Improving the First Year:
Campus Discussion
March 30, 2009
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Foundations of Excellence (FoE)
• Institution-wide assessment of first year
• Designed to improve educational quality
• Based on 30 + years of research and
reform on the first college year
• Institutional behavior not student behavior
• Comprehensive approach to the first year
• HLC reaccreditation – intensive self study
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FoE’s Definition of “First Year”
• All students with less than 30 hours
of college credit
• Student survey also included students
with less than 30 hours taken at UNI
3
Process
• Nine Dimension committees started working
last Fall, w/ Performance Indicators for each
dimension
• Evidence-based
–
–
–
–
Current Practices Inventory (CPI)
Extensive Evidence Library (more than 200 items)
Faculty/staff and student surveys
Other institutional and national data
• Goal is to produce an institutional plan for
improving student learning
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Foundational Dimensions
1. Philosophy – there is a first year philosophy
that informs institutional policy and practice
2. Organization – organizational structures are
comprehensive, integrated, and coordinated
3. Learning – deliver intentional learning
experiences that engage students
4. Faculty – the first year is a high priority for
faculty
5. Transitions – are intentional and aligned
with institutional mission
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Dimensions (con’t)
6. All Students – serve all students through
their varied needs
7. Diversity – ensure students experience
diverse cultures, ideas, world views
8. Roles and Purposes – promote student
understanding of role and purpose of higher
education to society and individuals
9. Improvement – conduct assessment to
achieve ongoing improvement
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Dimension Reports
•
Dimension reports include three parts:
1. Current situation – evaluation of key
performance indicators
2. Opportunities and challenges
3. Action items
•
Feedback process
1.
2.
3.
4.
Policy Center Liasion
FoE Steering Committee
HLC Steering Committee
Campus community - www.uni.edu/foe +
constituency group feedback & campus-wide
survey on action items early Fall
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Budget Implications
• Recommended Actions Need Not Cost
$
• e.g., “Just Do Its”
• Action items can be phased in over
time
• Provides opportunity to improve
efficiency in delivering the first year
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Common Themes
• Developing a unified first year
philosophy
• Creating a collaborative, organized
approach to the first year
• Need for specific first-year learning
outcomes and coursework
• Enhancing faculty development
opportunities for teaching first year
students
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Overall Discussion Question
• What do you think a first year student
needs?
– e.g., Philosophy statement draft
(http://www.uni.edu/foe/docs_reports/phil_
report2.18.09.pdf )
• How could this be delivered at UNI?
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Specific Question Group 1
• What should UNI’s philosophy of the
first-year include?
e.g., Philosophy statement draft
(http://www.uni.edu/foe/docs_reports/phil_
report2.18.09.pdf )
• How might such a statement be used
so that it makes a real difference?
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Specific Question Group 2
• How can we do things in a more
intentional, organized manner for first
year students across academic &
student affairs?
• What might such an organizational
structure look like?
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Specific Question Group 3
• What should be some expected
learning outcomes for the first-year?
• What are some LAC classes that could
be dedicated to first year students?
• Is there a need for a first-year
cornerstone/seminar course? If so,
what might that look like?
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Specific Question Group 4
• How can we assist and support faculty
to improve teaching and learning of
first year students and classes?
• How can we assist and support faculty
to enhance their support of first year
students?
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Potential Action Items
• Develop a unified first year philosophy
• Create a first-year advisory committee or firstyear council charged to set strategic direction and
ensure a coordinated approach to the first year
• Create a first-year liberal arts core curriculum,
identifying specific learning outcomes for the
first year
• Create a cornerstone or introductory liberal arts
core course for all first year students
• Initiate faculty development opportunities that
specifically address enhancing learning for 1st
year
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Questions and Feedback
• Contact April Chatham-Carpenter or Jon
Buse
• Dimension reports available online, w/o
action items yet:
www.uni.edu/foe
• 2nd feedback session – Monday, May 4 at
3:15 p.m. Gilchrist 009
• Final report due early fall
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