BCC
  • Denise Young – cautioned against making the topic too broad
  • Suggested pulling in elements that are essential
  • Decide what is core
  • They had to bring in consultants to help narrow down their topic
  • Titles for the QEP (RSB:Based on some aspects of the basic skills - including math & communication skills- & advising white papers)were brainstormed, titles included
  • Get R Done
  • Strengthen Your Core – (Most popular choice)
  • Decided it would be best if this were used to focus it on fitness rather than military
  • Personal Trainers could be advisors
  • Personal Training 4 Academic Success
  • Next to Do:
  • Elect new Committee Chair – Ramona Smith
  • Develop Circles (topics to fit under title of Strengthen Your Core)
  • Decided that everyone should independently email to Ramona subtopics for “circles”
  • Should also look at BCC 5 core abilities
  • Next meeting to be next month