Earlier this month our Futures Institute members facilitated a series of open forums about ACC’s guided pathways implementation. I want to thank faculty and staff who shared their thoughts and concerns ― you’re a vital part of this journey.

In April Futures Institute members also will update our Campus Advisory Committees about our plans. Their presentation will be posted on the Futures Institute website, where you can continue to view announcements and updates.

We’ve said from the beginning that this would be an iterative process. Plans will evolve and we’ll need to make adjustments along the way. We will continue to draw upon the perspectives and experiences of faculty and staff as we determine how the pieces of this complicated puzzle fit together. If you have questions or input, I hope you will speak to a Futures Institute member or email [email protected].

For the immediate term, we’re focusing on three priorities: program mapping, student onboarding activities, and advising.

For the immediate term, we’re focusing on three priorities: program mapping, student onboarding activities, and advising.

Program mapping

As you know, we’re organizing programs into 10 broad areas of study. We’ve completed course mapping for about half of these, and the remainder will happen soon. The core mapping team includes representatives from Instruction, Student Services, Continuing Education, Adult Education, Developmental Education, Articulation & Transfer, Career Planning & Placement, High School Relations, and Library Services. You can learn about the process, view maps created so far, and see a schedule of remaining mapping sessions on the Guided Pathways Mapping webpage.

Onboarding

We know the steps from application to registration can be confusing for many incoming students. The goal is to bring together key offices ― Enrollment Management, Public Information and College Marketing, Admissions and Records, and other Student Services areas ― to make enrollment simpler, streamlined, and more personalized for students. We’re implementing Ellucian’s Recruiter tool to facilitate the process, beginning with the pre-application phase. We also plan to introduce area of study information sessions for first-time-in-college students or those entering ACC with fewer than 12 credits. Students will be able to learn about programs and careers within their study area while engaging with faculty, advisors, and peers with similar interests.

Advising

Advising also plays an important role in the pathways model. Moving to a case management system for advising will help us provide the specific level of support a particular student needs while allowing us to make best use of our faculty and staff’s expertise. Defining processes and building our advising structure will be challenging, and Student Services Vice President Dr. Virginia Fraire and I ask for your support and patience. In the end, our advising and counseling will be more effective and meaningful for all involved.

Our Achieving the Dream delegation included Kathy James, Dr. Rachel Ruiz, Antonia Ceballos, myself, and Mike Midgley.

Achieving the Dream conference

A team of 15 ACC faculty, staff, and administrators attended the 2016 Achieving the Dream Conference in Atlanta. In addition to a host of excellent speakers and sessions on student success and equity, the conference featured the announcement of two grants, both of which ACC will pursue.

One of the grants is to promote the creation of degree programs that use Open Educational Resources (OER) instead of proprietary textbooks. You can learn more about ATD’s OER initiative and the grant opportunity at: achievingthedream.org/news/15109/open-educational-resources-oer-degree-initiative-announced.

The second grant supports training and development initiatives for adjunct faculty. Information about this grant also is available on the ATD website at: achievingthedream.org/news/15108/new-initiative-puts-adjunct-faculty-at-the-center-of-ensuring-student-success.

If you are interested in joining our work on either of these grant opportunities, please contact Dr. Mary Harris, Vice President of Institutional Planning, Development, and Evaluation.

Charles

Tags: from the provost, futures institute, guided pathways, Provost Communications