Student Engagement Retreat: Progress Updates February 15, 2013

1. Student Engagement Retreat: Progress Updates February 15, 2013

2. Updates from SE Steering Committee  We are on the right track: Presentation at AASCU academic affairs meeting (Barnett, Chang, Daffron, Romano) Presentation at ACPA annual conference (Cammarata, Romano)

3. Updates from SE Steering Committee • Process for proposing new K.P.Es established • “Paused” in looking at years to let two pilot years work through (FYE and SYE)- though next year will resume with Junior/Third Year • Used “pause” to zoom in on transfer students and how they fit into model

4. Updates from SE Steering Committee Ramapo College Strategic Plan 2013-2018 Goal 1: Advance Academic Excellence and Engagement Objective 1.2 The College will insure that students increase academic, personal, social, and civic engagement by offering enhanced curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular programming.

5. Outcomes for Today’s Retreat • Review two assessment instruments to get a picture of our students’ engagement (curricular and co-curricular) • Present Marketing Plan for Student Engagement and how FYE and SYE Connect • Share updates from both FYE Board and SYE Board

6. Outcomes for Today’s Retreat • Review report from Transfer Student Engagement Task Force • Brainstorm ideas of ways to incorporate Transfer students into the current work of both boards

7. NSSE & CLA Results Eric Daffron Gurvinder Khaneja

8. CLA and NSSE • Two of the most common institutional assessments • Endorsed by the VSA • Often paired to demonstrate student achievement and engagement

9. CLA • Tests analytic reasoning, problem solving, writing effectiveness, and writing mechanics. • Asks students to: • respond to questions about a simulated real-life scenario, • to support a position, or • to evaluate an argument. • Does not use multiple-choice questions.

10. CLA • Tests incoming first-year students and graduating native students. • 2011-12 • 90 first-year students drawn from 5 FYS sections • 93 graduating native students drawn from capstone courses in all five schools • Computes institutional mean scores, mean score percentile ranks across participating institutions, and a value-added score.

11. CLA • First-year students: high percentile rank • 88 for the total CLA score • Seniors: lower percentile rank • 59 for the total CLA score • Value-added score: near expected • -.38 for the total CLA score

12. CLA • Four skills: • Analytic reasoning and evaluation • Writing effectiveness • Writing mechanics • Problem solving • Best skill: writing mechanics • grammar • sentence construction • vocabulary

13. CLA • Three tests: • Performance Task • Make-an-Argument • Critique-an-Argument • Best test: make-an-argument • analytic reasoning and evaluation • writing effectiveness • writing mechanics

14. NSSE NSSE - National Survey of Student Engagement,Engagement through Learning, Research and Service. • Sponsored by Pew Charitable Trust in 1998, and operationalized as the “College Report” the survey was piloted in year 1999. • Starting with 276 institutions, NSSE has been administered by up to 770 institutions in recent years. • Based on Chickering & Gamson’s (1987) “Seven Principles of Good Practice in Undergraduate Education” and Astin’s (1984) Theory of Student Involvement. • Currently, the survey also is also involved in measuring “Deep Approaches to Learning”

15. NSSE NSSE at Ramapo College of New Jersey • The survey has been administered since 2000. • Current reporting is for Spring 2012 administration. Response rate was about 20 percent for both first-year students (300)and seniors (194). • Ramapo was featured in NSSE’s Annual Results 2012 as aninstitution that uses NSSE to inform about Student Engagement. • The current year results also focuses on measuring “DeepApproaches to Learning” and provides evidence to the question “Whether Students have learning Experiences that are likelyto results in effective and enduring learning.”

16. NSSE • The Benchmarks were a result of “Factor Analysis Technique” used by NSSE research team over time, using pilot data. • Each Benchmark has a score that is based on 6 to 12 questions from the survey Five Important Benchmarks:

17. NSSE

18. NSSE For Full Results Go To:http://ww2.ramapo.edu//administration/oirp/reports.aspx

19. NSSE Highlights of the Results – Highest Performing Benchmarks First-year Students • Wrote more than 4 papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages (LAC). • Wrote more than 10 papers or reports of fewer than 5 pages (LAC). • Made a class Presentation (ACL). • Did a community project as part of the course (ACL). • Received prompt written or oral feedback from faculty (SFI). Senior Students • Wrote at least one paper or report of 20 pages or more (LAC). • Wrote more than 4 papers or reports between 5 and 19 pages (LAC). • Made a class presentation (ACL). • Did a practicum, internship, field experience, clinical assignment (EEE). • Completed a culminating senior experience (EEE).

20. NSSE Highlights of the Results – Lowest Performing Benchmarks First-year Students • Spent more than 10 hours a week preparing for class (LAC). • Said the institution emphasizes study and academic work (LAC). • Had serious conversations with students of another race/ethnicity (EEE). • Participated in learning community (EEE). • Completed foreign language coursework (EEE). Senior Students • Spent more than 10 hours a week preparing for class (LAC). • Said the institution emphasizes studying and academic work (LAC). • Had serious conversations with students of other religion, politics and value (EEE). • Completed a foreign language coursework (EEE). • Positively rated their relationships with administrative/Personnel offices (EEE).

21. NSSE DEEP APPROACHES TO LEARNING NSSE’s THEORY – “Students who participate in activities that promote higher-order thinking, integration and reflection are more likely to spend their time purposefully”. High impact activities for first-year students include participation in learning communities, while the same for seniors include participation in service learning, internships, study abroad etc…

22. NSSE Deep Approaches to Learning: A Comparison Report Results: The first-year students are at par with their peers in the nation, while seniors lag behind their peers.

23. NSSE GAINS • Over the last five administrations, there have been gains in the following benchmarks: Level of Academic Challenge, Active and Collaborative Learning and Student Faculty Interaction. • The benchmark score for first-year students is at par or slightly better than Seniors when rating Ramapo as having a “Supportive Campus Environment.” • For Seniors, there is a gain in the benchmark score on “Enriching Educational Experience” over the years. • Both First-year students and Seniors spend time writing papers of various lengths. • Both first-year and senior made presentations in front of class.

24. NSSE CONCERNS • Low Benchmark Scores for first-year students on Student Faculty Interaction and Enriching Educational Experience. • A significant proportion of first-year (23 percent) and senior students (30 percent) felt that the institution did not emphasize studying and academic work. • Approximately 46 percent of first-year and 51 percent of the senior students spent less than 10 hours per week preparing for class. • Seniors at Ramapo are not as engaged on campus as their peers, when compared on “Deep Learning” Benchmarks.

25. Overview of Marketing & Communication Plan

26. FYE Board Updates

27. First-Year Experience Board Joseph Connell, Director of Student Success Meghan McDonough, First-Year Experience Coordinator

28. First-Year Survey Comparison • 2012 (719 responses) v. 2011 (732 responses) • Program/Office specific information will be shared separately • FOCUS – First-Year Survey Question 30 • At this point in the semester, indicate your agreement with the following statements • Addressed all 12 outcomes specifically

29. Academic Engagement

30. Social Engagement

31. Personal Engagement

32. Campus and Civic Engagement

33. SYE Board Updates

34. Transfer Student Engagement Task Force • Review Ramapo Student Engagement materials to provide context/background • Collect and review current statistics on Ramapo transfers • Identify best practices for transfer students • Make recommendations to Student Engagement Steering Committee

35. Overview of Task Force Activities • Attended “Transfer Students: Assuring a Smooth Transition” Webinar • Collected data on current transfer students at Ramapo • Conducted a preliminary scan of national research on transfer students and transfer student engagement • Identified best practices • Made recommendations

36. Who are our current Transfer students?

37. Fall 2012 Transfers

38. Fall 2012 Transfers

39. Fall 2012 Transfers *ALP defined as student 24 years or older that came through the Adult Admissions Office

40. Fall 2012 Transfers

41. Fall 2012 Transfers by Student Level

42. Fall 2012 Financial Aid Information(Native vs. Transfer)

43. Research: Expectations and Needs of Transfer Students

44. Transfer students can be characterized by: • Previous college experience • Has shaped attitude towards new college experience • Presents challenges in adapting to new set of policies and procedures • Pragmatic approach to college • Prefer objective-specific advisement, career and internship opportunities • Timeline and plan for graduation

45. Financial Concerns • Greater financial need • Cost conscious • Usually employed part-time

46. Engagement • Express a lower sense of community in new college environment • Transfer students want programs that address time-sensitive objectives: • Financial Aid • Internship • Career and Graduate School

47. Best Practices for Transfer Students

48. Curricular Best Practices • Academic advisement • Advisors who are knowledgeable about course requirements and transfer credits • Early assignment of academic advisors • Movement from articulation agreements to seamless transition experiences Degree Partnership Co-Admission with Co-Enrollment Co-Admission and Shared Services Impact on Student Experience Co-Admission: meeting requirements at two-year Block Transfer Agreements or Degrees Program Articulation Course Articulation Impact on Institution Central Oregon Community College | 2600 N.W. College Way | Bend, Oregon 97701 | (541) 383-7700 | www.cocc.edu

49. Co-Curricular Best Practices • Mandatory orientation • Continued orientation / transition support • A transitional “course” or a series of workshops that focus on the needs of transfers • Peer mentors • Centralized Resources • One-stop resources • Easily accessed online resources that address transition, resources and services • Create a sense of community among transfers to help them be more successful and thrive • A targeted and dynamic online community for new transfer students • Financial Support • Scholarships

50. Group Exercise