RFY Update for Faculty Senate February 21, 2017

RFY initiatives First Year Seminar Gateway Course Project Growth and Belonging Mindset Training Guided Pathways Meta Majors Retention Outreach Team-based Advising Transition Plan (part of the Enrollment Management Plan)

RFY initiatives First Year Seminar Gateway Course Project Growth and Belonging Mindset Training Guided Pathways Meta Majors Retention Outreach Team-based Advising Transition Plan (part of the Enrollment Management Plan)

Outreach to NEFs at risk for non-retention With the assistance of our data team, we have identified NEFs who we believe are at risk for not returning in Fall 2017 Personal outreach by professional advisors helps students address academic, financial, and personal barriers to their success, and also to promote a sense of belonging in our community Advisors are paired with Financial Aid officers to create student support teams. Initiative was a collaboration of University College, Advising and Student Transitions, Financial Aid, MSS, Student Life and Development, Faculty, SRDs, Residential Life, and Institutional Research (OSPE)

Team-based advising Beginning in Fall 2017, each NEF will be assigned to a team consisting of the following: a professional advisor a Financial Aid staff member a Career Center staff member Additional team members will be added as appropriate: MSS, Residential Life, Veterans Resource Center, LGBT Resource Center, etc. Transition to a faculty advisor (i.e., subject-matter expert) in a major by Term Three

Meta majors: definition Meta majors are clusters of related academic programs designed to assist new entering undecided students make active and informed decisions about major selection.

Meta majors: functions to alleviate choice paralysis and promote earlier selection of a major to promote a sense of purpose early in a student’s academic career

Meta majors: functions To help students with multiple interests narrow their focus To help students in high-demand majors or majors with rigorous admission criteria consider related fields e.g., Nursing, Engineering To minimize the number of credits at graduation beyond 120 To help prospective students and their families consider academic options before matriculation

Meta majors: functions To improve retention and persistence, as indicated by studies at two- and four-year institutions To improve four- and six-year graduation rates currently at 18% and 44%, respectively To promote a cohesive, intentional LEP experience that aligns with institutional goals (OHC, Strategic Plan Refresh)

Meta major as Entry point Two entry points into academic life at SCSU Direct declare/Intended for students who have a clear idea of what they want to study (~2/3 of NEFs) Meta majors for students who are still deciding which academic area to pursue (~1/3 of NEFs) Changing majors and meta majors is still possible Proportions could shift.

Role of initial advising Advising and Registration Days Short, friendly assessment at the start of each event to gauge students’ interest Schedule generation In consultation with the student, a professional or faculty advisor builds a schedule that recognizes the importance of Taking focus courses in area(s) of primary interest Exploring new subjects Completing the LEP Construction of a second semester schedule will follow the same practice End-of-day assessment to gauge students’ experience with the selection process Helps students who are in the wrong area learn that earlier and make a change before they spend too long.

From meta major to major Possible transition milestones Advising structured by a first-year guided pathway Gear Up/Major fairs in fall and spring Faculty, upper-division students, advisors, career counselors, Student Life and Development staff, SRDs, and others Workshops on choosing a major and career

Meta Major models Arizona State University Architecture and Construction Health and Wellness Arts Humanities Business Interdisciplinary Studies Communication and Media Law, Justice, and Public Service Computing and Mathematics Science Education and Teaching Social and Behavioral Sciences Engineering and Technology Sustainability Entrepreneurship STEM Exploratory

Meta Major models Georgia State University Humanities Business Arts Natural Sciences Health Sciences Social Sciences Education Exploratory Policy Studies

Meta Major models University of Nevada - Reno STEM Business and Communications Liberal Arts Health and Education

Some questions What meta majors make sense for SCSU students? What should we call them so that they’re useful and transparent? Should we create additional resources to help students choose meta majors, majors, and courses during Advising and Registration Days? How else can we assist students in choosing a major during their first year? Public Service