Meeting of the First Year Experience (FYE) Steering Committee
Thursday, December 13, 2012
NOTES
Present: Dave Arnold, Natalie Barbero, Bob Brown, Sheila Hall, Pam Kessler, Ruth Moon, and
Erin Wall.
Meeting objectives: Sheila Hall is the FYE coordinator, and Erin Wall and Sheila are co-chairs
for this committee. This committee will help guide Sheila’s work with the counselors and
advisors.
Committee Mission and Scope: The committee members approved the committee’s mission
and scope.
Mission: The committee’s mission is to improve the retention, persistence, and success of firstyear college students.
Scope: The FYE Steering Committee serves as an advisory body to the coordinator of the FYE
and assists in the implementation of the program, defining and measuring learning outcomes, and
the recruitment of faculty to the program.
Review framework developed by task force:
Framework: The FYE program is a student centered program intended to aid first-year degreeseeking students in their transition to CR, to expose students to appropriate educational
opportunities based on student success rates, and to integrate new students into the college
community in order to enrich their first-year experience.
It was suggested that the FYE program be a pilot for implementing Student Success Task Force
elements. The FYE program goals were reviewed, and the committee members were
comfortable with the top three goals. There was a discussion about goal 4. The committee
members agreed to get rid of goal 4. It was suggested that we include an early alert “at risk”
goal to help assist students who are at risk. It could help increase retention.
Target population: Only students who are new to college, right out of high school, degreeseekers, have applied and completed their assessment tests between May 1 and July 1, 2013, and
are enrolled in GS 6 will be in the FYE program. It was agreed that we should focus on the GS 6
class population. This course will be the common class that the FYE students will be enrolled in.
The FYE content will be given through the GS 6 class. These students will be able to select
additional courses from a limited number of course options. There was a question about why we
are only targeting degree-seekers and not certificate seekers. The committee needs to ask Keith
Snow-Flamer about this. Some committee members felt it was because certificates don’t have
the English and math requirement, and we are trying to encourage students to seek a degree.
Also, it was stated that it is easier to start with the students who are degree-seeking because there
are certain requirements they need to meet. We need to have some control of the population so
we can measure outcomes. Sheila said if we want to have a program in place for fall, we need
to do it now because students will begin applying for fall in February.
Program components:-It was recommended that we look at the program components and
redesign them.
-The mandatory first-year counseling and SEP development component was discussed.
Students develop SEPs in the GS 6 class. There was a discussion about how to define an SEP
prior to registration to allow students to have priority registration. The committee members were
wondering whether there is collaboration with the counselors and advisors regarding SEP
development, so that the SEP meets the initial criteria. The first SEP is a rough draft that can be
updated later. We know students in the FYE program will receive SEP development in the GS 6
class during their first semester.
-It was suggested that we recommend students who test into English 350 or Math 380 to enroll in
GS 6 and an English or math class their first semester.
-It was suggested we have model schedules for students to review (morning, afternoon, etc.).
-The FYE program needs to focus on “at risk” students because it is basic skills funded. We
need to have early alert and intervention.
-GS 6 courses could be beneficial to other students who are not in the FYE program. These
students could be referred into the GS 6 courses, but we wouldn’t have to track them.
-We need to look at the Student Success Task Force bullets, and the advisors need to decide what
we are going to pilot with the FYE program’s students. Student retention, persistence, and
success starts with advising. It was suggested that we have more consistent and directive
advising. The advisors and counselors need to have defined duties and responsibilities. Sheila
said they are discussing this now.
Begin to identify activities and timelines: During the meeting they discussed some activities
but agreed they could have more discussion in the future. There was a suggestion to have this as
an agenda item for another meeting.
-There was a discussion about the budget. The committee members suggested some of the funds
be used for bus money and backpacks. There could even be rewards for students who do really
well in their classes. It was suggested we pay successful students to work with students that are
following in other GS 6 classes.
Committee availability for spring: The committee members will send Sheila the times they are
available to meet in the spring, and she will pick a meeting time. Sheila plans to schedule a
meeting sometime after the second week of classes in the spring. It was suggested we ask
Angelina to attend the meeting to discuss the AARC data. Pam would like Angelina to separate
English 350 and 360 data because they are two extremely different populations. At the next
meeting Sheila will be prepared with the bullets from the Student Success Task Force and a
timeline. The committee would like to know what the advisors would feel comfortable
implementing. The meeting adjourned at 3:50.