Chemistry Majors and the Transition from Two- to Four-Year Colleges 194 th 2YC 3 Conference

1. Chemistry Majors and the Transition from Two- to Four-Year Colleges 194th 2YC3 Conference Montgomery College, MD Nov. 11, 2011

2. ChemEd Bridges promotes the engagement of community college faculty with the national community of Chemistry educators. Harry Ungar Cabrillo College, Aptos, CA David Brown Southwestern College Chula Vista, CA Tom Higgins Harold Washington College, Chicago, IL Mary Boyd University of San Diego chemedbridges.com

3. Purpose ChemEdBridges is a two-year college chemistry faculty development project. We aim to widen faculty horizons to include more scholarly activity, undergraduate research and curriculum innovation. We seek to bridge the divide between the chemistry faculties of two-year and four-year institutions.

4. ChemEd Bridges Student Transfer Workshop October 27-29, 2011 DoubleTree by Hilton O’Hare Rosemount, IL Goal: • A guide to student transfer for chemistry faculty from community colleges and baccalaureate-granting institutions • Recommendations for the chemistry community regarding student transfer

5. About the guide… Audience: chemistry faculty at transferring and receiving institutions • Practical, easy to use • Living document (focus of symposia, workshops, etc.) • Focus on strategies/effective practices • Based on literature • Examples • Recommendations for community Other recommendations • ChemEd Bridges • ACS Committees

6. Demographic of Participants • 11 states (& D.C.) represented: AZ, CA, IA, IL, LA, MI, MS, NC, NJ, NY, TX • Institutional types represented: • 8 from community colleges • 9 from baccalaureate-granting institutions • 3 from ACS • Positions/roles of participants: • 9 faculty • 6 administrators • 2 students • 3 ACS staff

7. Workshop Agenda • Day 1: Introductions, identification of areas of opportunities/action to include in guidebook. • Day 2: Exploration of areas • Day 3: Review and discussion of next steps

8. Identifying Areas of Opportunities/Action Potential areas: • Academic Advising • Academic Support • Alignment of Learning Objectives • Career Counseling • Financial Support • Integration into Institutional Cultures(Sense of Belonging) • Mentoring • Peer Support • Others (K-12, Articulation & Policy)

9. Identifying Areas of Opportunities/Action Potential areas: • Academic Advising • Academic Support • Alignment of Learning Objectives • Career Counseling • Financial Support • Integration into Institutional Cultures(Sense of Belonging) • Mentoring • Peer Support • Others (K-12, Articulation & Policy)

10. Exploring Areas of Opportunity/Action • Team split up into four “breakout groups.” • Took turns exploring different facets of each of the four chosen areas. • Four rounds: • Focus on Faculty • Focus on Partnerships • Focus on Other Stakeholders • Review (Day 3)

11. Round Discussion • 1st Round (Faculty) • Roles faculty play? • Practices (“What can they do”) • Strategies (“How to do it”) • Report to other groups • 2nd Round (Partnerships) • Review and comment on Round 1 report. • What partnerships can faculty establish? • Practices • Strategies • Report to other groups

12. Round Discussion (cont.) • 3rd Round: Stakeholders • Review and comment on Round 2 report. • What other stakeholders can assist • What role should they play • Report to other groups • 4th Round: Review • Review work done in Rounds 1-3 • Summarize recommendations • Report to other groups

13. So What Did We Learn?What do we recommend? • This conference: just the highlights. • Publication of guidebook: Spring 2012 (tent.) • Distribution: Internet (CEB, ACS, etc.) • Physical distribution TBD

14. Area 1: Academic Support • “Failure is a symptom.” Acknowledge the challenges faced by students (employment, family, etc) • Faculty need to be educated on support services available (even when advising isn’t part of their job). • Most schools collect data on retention, etc. Use it! • Collaborations between CC and Universities. • Between faculty (joint projects, presentations) • Between Chemistry/Science clubs • Etc.

15. Area 2: Alignment of Learning Outcomes • More communication between CC’s and universities (and at universities: between upper and lower level instructors). • Trust, respect each other • Share data • Create incentives for collaborative developments • Encourage development of legislation that goes beyond current articulation, encourages alignment.

16. Area 3: Mentoring • Acknowledge difference between advising and mentoring. • Identify students that could benefit from mentoring early (and what type they need) • Faculty should make themselves approachable (as a mentor, or at least as a first-step to finding a suitable mentor). • Mentoring programs. • Training and professional development (faculty and, when applicable, TA’s). • Collaborations between CC’s and university (bridge programs, events, etc.)

17. Area 4: Sense of Belonging • Literature: sense of connection to the institution is the single most important factor in retention. • The sooner they decide on a major, the better. • Keep classroom and lab engaging. • Social activities (“Welcomania”) • Communication between CC’s and universities • Ensure transferring students are aware of opportunities when they first arrive. • Collaborations between chemistry/science clubs between CC’s and universities.

18. Next Steps • Prepare and disseminate guide • Identify venues for • Holding discussions/workshops • Exploring other areas of opportunity/action • Sharing additional strategies/examples

19. Workshop Participants • Karen Archambault (Brookdale CC, NJ) • Richard Baurer (Arizona State University) • Mary Boyd (U. of San Diego, CA) • Pam Clevenger (Hinds CC, MS) • Wilfredo Colon (Rensselaer Poly. Inst., NY) • Mary Marsha Cupitt (Durham Tech. CC, NC) • Ron Darbeau (McNeese State U., LA) • Lourdes Echegoyen (U. of Texas at El Paso) • Donna Ekal (U. of Texas at El Paso) • Derrick Hendricks (ACS, Washington DC)

20. Participants (cont.) • Tom Higgins (Harold Washington College, IL) • Frankie Laanan (Iowa State University) • Tom Lane (Delta College, MI) • Mark Matthews (Durham Tech. CC, NC) • Joan Sabourin (ACS, Washington DC) • Sue Tappero (Cabrillo College, CA) • Harry Ungar (Carbillo College, CA) • Robert Viño-Marrufo (U. of Texas at El-Paso) • Jodi Wesemann (ACS, Washington DC)

21. Workshop Co-sponsors • Committee on Chemistry in the Two-year College (COCTYC) • Committee on Minority Affairs (CMA) • Committee on Professional Training (CPT) • Society Committee of Education (SOCED)

22. Workshop Planning Committee • Harry Ungar (ChemEd Bridges) • Tom Higgins (ChemEd Bridges) • Mark Matthews (COCTYC) • Lourdes Echegoyen (CMA) • Ron Darbeau (CPT) • Malika Jeffries-El (SOCED)