First Year Experiences Discussion Notes - Metro Atlanta Regional Meeting

First year experiences was one of three shared areas of interest for participants at the Metro Atlanta CCG Regional Meeting held at Atlanta Metropolitan State College on April 4, 2016. Brief notes from the breakout conversation on this issue at the meeting follow:

Key Concerns

• Negative student perception on usefulness of seminar courses after completion
• Knowing how to best structure the courses (placement in the core curriculum, giving a grade or not, one hour or three hour credits, etc.)
• Need for resources to pay faculty
• On some campuses, seminars are not taught to every student and are only for Learning Support students, including adult learners
• Keeping it relevant for today’s students
• As classes become more themed oriented on some campuses, there is a concern about how to gather data
  
  • Course content varies and it’s difficult to show causality

Observations

• Freshman seminar courses help students to become engaged on campus (creates a community with their peers and allows them to get to know their professors)
• Students who take freshman seminar courses consistently show a higher retention rate for second year
• Find what’s right for your campus culture – evidence is there that first year seminars/experiences are useful for students

Solutions

• Data collection and informing future decisions
• Developing a more holistic approach to seminar content
• Experimental phase – learn from observations over the next year
• FYE page on the CCG website with links to FY courses for each institution in the System 

Discussion Notes

Georgia Tech

• No stipends for faculty at Georgia Tech – an instructor can teach as long as they meet SACS requirements
  
  • Mostly staff and advisors teaching
• General sections of GT 1000
  
  • 3 core topics for general classes – career major research, resume writing and interview skills, group project, academic study skills – instructor can mix up topics from there
• Major specific courses – bring in faculty to present about their research
• Themed classes
  
  • Introduce service learning, first generation, leadership
  • Center for Academic Enrichment organizes the themes
  • Career Discovery Center – potential jobs for majors, career exploration, interview preparation
• 60 sections of freshman seminars and 90% of students take FY seminars
• Most classes have Team Leaders – upperclassmen who have previously taken seminar course, all volunteers 
  
  • Students want to become TLs because the class was so helpful for them
    • A Team Leader Board trains the incoming TLs
• No more than 20 students per course – students become a cohort and share successes
• Students do get a grade for the class – most get an A
• Most end up with a resume at the end of the course
• Courses are completely supplemental – “doesn’t count” toward degree
• Graduation rates are higher for students who do take FY courses – consistently mentioned at freshman orientation  
• Under College of Registrar – courses are not associated with other academic departments   
• GT 2813 for transfer students
  
  • Special topics courses
  • Geared toward students with experience in college
  • Focuses on maintaining grit and resilience and prepares students for the rigor at GT
• Correlation doesn’t mean causation – can’t track everything in Banner
• Use GradesFirst as a basic scheduling tool, but there is no analytics piece
• Charge tuition plus a student fee

Clayton State

• FY seminars are a requirement for CSU students
  
  • Most students think it’s a waste of time  
• Ending with a portfolio of information and a list of resources would be helpful
• Considering offering 50 minutes vs 90 minutes sections  
• Implementation works best in Student Affairs
• Faculty advisory committee is needed
• Likes the idea of courses for transfers and academic coaches even for successful students 
  
  • Has a transfer orientation – social engagement with students
• Centralized
• Rolling out SSC Campus (old GradesFirst)

West Georgia

• Talking head syndrome – courses don’t relate to them until they need it 
• 50 minute duration is the goal – 2 hour sections are offered now
• 2,000 incoming freshman
• Centralizing is necessary
• Observation on presentation from Elaine Seymour – major changes in STEM fields and non-return rates
  
  • Not knowing how to deal with less than an A grade, particularly for women is a critical barrier
• Fixation on grades and identity – moving toward competencies and skills   
• Likes idea of a transfer first year experience course – how to succeed at West Georgia
• Special sections for honors students
• Writing Center is maxed out for QEP – across core curriculum  
• Think that it improves first to second year retention
• EAB – hard to tell if it’s been worth the investment for West Georgia – Fall 2016 will be first full-blown implementation  
  
  • Need to enforce use and follow up with accountability

Gordon State

• Teach seminars differently to adult learners
• Gordon State also offers a class for returning students from academic probatio