VILLA MARIA COLLEGE
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE OF
THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEETING
Monday, September 22, 2014
11:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.
MINUTES
Present:
Dr. Matthew Giordano, Dr. Ryan Hartnett, Fr. Mark Wolski, SM Raymond Kasprzak, Mr.
Peter Meyers, Mr. Timothy Rider
Conference Call: Sister Suzanne Kush
Excused: Msgr. Angelo Caligiuri
Prayer:
The meeting was opened with a prayer by Fr. Mark Wolski.
Agenda:
I.
Committee Goals
The Committee Goals were reviewed at the June 2014 meeting and included in
the minutes of that meeting. Dr. Giordano will resend the goals to the members.
II.
Updates
A. Psychology B.A.
The Psychology B.A. program was approved by the New York State
Department of Education. Thanks were extended to Dr. Ryan Hartnett for his
work on this project.
B. Honors Program (Discussed under other)
C. Occupational Therapy Assistant
Dr. Ryan Hartnett is preparing to send the proposal for the Occupational
Therapy Assistant program to the New York State Department of Education by
October 1st, 2014.
Paula Santacroce-Velarde has been hired as the full-time faculty member for
the Fall 2014 semester. Requirements from ACOTE (Accreditation Council for
Occupational Therapy Education) are being followed as part of the
accreditation process. Full accreditation for this program will not be complete
until the first class graduates in 2017. Paper is being prepared for submission
to ACOTE, and will be sent by December 15th. Currently our only competition
in this area is Erie Community College.
A question was asked regarding how students will be able to address their
anticipated accreditation status before 2017. The response was that students
who would graduate before 2017, can state that they have graduated from
the program with candidacy for accreditation. Once accreditation is awarded
to the program, they are able to state that they graduated from an accredited
program.
There are still several areas which need to be worked on. They include:
 Hiring additional faculty – A Clinical Coordinator (full-time)
 Equipment needs
 Make a site visit with the Consultant (Scott Homer) in Albany
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III.
D. Other
For future consideration:
 The possibility to offer online courses and work with online learning.
 Hybrid courses (Keeping in mind that PTA and OTA need clinical
experience)
 New Faculty hired for the Fall 2014 semester:
o Paula Santacroce-Velarde – Occupational Therapist Assistant
o Tyler Welker – Animation
o Rodrigo Gomez – Animation
 Enrollment:
o 477 Students
o 490 was the projected figure
o The Fall 2014 semester did show an increase from the Fall
2013 semester
 The Honors Program has been launched
o Natalia Albul a faculty member is running the program
 Current major Initiatives:
o Service Learning Program – A task force is working on this
project
o Four Year Honor Society – A society has been found and work
is being done to complete the process
o The Music department is completing their review
o The Core Curriculum will be implemented for FA-15
o The Student Success Center – Is operational and serving the
students
 The Director and Coaches were hired at the end of
the Sp-14 semester
 Director – Dr. Agnes Zak-Moskal
 Math Coach – Derrick Dupuis
 Writing/English Coach – Elizabeth Kerr
Student Success Center
Dr. Agnes Zak-Moskal gave a power point presentation.
About Student Success Center Team
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•
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Agnieszka Zak-Moskal – Director of Student Success
– Ed.D., Educational Leadership, D’Youville College
– M.A., Organizational Psychology, Teachers College Columbia
University
– B.A., Psychology, Hunter College, CUNY
Elizabeth Kerr – Academic Success Coach and Writing Center Coordinator
– M.S., Literacy, City College, CUNY
– B.A., English with adolescent teaching certification, State College at
Geneseo
Derrick Dupuis – Academic Success Coach and Math Lab Coordinator
– M.S., Computational Biology, University at Buffalo, SUNY
– B.S., Biology, University at Buffalo, SUNY
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Current Initiatives
•
•
•
•
•
First-Year Advising
– minimum of 3-4 meetings each semester
First-Year Mentorship Program
– Villa administrators and staff members meet with students during Fall
and Spring semester
– About 118 mentees and 31 mentors
Workshops during First-Year Seminar
– Time management, setting priorities, effective note taking, how to
give a great Power Point presentation
Proctor texts and quizzes
– Special accommodations
– Make-up exams
Tutoring Services
– For all programs and all students
– Available by appointment or walk-in
– 6-7 professional and 7 peer tutors
– Data as of week 4 (Fall 2014)
• Total tutoring appointments 168
• Total attended tutoring appointments 146 vs. 140 last Spring
2014
• 95 appointments were tutored by Liz or Derrick
Other Initiatives
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•
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Supplemental Instruction
– English and Math (piloted this semester)
Probation
– Workshop & Individual meetings
– Includes Student Success plan required by Financial Aid
Professional Development for Faculty
– How to motivate students
– Changes in K-12 that will affect our future students
– Reading Apprenticeship program for subject area textbooks
Upper-Level Peer tutoring course
Dr. Zak-Moskal was available for questions and answers after the presentation.
Tutoring of students has proven to be successful. The Center has serviced as
many students in the first four weeks of this semester as were served for the
entire spring semester.
Elizabeth Kerr is able to work with reading apprenticeship.
First-time, first-year freshmen are being advised by Derrick and Liz. It is
anticipated they will meet between three and four times during the semester.
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Other Student Success Center Items:
 The re-admit and transfer students
 Students on probation – offer a mentor to these students
 Work individually with students on probation
 Revise the Academic review process
 Distinguishing which students may need assistance to become successful
with the entire college experience
 If the need arises next year, it is possible we may need to hire more
professional tutors
 Help the first-time, first-year students transition to a faculty advisor next
year
 Students at any level who need help, will be able to go to the Student
Success Center
 Keep the mentorship connections that were made with first time – first
year students
 All the work being done through the Student Success Center should help
increase retention
 Many students have become familiar and comfortable, and are coming to
the Student Success Center
 For future consideration is the possibility of offering student workshops,
for example one on time management
 Help motivate students for better academic results
 Work with Financial Aid to develop the proper financial packages for our
students
 The “Say Yes” students who are treated equally to all freshmen
 Student mentors are from all aspects of the college. Some are
administration, faculty, staff, and administrative assistants
 It is suggested that in the future possibly some Board of Trustee members
may consider being a mentor
 Thanks were extended to Dr. Ryan Hartnett and his team for preparing
the Student Success Center plan
 It is early in the process, but so far the results have been very positive
 The Student Success team have made an effort to reach out to the
students, and not wait for them to come to the center
 Work is also done with the Director of Students for Disabilities, and
instructors to help students with special needs
 Students with disabilities need to identify themselves and register with
Melissa Zgliczynski – Director of Students with Disabilities
 Quarter-Term Evaluations for first-time, first-year students have been
received from the various instructors, and shared with the students
 It is a positive approach to help students, when you identify any issues
early
 Dr. Giordano will prepare a mid-term report once the data is available
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IV.
Presentation at Board of Trustee Meeting
Dr. Giordano had a discussion with the committee on what should be presented at
the Board of Trustees meeting. Dr. Giordano will meet with Fr. Mark Wolski to
prepare for this meeting.
Areas to share:
 Resources needed to prepare the next budget
 A brief presentation on the Occupational Therapist Assistant Program
 Share information on how the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board
of Trustees works
 Brief update on the newly approved Psychology program
 Report on the Student Success Center
 Explain the Music review process
 Report on the Workforce Development and Life Long Learning programs
 Board connections with the community
 Contracting with Businesses
 Having workshops for the community
o Areas included:
 Revit classes (Explanation)
 NCIDQ workshop for Interior Design (Explanation)
 Inform the Board of Trustees to know what type of product is coming out
of Villa Maria College and what is new
 Offer a condensed presentation on items discussed at this meeting
 Report on major plans being considered in the academic area, and what is
needed to move ahead with these plans
 Scholarship and Financial Aid
Adjournment: The meeting was adjourned at 12:15 p.m.
Respectfully Submitted
Dr. Matthew Giordano
Vice President for Academic Affairs
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