Cypress College
Special Programs Quality Review Report
Program: University Transfer Achievement Program (UTAP) Coordinator: Mary Forman____________
Names of those participating in the report: Richard Fee, Michael Brydges, Peggy Austin_________________
Date: February 11, 2011
Program Mission:
Please explain the student population served by the program and how it relates to the institutional mission.
The mission of the University Transfer Achievement Program is to create a close-knit learning community of
students, instructors, counselors, and support staff dedicated to working together to create a successful first year
experience for underprepared, at-risk incoming college students. The UTAP learning community is cohortbased, meaning all students take the same core courses which share a common theme, common goals, and cocurricular activities. UTAP creates a successful first year experience by offering students intellectually
challenging integrated curriculum which works to improve students’ critical thinking, writing, and speaking
skills; academic, personal and career counseling which provides guidance and support with the transition from
high school to university; student support services embedded into the curriculum which builds students’
awareness and utilization of campus services; co-curricular activities which enhance students’ learning,
collaboration, community building, and motivation; and close relationships to faculty and peers which builds a
strong academic and personal support network for students. UTAP socializes students to the expectations of
college life and provides them with a venue that highlights identification, affiliation, and acceptance in the
college community. In this way, UTAP creates the foundation for students to transfer on to higher education.
UTAP is aligned with the institutional mission of the college as it focuses on enhancing student success, with
particular emphasis on the needs of the basic skills student. As identified in Goal 1 of the North Orange County
Community College District Strategic Plan, UTAP “provides basic skills training and successful transfer
preparation” for students. UTAP also works to “increase student success in completing courses, degrees,
certificates and transfer.” UTAP “implements strategies shown to be effective in improving student
performance in basic skills classes.” UTAP “strengthens pathways for students from Cypress College and from
Cypress College to transfer institutions.” UTAP is a “high-school to college transition program” that “provides
out-of-class support in basic skills ...English classes.” As identified in Goal 2 of the Strategic Plan, UTAP
“provides programs and services to improve retention, persistence and student success of a diverse student
population.” It is a learning community, already engaged in providing “expanded assessment and orientation
services for new first-time college students.” UTAP faculty, most of them non-counseling staff, have for years
volunteered to “participate in a new student orientation process.” UTAP also meets the goals of the Strategic
Plan as it provides a built-in “academic advising and early alert system.” In short, UTAP implements almost all
the strategies identified for Cypress College in Goals 1 and 2 of the Strategic Plan.
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Program Student Learning Outcomes:
Please provide your program SLOs. If you do not have SLOs, please give a timeline for development of SLOs.
-In a survey, UTAP students will demonstrate an increased knowledge of the support services and resources on
campus.
- In a College Success Portfolio, students will demonstrate an understanding of transfer requirements and
procedures.
-Working collaboratively in small groups, students will design and present a project that reflects integrated
learning on UTAP themes.
Core Measures:
Following key parameters are used to measure success of the program. Whenever relevant, parameters are
identified that compare measure college-wide performance with program performance (for example, UTAP
may choose Transfer Rate of their program students and compare it with overall College Transfer Rate).
Measures
Unduplicated students
Enrollments
Retention Rates
Success Rates
Completed transfer
English
Completed transfer math
Transfer-directed
Transfer-ready
Transferred
Persistence from
semester 1 to 2
Persistence to semester 3
Other:
Fall 2007 cohort
Comparison
Program
Group*
Fall 2008 cohort**
Comparison
Program
Group*
Fall 2009 cohort
Comparison
Program
Group*
50
14
30
14
256
38
183
35
94.1%
97.4%
94.5%
82.9%
87.9%
86.8%
74.3%
57.1%
38 (76.0%)
11 (78.6%)
16 (53.3%)
2 (14.3%)
21 (42.0%)
4 (28.6%)
2 (6.7%)
0 (0.0%)
14 (28.0%)
1 (7.1%)
94.0%
93.0%
84.0%
86.0%
90.0%
93.0%
*UTAP was composed of a cohort of 3 classes in the fall semester. These classes included: ENGL 060, COUN
150 and THEA 120. Due to an insufficient number of non-UTAP students taking all 3 classes in a given term,
the comparison group includes only those students enrolled in non-special programs sections of ENGL 060 and
COUN 150.
** Please see the data in the “Narrative Summary/Successes” that describes the “at risk” attributes of the
average UTAP student. These attributes must be taken into consideration when measuring UTAP students
against the control group.
*** UTAP was not offered during the 2008-09 academic year. This was due to the fact that the Adjunct English
instructor who had trained to fill this position obtained full-time employment at another school right before the
beginning of the semester. Due to the integrated nature of the curriculum, it was impossible to train a
replacement instructor on such short notice.
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Budget Trends:
Provide trend information regarding the allocated budget / actual expenditures for the past several years of the
program. Note any special circumstances below the table. The information in this chart will be used in the
following two sections. Please mention reassigned time allocated towards the program. If any resource is
shared, mention the proportion allocated to the program, for example, if an administrative assistant works 20%
for the program, please clarify it.
Allocated
Actual Expenditures
2007-2008
0
$1,500
2008-2009
n/a
2009-2010
0
1,795
The UTAP program does not have a clearly defined budget source. After the initial Title V Grant that created it,
the program has never received regular funding for its activities. In recent years, the program received BSI
funding for some of its activities. Last year, an emergency funding request was granted to pay for administrative
supplies and other non-personnel costs.
UTAP currently receives reassign time for the Program Coordinator and counseling support as part of the
institutionalization of our last Title V Grant. However, there is a convoluted history behind this support. For
several years the support existed, but was not used, because faculty and administrators were not aware that it
existed. Although the have existed on the books, 2010-2011 was the first year that UTAP made use of these
resources. At one time UTAP was an umbrella organization that included a range of activities embracing all
programs that fit under the narrow technical definition of Learning Communities. As such, the grant funded
both a Learning Communities Coordinator position and a Freshman Experience Faculty Coordinator position.
The current reassign time allocation appears to have combined those two positions into one single assignment.
What is now known as UTAP is really the freshman experience learning community in its current form.
Based on this history, there needs to be a discussion about the roles and responsibilities associated with the
counselor and coordinator support. The current 50% allocation is excessive if only those duties associated with
running the UTAP program are taken into consideration. However, the allocation is probably not sufficient if
the intent was to maintain the UTAP program while at the same time re-establishing the culture and initial intent
of the Title V Grant support for Learning Communities on campus. Therefore, there needs to be a campus-wide
conversation defining our goals in this area, especially considering the significant overlap between the structure
of Learning Communities and the best practices established through the Basic Skills Initiative. When properly
established and supported, Learning Communities work to fulfill the goals of the BSI.
Review Previous Goals and Objectives
Please describe if the goals and objectives identified in the previous review were met or not. Please provide
explanations if the goals were not met. The information in the two tables above, or other information, may be
used as evidence. (Below are the goals and objectives from the last UTAP Program Review in 2008)
I.
Goal: Provide a comprehensive learning system combining instruction, counseling, and student
support services to improve student learning and retention
1. Objective: Provide opportunities for instructors and counselor in UTAP Freshman Experience to
work collaboratively to create an integrated program with a common theme, common student
learning outcomes, and shared activities.
Overall, UTAP has achieved the objective of providing opportunities for instructors and
counselors to work collaboratively to create an integrated program. The program had a hiatus
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in 2008-2009 when the adjunct instructor trained as the UTAP English faculty became
fulltime faculty at another school. No one was assigned to replace this individual at that time.
However, UTAP resumed the following year, 2009-2010 and has continued to provide
opportunities for instructor and counselor collaboration since then.
2. Objective: Collaborate with PAL Tutoring, Financial Aid, EOPS, DSPS, and Health Services to
address the academic, economic, and wellness needs of UTAP students.
UTAP continues to work closely with the Financial Aid office, DSPS, and Health Services to
address the academic, economic, and wellness needs of the students. To address the growing
economic needs of UTAP students, UTAP continues to direct students to apply for financial aid
and EOPS at their initial orientation. UTAP has also participated in the EOPS Kickoff,
presenting the advantage of enrolling in a learning community to EOPS students. In addition,
UTAP students are provided with information about book loans, Department scholarships,
Foundation Scholarships, and library resources for textbook loans. This year, UTAP has initiated
a textbook loan program similar to what EOPS has for students (students can sign out books for
UTAP classes). In terms of wellness, UTAP continues to provide individualized personal
counseling and peer mentor support, in addition to providing students with presentations on
health-related topics such as stress reduction. UTAP promotes the use of the health center for
both physical and mental infirmities.
Despite the fact that UTAP wanted to continue its collaboration with PAL tutoring, when the
Title V Grant ended, PAL Tutoring was subsumed into Supplemental Instruction (SI) and the
decision was made shortly after that to end all SI support of developmental English classes. This
flies in the face of research by Learning Communities expert Vincent Tinto that indicates that the
“overall effect of learning communities is strengthened by weaving advising, counseling,
tutoring, and other support services into the learning community” (Basic Skills Initiative).
Many students joined UTAP precisely because it offered this additional support.
Participation in these group study sessions enhanced students’ understanding of the value of
collaborative study and provided a model of collaborative learning in action for students.
Objective: Provide opportunities for university tours, guest speakers, and student team-building
activities outside the classroom.
UTAP continues to provide students with opportunities to go on university tours, listen to
guest speakers, and participate in team-building activities. (See attached program calendar).
These activities are considered essential components of the program, as outlined in the
Basic Skills Initiative, which advises: “Colleges seeking to increase achievement of
developmental learners” should “build affinity and social integration as platforms for
intensifying student commitment and motivation” (Basic Skills Initiative).
Providing these activities has been a financial challenge, however, since UTAP has no budget for
any activities, either on-campus or off. The program has relied on faculty and student donations,
AS Faculty Grants, and other campus donations in order to provide these activities for students.
Lack of funding has had a negative impact on the quality and quantity of what the program can
offer.
II.
Goal: Increase outreach and matriculation of high school students during the spring semester
With funding from a Basic Skills Grant, UTAP has been able to design and print an updated and
attractive new brochure for outreach purposes. UTAP continues to utilize the resources provided
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by the college (counselor visits to local high schools, special events on campus such as Parent
Night, the Counselor Breakfast, Senior Day, etc.) to reach high school students. UTAP
has been comprised of 85-97% incoming freshman, so outreach in this area has been successful.
Objective: Work collaboratively with outreach ambassadors and counselors to successfully orient
parents and prospective students to the benefits of the UTAP program
UTAP continues to run a series of “information orientations” for students in the Spring semester
and summer. Students are invited to bring their parents to these orientation sessions. The
UTAP Coordinator and UTAP peer mentors present the benefits of UTAP. UTAP also runs
a registration workshop in which students, along with their parents, are invited to campus to
create a first-semester education plan, apply for financial aid, BOG, and EOPS, and receive a
tour of the campus.
There has been limited use of outreach ambassadors and counselors in this endeavor as there has
been little to no funding available to support their participation in orientations.
Objective: Collaborate with matriculation and counseling to successfully enroll prospective UTAP
students.
UTAP has been very successful in working closely with the Matriculation Manager to pilot
a variety of approaches which would allow for the successful enrollment of prospective UTAP
students. Currently, all program courses are linked in Banner and students must enroll
concurrently in all of the classes in order to be admitted to the program. By July of 2010,
UTAP was fully enrolled with 32 students who were ready to begin the 2010-2011 year.
Narrative: Strengths and challenges.
Please base this section on the two charts above, in addition to program-specific evidence.
Strengths: Use this section to briefly reflect upon major accomplishments of the program. The narrative
should discuss the implications related to the core measures and compare program performance parameters
with overall college parameters (whenever possible).
Historically, students in UTAP Freshman Experience have had higher course completion, success, and
persistence rates than the general population (see attached table of UTAP Successful Course Completion).
These numbers tend to be most significant in the core academic classes, such as English, history, psychology,
and theater. This is particularly impressive when considering that UTAP is basically comprised of students who
would be considered most “at risk” for failure. As related in the 2009 statistical data, as a group, UTAP students
tend to be younger (with 97% under the age of 19 compared to 20% for the general population), more ethnically
mixed (43% Hispanic compared to 29% for the general population), less experienced with college (first-time
students- 83% as compared to 20% for the general population), and from families with little educational
background (30% of UTAP students’ parents have no high school diploma compared to 12% for the general
population). In addition, all UTAP students begin at the developmental level in English. The fact that, in UTAP,
they are able to succeed not just in their developmental classes but in their college-level courses as well speaks
to the success of the program.
UTAP students also have more exposure to campus resources than the general population. As part of the
program, students research and report on every Student Service on campus, from the health center to financial
aid to automotive repair. As part of the program, all UTAP students are required to apply for a Foundation
Scholarship, volunteer for at least 5 hours of campus service, attend 2 campus events, and design a project that
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will in some way reflect their engagement with the campus. From these experiences, students create an effective
academic resume, utilizing the resume-building software in the Career Center. All of this is part of the Transfer
Portfolio that students create during their year in UTAP.
Because the program promotes a full academic experience, UTAP students have gone on to become Club
members, Honors students, Associated Student representatives, Campus Outreach Ambassadors, Supplemental
Instruction Leaders, Study Abroad students, and interns.
Students leave UTAP “Transfer ready” in that they have a full understanding of what it will take to complete
their academic requirements at Cypress and apply to the four-year college or university of their choice. Because
of the academic preparation, supportive community, and transfer preparation, UTAP students express that they
feel better prepared and highly satisfied with their college experience. This is supported by the data that
indicates 28% of UTAP students from the 2007 cohort have transferred as opposed to 7% of the general
population.
Beyond providing a real advantage for students, UTAP also provides faculty with an enhanced teaching and
learning experience. Being part of UTAP means that faculty are, in essence, part of their own learning
community. As their own cohort, UTAP faculty members meet regularly to discuss modes of instruction, course
content, integrated assignments, student challenges, and student success strategies. This enhances their ability to
see, understand, and promote interdisciplinary connections that encourage students to have a deeper
engagement with the material. In addition, working collaboratively in a supportive environment makes faculty
more inclined to be innovative and to take risks. An especially important benefit is that college-level instructors,
frustrated by the lack of academic preparation of basic skills students, learn strategies from developmental-level
instructors on how to design assignments in such a way as to facilitate the success of developmental learners.
According to the Basic Skills Initiative, an effective practice of learning communities is that “developmental
education faculty employ a variety of instructional methods to accommodate student diversity.” Sharing
students success strategies, best practices, content knowledge, and knowledge of campus resources and services
empowers faculty members to become better instructors and better resources for all of their students. Thus far,
21 faculty members have benefitted from their participation in UTAP.
Challenges: Please provide any insight into significant challenges or obstacles that may have curtailed the
success of the program. Identify the types of changes necessary for improvement.
Significant challenges/obstacles that have curtailed the success of the program:
1. Lack of funding. Since the end of the Title V Grant, UTAP has struggled to stay afloat as the program has
had no consistent funding source. The program lacks funding for outreach, faculty training and development,
faculty stipends, tutoring, counseling support, and program activities. This has caused the program to not only
decrease in size, but also decrease in quality.
Changes needed:
a. Funding needs to be provided to support outreach, faculty training and development, counseling, tutoring, and
program activities. This is consistent with the recommendations of the Basic Skills Initiative action plan which
identifies the need to “provide fiscal support for learning community leadership, support staff, and expansion of
marketing and promotion of learning communities basic skills courses.”
2. Lack of counseling support. Currently, UTAP is the only “Special Program” on campus that has no
designated full-time counselor assigned to it. This puts the program at a real disadvantage. Without a
full-time counselor, UTAP is basically missing an essential half of its team. A full-time counselor would
provide greater program continuity, student follow through, outreach, and support.
Changes needed:
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UTAP needs a full-time counselor assigned to the program as part of load. A full-time counselor would provide
continuity and consistency in the program, especially in terms of student academic advisement, personal
counseling, and guidance. The counselor would collaborate on instructional activities for the integration of
advising and support services. The counselor would provide student follow through and academic tracking. The
counselor would assist with recruitment and orientation, becoming an important advocate for the program
within student services and the campus community at large.
3. Lack of clear administrative structure. When the Title V Grant ended, the administrative structure for
UTAP was unclear. As a consequence, there was a breakdown of communication which led to UTAP operating
for over two years with no knowledge that general funds had been set aside to support the program coordinator
and counselor. Even today, the current administrative structure makes it difficult for UTAP to work
collaboratively with other Special Programs on campus in order to maximize the use of resources and minimize
the duplication of efforts.
Changes needed:
a. A clear, transparent, and collaborative administrative structure needs to be put in place that will enhance
UTAP’s ability to achieve its goals and work productively with other campus services and programs. In this
way the “fiscal and human resources” can be used in ways that “strengthen institutional effectiveness.”
Long-range Plan and Objectives
In the following section, identify general goals and specific, measurable objectives your area plans to achieve
within the next three years. Programs should identify 3-5 goals, with at least one goal per year. Goals set for
next year that require fiscal resources must also be submitted as a Budget Request and Action Plan (separate
form). Identify if the goal is aligned with any of the following plans (provide details):
Educational Master Plan, Student Services Plan, Matriculation Plan, Distance Education Plan,
Student Equity Plan, Technology Plan, Basic Skills Plan
I. Goal: Provide the necessary student services to ensure learning success.
Supports Strategic Direction (if applicable): Goal 2 and the Basic Skills Initiative A.4.1
* “Provide programs and services to improve retention, persistence, and student success of a diverse
student population.” This would be part of the plan to “develop a coordinated plan for ongoing
support opportunities. The plan shall reflect an emphasis on Library and Learning Resource Center
but include learning communities... Establish a New Student Welcome program to introduce
incoming, first-time college students to the college...Expand the involvement of non-counseling
College staff in the new student orientation process...Provide programs and services to improve
retention, persistence, and student success of a diverse student population.”
1. Objective: Provide a comprehensive pre-semester orientation which will identify the academic,
economic, and wellness needs of the incoming UTAP students.
1.1
Person(s) responsible: UTAP Coordinator, UTAP faculty, and Matriculation Manager
1.2
1.3
Timeframe: Spring and Summer 2011 and then ongoing
Fiscal resources needed (if not applicable, indicate “NA”): Funding from Title V
already in place for this
2. Objective: Reinstate tutoring support for the UTAP developmental English class
2.1
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Person(s) responsible: UTAP Coordinator, UTAP faculty, and Matriculation Manager
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2.2
Timeframe: Fall 2011 and then ongoing
2.3
Fiscal resources needed (if not applicable, indicate “NA”): Funding to pay for an
SI Leader for Fall 2011 and ongoing
3. Objective: Pilot offering the Peer Mentor class as a way to reinforce peer support for UTAP
2.1
Person(s) responsible: UTAP Coordinator
2.2
Timeframe: Spring 2012 and then ongoing
2.3
Fiscal resources needed (if not applicable, indicate “NA”): N/A
II. Goal: Increase the number of learning communities on campus
Supports Strategic Direction (if applicable):
Goals 1,2, 7 & Basic Skills Initiative, Student
Equity Plan, and the Educational Master Plan
* “Implement strategies shown to be effective in improving student performance in basic skills
classes... Support the ongoing development of relevant skills and knowledge among Cypress
College employees.” The Basic Skills Initiative, Student Equity Plan, and Educational Master
Plan all identify the need to develop programs that will assist developmental, at risk, first generation
college students to meet the demands of college-level work. Successful programs are identified as
being either learning communities or programs that have the same components as learning communities.
1. Objective: Reinstate Learning Communities Coordinator position
1.1 Person(s) responsible: UTAP Coordinator, UTAP Dean, Learning Communities
Coordinator
1.2 Timeframe: Fall 2011
1.3
Fiscal resources needed (if not applicable, indicate “NA”): Funding to pay for
reassign time for a Learning Communities Coordinator
2. Objective: Revive Learning Communities Faculty Training Program
2.1 Person(s) responsible: UTAP Coordinator, UTAP Dean, Learning Community
Coordinator
2.2 Timeframe: Fall 2011- Fall 2012
2.3
Fiscal resources needed (if not applicable, indicate “NA”): Training program can be made
a part of staff development where faculty would earn flex credits.
Use the above outline format to add additional goals or objectives as necessary.
Reviewed by
President/EVP/VP/Dean/Director/Manager
Reviewer’s comments
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Reminder: If fiscal resources are needed for next year’s goals, submit a separate Budget Request and Action Plan for budget unit review.
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