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Executive Summary

We propose a required Foundations(FNDS) 3-credit course starting Fall 2020. Newly admitted CASL students, both FTIACs and Transfers, will choose from a suite of options, including new and adapted 100-and 300-level courses. Adapted courses may include existing First Year Seminars and, where possible, select introductory courses. All FNDS courses will fulfill at least one Dearborn Discovery Core (DDC) category. FNDS courses will support a cohort experience and faculty-student connections through small sizes (24 cap) and transparent teaching practices. While each will center on content related to the instructor’s field, these courses will be developed to also supply practical academic skills and knowledge of campus supports and other High Impact Practices available later in students’ college careers.

An essential component of the proposal is support for faculty development specifically geared towards teaching our new students. While each would retain academic freedom consonant with any other class, faculty members would receive targeted support (retreats, workshops, webinars, and visiting speakers) focusing in some measure on best-practices for meeting the varied needs of these two student cohorts. In effect, we aim to build a community of engaged faculty who wish to develop the skills to speak especially clearly to our new students and in particular to those most at risk.

As envisioned, FNDS courses may be taught collaboratively by scheduling two or more cooperating faculty’s sections at the same time, allowing joint meetings for shared presentations, field trips, and guest speakers. In this way students can see how different disciplines approach the same topic, and can begin to understand the University’s dual role of disseminating knowledge and, importantly, contributing to knowledge.

Introduction

In Winter 2018, the CASL Dean’s Office created the First Year Experience task force in response to concerning trends in student persistence and preparedness. The task force was charged with researching pedagogical best practices, learning from successful ventures at peer institutions, and developing a First Year Experience(now Foundations, FNDS)1program that would provide the best possible academic foundation for ������-Dearborn students while at the same time addressing student retention.

When committing to the task force, members agreed to take part in a week-long summer Institute on High-Impact Practices and Student Success, organized by the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) at the University of Utah. During this intensive program, the task force attended seminars on best practices in planning, implementation, and assessment of High-Impact Practices (HIPs), and also had extensive consultations with experts regarding the development of our specific Foundations program. After returning from the Institute, the task force members met weekly and also consulted with a variety of people from groups and programs across campus for information, dialogue, and feedback on the strategies emerging from the Institute.

What follows is a brief overview of a proposed FNDS program, including the basic structure, program goals, and course goals. We then present an overview of problems faced by new students on campus, along with factors known to contribute to these problems and evidence-based ways to address them. Finally, we address key logistical considerations and concerns, and provide an overview of the implementation process and prospective timeline.

FNDS Program Overview

The proposed Foundations (FNDS) program for CASL consists of two key elements: 1) the FNDS courses themselves, and 2) supporting faculty development for those teaching them. The specific program goals, course goals, and goals of the faculty development program are outlined in below. The program is proposed to begin in Fall of 2020.

1. Proposed FNDS Courses 

Based on the rationale presented below, we propose a required FNDS, 3-credit course based in the content and pedagogy of a particular field, providing opportunities to learn and develop practical academic skills while focusing at least as much on a meta-understanding of University-level work.

• PRACTICAL SKILLS: Students in these courses will develop practical academic skills squarely within the context of the course content and assignments. Depending on the course/instructor, example skills might include how to pick out the important pieces of information from a reading or a lecture, ways to prepare for exams that go beyond reviewing notes, how to plan to ensure adequate time for exams/assignments, ways to get the most out of a group assignment, how to seek out information when there is a question or a problem, or how to make the most of office hours.
• CAMPUS RESOURCES & PROGRAMS: These FNDS courses will also introduce students to campus resources that are relevant to the field in which the course is embedded, applicable to course assignments, and relevant to themes/struggles that may emerge for a given group of students over the course of the semester. Depending on the course, possible resources might include library resources and subject librarians, the counseling center, programs offered by the Office of Student Success, the SOAR Program (Support, Opportunities, Advocacy and Resources for Nontraditional Students), Supplemental Instruction liaisons, or the Writing Center. These courses will also serve as an “on-ramp” to guide students to other HIPs already offered at ������-Dearborn (travel abroad programs, undergraduate research opportunities, honors programs, internships, ASL courses, etc.) as they plan out their academic road map.
• UNDERSTANDING THE UNIVERSITY: Because many students arrive on campus unaware of the differences in expectations between high school or community college and university-level work, these FNDS courses are an opportunity to introduce students to a) university norms and expectations, b) the reality that there are multiple ways of understanding and studying a given topic/idea, and c) the emphasis on knowledge creation and critical thinking rather than memorization of facts.
• STUDENT BELONGING: These courses will be small (24 cap) in order to permit more interactive and engaged learning; for example, class discussions, experiential learning, and group exercises that are unwieldy in larger classes will be possible in these smaller sections. These types of learning approaches not only promote a deeper engagement with course material, but also foster relationships among the students via more interaction and collaboration, thereby increasing a student’s sense of belonging on campus.
• FACULTY CONNECTION: The small class size will also facilitate a closer, more personal connection between students and faculty, with the goal being to provide students new to campus with at least one faculty member who they feel comfortable going to with questions or concerns about their academic performance or progress.

Providing the above via a required course is a matter of equity. Although students of all levels and abilities will benefit, the students who most need these supports are the least likely to seek out optional opportunities. The FNDSrequirement will apply to both incoming FTIAC and to transfer students in CASL, as it is envisioned as a first-year-on-campus program, rather than a “freshman” program. In order to avoid increasing the course burden on students, each FNDScourse will fulfill at least one DDC requirement.

2. Faculty Development Program

A second central element is a supportive faculty development initiative for instructors, allowing them to share ideas on transparent, inclusive teaching (McNair 2016) and knowledge of campus resources at the point of need--that is, skills are applied as soon as they are learned rather than being learned in the abstract. We aim to form a group of dedicated, engaged faculty who commit to this program for a period of time, and to regularly welcome new faculty into this group. Faculty will be expected to attend at least some of a series of workshops scheduled throughout the year (approximately two perterm) and a retreat before each academic year. These will be planned in concert with the HUB, though may include guest speakers expert in the areas discussed here, and will be opportunities to share ideas and improve the effectiveness of these courses. Such workshops are envisioned to support faculty rather than impose requirements, and we recognize that it may not be possible for faculty to attend all events.

Another aspect of this development will be the opportunity for collaborative teaching. Each faculty member will have the freedom to design a FNDScourse on their desired topic, and will have autonomy over the specific assignments and assessments in the course. However, because connecting students to multiple faculty increases the likelihood that they will seek help when needed, faculty in the program will be encouraged (not required) to teach collaboratively or cooperatively. When two or more faculty want to collaborate to a greater or lesser degree on a FNDS course, each section can be scheduled in the same day/time block to allow for occasional or even frequent co-meetings. While each faculty member would have responsibility for one course (and teach in load) such collaborations could allow for sharing ideas between faculty and for students to see how faculty from various fields approach the same issues in different but equally valid ways. For example, two professors could plan their courses around a shared themebut approach the shared topic through distinct disciplinary lenses. Students in each class would primarily experience a particular discipline’s perspective, but would also be exposed to the other discipline’s viewpoint in any number of ways. The professors could organize a “professor swap” for a handful of times throughout the term (or guestlectures if the class times do not match), or shared events on campus, like a film/discussion series or a debate between the students of each class. Perhaps the courses culminate in a research symposium using podium and/or poster presentations where students from each course provide their discipline’s perspective on a shared topic. There are many ways to approach collaborative teaching, and any faculty member’s level of involvement in collaborative efforts would be self-directed and voluntary. In short, our hope is that these courses, particularly when taught collaboratively, will facilitate a better understanding of the nature of critical thinking, the different ways knowledge can be produced, and the benefits of a balanced liberal education.

It is expected that faculty who have been engaged in the existing CASL First-Year Seminar (FYS) program will be able to adapt their existing FYS courses to align with the specifics of the new FNDSprogram. Indeed, these FYS faculty are seen as a foundational group who will be key to the success of the new FNDSprogram. The majority of the FYE courses will be at the 100 level, designed for incoming FTIACs; however, some completely new or redesigned courses will be necessary at the 300-level so as to meet DDC requirements for transfer students new to campus.

Program Goals:

1.  Immerse students in university culture and scholarship
2. Engage students in building relationships with peers and faculty
3. Develop a student’s mindset and skill set for resiliency and success at ������-Dearborn and beyond

Course Goals

1.  Engage critically with course content (adjust per course)
2. Understand how knowledge is created and interpreted from multiple perspectives
3. Develop practical study and time management skills to advance degree progress
4. Utilize campus resources in the context of course content to maximize learning opportunities and career development

Faculty Development Goals

1. Gain understanding of diversities in the student population in order to advance learning and promote connections in courses and content
2. Integrate campus resources and relevant opportunities into courses in an inclusive, culturally appropriate, and meaningful way
3. Design courses that integrate features of University culture and follow best practices in teaching and learning (i.e., transparent assignments, scaffolding, etc.)
4. Engage in an active community of peers and professional development opportunities that support Foundations courses

Rationale

What is the problem?

The number of high school graduates in the State of Michigan in 2018 was 103,000. That number is projected to fall to 97,500 in 2025, and 88,000 in 2032. As a result, community colleges and universities are competing for an ever decreasing pool of 18-year olds. On average, since Fall 2009, 20% of entering FTIAC students do not return as sophomores; another 16% of the sophomores do not return as juniors. A corresponding look at transfer cohorts over the same time period reveal larger attrition percentages: 30% do not return for a second year; a further 26% of these do not return for a third year. Since tuition revenue accounts for a very large percentage of CASL’s operating budget, the projected decline in high school graduates over the next 20 years coupled with the current retention rate presents a serious long-term challenge to the ongoing operation of the College. CASL has therefore identified retention of new students as an important goal.

Students leave the institution prematurely for many reasons, not all of which we are able to address. For many of these students, however, there is a gap in engagement and/or preparedness. For these students, there is an opportunity to offer them the tools and experience to be active, successful members of the University community.

Researchers have identified two main classes of contributors to students’ premature departure from the University: access/belonging factors, and skills/preparedness factors. When considering access/belonging factors, the following stand outas particularly significant and consistent risk factors across multiple studies: first generation status, often connected to students’ reported unfamiliarity with campus norms and bureaucracies (Chen & Carroll 2005), financial stress (Robb 2017), lack of social capital and social connections (e.g., feeling isolated, confused, or “lost” on campus, Moschetti & Hudley 2015), and imposter syndrome (feeling that one is not qualified or doesn’t belong in college, Ramsey & Brown 2018). Considering skills/preparedness factors, many students arrive on campus ill-prepared for the rigor of university work, which is substantially greater than is the case for high school or community college (Hunter 2006). Researchers have found that students who are at a high risk for dropping out often hold themselves solely responsible for their success or failure in college, perceiving personal work ethic as more important than campus resources or connections (Moschetti & Hudley 2015), which if engaged could greatly bolster the likelihood of success. FNDS programs aimed at addressing some of these issues are becoming increasingly common among our peer institutions, and as evidenced in the recent profile of ������-Flint’s FYE program in the University Record (Nov. 1, 2018), students and faculty are noting their benefits. 

High Impact Practices and Foundations Classes

For the last decade, a series of studies have shown substantial benefits from what are known as High Impact Practices (HIPS), including retention, engagement, and “deep” learning (Kuh 2008). Included are many practices that ������-Dearborn already employs to great success, such as academic service learning courses, writing-intensive courses, field studies, and study abroad. First-year seminars are among the High Impact Practices with documented benefits for underserved students, particularly when used in conjunction with other HIPs (Hansen & Schmidt 2017, Swanson et al.2017, Vaughan et al. 2014). However, research shows that students who stand to benefit most from HIPs are those who are least likely to encounter them early and often (Finley 2011, Finley et al. 2013, Kuh 2008, Skipper 2017). Incorporating a Foundations programinto the CASL curriculum will not only provide students with a firmer foundation early on in their academic careers, but will also help students become aware of the many other excellent HIPs offered on campus that they can then integrate into their degree plan. 

Research on existing first year seminar programs finds that the most effective seminars are small, faculty-led courses that explore a topic related to the faculty’s research area and introduce practical and intellectual skills in this context (Kuh & O’Donnell 2013, Skipper 2017). Positive interactions with other students and with faculty are linked to a greater sense of confidence and belonging and, subsequently, to student retention and success. This effect is strongest for various underrepresented groups that have lower rates of retention overall, including first generation students, student service members and veterans, students of color, low-income students, and LGBTQ students, among others (Fuentes et al. 2014, Garvey et al. 2018, Glass etal. 2017, Roksa & Whitley 2017, Southwell et al. 2016). Again, the students who benefit most from such interactions are those least likely to initiate relationships with faculty on their own and least likely to be identified by faculty as mentees (Singh et al. 2009). Students who are introduced to campus resources and offices by an advisor or faculty member are much more likely to utilize those resources when needed than are students left to find them on their own (Habley 2004), increasing the likelihood of students’ getting the help they need to be successful. Finally, research consistently shows that first-year courses that integrate significant academic skill development and practice, conducted within the context of class content, are most effective at preparing students for future work (Skipper 2017).

Logistical Considerations

Who has been consulted and what opportunities for feedback remain?

One of the primary takeaways of the AAC&U institute was the importance of consulting extensively with various offices, groups, and individuals from across campus who have expertise on the students we seek to aid. We firmly believe that if this program is to succeed, it will need broad support across the college.To date, we have met with Institutional Research, Global Engagement, Senate First Year Experience Committee and Librarian, SOAR, Student Life, Student Counseling, Disability Services, and the InCLUDE. We presented a preliminary draft of this proposal to CASL faculty in December 2018 and solicited feedback through an anonymous online form and in-person faculty forums. Approximately 30 faculty participated in three forums in January 2019. Input received through the forums, online form, emails, and conversations with colleagues informed our thinking and has been incorporated throughout this proposal.

These consultationshave allowed us to think through the logistics and structure of the proposed program,as well as to gauge the initial reception this program might receive on campus. The feedback we havereceived to date is predominantly positive as well as including some critical and constructive thoughts. The positive feedback we have received can be summarized as follows: 1) this program would be an opportunity to scale up practices already being done on campus to support student success, such as the SOAR program and other HIPs; 2) this program takes the burden off large introductory courses to integrate students into campus life and college-level learning; 3) The FNDS allows upper-level courses to focus on content rather than taking time to teach basic learning skills. Concerns expressed included the logistics of running a large program, the potential for redundancy, worry about adding a requirement and potentially delaying graduation, initiative fatigue, and a concern that the program would not last long enough to justify the work it will take to create it. These concerns are addressed below.

How can we make this happen?

Establishing a college-wide requirement, as with CASL’s foreign language requirement, falls within the purview of the CASL Executive Committee.In Fall 2018 there were 446 and 281 FTIACs and transfer students, respectively, admitted to CASL. With a cap of 24 students this suggests that 20 or so FNDScourses would need to be developed at the 100-level (for freshman), and 12 or so at the 300-level (for transfers). The table below suggests how courses might be allocated during the first AY 2020-21. Again, note that these courses may be entirely new, may evolve from existing FYS courses, or may be existing courses adapted to the specific needs of the FNDSprogram. While it won’t work for all introductory courses, we realize (and would welcome) that some existing intro courses could have sections adapted to follow the FNDSmodel. Thus the program does not envision the creation of 30+ brand new courses.

How will existing FYS courses fit into this new program?

Upon review of materials surrounding the First Year Seminar Program, it was clearly well-thought out and carefully designed. It began in 2004 with three inaugural courses, using the Liberal Studies rubric, LIBS. The total number of seminar courses is presently 32, including two proposals approved this Fall term. Collectively these courses can be described as “cool topics” courses, linked with a composition course (most commonly COMP105). Each topic course satisfies a general education requirement originallyfrom the CASL distribution requirements and presently DDC. The coupling of a topic course with a composition course served at least three purposes: it ensured that participating students would fulfill two general education requirements; reading/writing assignments in the composition course reinforced the subject area of the topic course; and it created a cohort of 24 students with the shared experience of two freshman-level courses. Enrollment in these topics courses was optional andrestricted to FTIACs. No program was created to serve transfer students; upper level students likewise could not participate. In addition to course specific learning goals, the cadre of first year seminars shared an emphasis on writing and exposure to campus resources such as the library.

The present proposal keeps much of this foundation. Notable departures from the original program speak to some of its limitations:

• The new program addresses a first year experience for transfer students.Transfer students represent 45% of newstudents, and these students exhibit many of the deficiencies evident in our FTIAC population. Not having a program to address this important cohort is short sighted on the part of the college.
• The new program is required of all CASL students.As an elective program, enrollments relied almost entirely on active promotion by participating faculty members and by CASL Advising. The extent to which Admissions and Enrollment Management promoted this program was uneven at best, and at cross purposes at worst.
• FNDS courses are not coupled with composition courses.In the present climate of swirling, of dual enrollments, and of Advanced Placement exams, many of our new students already come to us having satisfied an introductory composition course. In addition, scheduling two adjacent courses (a topics course and a linked composition course) represented a logistics nightmare to our own scheduling processes and prevented many students from being able participate.

It is expected that many first-year seminars that now bear the LIBS rubric would be good candidates for first year experience courses. Naturally, course and program goals would need to be explicitly revisited and incorporate the FNDSgoals, and submission of the course for DDC approval represents an additional step. If this program is approved by the CASL Executive Committee, then expedited review processes would be sought by CASL Curriculum Committee, UCDC, and the DDC Subcommittee. Removing the formerly required connection to a composition course may open the FNDS program up to more explicitly quantitative courses; that is, we picture FNDS as discipline independent. With the introduction of the FNDS rubric, administratively it is expected that the first-year seminars bearing the LIBS rubric will either be deactivated or migrated to FNDS courses.

How will this be managed and assessed?

We heard a few times that this program would add to initiative fatigue. We agree that this is a risk. However, faculty involvement in this program is optional and our consultationswith faculty across CASL suggest that there is broad interest in this program. To ensure adequate support for long-term feasibility, we suggest the creation of a standing FNDSsteering committee to manage operations, make adjustments to the program as needed, and carry the work forward. Such a committee would be constituted by the Dean and consist of 4-7 faculty members who would serve two-year staggered terms and coordinate with staff on the scheduling of classes, recruiting faculty, coordinating with the HUB to present faculty development events, and suggest updates to the program based on new developments in pedagogy and student needs. The committee will consider both student needs and college resources when approving courses and assemblingFNDSofferings. This committee would also maintain a document describing requirements for FNDS courses, solicit and review proposals for courses to be designated FNDS, and coordinate with Curriculum and DDC committees to streamline approval of FNDS courses through those bodies. The final charge of this committee would be coordinating program assessment efforts. As indicated in the projected Timeline, the plan is for the program to be assessed after 3 years; assessment will be based on student feedback, faculty feedback, and data related to student success and retention. 

Who will teach these courses?

The success of this program depends on highly motivated faculty with a consistent on-campus presence. Fortunately, passionate and engaged faculty members are commonplace in CASL. The program will be open to all full-time faculty, including LEO IIIs and IVs, who are willing to commit to the spirit and goals of the program. We appreciate that many of our most engaged instructors are over-leveraged and have concerns about committing to a program such as this. In this section, we hope to assuage some of these concerns and outline why we think finding enough faculty support should not be a problem. By investing in faculty development and relationships, we expect the program will attract enough interest that a well-qualified roster of faculty who can rotate into FNDScourses can be maintained, ensuring adequate staffing to meet needs.

First, there are a number of faculty members with First Year Seminar courses in our catalog. As mentioned earlier, these could be converted with relative ease into courses that fit the Foundations program. We anticipate that most of the professors who have participated in similar endeavors in the past will find value in what we are attempting here. Second, there are many excellent faculty across CASL who struggle to fill classes due to lower enrollments across the college. FNDS presents an opportunity for these professors to teach courses in their specialty area that fill (since students will be required to take a FNDS) and build relationships with incoming students, which may lead to increased enrollments in their field later. Third, participation in this program will open up many opportunities for faculty development. The Dean’s Officeis committed to supporting pedagogical workshops and training so that we give this program every chance at success. We hope that newer, untenured faculty might see the value in making good use of these resources to improve their pedagogy, while also supporting an important initiative for student success. Fourth, we see our emphasis on faculty development as a powerful tool to build an even stronger sense of community among faculty members. Just as we want students to find and strengthen more relationships among themselves and with faculty, we want the same to happen among the faculty who participate in this program. We aim to further enhance a culture of support, collegiality, and openness.

Does this increase the burden on students?

Although the FNDSprogram does represent an additional requirement for CASL students, it does not necessarily represent an additional course (or additional credits). This is because, as mentioned above, each FNDScourse will fulfill at least one DDC requirement. The specificDDC requirement(s) met by each FNDScourse will vary, depending on the discipline and the structure of the course. This not only gives participating faculty the freedom to choose which DDC requirement best aligns with the goals and content of their course, but also allows students to select FNDS courses that fulfill a DDC requirement they need. Moreover, research presented at the AAC&U institute in Salt Lake City (June 2018) clearly highlighted that if a first year seminarsuch as this was only optional, the students who would benefit the most are the least likely to enroll. Requiring this course of all incoming first year students is essential and a fundamental matter of equity.

It is also important to highlight that the benefits intended to come from this course—more developed course skills, a better understanding of the “big picture” that is a college education, and an enhanced sense of confidence and belonging—will function to remove barriers that have been making it harder for ������-Dearborn students to complete their degrees. In this way, this added requirement will provide a solid foundation for success in future courses, which will reduce the burden on CASL students in the long run.

Does this increase the burden on faculty? Will faculty benefit from the program?

The program will not increase the burden on faculty. FNDS courses will count as in-load teaching. Pedagogical expectations will be supported through teaching communities and workshops.Marketing for courses will be handled through the Dean’s office. These courses will provide steady teaching where the college has excess capacity in its instructor ranks. Several features of the courses and overall FNDS program are expected to make participation appealing to ������-Dearborn faculty:

• Small class size
• Support for developing new pedagogical tools
• Support of a cohort of other FNDS instructors
• Guaranteed enrollment (FNDS courses are unlikely to be cancelled because a limited number of sections will be offered and students will be required to elect one)
• Opportunity to teach on topics about which they are passionate
• Opportunity to do some cooperative teaching (without causing teaching-load related issues)
• Support for existing HIPs on campus (study abroad, academic service learning, internships, etc.

What is the difference between a 100-level FNDS course and a 300-level FNDS course?

Generally, both levels of the Foundations courses are envisioned as deep dives into topics of interest to a faculty member, and both levels would have to satisfy the same core student outcomes; the specifics of how those outcomes are satisfied, however, is likely to be somewhat different. To re-state, 100-level courses will be primarily designed for students who have never before stepped onto a college campus (FTIACS), whereas 300-level courses will be primarily designed for transfer students. Both of these groups need additional support to reach their full potential at ������-Dearborn, but the particular challenges faced by the two groups are likely to differ somewhat. For example, the 100-level offerings may have a discussion about how college is different from high school, whereas 300-level offerings may discuss more specifically how University-level expectations are different from expectations at a community college. Thinkingbroadly, we mainly envision the differences between the two levels of course offerings to be in pace and/or scaffolding: both sets of courses would start at the same point in terms of the assumptions about student knowledge and skills, but the 300-level courses would have a more accelerated pace and/or provide less structured guidance than the 100-level offerings. Finally, the 100/300 level difference for these two groups is also very practical, as the two levels permit different DDC requirements to be fulfilled: because transfer students have often satisfied the lower-level DDC requirements, having to take a 100-level Foundations course would likely mean an additional course burden; taking a 300-level Foundations course, however, would allow them to satisfy an upper-level DDC requirement like Intersections or Upper-Level Writing, and would not represent an additional course burden.

Timeline

• January 2019 - Host faculty forums to gauge reaction to program proposal and gather new feedback
• March 2019 -Make formal proposal to CASL Executive Committee incorporating feedback
• May 2019 -Identify cohort of faculty willing to commit to First Year Experience Program; establish Steering Committee
• August 2019 -Draft course proposals due to First Year Experience Steering Committee
• October 2019 -Submit course proposals to CASL Curriculum Committee
• November 2019 -Submit course proposals to UCDC
• Fall 2019 -Professional development workshop (in conjunction with the HUB)
• Winter 2020 -Submit course proposals to DDC
• Winter 2020 -Professional development workshop (in conjunction with the HUB)
• Late Summer 2020-FYE faculty retreat (day or half day)
• Fall 2020 -Launch First Year Experience Program; professional development continues with approximately two opportunities per term
• Fall 2023 -Program assessment; data from students, faculty, and administration will be gathered to assess whether the FYE program is meeting its goals