MT. SAN JACINTO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
BUDGET DEVELOPMENT FISCAL 2013-2014
ADMINISTRATOR USE:
Resource Allocation Proposal
Originator:
Program or Department Name:
Area Dean:
Area Vice President:
Account Code:
___________________
Janice Levasseur, SI Coordinator
Supplemental Instruction (SI)
Pat James
Campus:
District
Bill Vincent
Account code needs to be established
Total Amount Requested:
One Time Funding ____
On Going Funding ___x__
Safety____
What are you requesting? Why is the request being made? Where was the need identified?
The purpose of this RAP is to request clerical support (8 hours) dedicated to the SI Program. As the MSJC SI
Program grows, both in number and in scope, it will be necessary to increase staffing as well, in particular the
addition of clerical support. Much of Mrs. Levasseur's time is spent doing clerical-type work: preparing orientation
and meeting materials, preparing time and effort forms for the grant supported SI Leaders, preparing purchase
requisitions for SI materials, submitting room reservation requests, etc. All these tasks are necessary for the
continued success and growth of the SI program; however, as the program has grown these tasks are taking up an
increasing amount of Mrs. Levasseur's time.
Demonstrate how your request is supported by your Program Review/Annual Program Assessment:
The first SI Program Review was completed for academic year 2010-2011. Stated in that program review:
Topic 1.2 -- The SI Program is in need of a clerical assistant with hours dedicated to the support of SI. In
addition, this need was also stated in the 2011-2012 Annual Program Assessment – Section III
Commentary/Discussion.
Section I
Aside from the hire paperwork, time sheets and grant Time and Effort Forms, the clerical assistant would help
with the copy requests from the SIL (session worksheets, promotional material), preparation of orientation and
meeting materials, and room requests. The clerical assistant would also assist with the preparation,
dissemination, and collection of end-of-the-semester SIL evaluations. Having a clerical assistant will relieve
the Coordinator of much of the clerical-type work, thereby allowing the Coordinator's time to be better spent on
other aspects of the SI Program (evaluation of SI sessions, data analysis and reporting, program development,
faculty outreach, Program Review, etc.)
Demonstrate how your request is supported by your Unit Plan and Division Plan (link to Unit/Division Plans 2011-2012)
Section I
Demonstrate how your request is supported by your CLO/DLO/PL0/AUO/SLO:
Section I
The SI Program involves three cohorts of students – the SI Students (who participate in the SI review sessions),
the student SI Leaders, and the student SI Mentors. Learning Outcomes were written for each group of students
involved in the SI Program and were measured for the first time in the Spring 2011 semester. SI Student LOs
are: 1) "SI Students will demonstrate a deeper understanding of course material through improved test grades
and overall class grades"; 2) "SI Students will demonstrate higher results in the course SLOs"; and 3) "SI
Students will employ an improved study skills set." LOs for the SI Leader are: 1) "SI Leaders will identify
multiple services available to assist students", 2) "SI Leaders will integrate effective study skills into the SI
sessions", and 3) "SI Leaders will judge accurately their effectiveness as an SI Leader. The LO for the SI
Mentor is "SI Mentors will judge accurately the effectiveness of the SI Leaders they mentor."
The clerical support would allow the SI Coordinator more time to review current SLOs and develop further
SLO measurement tool and revise tools already in existence based on feedback from current SLO results. The
clerical would assist with the SI SLO data entry into eLumen and with the collection of the SLO data from the
courses supported with SI.
Describe how your request is aligned with one or more of the following Institutional Priorities: (link to SP)
Student Success
Section II
Supplemental Instruction (SI) has proven to be a viable program that positively impacts student success at
MSJC. There is ample in-house data to demonstrate that students who participate in SI succeed at a higher rate
(76% vs. 58%) and withdraw at a lower rate (9% vs. 21%) than their non-SI counterparts. A recent analysis of
MSJC SI data revealed that if a student does not attend SI, the probability of successfully completing the course
is only 66%. However, if a student attends SI at least once a week, the probability of successfully completing
the course increases to 87%! SI sessions integrate "what to learn" (course content) with "how to learn" (study
skills strategies). (Note: these results mirror SI results from other colleges/universities.) Further, one of the
goals of SI is that SI students take the strategies they learned from SI and apply them to all their classes,
whether those classes have SI or not.
Also, as with many schools, several of the MSJC Learning Communities have an SI component. The pairing of
these two student success initiatives has positively impacted student performance. In addition, the MSJC SI
Program has incorporated Reading Apprenticeship (another student success innovation) by training all SI
Leaders in reading strategies that they in turn pass on to the SI participants.
Lastly, the benefits of the SI Program are not limited to the students who participate in the SI sessions. The SI
Leaders, themselves, benefit from their leader experience. SI Leaders develop many “soft skills” that
contribute to their own academic success: improved communication skills, problem solving, organizational
skills, time management, etc. There is a current study underway to examine the benefits SI Leaders acquire
through their participation with the SI Program.
The clerical support will provide the additional resources (e.g. time for the SI Coordinator and assistance with
research preparation and data collection) needed to continue to study the effects of the SI Program.
Fiscally Sound Position:
SI has been written into the Instructional Component of three recently awarded grants because SI has proven to
be effective, measurable, and cost effective. When the CCRAA Title V STEM Grant (2008-2011) received
$60,000 in additional funding, half of that was allocated directly to the SI component doubling the SI support of
STEM courses. Comparing SI to tutoring, SI sessions have to average 3 students per SI review session to be as
cost effective as one-on-one tutoring. While end-of-the-semester data have shown that some sessions have not
been cost effective, a vast majority have been, averaging between 3 and 13 students per sessions. Sections that
are not cost effective are reevaluated for SI fund allocation.
Systematic Planning and Assessment:
Ample data is collected on the effectiveness of SI in classes and with instructors. For each class section of SI,
data collection consists of: census roster data, SI session attendance, exam scores, SI Leader evaluations by
students and faculty, final class grades. At the conclusion of the class, a full report is submitted to the SI
Instructor, the SI Leader, and the appropriate deans and grant project directors. The report includes a GPA,
success rate, and attrition rate summary for the SI group versus the non-SI group. If a class's SI data is
consistently "up-side-down" (the non-SI group outperforms the SI group), then SI support is suspended while
the phenomenon is investigated (e.g. SI support for Math 96.)
Also, Mrs. Levasseur coordinates with Alma Ramirez, the Learning Communities Coordinator, in supporting
one of the classes in a Learning Community with Supplemental Instruction.
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Se
Institutional Pride and Organizational Culture:
The MSJC SI Program has become recognized as a successful form of student support at MSJC and receives
campus wide support from the students to the administration and Board of Trustees. The inclusion of SI as an
instructional program in the three most recently awarded grants and in the first two annual Student Success
Summit April 2011 and 2012 has further propelled the reputation the MSJC SI Program forward. The MSJC SI
Program is striving to be a model program on campus, leading the way in data analysis and reporting, that other
programs can emulate.
The benefits of SI are countless. First, a culture of SI is being established at MSJC. Students are actively
participating in SI sessions and building their network of peers at MSJC (often SI students enroll in future
classes together.) SI Leaders and SI Mentors are viewed as campus leaders with many participating in SGA
(the SGA President and VP are both SI Leaders), campus clubs (many campus club officers are SI Leaders),
and the Honors Program (several award winning Honors projects were done by SI Leaders.)
Further, asides from the academic benefits the SI students reap, the SI Leaders and SI Mentors gains are
tremendous too. SI Leaders gain academic benefits through the additional exposure to the course material. SI
Leaders and SI Mentors develop their leadership and communication skills. SI Leaders also have a unique
opportunity to foster a significant mentor-mentee relationship with their SI Instructor.
During the most recent accreditation visit, the SI Program was mentioned repeatedly. It is a program that the
whole district can take pride in.
Community Partnerships and Service
In addition to the reputation the MSJC SI Program has established within the district, the MSJC SI Program has
cultivated a reputation in the area and is known for its extensive data reporting. Janice Levasseur has recently
assisted with the development of SI program at three other colleges in California and has provided consulting
for an existing one. The consulting opportunities have enhanced the MSJC SI Program's reputation as a model
prestigious program. Also, the California Community College Success Network (CCCSN) listed the MSJC SI
Program top of their list of "effective practices and exemplary programs".
Further, MSJC SI Leaders have been able to take what they have learned from their MSJC SI experience:
1. A MSJC SI Leader transferred to UCR and was hired on as an SIL to support a class at UCR that had never
been supported with SI before.
2. A MSJC SI Leader applied the collaborative learning strategies learned as an SIL when volunteering at her
daughter's after school homework club at a local charter middle school.
3. A MSJC SI Leader is utilizing the group facilitation skills he learned as SIL to the mandatory group study
sessions he runs for the Writing Center at Cal State Pomona. Another MSJC SIL also utilizes the group
facilitation he has learned as SIL to conduct mandatory study sessions at Palomar.
The clerical support will provide the additional resources needed to further promote the MSJC SI Program.
Describe how your request will support one or more of the 12 Institutional Goals in the Strategic Plan (Strategic Plan)
While the SI Program supports all 5 Institutional Goals, the request for additional clerical support directly
supports several of the 12 consolidated Institutional Goals. Under “Student Success”, additional clerical
support would benefit #3 Integrate learning, engagement, access, and teaching initiatives that support student
academics and personal growth. As previously noted, the clerical support will relieve the SI Coordinator of
much of the clerical-type work, thereby allowing the Coordinator's time to be better spent on other aspects of
the SI Program (evaluation of SI sessions, program development, further research on benefits gained by the
leaders, etc.
Section III
The MSJC SI Program has been a model program when it comes to data collection, analysis, and reporting.
The additional clerical support will only enhance the data collection efforts of the SI Program. With assistance,
the data can be more timely recorded. The practice of data-driven decisions will persist and MSJC SI’s data
will continued to be shared with the International Center for Supplemental Instruction at UMKC. (“Systematic
Planning and Assessment” #6 Emphasize College-wide data-driven assessment and decision-making utilizing
internal and external data.
The MSJC SI Program promotes more student engagement in campus life (# 9 under “Institutional Pride and
Organizational Structure). SI Leaders are model students on campus, often involved in multiple campus
organizations. The SI Leaders are tasked with not only with assisting students process course content, but also
promoting campus wide organizations (EOPS, Financial Aid, Counseling, Honors, PTK, etc.). Further, by
encouraging students to attend SI review sessions, the SI Leaders are in turn encouraging some students to stay
on campus for longer periods of time. Many of the campus organizations promotions are timed with “Theme
Weeks”. The clerical support could assist with the gathering and dissemination of theme week material that
would further promote student engagement in campus life.
As a recognized student support program, the MSJC SI Program has helped to increase the College’s visibility
(“Community Partnerships and Services, #10 Increase the College’s visibility, value, and recognition in our
service area.) Further, the MSJC SI Program has gained a reputation for its data collection, reporting, and
presentation. Over the past year, Mrs. Levasseur has been invited to several local colleges to discuss the
building of and sustaining a strong SI Program.
Demonstrate how your project goals are supported by any of the following plans (2009-16 Educational Master Plan, Distance
Education Plan, Technology Plan and/or the Facilities Master Plan):
Section III
SI was mentioned in the 2009-2016 Education Plan under the "Future Plans" section of the MVC Learning
Resource Center. The MSJC SI Program works in collaboration with the Learning Resource Center; any
additions to the LRC can mutually benefit the SI Program.
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Describe your goal(s) for this proposal? How will this impact students or institutional services?
The goal of increased clerical support is to allow the redirection of the SI Coordinator's time. The data
collection for the SI Program is extensive and has allowed for the program’s growth. Currently, the SI
Coordinator is responsible for a majority of the SI Program, including all the clerical-type work (preparing
orientation and meeting materials, preparing time and effort forms for the grant supported SI Leaders, preparing
purchase requisitions for SI materials, submitting room reservation requests, web site maintenance, etc.) The
time spent doing these tasks could now be spent on the other aspects of the program including but not limited to
faculty outreach, marketing, data analysis and research, the development of further training materials, and SLO
development and revision, a longitudinal analysis of persistence data, an analysis of the effects on the SI
Leader. The MSJC SI Program is constantly evolving, using past experiences to guide future plans and
maintain the quality of the program.
What are your measureable outcomes that will lead to you meeting your goal(s)? Provide how your outcomes are tied to your
CLO/DLO/PLO/AUO/SLO
In addition to the standard data analysis and reporting, the coordinator's time will be redirected to the reporting
and evaluation of the program in order to maintain the quality of MSJC SI.
Section IV
For example, a Logistical Regression Analysis was done on data collected from all classes supported with SI in
the Spring 2012 semester. SI participation was found to be a significant factor when predicting successful
completion of a course. Controlling for the other variables considered, students who attended SI regularly
(average of twice a week) had a predicted success rate of 96%. On the other hand, students who did not
participate in SI had a predicted success rate of 66%.
Completion and reporting of similar data analyses as well as new longitudinal and persistence studies would be
possible through the redirection of the SI Coordinator's time.
Further, with the redirection of the coordinator’s time, the coordinator would work to move the SI Program
from “Awareness/Development” to “Proficiency.” Modifications in the training have already taken place based
on the less-than-desirable results from the S12 learning outcomes assessment. Also, an active campaign to
inform all students involved in the SI Program needs to be launched. The SI Coordinator must also reach out
to the LRC Coordinators to increase the dialogue about the results of the assessment and perhaps align parts of
the SI Programs practices with those of the LRCs (while this has been informally done in many aspects, there
has been no discussion directly addressing this issue.) Lastly, measurement tools for the other learning
outcomes have to be finalized and then implemented. The redirection of the SI Coordinator’s time will enable
the Coordinator to provide further training to the SI Mentors to assist in this area.
Section V
What are the steps that you will take or need to be taken to implement this proposal? Demonstrate the following:
• (a) Who is in charge of implementing the project?
• (b) What are the projected start and end dates?
• (c) What other departments will need to assist with the acquisition/ implementation of the project?
• (d) When will the outcomes be measured?
• (e) How will you measure the desired outcomes?
Under the supervision of Dean Pat James, a clerical assistant from the MVC LRC would be identified to begin
once the additional hours are funded. He/She would be trained in necessary SI duties and processes by Mrs.
Levasseur as well as the administrative assistants involved with the SI Program: Ms. Shelley Wertman-Excel
(LRC funded sections), Ms. Martha Crawford (HSI Title V grant funded sections), Ms. Jenelle Hampson (BSI
funded sections), and Ms. Debbie Grace (STEM grant funded sections). As the SI Program continues to
expand in depth and scope, there will be a demand for increased clerical assistance. Mrs. Levasseur will
continue to pursue additional clerical support hours through Program Review and RAPs. Mrs. Levasseur, with
the assistance of Dean Pat James, will work towards the establishment of a full-time clerical assistant dedicated
to the SI Program.
The increased clerical support will result in increased efficiency as measured through increased output from the
SI Coordinator (the additional research, the additional learning outcome measurement tools, the revised
training, the additional faculty development opportunities for SI Instructors, etc.)
Projected Expense Profile
New Personnel Request--This does not include Full Time Academic Faculty Positions.
For personnel requests please attach the job description, job classification and label "Exhibit I."
Position Title:______________________________________
1XXX
Academic Salaries (Certificated)
3XXX
Benefits
Estimated Cost
Position Title:______________________________________
1XXX
Academic Salaries (Certificated)
3XXX
Benefits
Estimated Cost
Position Title:____________________________________Clerk II________________
8/10
2XXX
Classified/Non Academic Salaries
3XXX
Benefits
Hours per Week__8_
4851.2
1147
Position Title:____________________________________________________
2XXX
Classified/Non Academic Salaries
3XXX
Benefits
10, 11 or 12 Months
Hours per Week_____
Sub Total:
5998.20
Non Personnel Requests:
Object
Code
Title
4XXX
Supplies and Materials
Amount
Requested
5XXX
Services
6XXX
New Equipment or Building/Site Improvements
Sub Total:
-
Total Budget Proposal:
Secondary Effects (if this proposal is approved)
For Personnel Requests:
What additional space, if any, is needed to accommodate this position? If so, where is the proposed location?
No additional space would be needed to accommodate the clerical hours since it is the intention that the 8 hours would augment a
current clerical assistant’s assignment.
For Equipment and Technology Request
Will additional space be needed to accommodate requested equipment? If so where is the proposed location?
NA
Will requested equipment require maintenance agreements and or support personnel? If so what are the projected costs?
NA
Please list future year anticipated needs and estimated financial needs. NOTE: This section refers to any anticipated funding not
addressed by this RAP, but required in the future. This will not be automatically funded. A new RAP must be completed in future
years.
Fiscal Year
2014-2015
2015-2016
2016-2017
Dean Approval
Anticipated Need
Estimated Amount
Further clerical support (8 additional hours  16 hours of clerical support
total)
Further clerical support (8 additional hours  24 hours of clerical support
total)
Further clerical support (8 additional hours  32 hours of clerical support
total)
Date
Vice President Approval
12000
18000
24000
Date