Academic Support Subcommittee
Purpose
- Augment first year seminars with a shared learning experience, faculty development, and financial literacy.
- Address courses with high DFWs and high equity gaps.
- Implement a co-requisite writing model.
- Strengthen the advising program to a proactive advising model.
- Enhance Summer Scholars experience for newly enrolled students.
Major Tasks
Strengthen Advising at UIS
- NACADA audit completed; results delivered; awaiting review by Provost
- Assessment of first-year advising completed; data analyzed
- Proactive advising defined and explained in the newly developed Advising Handbook created by the Advising Community
- Increased access to professional development for advisors (NACADA conferences attended, Advising retreat planned for early August)
Enhanced Summer Scholars Experience
- New Coordinator hired fall of 2024
- Revamped curriculum including field trips, new programming, enhanced academic offerings
- Expanded Peer Mentoring program
- Unable to expand capacity for programming due to lack of funding
Financial Literacy Component Added
- Financial Literacy Coordinator Hired
- Financial Literacy Component added to FYS for fall 2025
- Additional FL programming exploring Welcome Week opportunities and marketing to students throughout the semester
High DFW Courses
- Engaged Dr. Patricia Johnson to gather a group of faculty to work on this issue
- Dr. Johnson will be leading a community of practice for faculty and instructors beginning fall 2025
- Exploring a Faculty Mentoring program for students
- Invited Dr. John Ferry to discuss his innovations in the classroom with the aim of reducing DFW rates
- Learning Hub (Nicole Meismer) has gathered yearly data on DFW rates and can monitor changes
Explore enhanced writing curriculum for entry-level English
- Steph Hedge and Sarah Collins have launched a co-requisite course for entry-level English
- Testing students for placement
- Will pilot in fall of 2025