betsy barefoot, edd maryland higher education retention conference october 31, 2005 defining &...
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Betsy Barefoot, EdDMaryland Higher Education
Retention ConferenceOctober 31, 2005
Defining & Measuring First-Year Excellence
How would you define excellence?
Retention? Innovative curriculum? Satisfied students? Evidence of learning? Continuous improvement? What else?
The Project: Institutions of Excellence in the First College Year
Open in 2002 to all accredited 2- & 4-year institutions 130 nominations received 54 semi-finalists 13 finalists
Selections made by national panel of experts
Each portfolio read & rated by 4 reviewers Not a ranking system!
Criteria for Excellence
Intentional & Comprehensive Efforts
Assessment ofInitiatives
Broad Impact on Critical Mass of Students
Strong Administrative Support & Institutionalization
Involvement of Faculty,Student Life, & Others
Comm College of Denver
LaGuardia Comm C
Kalamazoo College Eckerd College Drury University US Military
Academy Elon University
Lehman College-CUNY
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Appalachian State U Ball State University IUPUI University of South
Carolina
Institutions of Excellence
University of South Carolina First-year seminar: full credit, one
semester; 75% of students take it. Leadership, formal and informal Assessment is central and transparent Academic-student affairs partnership Housing concepts based in academics Academically centered orientation The “Carolinian Creed”
Ball State University Freshman Learning Council University College: Advising, core
curriculum, national involvement Making Achievement Possible
(MAP) Survey Residential learning communities Grants and special fees to support
1st-year programs
Eckerd College Autumn Term – a three-week academic
orientation experience Includes three-week courses taught by faculty who is
academic advisor Significant involvement of librarians
Academic advisors (mentors) who function as “first line of defense” for first-year students
Welcoming candlelight ceremony, “Ceremony of Lights”
Use of “writing portfolio” instead of English composition
Major focus on interdisciplinarity
LaGuardia Community College Many learning community
adaptations Electronic portfolios Common reading experience Honors programs Study abroad programs High level of respect for students
Kalamazoo College The K-Plan: Designed to cultivate five
dimensions of intellectual & personal growth Lifelong learning, career readiness, intercultural
understanding, social responsibility, leadership The electronic portfolio
Begun as a first-year student, continues throughout, final evaluation by committee
Campuswide first-year assessment committee Wilderness orientation
U. S. Military Academy High level of intentionality; mission
driven curriculum Continuous assessment Responsibility given to upper-level
students Strong academic and personal
support
Appalachian State University Strong and clear identity – “the
Appalachian Way” Intensive orientation with strong
student involvement – wilderness option
Watauga College Summer reading Culture of “councils and
committees”
Texas A & M - Corpus Christi Using the learning communities
model Reaching 100% of student students
through “triads” and “tetrads” Mediating the negative effects of
large classes Linking the curriculum with the first-
year seminar
The importance of Valuing the first year and being accountable Leadership on multiple levels Cultures that encourage ideas and innovation Achieving a critical mass of student participation Direct involvement of faculty Attention to pedagogy in first-year courses Clarity of mission; respect for students Improving continuously through assessment Creative acquisition & judicious use of resources Willingness to learn from and share with others Valuing partnerships
What We Learned
For more information: See . . .
Achieving and Sustaining Institutional Excellence for the First Year of College
(Barefoot, Gardner, Cutright, Morris, Schroeder, Schwartz, Siegel, & Swing) Jossey-Bass, 2005
Contact Information
Betsy O. Barefoot Policy Center on the First Year of College
Brevard, NC 28712828-966-5310