Foundations of Excellence TM in the First College Year Laying a Foundation for First Year Assessment Nazareth College of Rochester, Marywood University

Mary Louise Gerek, M.B.A. Institutional Research Analyst Nazareth College of Rochester Rochester, New York Ellen M. Boylan, Ph.D. Associate Director of Institutional Research Marywood University Scranton, Pennsylvania

Overview Foundations of Excellence project Foundations of Excellence project Tools to build buy-in Tools to build buy-in Institutional assessment efforts Institutional assessment efforts Recommendations for change Recommendations for change Long-term impact Long-term impact

Foundations of Excellence TM in the First College Year National Grant-Funded Project To Develop Standards of To Develop Standards of Excellence Excellence To Develop Certification Process To Develop Certification Process Sponsored by the Policy Center for the First Year of College

Foundations of Excellence TM in the First College Year Lumina Foundation for Education & The Atlantic Philanthropies AASCU AASCU Center for Postsecondary Research and Planning Center for Postsecondary Research and Planning Pennsylvania State University – Pennsylvania State University – Center for the Study of Higher Education Center for the Study of Higher Education Council of Independent Colleges Council of Independent Colleges NCHEMS NCHEMS National Resource Center for The National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students First-Year Experience and Students in Transition in Transition

Foundations of Excellence TM in the First College Year Dimensions

Foundations of Excellence M in the First College Year Dimensions of Excellence AASCU Institutions CIC Institutions

PhilosophyOrganizationCommitmentTransitions All Students Educated Person ImprovementEngagementDiversityFaculty Life Purpose © 2003 Policy Center Foundations of Excellence TM Foundations of Excellence TM CIC Foundational Dimensions

Foundations of Excellence M in the First College Year Nazareth College Rochester, New York

Project Organization Structure Taskforce with 15 members Taskforce with 15 members Steering Committee with 4 members Steering Committee with 4 members Twice-Monthly Meetings Twice-Monthly MeetingsChallenges First faculty/staff integrated assessment project First faculty/staff integrated assessment project Considerable time commitment Considerable time commitment Not accepting a response without evidence Not accepting a response without evidence Tracking documents/information Tracking documents/information Foundations Task Force Nazareth College

First Steps Current Practice Inventory Current Practice Inventory Collect evidence from all over campus Collect evidence from all over campus Compile sources of evidence for future reference Compile sources of evidence for future reference Foundations Task Force Nazareth College

Current Practice Inventory Inventory current policies and structures supporting the first-year Inventory current policies and structures supporting the first-year Identify distinct subgroups of the first-year students relevant to your campus Identify distinct subgroups of the first-year students relevant to your campus Inventory existing first-year assessments Inventory existing first-year assessments Foundations Task Force Nazareth College

Inventory of Policies and Structures Structures: –First-year seminars –Advising centers –New student orientation Policies –Admissions requirements –Mandatory advising –Registration rules The Task Force was charged to identify major structures and policies that, by design or circumstance, uniquely impact first-year students. Foundations Task Force Nazareth College

Inventory of Policies and Structures Created Policy and Structure documentation forms and distributed to all offices within the campus with first-year student contact Requested any supporting documents Additionally, requested any documents that provided any information for first-year students Suggested reference: A Data Audit and Analysis Toolkit to Support Assessment of the First College Year: Technical Manual, Karen Paulson. Foundations Task Force Nazareth College

Document Management Developed MS Access database to manage documents Identified sources and contacts for follow-up by Task Force Created links within the database to documents or web locations Identified the Dimension where the document was cited as evidence for the response Compiled reports with complete document lists Utilized the same ideas in preparation of the Middle States Self Study Foundations Task Force Nazareth College

Current Status Spring 2005 – Restructured Task Force began the development of a Philosophy Statement for the First Year at Nazareth Statement unanimously approved by faculty – Fall 2005 Statement unanimously approved by faculty – Fall 2005 Discussions of the first-year philosophy parallel discussions in Curriculum Committee about reevaluating our core curriculum Discussions of the first-year philosophy parallel discussions in Curriculum Committee about reevaluating our core curriculum Significant use of the Task Force findings in the Middle States Self Study Significant use of the Task Force findings in the Middle States Self Study Foundations Task Force Nazareth College

Foundations of Excellence M in the First College Year Marywood University Scranton, Pennsylvania

Project Organization Structure Taskforce with 22 members Taskforce with 22 members Subcommittee for each Dimension Subcommittee for each Dimension Twice-Monthly Meetings Twice-Monthly MeetingsChallenges Systematic assessment in flux Systematic assessment in flux Considerable time commitment Considerable time commitment Linking evidence to responses Linking evidence to responses First Year Assessment Marywood University

First Year Assessment Marywood University

Collect baseline data Measure first-year outcomes Use assessment to confirm or improve practice Contribute to the national knowledge base Continue the commitment MU Foundations Institutions conduct assessment….to achieve ongoing first-year improvement. First Year Assessment Marywood University

Collect baseline data Admissions intake data Academic assessment and registrar recommendations Disabilities needs College Student Inventory (CSI) to assess academic and social motivation, coping skills, and desire for support services CIRP Freshman Survey benchmarks Performance Indicator 11.1 …data to place students in appropriate courses…provide academic support, personal support. First Year Assessment Marywood University

Measure first-year outcomes Performance Indicator 11.2 …measurement of cognitive development, personal development. First Year Assessment Marywood University

Use assessment findings Marywoods Teagle Grant has been used to strengthen key first-year initiatives in academics, advising, and retention, and allowed for three consecutive years of the NSSE Ongoing evaluation of Orientation programs results in annual review, change, and improvement A strong, established cycle of annual surveys translates into continuous assessment of the first year Performance Indicator 11.3 …assessment findings used to confirm or improve first-year practice. First Year Assessment Marywood University

Continue the commitment Continued funding for baseline surveys, outcomes assessment Personnel for academic advising, retention, counseling Commitment to scholarship on first-year practice First-year line items in the institutional budget Performance Indicator 11.5 …continuing allocation of resources, both human and financial, to assessment first-year practice First Year Assessment Marywood University

Long-Term Impact First-year package of programs Targeted retention efforts Targeted retention efforts Direct assessment is bolstered Direct assessment is bolstered More activity is linked to P.I.s More activity is linked to P.I.s Faculty advisor model continues Faculty advisor model continues Liberal arts dean is accountable Liberal arts dean is accountable Sharper insight into students, self Sharper insight into students, self First Year Assessment Marywood University

Enrollment Management Admissions+ registrar retention advising disabilities diversity

Retention Rates First Year Assessment Marywood University

Contact Information Nazareth College of Rochester Mary Louise Gerek Institutional Research Analyst Institutional Research Analyst Marywood University, PA Ellen M. Boylan, Ph.D. Associate Director of IR Associate Director of IR