WASC Steering Committee

    Meeting Notes

    December 10, 2007

    Present: R. Steven Daniels, Jacquelyn Kegley, Jacqueline Mimms, Emmanuel Mourtzanos,

    Beth Rienzi, and Edwin H. Sasaki

    • The Members of the WASC Steering Committee had committed to reviewing one report each and listing

    the gaps, then prioritizing the entire list down to five or six. The reports are attached for Facilitating

    Graduation (see Attachment One) and Future Search (see Attachment Two). Access to Excellence,

    Foundations of Excellence and WASC Work Group Reports were reviewed on December 3, 2007.

     Access to Excellence Edwin Sasaki

     Facilitating Graduation Jacqueline Mimms and Emmanuel Mourtzanos

     Foundations of Excellence R. Steven Daniels

     Future Search Beth Rienzi

     WASC Work Groups Jacquelyn Kegley

• Define and Refine ―Student Learning‖ Part Two is tentatively scheduled for January 25, 2008, and, at this

    point, it seems to make sense to keep that date. Dr. Sasaki shared the draft program (see Attachment

    Three) and asked for feedback from the Members of the Steering Committee.

    • The next meeting will be held on Monday, January 7, 2008, at 1:00 PM in ADM 101.

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    Attachment One

    FACILITATING GRADUATION GAP ANALYSIS

    Submitted by: Dr. Jacqueline Mimms and

    Dr. Emmanuel Mourtzanos

    December 2007

    1. Reduction of Required Units

    ; No gaps per J. Dirkse. All 31 of the CSUB Baccalaureate Degree Programs meet the 180 (quarter)

    unit limit for graduation as specified by the CSU.

    2. Campus Graduation Requirements

    ; Although the Committee on Academic Requirements on Standards (CARS) was formed and oversight

    committees reconstituted or established (ref. CARS minutes of Feb. 5, 2007 meeting), there has been

    a lack of motivation for committees to meet and move forward with the proposed action plan. ; Most committees have not met.

    ; Programs and goals have not been determined and/or established procedures reviewed ; Alignment of program roadmaps with course schedule has not been completed across all course

    offerings

    3. Campus Orientation

    ; The proposed On-line version of CSUB Orientation Program has not been piloted.

    ; Although CSUB 301 has been developed for transfer students, it is not a required course, therefore,

    many students opt not to take the course.

    4. General Education and Life Career Goal Planning

    ; First Year faculty have not reviewed students’ experiences with the inventories to ascertain the benefit

    and usefulness of the data prior to expanding the assessments.

    ; There is no evidence that faculty utilize inventories and other career planning tools when assisting

    students.

    ; Cost of inventories may prohibit use.

    ; CSUB 101 faculty has not had training that might assist them in creating a subset curriculum uniquely

    focused on life and career goals.

    ; There are limited opportunities for students to access internships and field work experiences prior to

    graduation.

    ; There is inadequate career preparation and planning for CSUB students

    ; Strategies (or programs) for matching student aspirations and skills to suitable careers through

    mentoring and advising need to be enhanced.

    ; The new programs offered through the Career Development Center are not widely known among

    students and faculty.

    5. Career & Disciplinary Orientation

    ; The liaison relationship between the Career Development Center staff and various schools on campus

    should be enhanced to collaboratively identify specific career related needs and respond accordingly

    with programs, events and activities uniquely designed for the respective academic disciplines. ; The Community Partners and Service Learning Office should continue working directly with academic

    units and local companies, organizations and agencies to develop and provide internships that connect

    the academic experience to application thus influencing the understanding of jobs and careers

    associated with particular majors.

    ; There are no professional development programs that provide the opportunity to begin grooming

    professional talent as early as the end of a student’s freshman year (e.g., mentorship programs where

    students gain valuable skills, build confidence and receive guidance through the program).

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    6. Early Choice of Major

    ; Although the action plan was to ―track the number and percent of undeclared students with the

    expectation of a decline in these numbers‖, no intervention strategy was proposed to assist students

    who remained undeclared at 90 quarter units.

    ; Undeclared students are not identified early (e.g., at the 70-75 mark) and encouraged (or required) to

    visit the following units for assistance –

    - the Student Success and Retention Center for consultation regarding major selection

    - The Career Development Center to take an interest inventory and review majors and

    careers connected to interests and aptitude

    - Assigned tasks related to majors and careers – i.e., research jobs/careers; explore

    companies/organizations to understand available positions and career paths, job shadow,

    etc.)

    7. Roadmaps to the Degree

    ; Not all roadmaps on the web

    ; Lack of standard format for roadmaps

    ; Roadmaps are often not updated or kept current

    ; Roadmaps are not easily accessible (i.e., students don’t know where they are)

    ; There are communication challenges regarding roadmaps (e.g., students often don’t know what they

    are)

    ; There is insufficient emphasis to students during Orientation and CSUB 101

    o regarding the importance of utilizing Roadmaps

    ; If all departments have roadmaps, not all roadmaps are available on the web ; Roadmaps are not user-friendly

    ; Website management of Roadmaps is a problem

    8. Alignment of Class Schedule to Roadmaps

    ; Course offerings are not aligned or interactive with Roadmaps ththth; Not all departments have 4, 5, or 6 year Roadmaps

    ; Courses listed on Roadmaps have been reduced due to budget reductions (i.e., courses listed on

    Roadmaps are extremely limited and are often offered only once a year)

    ; Courses are not available to effectively (and expeditiously) follow Roadmaps) ; There is a lack of inter-department communication regarding alignment across the department ; There is a lack of Roadmap flexibility across departments

    9. Mandatory Individual Study Plans

    ; The Student module of CMS is not up and running; therefore, the proposed action plan is yet to be

    incorporated.

    ; The Senate Committee’s recommendations for the campus’ advisement policies and processes have

    not been fully implemented.

    ; Often students do not have, or follow, individual student study plans

    ; Not all departments plan or schedule for 2 years

    10. Use of Cumulated Study Plans in Planning Class Schedules

    ; The Student module for CMS is yet to be implemented

    ; It is unclear as to who will be responsible for or assigned to providing information and training on the

    use of the module for academic program planning and schedule building.

    ; It is unclear to what extent the new system will provide online real time summaries and detailed

    progress reports to aid in class scheduling or how the use of this module will assist in program planning

    and schedule building.

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    11. Strategies for Student Success and Learning

    ; There is a need for the campus to expand tutoring and advising services.

    ; There are inadequate resources for expanding the Student Success and Retention Center, OASIS,

    JumpStart, Early Start, Summer Bridge and other programs that support student learning and

    achievement.

    ; There are not enough instructors for the GST 102 ―Improving Academic Fitness‖ courses

    ; Strategies for developing an integrated module of support for student learning and achievement are

    underway but have not been fully developed.

    ; A One-Stop Student Service model which allows the University to bring together various critical

    departments that directly interact with the student such as admissions and records, financial aid,

    cashiering, advising, tutoring, career planning, etc. is yet to be developed. ; There are numerous challenges to be considered in establishing a One-Stop Student Service model

    (e.g., space, staff resistance to change, inadequate communication about the one-stop concept,

    inadequate technical support for implementing the model, inadequate resources).

     12. Policies that Limit or Discourage Drops, Withdrawals, Incomplete Grades

    ; Information provided in the study of student ―drop-outs‖ have not been reviewed and acted upon.

    ; There are inconsistent practices to adhering to campus policies related to academic probation, subject

    to dismissal and disqualifications

    ; There is a lack of coordinated approach across campus to discouraging students from dropping (or

    stopping) out

    ; The proposed ―Near Grad‖ program is yet to be fully implemented.

    13. Course Repetition

    14. CMS Information Systems for Major Advising

    ; The Academic Advisement module is not yet developed.

    ; The proposed Spring 2006 assessment ―to determine the extent to use of the CAPP module and to

    determine the timeline and feasibility of expanded us of the current system‖ has not been done.

    15. Advisement

    ; There is a lack of centralized advising resulting in unequal advising services among students (e.g.,

    CAMP, EOP, Title V, STARR, Liberal Studies, etc.)

    ; Students often get the ―run-around‖ and are seen by multiple advisors which sometimes results in

    inconsistent (often inaccurate) advising

    ; Disconnect between faculty advisors and program advisors

    ; Lack of consistency in type and quality of advising

    ; Unequal advising loads (staff & faculty)

    ; Some faculty advise who only know major requirement but are not familiar with GE requirements ; Roadmaps are not fully utilized when advising students.

    ; Need support for new Integrated/Centralized advising model

    ; Need to enforce mandatory advising

    ; Need more advisors

    ; Need to develop a core set of professional faculty and staff advisors

    ; Students need to consistently receive the most up-to-date and accurate information for their plan of

    study, leading to an efficient path toward graduation.

    ; Advising should be viewed as a teaching tool and learning process not just

    ; a service provided to the student.

    ; Advising should be shaped to fit the diverse needs of our student population. ; Need to establish liaisons and cross-trained staff advisor with specialized training in a particular

    discipline serving as resource for the group

    ; Need support for additional Roadrunner Mentors to work with students in various areas of expertise

    16. Degree Audits

    ; Incomplete

    ; Thirty-five of the 39 undergraduate programs have been completed.

    ; Once undergraduate programs are complete, will need to build minors and attach to the (major)

    programs

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17. Mandatory Audits at Junior Level

     * Incomplete

18. Mandatory Advisement for Students as Approach/Exceed Units Required for Degree

     * Incomplete

19. Development of Indicators for Campus-wide Monitoring of Graduation

     * Incomplete

     *

20. Review by CSU Peers (see report)

21. Periodic Reports

    ; When the Plans for Facilitating Graduation document was prepared, it appears that no one was

    assigned responsibility for follow up and/or ensuring that the action items recommended were

    implemented and periodic updates and reports provided to appropriate campus leaders.

22. Appropriate Funding Support

    ; No new resources have been allocated to Enrollment Management based on the university’s strategic

    priorities which include student academic success and student development.

    CAMPUS ACTIONS TO FACILITATE GRADUATION (not referenced in Facilitating Graduation Gap Analysis)

1. Assessing Student Learning

     * Need an assessment officer

2. “Near Grads” Program

     * Only partially developed

4. Remediation/Retention Strategies

    ; Need to assess the effectiveness of the ―Improving Your Academic Fitness‖ course in retaining

    students

    ; Need more instructors for GST 102 courses

    ; Need funds to recruit a ―testing‖ person to diagnose and assess the needs of students with disabilities

    ; Need to develop system for ensuring that students who are not exempt take the EPT/ELM prior to

    registering for classes.

    ; Need to ensure that students enroll in appropriate developmental courses and are provided the support

    necessary for success in these courses

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