Foundations of Excellence: A New Form of
Assessment and Action Planning to Improve
the Beginning College Experience
Catherine Andersen, Gallaudet University
Maureen G. Reustle, Ocean County College
Betsy O. Barefoot & John N. Gardner
Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools
Annual Meeting
December 10, 2009
Foundations of Excellence®
• Self-study and action planning process
focused on the first year
– Administered by the Gardner Institute (formerly
Policy Center on the First Year of College)
• 167 institutional participants to date
– 24 participants from the Middle States region
Process Components
• Nine Foundational Dimensions® (i.e., principles of
first-year excellence)
– Focus on the entire first year – not a “bits and pieces”
approach
• Surveys of new students and faculty/staff
• An electronic platform – FoEtec® that contains
–
–
–
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Current Practices Inventory (CPI)
Performance Indicators for each Dimension
Space for report writing and sharing
Template for prioritizing suggested “action items”—
recommendations for change
Why Might You Consider Foundations
of Excellence® for Your Campus?
• Concerns about the quality of the first year—
instruction, learning, satisfaction, etc.
• Concerns about improving overall campus
communication about first-year issues
• Concerns about retention and faculty aversion
to “retention conversation”
• Concerns about efficiency – cost savings
Let’s hear from the participants.
Catherine Andersen, Gallaudet University
Maureen Reustle, Ocean County College
Gallaudet University
Student Profile:
23 years average age
(undergraduate)
1055 undergraduate
408 graduate
26% from ethnically
diverse backgrounds
7% international
85% receive financial
assistance
52% from schools for the
deaf
48% from mainstream
programs
Gallaudet out of compliance with 8 of
the 14 standards –Spring 2007
 Standard 1 (mission)
 Standard 2 (planning)
 Standard 4 (governance)
 Standard 6 (climate)
 Standard 8 (admissions and
retention)
 Standard 11 (academic
rigor)
 Standards 7 and 14
(assessment)
Time was of the essence -make use of
existing knowledge and data
 Work with the National Resource Center for The First-Year and
Students in Transition, and the Policy Center on the First-Year of
College (Gardner Institute) had already resulted in change. First year retention rates had improved 10% in 10 years, but did not result
in increased graduation rates. In 2006, Gallaudet began its
participation in the Foundations of Excellence Project.
Foundations of Excellence resulted in a number of themes
that supported MSCHE accreditation challenges
Become
data driven
Improve
student retention,
learning, and
graduation
Review admissions
and
support programs
Be explicit and
intentional in
first year
9
Train, support, and
reward most
engaging faculty
GOAL -Improve Student Retention,
Learning &Graduation
MSCHE Recommendations
• Improve student retention
Actions
• Increase admission & explored
path to graduation (DFWD)
• Improve student learning
• Develop SLO’s and assess
• Improve academic rigor
• Embed and assess rigor
• Support students who
marginally meet criteria
• Develop Bridge, PLUS, early
intervention, campus ownership
for all students
October 2007 MSCHE Report
 “The team finds that Gallaudet University now meets this standard
(Eight), which state that “The institution seeks to admit students
whose interested, goals and abilities are congruent with its mission
and seeks to retain them through the pursuit of the students’
educational goals.” the team commends Gallaudet for
establishing new and more rigorous admissions standards
based on evidence of student success. ..
 … The team also notes that the enrollment management work group
were able to cite an impressive array of evidence for recent
decisions on strategies to recruit qualified students and to improve
student retention”
 We could not have achieved this had we not participated in
Foundations in the months prior.
 All 14 standards were met in June 2008.
FOE & Beyond
the beginning of excellence
Long Range
Strategic Plan
2008
FOE
2006
MSCHE
2007
The Good News – Fall 2009
 Highest first-year retention in 10 years
 Increase in ACT scores
 33 % increase in number of entering students
 More than doubled first-year retention for TUGS
 Significantly increased pass rates for DFWD courses
 Demonstrated student learning using direct and
indirect evidence connected to SLO’s
 Increased graduation rate
Ocean County College
 Enrollment: Full-Time:





5,907; Part-Time: 4,508
Total: 10,415
First-Year Students: 2,917
NJ Stars: 318
Transfer rate: 38.1%
Retention rate in the 1st
Year: 73.6%
Kean Enrollment (URGD
and GRAD): 1,834
FY Course - Launching Pad for FoE
process at OCC
 Student Success course
piloted in Fall 2005
 High risk students strongly
recommended or required
to take course
 Demand quickly increases
(from faculty & staff) to
require FY course for all
students
FoE/FYE
campus involvement/ownership
Commitment to Excellence =
Fuel for Process
 Highest enrollment in history
 First community college to
of college
 Highest retention rate of NJ
community colleges
 Highest number of NJ Stars
students
have 4-year university on site
(Kean at Ocean partnership)
 Challenge – how do we
maintain and exceed
expectations for excellence?
FoE Opportunities at OCC
 Campus wide involvement and




professional development (1200
survey respondents; 80+ member
task force)
Increased collaboration and
communication between
departments (committees
involved faculty, staff and
students)
Leadership activity for faculty and
staff (faculty and administrator co
chaired 9 committees)
Integration of FY assessment as
part of our culture
Mechanism to build ownership of
First-Year Experience
FoE Challenges at OCC
 Academic Affairs reorganization initiated right after
commitment to FoE self study
 FoE leadership and participation was voluntary and an
“add on” responsibility
 Enrollment increases coupled with limited resources
intensified work load for most participants
 Maintaining momentum while juggling competing
demands
Outcomes to Date
 Campus wide awareness of
importance of first year
experience (i.e. FoE question on
job search committees)
 Leadership support of FoE
recommendations and
implementation – President’s
address
 Increased participation of
faculty and staff in FY activities:
course, Welcome Week
activities, recruitment endeavors
 Integration of FoE
recommendations in Planning
and Budgeting Process
Foundations of Excellence
at Ocean County College
Questions for the Presenters?
Presenter Contact Information
•
John Gardner & Betsy Barefoot, President & Vice President
Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education
828-966-5401; gardner@fyfoundations.org;
barefoot@fyfoundations.org
•
Catherine Andersen, Associate Provost for Enrollment Management & General
Studies
Gallaudet University
202-651-5804; catherine.andersen@gallaudet.edu
•
Maureen G. Reustle, Dean of Academic Services
Ocean County College
(732) 255-0400 x2253; mreustle@ocean.edu