Framework for Successful
Centralized First Year Advising and
Learning Assistance Services
Dr. Peggy J. Smith, Director
Academic Achievement Center
Bridgewater State College
Bridgewater, Massachusetts 02325
(508) 531-1214
[email protected]
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Academic Achievement
Center
The Academic Achievement
Center is…
a centralized network of programs and
services designed to support the academic
success of ALL students
First year students are
the primary focus.
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Academic Achievement Center
Programs and Services
Academic
Advising
Learning Assistance
Courses with
attached
Learning
Assistance
Work in concert to support the academic success of all
first year students, with particular attention to those with
markers
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More of academic risk
Academic Achievement Center
Faculty Roles
•
Provide oversight of
1. centralized first year advising
program
2. learning assistance services
•
•
•
•
Participate in program planning and delivery
Supervise graduate and undergraduate staf
Provide liaison with academic departments
Help disseminate information about first year
initiatives
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Advising Services
• Placement testing (mathematics, reading,
writing, and Foreign Language)
• Orientation and first semester group advising
for freshmen, transfers and students readmitting after academic separation
• Haughey First Year Advising Program
– 5 advising contacts per student
– Faculty defined curriculum
• Attention to needs of students with
disabilities and students from academically
disadvantaged backgrounds.
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Learning Assistance
–
–
–
–
–
–
–
Study and Research Services*
Writing Studio*
Mathematics Services*
Communication Lab*
Second Language Services*
Disability Resources
Content Tutoring for Core curriculum and
introductory courses
* Faculty directed
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Courses with Attached Learning
Assistance
• Targeted ENGL101 – replaced non-credit writing course
– Address reading skills – Book Clubs
– Address learning skills – Study Groups
– Address writing skills – Writing Fellow
– Link with advising – Peer Advisor
• Targeted Pre-calculus – for majors that require calculus
– Address time on task and mastery – Math Coach
– College credit for successful completion
– Link with advising – Peer Advisor
• Targeted Pre-college math – for majors that require
calculus
– Address time on task and mastery – Math Coach
– Link with advising – Peer Advisor
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• Targeted English 101: 9 sections (180 students placed)
100 people were involved in some meaningful way:
instructors, advisors, graduate assistants, undergraduates in
roles of peer advisor, writing fellow, and book club cofacilitators, faculty directors of AAC learning assistance, and
book club facilitators drawn from administrative and staf
ranks across the campus.
• Targeted pre-college math: 3 sections (75 students
placed)
More than 20 people were involved in some meaningful way:
instructors, advisors, undergraduate math coaches, faculty
directors of learning assistance, and administrative staf.
• Targeted Pre-calculus: 4 sections (115 students placed)
More than 20 people were involved in some meaningful way:
instructors, advisors, undergraduate math coaches, faculty
directors of learning assistance, and administrative staf.
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Student Outcomes
• 1st semester good academic standing: 74%
before program changes
• 80% - 84% since
• 1st year – 2nd year Persistence: 2000 cohort
73%
• 75% - 78% since
• Persistence into 3rd year : 2000 cohort 63%
• 64% - 68% since
• Six-year graduation rate: 46% - 47% before
program change
• 48% - 51% since
NOTE: admission standards have been the same since
2001
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Student Outcomes
Most at-risk students place in Targeted English 101:
• Rate of D/F/W/I in first-semester writing
– Fall, 2005: All sections 16%; Targeted 18%
– Fall, 2006: All sections 15%; Targeted 19%
• Rate of Academic Dismissal (EN and MA)
– Fall, 2005: All 1st semester 6%; Targeted 12%
– Fall, 2006: All 1st semester 6%; Targeted 7%
• Rate of D/F/W/I in English 102:
– Fall, 2004: All non-target students 18%; target students
25%
– Fall, 2005: All non-target students 16%; target students
17%
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First Semester Dean’s List
• 2001F
156/1139 14%
• 2002F
178/1272 14%
• 2003F
203/1285 16%
• 2004F
217/1255 17%
• 2005F
223/1332 17%
• 2006F
293/1345 22%
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Involvement Supports Faculty
Development
• Advising skills
• Understanding of student development
• Teaching skills
• Opportunities for scholarship
• Opportunities for collaboration with
staf and faculty colleagues from other
disciplines
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In their own words…
“In addition to the knowledge gained
and the potential for increasing my own
skills as an advisor to students, the
AAC ofers faculty an opportunity to
meet colleagues outside of their
departments and greatly increases the
sense of community at the college. I
enjoy being a member of the “BSC
team” all the more because of this
experience.”
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In their own words…
“My work at AAC continues to be the highlight
of my work at BSC. The work with faculty,
faculty directors, graduate assistants, and
most importantly, the students adds much to
my work as a literacy educator. ”
”The AAC work is the arm of social justice on
campus. If we cannot support those we have
accepted on their own merits, we cannot
claim to be an instrument of democracy. The
collaborative relationship grounds you. It
keeps you real. The effect of collaboration
is exponential. We do so much more for
so many more (students, faculty and
staff) because we are a team.”
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In their own words…
“As a cornerstone component of BSC, the
AAC through faculty involvement
reinforces a culture of active learning,
high expectations, and values the
development of successful
learners…”
“I have learned more about our students
and our college through the AAC than I
would have in a more traditional role.
Knowing my students better helped
me to craft my courses to their needs -- a
difficult process that can take years even
for Expect
experienced
teachers.
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In their own words…
“Teaching classes provides only a
limited perspective on student needs;
seeing students in a diferent
context--and having the chance to
interact with others who support
students in diferent ways than I do-helps me see the big picture of
student needs and thus helps me
to craft programs that better
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meet
those needs.” Academic Achievement Center
Critical Attributes of Model
• High degree of faculty involvement
• Campus well informed & highly
supportive
• Mandatory first year advising program
with defined curriculum
• Use of college credit courses with
meaningful learning assistance
attached to support achievement
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