SUNY Applied Learning Campus Plan Parts V-VII Applied Learning Leadership Team: Stephanie Zuckerman-Aviles Ann Emo Amy McMillan

SUNY Applied Learning Timeline of Expected Activity   Date Action April, 2014 Inaugural Applied Learning Conference held. Multiple Campuses already offering Experiential / Applied Learning opportunities.  May, 2015 The SUNY Board of Trustees Considered and passed a resolution to develop a plan to offer Experiential / Applied learning opportunities  September, 2015 The Provost’s Applied Learning Steering Committee is developed with representation from the University Faculty Senate, Faculty Council of Community Colleges, Student Assembly and Distinguished Academy. Campuses receive guidance from Applied Learning Steering Committee, including time frame for completion of individual campus plans. Campuses respond to guidance documents. October, 2015 Applied Learning Steering Committee shares revised guidance documents to campuses, including specific guidance for Part I of campus plans.   November, 2015 Update to Board of Trustees; Second Annual Applied Learning Conference; final overview guidance documents including specific guidance for Part I sent to campuses  January, 2016 Part I of campus plans due to Applied Learning Steering Committee COB January 15. Applied Learning Steering Committee offers a briefing on progress to the SUNY Board of Trustees and shares specific guidance for parts II, III, and IV of campus plans. Applied Learning Steering Committee members support campuses in compiling and sharing applied learning offerings through regional meetings.  April, 2016 Parts II, III, and IV of campus plans due April 15. The Applied Learning Steering Committee develops a system-wide plan for Board approval. May, 2016 Applied Learning Steering committee presents SUNY Plan to the Board of Trustees for approval.  August, 2016 As per Board of Trustees resolution, campuses make approved applied learning opportunities available to all matriculated students. Applied Learning Steering Committee shares specific guidance on parts V, VI and VII of campus plans.  October, 2016 Third Annual Applied Learning Conference  May, 2017 Final campus plans due to Applied Learning Steering Committee May 1. Provost Cartwright shares an update to the Board of Trustees at the May meeting.  

Part I: Overview of Applied/Experiential Activities January 15, 2016 Campus-wide task force defined Approved Applied Learning at Buffalo State College Compiled list of ALL Buffalo State Applied Learning activities Sent list of those activities that met AAL definitions to SUNY

Parts II-IV: Data Collection and Reporting, Faculty Engagement, and Student Engagement April 15, 2016 Developed campus plan for collection and reporting data on students engaged in AAL Provided overview of faculty responsibilities regarding oversight and assessment of AAL Provided overview of the initiatives and supports offered to students interested in AAL at Buffalo State

Parts V-VII: Feasibility Study, Collaboration Plan, Graduation Requirement May 1, 2017 Examine the feasibility of including approved applied learning activities as a degree requirement campus’ ability to administer and provide such opportunities to students the local community’s capacity to support activities the impact such requirement would have on the local workforce the potential for such a requirement to enhance learning outcomes for students whether adding such a requirement would cause potential delays in graduation for students. Make a decision about whether or not we will require and applied learning experience as part of the graduation requirement

Broad array of input from all constituents on campus: administration, students, faculty, and staff. Two consultations with the Provost and the Dean’s Council Conducted discussion groups with the College Senate Executive Committee, Associate Deans, Student Affairs and Academic Affairs Program Directors, United Students Government, and the United Students Government Executive Council Administered a survey to academic department chairs, with 100% return rate Administered a survey to the campus for all faculty and staff with 204 responses Provided monthly updates to the College Senate Consulted with the two programs on campus that have the strongest collaborations with community partners and assessment of impacts of Approved Applied Learning: School of Education (Professional Development Schools) and the Volunteer and Service-Learning Center

Do you engage students in Approved Applied Learning activities? Campus Survey Data – who filled out survey Do you engage students in Approved Applied Learning activities? YES 58% (101/174) NO 42% (73/174)

Campus Survey Data If SUNY Buffalo State moved forward with having Approved Applied Learning as a graduation requirement, how do you think it should be implemented? (select all that apply)

Chair Survey Data Could Approved Applied Learning be integrated as a graduation requirement within your department? YES 79% (27/34) NO 21% (7/34)

Chair Survey Data What additional resources, if any, might you need in your department if Approved Applied Learning was a requirement?

Opportunities? Provides experiences beyond the theory introduced in the classroom – more ‘real world’ connections for students Better way for student to learn Hands-on opportunities keeps students engaged and helps with retention Improves the knowledge and lives of students Potential for job opportunities after college – resume builder Motivates and provides students a sense of direction Better connections with community and more community involvement More authentic learning and experiences for students resumes Provides a way to integrate multiple classroom experiences and better context for understanding program objectives Students can experience their major and decide if it is right for them Make Buffalo State distinctive

Challenges? Faculty and staff resources – including enough qualified and trained individuals to manage and assess AAL activities Finding enough opportunities for students both on and off the Buffalo State campus Not all students are ready for this Not all students have the time for this in their major Might become a ‘check box’ and be another hurdle, rather than a truly authentic and useful experience Maintaining consistency/rigor of these experiences could become very problematic (our model of AAL is very decentralized) We have a decentralized model for managing AAL activities An additional graduation requirement can be difficult for some student populations (commuter, transfer, students with no transportation, etc.) Pushback from faculty who don’t want to change they way they teach Professional development of faculty Students feeling intimidated or having a bad experience Covering cost of these experiences (e.g., research on campus) Workload challenges for faculty, staff, and students

Given current resources and existing requirements, do you think an Approved Applied Learning experience should be added as a SUNY Buffalo State graduation requirement ? Campus Survey YES 59% (95/160) NO 41% (65/160) With sufficient support and proper resources, do you think Approved Applied Learning should be a graduation requirement for SUNY Buffalo State students? Campus Survey Chair Survey YES 83% (141/169) 29% (11/38) NO 17% (28/169) 71% (27/38)

Challenges? Faculty and staff resources – including enough qualified and trained individuals to manage and assess AAL activities Finding enough opportunities for students both on and off the Buffalo State campus Not all students are ready for this Not all students have the time for this in their major Might become a ‘check box’ and be another hurdle, rather than a truly authentic and useful experience Maintaining consistency/rigor of these experiences could become very problematic (our model of AAL is very decentralized) We have a decentralized model for managing AAL activities An additional graduation requirement can be difficult for some student populations (commuter, transfer, students with no transportation, etc.) Pushback from faculty who don’t want to change they way they teach Professional development of faculty Students feeling intimidated or having a bad experience Covering cost of these experiences (e.g., research on campus) Workload challenges for faculty, staff, and students

Part VII Question 1: Based on the data reported to SUNY System Administration in Parts I-VI of campus plans, will your campus include approved applied learning activities as a local graduation requirement? Buffalo State Answer: After extensive discussion with faculty, staff, students and administration, detailed analysis of survey data, and a thorough look at our decentralized model described in part I-VI, we have made the decision not to include Approved Applied Learning activities as a graduation requirement at this time.

Next SUNY requirement: Data Collection of Approved Applied Learning courses for mandatory reporting What’s next for Buffalo State? Identify and allocate resources Structure – Centralize or De-Centralize that is the question! Formal Review Process through College Senate – Designation Development and revision of curriculum Assessment - Measuring impacts on students and the community Professional development Supporting current and future partnerships - community partnership engagement and growth