Key Communities and Objectives Outcomes- Based Assessment Telling the Story Results Closing the Loop

CLUSTER COURSES RESIDENTIAL COMMUNITY (Braiden Hall) FEEDBACK/ CONNECTION Peer Mentors Key Communities Structure Social Integration Academic Integration Intrusive Advising EARLY ORIENTATION

 Develop a strong community with an academic focus  Provide opportunity for shared learning  Provide access to feedback, information, and opportunities  Foster a healthy, diverse communities in which learning and academic achievement are encouraged and respected  Offer enriched opportunities for involvement and leadership development

 Promote high academic performance (GPA)  Promote high retention and graduation rates  Promote academic engagement and campus involvement  Promote student satisfaction with their university experience

 Outcome › What do we want Key to accomplish?  Strategy › What is in place to achieve that outcome?  Assessment Method › How are we going to measure that outcome?  Criteria › How will you know if the “numbers” are “good”?

 Key Communities Outcome #1 › Students in the Key Communities will have higher retention rates then similar students not participating in Key  Strategy › Students meeting 1:1 with Key Mentors three times per semester, Mid-Semester Academic Progress Conferences, Taking Stock at Mid-Semester Early Warning, Academic Success Workshops (2 mandatory), Referrals to campus resources, Co-enrollment in cluster classes.  Assessment Method › First-Year Retention Data  Criteria › Key students will have higher first-year retention rates

 Outcome › Students in the Key Communities will have an increased awareness of diversity in terms of: 1) Opportunities to learn about other cultures by participating in Key 2) Interacting with students from backgrounds different from their own, 3) Having a greater understanding of people different from self because of experience in Key 4) Attending cultural events outside of their own culture.  Strategy › Living in a diverse community, discussing topics around diversity in KEY 192 classes, requiring students to attend at least 1 cultural activity per semester  Assessment Method › Student reports on Fall and Spring Program Evaluations  Criteria › At least 80% of students on all four goals

 Outcome › Determine the components of the Key Academic Community that students find most beneficial in the fall semester in order to develop a structure for the spring semester that will help alleviate the “spring semester slump” that has been experienced  Strategy › 1) Co-enrolling in Cluster Classes with Key students › 2) Having a Key Mentor › 3) Living in Braiden Hall with Key students › 4) The Key Seminar Class › 5) The Plan for Excellence filled out during Key Orientation › 6) Key Academic Success Workshops (Time Management, Study Skills, etc) › 7) Moving in early › 8) Mid semester Academic Progress Conferences › 9) Resident Assistant › 10) Key Orientation  Assessment Method › Fall Program Evaluations for 2 years  Criteria › Determine top three most beneficial components

Key Student’s Experience Faculty Experience Key Mentor Experience Retention and Academic Performance Data

 Every Fall and Spring Semester  Paper Copy given in Seminar Classes (fall)  Student Voice (spring)  Specific questions addressing outcomes  Sample  What do we learn from these?

 92% response rate  82% of Key students were satisfied with their decision to participate in Key  30% said that Key was a large factor in their decision to stay at CSU (retention)

 90% indicated that Key was welcoming of students of their background and experience (sense of belonging)  89% noted that they had the opportunity to interact with students from backgrounds different from their own (diversity)

 Fall 2007 using Student Voice  Highlights › 100% satisfied with their experience teaching › Motivated by students, being asked, extra salary › Most positive experience : class discussions, students in smaller groups, students’ growth › Challenges : motivating students › Incentives : higher compensation

 Fall 2007 using 2 Focus Group with 17 staff (20 total)  Highlights › 94% indicated they would return to position › Valuable experiences include meaningful connections with people, skills in relationship and advising, and personal growth and development › Skill development reported with counseling, organizational, communication, balance, boundaries and expectations › Challenges included a disconnect with T.A. position › Recommendations on training, advice for new staff on developing relationship, and the meaningfulness of Peer Mentor role

 Key Academic Community = Spring Seminar  Key Plus Community = Options  “Office Hour” to “Administrative Hour”  Stool in the Key Mentor Office  TA Training for Mentors  Consolidating Key Communities in Braiden Hall

 Taking Stock at Mid-Semester  National Study of Living Learning Programs (NSLLP)  Key Alumni Survey