2001 Progress Report
Recruitment & Retention of Students | Undergraduate Experience | Graduate Experience | Academic Programs & Faculty | Connection to the Greater Community | Infrastructure/Support Improvements
Undergraduate Experience
Strengthening Student Learning
Learning Communities:
The number of Freshmen
Learning Communities (FLC) was expanded for fall 2001 to serve
over 600 students in 27 communities. There was an increase of
seven percentage points in one-year retention rates for FLC students
in the initial pilot project of 295 students for fall 1999. Table
5 indicates that participation in FLCs is increasing,
Gateway courses:
A gateway course is defined as a large-enrollment,
multi-sectioned course. If, historically, students have earned
a high number of W, D, or F grades, such a course is a 'gatekeeper'.
We wish to transform a gatekeeper course to a gateway course.
Biology and mathematics are piloting various strategies to transform
some courses into gateway courses and hence increase retention
rates. A new course, Mathematics Modeling that emphasizes real-world
applications to mathematics problems, was introduced. Similarly,
the biology department implemented a new non-majors course sequence
in Introductory Biology.
Student Advisement Center:
A center was initiated in December
1999 to provide all new students a centralized point of contact
for academic advice. Effectiveness of academic advising is being
assessed and information will be used to improve support for student
success. The Academic Improvement Program (AIP) with required
advisement and enrollment in GSU 1050, Survival Skills for College,
is being evaluated for its effectiveness. The number of students
permanently excluded has been halved since changing from the no-intervention
approach before AIP.
Student Learning Outcomes:
There continues to be development
of student learning outcomes for both General Education and majors.
All departments are to develop outcomes for their majors. Academic
Program Review will include examination of student learning outcomes
for programs to which a department contributes. Pilots for learning
outcomes based on high standards are continuing to be developed
in biology, history, and mathematics as part of a national project.
In addition, performance assessments for admission to the university
as freshmen or transfer students are being developed in conjunction
with four two-year and three other four-year System institutions.
Placement Examinations:
Placement exams in mathematics
during INCEPT (New Student Orientation) were introduced for the
fall 2001 freshman class to ensure students take mathematics courses
best suited to their abilities and academic plans.
International students and Study Abroad
Table 6 gives the number of international students and
the number of students who participate in study abroad courses.
Undergraduate Indicators
Undergraduate process indicators related to percent of
hours taught by tenure track and full-time faculty are given in
Table 7. Undergraduate output indicators such as number of
degrees, percent of entering class who graduate in six years,
and pass rates on various national examinations are given in Table
8.
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Progress Report