Achieving the Dream Grant-Funded Initiative Delta College’s Pioneer Year: Engaging (Adjunct) Faculty in Student Success Achieving the Dream Grant-Funded Initiative

Assessing the Need: Does This Sound Familiar? Delta in Brief Student population: Approximately 10,000 with steadily decreasing retention and admission. Faculty: 200+ Full Time and 300+ Adjunct Segregated faculty: Adjunct Office removed from Discipline; Full time faculty attend a series of fall learning days; adjunct faculty attend a 3 hour evening session; Divisions may or may not include adjunct faculty in division meetings, student activities such as campus fairs, oversight for student organizations; Concern over the number of adjunct faculty hired and impact on full time faculty; Limited resources/money for faculty development; adjunct faculty teaching at multiple colleges

What It Takes To Be a Pioneer! Challenge: Break Barriers, Dream Bigger, Teach Smarter

BREAK BARRIERS: Collegiality The First Frontier: Faculty Learning Circles GOAL: To establish a networking system of trust and respect among faculty. Recognizing the Challenges CCRC/Delta Survey: Faculty reported: Lack of professional relationships with colleagues Limited opportunity to attend professional development offerings Adjuncts: fearful of making mistakes Adjuncts: feel disconnected from departments

Celebrate the Successes BREAK BARRIERS: Collegiality The First Frontier: Faculty Learning Circles Celebrate the Successes FFCs create a feeling of solidarity FFCs define professional development FFCs open opportunities FFCs foster Team Teaching Partnerships

Recognize the Challenges DREAM BIGGER: Collaboration The Next Frontier: Creating Professional Repository GOAL: To create a repository of professional materials identified and created by the faculty. Recognize the Challenges CCRC/Delta Survey Limited opportunities to present/attend conferences Less than 1/3 adjuncts attend fall academy Want to better serve underserviced, struggling, and diverse student population but feel lack of preparedness

Celebrate the Successes DREAM BIGGER: Collaboration: The Next Frontier: Creating Professional Repository Celebrate the Successes Faculty-driven professional development Alignment with Delta campus Strengthen initiatives and Streamline Process

TEACH SMARTER: Ownership The Final Frontier: Team Teaching Partnerships Goal: To fully engage faculty in student success through collegiality, collaboration, support and shared classroom teaching. Recognize the Challenges Shift in classroom dynamics Faculty resistance Institutionalizing: Costs and Scheduling Use of the findings: incentive/dismissal

TEACH SMARTER: Ownership The Final Frontier: Team Teaching Partnerships Anticipated and Recognized Successes Ability to learn from each other Exchange of ideas; innovation Increase in time with students Ability to try new strategies, techniques, activities Self-evaluation, peer-evaluation, division support

Beyond the Final Frontier: Institutionalizing Professional Development Celebrate the Successes: Successful completion of first year. Ongoing interest and support of project. Increase in adjunct faculty supplemental compensation. CAMPUS FOCUS ON STUDENT! Work with ATD coaches. Desire by campus to institute true change.

Beyond the Final Frontier: Institutionalizing Professional Development Strategies Moving Forward Revitalize Delta Professional Development Rebrand and vision Continue aligning project with current Delta initiatives Continue to design a repository from faculty need Scale up: Increase faculty involvement