Student Success Team Meeting Minutes from September 20, 2010 The Student Success Team held its second meeting on September 20, 2010, from 3:30-5:00 p.m. in the Confluence Room at the Meramec campus. Teresa began the meeting with a welcome and told the group that the focus of the meeting would be the ATD goal of persisting from one term to the next. John Cosgrove presented data concerning persistence, success in gatekeeper courses after completion of our developmental English and math sequence, success in college courses after taking our reading sequence, and graduation rates for those who come to us college ready as well as those who come to us needing developmental classes. John displayed data for the entire STLCC cohort for each topic as well as data broken down by race. Achievement gaps were noted. The group had completed an equity survey and had read the Tale of Two Students as homework before the meeting. Teresa formed small groups and asked each group to do/consider the following: 1) Discuss the equity survey. 2) Answer: What is the college doing right concerning equity and equality? 3) Answer: In what ways could the college improve concerning equity and equality? 4) Answer: How could these changes improve persistence from one term to the next? Donna led the report out. Observations were noted regarding inequity and inequality in student success and student performance at STLCC by race/ethnicity in particular. Teresa informed the group about the following resources: • ATD website link http://www.achievingthedream.org with access code 9793275 • IRP portal link http://collegeweb.stlcc.edu/irp • dreambig@stlcc.edu email • Valencia CC ATD website: http://www.valenciacc.edu/dream She said she had sent out an email to the campus leaders letting them know she would be happy to speak to their departments/programs about ATD. Teresa also spoke about what was in the works for Professional Development day on Oct 19th concerning ATD: 1) 5 mini breakout sessions around ATD 2) At the close of the day, students speaking about 5 STLCC innovative programs they are participating/enrolled in – one for each of the 5 ATD goals. (Examples – AAMI for Persists from semester to semester, ALP at FV for degree completion. Teresa also asked the group for Ideas of programs that speak to the other three ATD goals.) Donna assigned the group the following homework: 1) Review the Taxonomy of Policy and Practices (homework for next meeting) 2) Create an “elevator speech” about ATD, including the following essential information: • Focused on the five goals • Evidence/Data-based • Strategies and solutions that faculty and staff-driven (We anticipate that many strategies will be brought forward, some already being utilized and some new.) • The focus of ATD on strategies that effect the largest number of students to the greatest degree • The focus of ATD on minimizing the achievement gap for students of color and/or low income students • Campus and community discussions planned throughout the academic year to identify strategies and solutions • Process during and outcome of this planning year: Recommended strategies and solutions brought forward through campus and district-wide discussions of evidence and data will be evaluated and prioritized. The Student Success Team will focus on prioritizing those that can be brought to scale to address the goals of ATD. 3) Champion ATD and share the ATD message whenever possible through existing structures (e.g., at your department meetings, governance meetings) and with colleagues in groups and one-on-one. The group was encouraged to ask to have ATD added to meeting agendas. Teresa closed the meeting by reminding everyone of the next meeting: Sept 30th from 3:30 – 5 p.m. in SC 125 (small dining room on the Meramec campus). The meeting will focus on Hyperion training. The group agreed to meet on Wednesdays from 3 – 5 p.m. in the spring semester. The remaining meetings for fall 2010 were noted (all from 3:30 – 5 p.m. on the Meramec campus). • Oct 13 (SC 125 – small dining room) • Oct 26 (Confluence room) • Nov 10 (Confluence room) • Nov 23 (Confluence room) Respectfully submitted, Teresa Huether, Co-Chair, Student Success Team