ARISE UNG Accelerating Research and Innvatin fr Student Engagement Cmmunicatin Visible Student Learning Engaged Learning Prfessinal Develpment
University f Nrth Gergia Actin Plan BACKGROUND On January 8, 2013, the University System f Gergia vted t apprve the cnslidatin f Nrth Gergia Cllege & State University (NGCSU) with Gainesville State Cllege (GSC). Prir t cnslidatin, NGCSU was a Carnegie Master s-l institutin and GSC, an Assciate s Public 4- year assciate s primary. The cnslidated institutin, knwn nw as University f Nrth Gergia (UNG), retains NGCSU s classificatin and selective missin, including graduate prgrams up t a DPT and designatin as bth the Military Cllege f Gergia and a USG Leadership institutin. It als retains GSC s access missin at three f the fur campuses. With a pilt tuitin mdel that accepts students int assciates, baccalaureate, r graduate tracks with differentiated tuitins. Assciate students can transitin t baccalaureate prgram at several pints in their prgress. UNG, as f Fall 2012 data, is a 15,000+ student and 4 campus institutin. Three f the campuses retain the access missin, and all three f these are cmmuter campus. The nly residential campus is als the selective admissins campus. The campuses are spread acrss Nrtheast Gergia, with a distance f 82 miles between the nrthernmst and suthernmst sites. Retentin rates, as wuld be expected in the differing missins, were nearly 80% fr the selective missin and abut 60% fr the access missin. The table belw reflects cnslidated data regarding ne-semester retentin fr institutinally at-risk ppulatins: Table 1. 2003 GSC and NGCSU Chrt, One Semester Retentin Rates Full-time chrt Black 25+ years 20-25 years LS requirements 77% 67% 51% 52% 64% Surce: UNG Cllege Cmpletin Plan, 2012 In general, the retentin rates are cmparable t the system averages, with the access retentin apprximately 5% belw the average. These retentin rates, as is typical, d nt capture the significant transfer ppulatin either int the selective missin r ut f the access. Fr the Fall 2008 chrt, the selective 4-year graduatin was 26.5% (previus chrts have a greaterthan 50% 6-year graduatin rate). This is abve the USG average fr the State University sectr. The access 3-year assciates graduatin rate fr the same chrt is 10%, which is slightly belw the system average fr state clleges. The institutin s Cmplete Cllege Gergia plan examined the cnslidated data and discerned fur majr areas f cncern: A. T many students are cming ut f K-12 nt academically prepared fr cllege and requiring academic supprt.
Percent B. At-risk ppulatins need better preparatin fr cnnecting t, engaging in, and navigating cllege. C. A high number f students, especially Hispanic and nn-traditinal, accrued substantially mre hurs at time f degree cmpletin than required. D. Financial reasns were a significant cntributr t student drp-ut/stp-ut. Pell Grant rates fr the Fall 2012-Spring 2013 fr UNG averaged t 36%, with, unsurprisingly, the majrity cming frm the access campuses. Apprximately 36% f students enrlled at UNG are enrlled in at least ne develpmental educatin class, with the minrity ppulatins significantly verrepresented. RPG data fr such students indicates that UNG has cnsiderable wrk t d: Table 2. Percent f 2007 GSC and NGCSU Students Requiring Remediatin, USG CCG data GSC and NGCSU 2007 First Time Students, Percent Requring Remediatin 100.0% 50.0% 36.6% 55.9% 64.0% 65.7% 75.9% 0.0% All first-time Hispanic 20-24 yrs Black 25+ yrs Student Categry Surce: UNG Cllege Cmpletin Plan, 2012. The wrk f the cmpletin plan indicated, in shrt, that UNG must d a better jb f preparing, transferring, and graduating the students it receives. As a partial respnse t this and ther data, Vincent Tint was brught t campus in Fall 2012. All f the upper administratin had the pprtunity t meet with him, and he presented publically n his mst recent bk, Cmpleting Cllege: Rethinking Institutinal Actin. The majr fcus f his presentatin, as is true f the bk, was that the primary wrk f engaging students must happen in the classrm, as it is the nly place we can mandate student attendance. Student Invlvement in c-curricular activities is certainly imprtant, but, and this is particularly true fr the cmmuter campuses, classrm engagement is the single mst significant arena. GSC s CCSSE data suggests smething similar (there are n large-scale cnslidated student surveys as f Summer 2013.
Scre Table 3. 2011 CCSSE GSC, Large Cllege, and Chrt Scres by Area 60 55 50 45 40 35 55.4 53.4 52.3 50.9 49.5 50 49.4 50 49.7 50 49.3 50 48.749.1 50 30 Active and Cllabrative Learning 2011 CCSSE GSC, Large Cllege, and Chrt Scres by Area Academic Challenge CCSSE Area Supprt fr Learners GSC Large Clleges Chrt Active and cllabrative learning is a particular strength as cmpared t the chrt schls, as is true fr the NGCSU NSSE data respnses. Each institutin, prir t cnslidatin, had made a strategic cmmitment t a number f Kuh s High Impact Practices (HIPs), thugh neither were necessarily scaled, largely due t funding cnsideratins. The HIPs included were Service- Learning, Undergraduate Research, and Diversity/Glbal Learning (including study abrad). UNG has maintained thse cmmitments, particularly t the last, embedding it in the institutinal missin and cre curriculum. Finally, UNG s missin is bth teaching and cmmunity engagement fcused and encurages service inquiry acrss the cnstituency: students, faculty, & staff. The University f Nrth Gergia, a reginal multi-campus institutin and premier senir military cllege, prvides a culture f academic excellence in a student-fcused envirnment that includes quality educatin, service, inquiry and creativity. This is accmplished thrugh brad access t cmprehensive academic and c-curricular prgrams that develp students int leaders fr a diverse and glbal sciety. The University f Nrth Gergia is a University System f Gergia leadership institutin and is The Military Cllege f Gergia. In respnse t ur cntext and missin, the Radmap Team frm UNG prpses t further the data frm the first academy, refresh the curriculum expand the prgram that began in Fall 2012, fcusing the prfessinal develpment fr additinal faculty members frm acrss the curriculum n backwards design fr classes infused with HIPs. The cntinued infusin f HIPs in the departments will help mve the needle fr all students by allwing the institutin t see wh benefits mst frm what practice and t target strategically. Additinally, the team recgnizes the need fr a unifying cnversatin t create an institutinal definitin fr engaged learning. This plan seeks t supprt bth f these bjectives.
PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND GOALS Bearing in mind the current cntexts and fiscal cnstraints f the University, the ARISE Steering Cmmittee prpses t facilitate defining engaged learning fr the University Cllege Assciatelevel students and t cntinue the prfessinal develpment academy fcused n HIPs. In additin prject supprts the Prmtin and Tenure needs fr the University by encuraging Schlarship f Teaching & Learning (SOTL) publicatins. Gals: Facilitate University-wide dialg t create a definitin and synergy arund engaged learning Infuse engaged learning practices thrughut the University Cnduct Faculty Academy, year 2 (expansin) Seek additinal and permanent funding fr engaged learning prfessinal develpment Disseminate (Publish) results f prfessinal develpment, cnslidatin, and cmpletin wrk reginally and natinally Prject A: Create a supprt structure fr students entering thrugh University Cllege t increase retentin, prgressin, and cmpletin thrugh the pathways available (certificate, assciate s, transfer, transitin, bachelr s). T be defined by the discussins. Sme initial ideas: Academies (such as thse at QCC) with prfessinal advisrs & learning cmmunities Cre Curriculum tracks leading t a certificate (Califrnia Systems) Prject B: Having defined the prcess f entry, transitin, and graduatin at the University, create Radmaps fr students t be used at pre-rientatins, rientatins, and published by University Cllege. Majr gateways and transitin pints are being defined. BARRIERS TO ACCOMPLISHMENT Limited knwledge f Kuh s research n engagement practices N institutinal definitin n engagement practices Limited functinal, unified cmmunicatin platfrm Limited accessible tls fr data cllectin and analysis, especially by campus Gegraphical distance f campuses and unique cultures f each des nt allw fr nesize fits all apprach Multiple simultaneus majr prjects, including cntinuing significant cnslidatin cncerns (Student Infrmatin System integratin, etc.) Need t develp institutinal credibility OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUPPORT Prvst and deans cmmitted t engaged learning A newly cnslidated University develping a unified culture that respects the individual cultures f each campus
Significant student survey data (needs cnslidated analysis) Institutinal Research and Grants ffices Center fr Teaching, Learning, and Leadership University Cllege Office f Hnrs and Graduate Studies Natinal Institute fr the Study f Transfer Students (hused at UNG-Dahlnega) Natinal Resurce Center fr First-Year Students and Students in Transitin Cmmunity (advisry cuncil identificatin LEAP) Advisry Bard: emplyment data, etc. Cmplete Cllege Gergia Directr at UNG University System f Gergia Office f Faculty Develpment Strategic Planning Prcess is underway COMMUNICATION PLAN While cmmunicatin is ne f the majr areas f fcus fr the ARISE prject at UNG, the carefully planning needed fr the initial phases cannt be understated. The cntext f a new University, ne still learning hw t stand up, requires that the Prvst advise any cmmunicatin plan. The Radmap Cmmittee (nw ARISE Steering Cmmittee), will begin by presenting the data and plan t the Prvst & Senir Vice President fr Academic Affairs and the Senir Vice President fr University Affairs. Their leadership will guide the cmmunicatin plan, as thse lines f cmmunicatin are still under cnstructin. We anticipate, at the least, cnnecting with Faculty Senate, the Academic Advisry and General Educatin Cuncils, and leadership in Executive, Student, and University Affairs, as well as University Relatins. Hwever, the specific path remains t be seen. ACTIONS AND TIMELINES Cnstructing the Baseline, Year One Present plan t Prvst and ARISE Steering Cmmittee Senir VPAA and Senir VP fr University Affairs Create and submit applicatin ARISE Steering Cmmittee fr IRB Create ne-page dcument University Cllege n prject Identify additinal cmmittee ARISE Steering Cmmittee members, including students Literature Review n Engaged University Cllege Learning Identify Stakehlders ARISE Steering Cmmittee Identify Opprtunities fr ARISE Steering Cmmittee synergy Seek crss-functinal ARISE Steering Cmmittee partnerships
Cnduct data review, highlighting areas f interest r cncern Cnduct & expand Faculty Academy, Year 2 (timeline shift) Create Fcus Grups and Surveys (as needed) Inventry current engagement practices Seek grant and cmmunity funding Track student RPG, GPA, & DWF frm first year Academy Analyze disaggregated student data Cllect qualitative student data frm FA enhanced curses Assess cst t recruit and cst f lsing students Cmmunicate ARISE prject t University cnstituents ARISE Steering Cmmittee CTLL ARISE Steering Cmmittee CTLL in partnership with University Cllege ARISE Steering Cmmittee in partnership with Institutinal Advancement and Grants ffice University Cllege ARISE Steering Cmmittee in partnership with University Cllege University Cllege University Cllege ARISE Steering Cmmittee in partnership with University Administratin Lead cnversatin t define ARISE Steering Cmmittee Engaged Learning Refinement f Analysis and Practice (Years 2-4) Cntinue engaged learning CTLL prfessinal develpment Examine the data n student University Cllege engagement experiences when are they happening in the student career Cnduct institutinal and ARISE Steering Cmmittee natinal nrming year after NSSE/CCSSE Establish University/Emplyer President s Cabinet partnerships Lng Term Prjects (Year 5 and beynd) Infrm institutinal planning fr QEP Infuse engagement practices at all levels f study (develpment educatin thrugh graduate study) HOW WILL WE KNOW IF WE ARE SUCCESSFUL? Prgrammatic Apprval f Prgram
Access t and analysis f Cnslidated data Disseminatin f these data t infrm University cnversatins n engaged learning Internal awareness f the UNG definitin f engaged learning Lng Term Expansin f engaged learning practices int curse design fr additinal faculty at all levels f study (secnd, third, and capstne prjects; graduate educatin) Permanent funding f prfessinal develpment mdels fr engaged learning practices Institutinal definitin f engaged learning that infrms strategic planning Student Success Imprvement in Institutinal Learning Outcmes as assessed in the general educatin prgram (cre curriculum) Imprvement in Retentin/Prgressin/Graduatin rates, especially in target ppulatins Cntinued student success (GPA) in transfer t 4-year prgrams (internal and external)