University of the Incarnate
Word
Creating a Culture of Engagement:
Campus-Wide Collaboration
Sandra D. McMakin
Director, First Year Engagement
[email protected]
Cheryl A. Anderson, Ph.D.
Dean, School of Interactive Media & Design
[email protected]
Introduction to UIW
Small, Liberal Arts, Catholic Institution in San
Antonio
 Undergraduate enrollment : 4370
 Hispanic Serving Institution: 55 % Hispanic
 Commuter School: (81 % do not live on
campus)
 Gender Analysis: (34 % Male, 66% Female)
 First-Time, First-Year Students: 574
 SACS accredited
2005 - 2006 UIW Institutional Research
QEP Statement
on Engagement
By increasing engagement in the
learning process over a five-year
period, the academic progress of
first-time, first-year students will
improve as evidenced by internal
and external measurements.
QEP = Quality Enhancement Plan
UIW Definition Engagement Occurs When
Students
dedicate themselves to coursework that is
intellectually and creatively challenging;
are active and collaborative in learning bot
theory and real-life practical applications;
make connections between co-curricular
campus and community activities and their
classroom learning;
interact with faculty in a variety of settings
get involved with a variety of campus
programs and services.
Goals of FY Experience
(FYE) at UIW

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Students understand the culture of higher
education
Students utilize University services
Students make informed/more realistic
choices about majors
Students understand the importance of the
core curriculum
Students know the UIW mission
Students bond with the UIW community
Students engage in co-curricular activities
Initiatives for
Increasing Engagement
 Sept 2004: Title V Collaborative Grant
 Fall 2004: BEAMS and NSSE
 May 2005: First-Year Engagement
Office
 May 2005: Title V Faculty Development
 Fall 2005: First-Year Advisory Board
 Fall 2005: QEP Task Forces
 Fall 2006: “First-Year Faculty”
Committee
FY Engagement Office
 Meet with first-year students to identify
variables and obstacles for success
 Create and administer FYE programming
 Create Blackboard site for communication
with students
 Communicate with first-year faculty to
identify areas of concern
 Assist in integrating and institutionalizing
engagement initiatives
Interacting
With
Faculty
Reading
Your
Books
Meeting
With Your
Advisor
Taking Notes
And Asking
Questions
Student
Contributing
To
No Significant Difference
Classroom
Discussions
Learning
New
Concepts
Sharing new
Ideas with
Family and
Friends
Getting
Involved
In
Campus
Activities
Summary of FY Contact
(November 2005)
Breakdown of Student Initial Contacts
Workshop Contact
151
Info Booth
85
Individual Sessions
170
Total
406
Additional Contacts
207
Total Contacts with FY Students
613
Enrollment Report (FR)
574
FYE Director
FYE
Student Engagement
Specialist
FYE
Student Engagement
Specialist
Peer
Mentors
First-Year Student Groups:
20 per group
FYE Peer Mentor Program
Faculty
Mentors
QEP Task Forces
 Orientation
 First-Year Curriculum
 Advising
Established by VPASA: FYE Representation on All Task Forces
QEP Task Force Directives
 Analyze current programs in relation
to recommended goals for First-Year
students
 Develop recommended assessments
 Recommend changes/revisions
QEP Task Forces Updates
 Orientation
Mandatory, two phase, University
101, parent programming, collaboration
on planning process
 Advising
Defined advising; Identified need for
training, development and future work
 First-Year Curriculum
Identified Core courses; first-year
faculty initiatives
TARGET CORE Courses
RELIGION
ALMA
ALGEBRA/
Math Core
ALRH
ENGL
COMP LIT
1311
PHIL 1301
Assessing the FY
Experience:
NSSE and FYE Survey
 National Survey on Student Engagement (NSSE):
Spring 2004 (FY Students)
Population: 576
Response: 157 (27%)
 First-Year Engagement Survey (FYE Survey)
Spring 2006
Population: 574 Response: 175 (30%)
 Statistical Analysis of Surveys: Mr. Earl Harmsen,
Coordinator of Decision Sciences, H-E-B School of
Business, UIW
FYE Survey and NSSE
FYE Survey and NSSE
FYE Survey and NSSE
FYE Survey and NSSE:
Active and Collaborative
Learning
UIW FY = 2.84
FYE = 2.88
FYE Survey and NSSE:
Active and Collaborative
Learning
UIW FY = 2.24
FYE = 2.25
FYE Survey and NSSE:
Challenging Coursework
UIW FY = 2.60
FYE = 2.78
FYE Survey and NSSE 2004
Make Connections
UIW FY = 2.33
FYE = 2.53
FYE Survey and NSSE 2004
Interact with Faculty
UIW FY Positive Responses = 79.0%
FYE Positive Responses = 84.3%
FYE Survey
Make Connections
FYE Survey
Interact with Faculty
FYE Survey
Challenging Coursework
Other Assessments
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•
•
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Retention data
Scholastic probation information
Undeclared student data
“DFW” data
Future Plans
 Integrate Mentor Program into Target
Courses
 Continue collaboration with “First-Year
Faculty”
 Assess and update orientation
programming
 Update and align FYE survey
 Create interactive web based
programming for FYE Initiatives