The University of Colorado Boulder embarked on the Foundations of Excellence initiative to create an excellent experience for all first-year students. This self-study and improvement process was guided by the Gardner Institute – a non-profit organization devoted to improving teaching, learning, retention and student success – and represented a partnership among Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and Undergraduate Education. Over 100 faculty, staff, and students from across campus served on nine committees.
Each committee evaluated a specific aspect, or “Dimension,” of the first-year experience (FYE). Each self-study was guided by questions from the Gardner Institute and informed by five kinds of data: (1) an inventory of all first-year programs collected from across campus; (2) student data from Institutional Research (e.g., retention data, student demographics); (3) student and faculty surveys; (4) student focus groups; and (5) an “evidence library” consisting of relevant scholarly articles, recent campus reports and student surveys, a survey of department chairs, and course data from Institutional Research. Committees also had access to white papers submitted to the Academic Futures Initiative.
Each committee produced a final report that assesses the current state of their particular first-year dimension and that includes recommendations for changes to improve the first-year experience. To reduce duplication and produce a more holistic set of recommendations, the Steering Committee grouped the commendations into six themes: Philosophy & Objectives, Programs & Support Services, Inclusive Community, Faculty & Staff, Assessment, and Communication. The recommendations were then judiciously combined and distilled.
Some recommendations are worth mentioning because they will impact all first-year students and require no additional resources. For example, one committee developed a Philosophy Statement that should serve as the guiding document for implementing campus level policies and programs related to the FYE. Another committee recommends creating a “Why Am I Here Statement” that defines the roles and purposes of higher education for all CU students and encourages them to explore their own motivations for pursuing a degree at CU Boulder.
Some recommendations will be challenging. For example, one committee noted the degree to which academic policies vary among the schools and colleges. Those differences create problems for students interested in changing majors or schools. Unifying academic policies can improve the ability of students to navigate their educational pathways, but will require schools and colleges to agree to campus-wide policies and processes.
The Gardner Institute will provide campus with a process to plan, manage, and evaluate implementation of the summary recommendations. We anticipate that implementation of the FoE action plan will take more than a year, depending on the complexity of the particular recommendation and resources – both funding and people - needed. The first step in the implementation process will be to establish a Steering Committee for the effort.
I wish to thank my colleagues on the committee for all their outstanding work and dedication to this important process. Many challenges and opportunities lie ahead, but if our campus faces these with the focus and dedication the committee has so far engendered, the future will be excellent, indeed.
Mary Kraus, vice provost and associate vice chancellor for undergraduate education
Convener of the Foundations of Excellence Coordination Committee