Note taker: Valene Mathews

Attendees: Philip Bailey, Navjit Brar, Denise Campbell, David Conn (co-chair), Linda Dalton, Joseph Grimes, David Hannings, Devon Hodgson, Kimi Ikeda, Todd Maki, Kent Morrison, Cornel Morton (co-chair), Cheryl Ney, Mary Regan, Melissa Robbins, Carole Schaffer, Shannon Stephens

Distributed:
Cal Poly First-Time Freshman Graduation, Retention, and Attrition Analysis Report
Draft document on the California State University College Counseling Corps

1. Announcements

As a reminder, the purpose of the Student Success Council is to provide leadership for, and coordination of, student success initiatives -- for the most part pursued in greater detail by other entities such as University or Academic Senate committees. The Council, a joint venture of Academic Affairs and Student Affairs, was established before the CSU System began its thrust toward “facilitating graduation.” Information on Cal Poly’s Student Success goals can be found on the Student Success website.

2. Campus Actions to Facilitate Graduation Conference, Los Angeles – October 19-20, 2006

The Chancellor’s Office will be hosting the “Campus Actions to Facilitate Graduation” conference. Campuses were invited to propose presentations of campus practices, initiatives or innovations that are judged to be strong or “best” practices for facilitating the progress of undergraduate students to graduation. Selected presentations will be made at the conference and will be archived at a later date in the form of “best” practices to be used throughout the CSU system. The following are the presentations that Cal Poly will be making at the conference:

1. Sophomore Success Program – A Residential Model with Graduation in Mind
   Presenter: Carole Schaffer, Associate Director , Housing/Director of Residential Life & Education
2. Early Choice of Major: Pros and Cons
   Presenter: W. David Conn, Vice Provost for Academic Programs and Undergraduate Education
3. Cal Poly’s 25-35 Program
   Phil Bailey, Dean, College of Science and Mathematics, was invited to give a poster presentation and is currently negotiating for a different format.

Attendees from Cal Poly are expected to be:

• Phil Bailey, Dean, Science & Math
• David Conn, Vice Provost for Academic Programs
• Bill Durgin, Provost
• Bruno Giberti, Chair, Academic Senate
• Myron Hood, Statewide Senator
• Mary Regan, Student, ASI
• Cornel Morton, VP Student Affairs
• Carole Schaffer, Associate Director, Housing

We are thinking of offering a mini-symposium of the presentations (and possibly others) on the Cal Poly campus later in the year. This will be discussed at the next Council meeting.

3. College Counseling Corps

Cornel Morton distributed a copy of the College Counseling Corps initiative from the Chancellor’s office. This addresses the need to involve students more actively in the CSU’s efforts to increase the participation of historically underrepresented groups in college. The CSU has established the CSU College Counseling Corps, which consists of two programmatic components, College Admission Advisors and Academic Preparations Tutors. The Chancellor’s office hopefully will provide information regarding how each individual campus is to be held accountable. The details still need to be developed and questions need to be answered.

Many Council members agreed that it is difficult to recruit students to volunteer for various programs and projects on campus. The College Counseling Corps would be a challenge in many respects. Considering this initiative is not funded, the University would need to make a decision on resources and how the initiative could be supported. Devon Hodgson stated that as a former high school teacher she saw a real disconnect or lack of relationships between the local colleges and schools. She would advocate for Cal Poly students to visit the local high schools and have the student to student contact. The influence Cal Poly students have on the high school students is tremendous.

David Conn suggested that we use existing groups/organizations on campus that would shift their efforts towards goals in the initiative, instead of creating a whole new infrastructure. Cornel Morton will report the status of the initiative as things develop.

4. Retention and Graduation

First-Time Freshman Graduation, Retention, and Attrition Analysis Report is available on the Institutional Planning and Analysis website. David Conn asked the Council to review the full report on the website, which reveals program areas that are doing well and those that have the potential for improvement.

Graduation is not the only aspect of Student Success but is a very important dimension. On the national scene, there is a push toward encouraging parents and potential students to be more informed as they choose their college. Colleges and Universities are beginning to provide relevant data.

5. Past and On-Going Issues

David Conn requested the Council members to send him suggestions on what the Council should focus on for this academic year. Reviewing the website and what the CSU’s 22 goals are and what the Council has concentrated on in the past would be helpful in making suggestions. The 25-35 program is on-going; suggestions regarding that program may be sent directly to Phil Bailey.

6. Objectives and Priorities for 2006-07

David Conn will compile a list of the suggestions that he receives from the Council, and they will be discussed at the next Council meeting.