QEP Topic ID Team Meeting
Jan. 16, 2013
3:30 p.m.
MCC 310
Present:
Huma Asghar
 Morris Boswell
 Ed Bowling
Amy Brown
 Berri Cross
 Tom English
 Deborah Flowers
Terry Gilbert
Chuck Grimes
Rachel Holderied
 Linda Justice
 Michelle Martin
Whitney McLaughlin
 Beth Pitonzo
Christy Ridgill
 Debbie Smith
 Stan Turbeville
 Stephanie Weeks
Mark Wheeler
Others present: Kristen Christman (UNCG), Debbie Kelton (recorder), Steven Moore (UNCG), Kim Sousa
Peoples (UNCG), Kristi Short (CBD), Tonya Riney (Distance Learning),
Kristi Short arranged for Steven Moore, Undergraduate Studies; Kristen Christman, Director of
Undergraduate Student Excellence [first year experience] and UNCG Guarantee; and Kim Sousa Peoples,
Director of New Student and Spartan Family programs from to visit and talk about the UNCG FYE.
 Data showed losing that UNCG was losing students due to:
o Personal issues
o Academic under preparedness
o Unsatisfactory academic performance (financial aid)
o No prescreening process
 A cross-campus committee comprised of faculty staff and students was developed to create the
FYE. They started by taking an inventory of services that were being offered for the FYE. They
did not want to duplicate services. The FYE Task Force added processes and procedures
designed to meet the needs of first-year students.
 A branding umbrella “Your First Year” was developed. It is used on the UNCG website
(http://yourfirstyear.uncg.edu/), Facebook, Twitter, email, and texting to keep students
informed and engaged. The more engaged students are, the more likely they are to be
successful. The dean funded a graduate student to work 20 hours a week to manage the social
media.
 There is no required first year course. Learning communities are required and the Integrated
Studies Lab (ISL) is part of the Learning Communities (LC) curriculum. If everyone is in a LC, then
everyone eventually has to take the ISL.
 A summer bridge program was instituted; UNCG paid for everything.
 All students are required to go through advising.
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Financial Aid requires every student with a non-satisfactory academic rating to complete a
graduation plan.
This is a team effort. Faculty and staff are trained to greet and interact with students
appropriately.
Peer programs are coordinated all over campus
o Paid orientation leaders
o Paid Spartan guides – tour guides
o PAL – Peer Academic Leaders
o Develop spirit and tradition
o Pilot student ambassador programs
o If we have our sophomores mentor the freshman, then we save more sophomores.
Parent Family Program – use parents as partners; parents are here and they are not going away.
There is no sense fighting them. UNCG decided to work with them and use them.
o Parent Family Association
o Newsletter
Faculty
 New Faculty Teaching and Learning Center
 Faculty orientation
 What are faculty doing in the classroom to promote engagement and retention?
o Faculty developed and run the learning communities
o Prompt and detailed feedback
o Be explicit about expectations and due dates for assignments
o Point out campus resources
o Encourage students to be involved
How to measure?
 Life-long learning
 Civic engagement
There will be a Learning Community Conference at UNCG February 14.
Next meeting will be January 23 at 3:00 p.m.