Note taker: Valene Mathews

Attendees: Philip Bailey, Martin Bragg, Denise Campbell, Doug Cerf, David Conn (co-chair), Linda Dalton, Robert Detweiler, Susan Elrod, Jessica Gibbons, David Hannings, Kimi Ikeda, Cindy Jelinek, Tylor Middlestadt, Kent Morrison, Cornel Morton (co-chair), Patricia Ponce, David Ross, Carole Schaffer, Adam Serafin, Susan Sparling, Shannon Stephens, Mary Whiteford

Distributed:

• Facilitating Graduation at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo , Report to Chancellor's Office, CSU, December 2, 2005
• List of Current Initiatives

1. Announcements

Registration Problems - Susan Elrod announced that she had reported issues regarding registration, which needs immediate attention. All classes are full. Are we going to re-examine the registration policies? David asked if there were any suggestions that the Council would like to put on the table for possible solutions? There are multiple reasons why there are not enough classes.

• Not enough faculty to teach the classes.
• Scheduling - Students are not signing up for early or late classes
• Enrollment is higher than expected
• Impaction is mainly in the GE area

David will inquire with the College of Liberal Arts Dean regarding the status of the General Education courses.

Summer Term - Will be an eight week session. Summer time slots will have fewer options so there will not be as much overlap and hopefully simpler to schedule.

2. Facilitating Graduation Report to the Chancellor's Office - This report addresses a list of 22 items, endorsed by the Trustees, which each campus is required to consider as a means of facilitating graduation. David assured everyone that it is not our intent to sacrifice the quality of education to increase graduation rates. Tylor Middlestadt suggested that there be a focus on timely graduation. Many students enjoy the quality of life in San Luis Obispo and take more classes than is necessary to extend their stay. Cindy Jelinek stated that an increasing number of students are pursuing double majors and wondered if we should address this as a factor affecting time-to-degree, even though it is not among the 22 existing items on the list. Bob Detweiler stated that we should focus on improving graduation rates and reducing the time to degree, given current requirements as defined by our faculty.

•  Reduction of required units (to the CSU minimum of 180) - Will continue to review and reduce when appropriate.

•  Emphasis on time to graduation . - A campaign is to be introduced during WOW on changing the "culture" of graduating in 5-6 years. Tylor Middlestadt suggested that there be an incentive program implemented so that students are rewarded for graduating on time instead of being penalized with disincentives, like increased tuition, etc. Possible options might be $1,000 scholarships for the final quarter and a special stamp on the degree, or inclusion on a special "President's List" to recognize students for their efforts in scheduling and using resources efficiently. Bob Detweiler stated that he felt it was a local cultural issue and that we need to focus on changing that culture.

•  PeopleSoft Fall 2006 - Is currently in the building process. Admissions training is being offered, and this component will go live soon. We hope to be able to provide advising for transfer credits in July; however, it is possible that we will not be far enough along in the implementation to be able to meet this schedule. A major challenge is the conversion of the transfer credit rules from the old system to the new system. We will be operating with two different systems for a period of time. The only students who are fully on PeopleSoft at present are applicants and newly admitted students. For continuing students, the first enrollment history conversion (in production mode) will be done in June, adding to the bio-dem data that are already in the system. We are currently cleaning up bad data. For Fall Quarter, all activity will be performed in PeopleSoft.

•  Schedule - The current plan is not to print a hard copy class schedule. The on-line version has expanded search capability and will provide the most accurate and up-to-date information for advisors and students. Historically, the schedule has been printed and sold by the Bookstore well in advance of the quarter to which it applies, and has consequently been out-of-date. About 1000 complimentary copies have been provided to faculty, professional advisors, etc. It is recognized that there are differences of opinion about the desirability of having a printed schedule, due to its ease of use, regardless of accuracy. Historically, since Power was introduced, there has been a continuing drop in the number of schedules being sold. It is believed that students would not continue to buy it in the future, at the price that the Bookstore would have to charge, unless it were subsidized. It is possible, but would take extra work (and therefore cost), to produce a file in PeopleSoft that would be printable. A number of individuals and groups have expressed concern about the demise of the printed (or printable) version. The intent is provide a demonstration to the Advising Council (and others) of the on-line version when available, so that an informed decision might be made about whether or not this adequately meets our needs.

•  First Year Experience (FYE) - Jeff Jacobs in the Natural Resources Management Department has been appointed to work as a Faculty Associate for the First Year Experience project. He will develop an FYE Pilot program for the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Program as well as a global/university approach to advance the FYE at Cal Poly. Tylor Middelstadt suggested that Transfer Students be included in the program.

•  Pilot Expansion of Study Sessions (intrusively targeting students who are struggling during first three weeks of courses in math and physics) - is currently happening this quarter. Will review and report results next quarter.

•  List of Current Initiatives (not exhaustive)

1. Continuing fine tuning of GE requirements
2. Strengthening of first year experience
3. Continuing use of academic progress review to identify and remove opportunities and obstacles to timely graduation
4. Identification and removal of bottleneck courses
5. Pilot expansion of study sessions
6. Possible re-establishment of "learning center.
7. Review of policy on course repetitions
8. Review of desirability, means, and feasibility of strengthening advising in majors
9. Continuing efforts to speed up delivery of complete and accurate degree audits
10. Review by CSU academic peers
11. "To Do" list for entering students. (Not to be confused with PeopleSoft "To Do" list for students)
12. On-line advising for entering students
13. Adjustment of enrollment targets to assist change-of-major
14. Possible pilot application of "full-cost" fees to discourage excessive units
15. Possible renewed emphasis on use of instructional technology, including use of distributed learning to increase course availability
16. Review of scheduling templates from student success perspective
17. Review of system of assigning priorities in registration
18. Access to course syllabi (Senate resolution)

Tylor Middlestadt stated he would like to focus on D, H, I and Q. Denise Campbell stated that E, K and L are important for the First Year Experience project.

Will continue discussion on current initiatives at the next Student Success Council meeting