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

an advisor at his computer with a student sitting next to him

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)
the Shakespeare statue in the background and flowers in the foreground

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

an advisor at her computer with a student sitting next to her

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
three female students walking out of UHB

High DFW Courses

  • Engaged Patricia Johnson to gather a group of faculty to work on this issue
  • Dr. Johnson intends for ongoing professional development opportunities for faculty in the fall
  • Exploring a Faculty Mentoring program for students
  • Invited 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

two students sitting at a table writing in their notebooks

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

Co-Chairs

  • Mike Roth
  • Tarah Sweeting-Trotter

Sub-Committee Members

  • Kathy Battee-Freeman
  • Curtis Sanders
  • Daniel Aguilar
  • Craig McFarland
  • Nicole Hager
  • Nicole Meismer
  • Asia Scott
  • Patricia Johnson