CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study Engaging Early to Improve Graduation Rates, Equity, and Time to Degree A Working Conference in coordination with the AAC&U Annual Meeting San Francisco Marriott Marquis and San Francisco Hyatt Regency January 25, 2017
A Supplement to the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Colleges and Universities This invitation-only conference takes place the day before the Annual Meeting of the AAC&U in San Francisco, which is offered with separate registration. Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study During working sessions participants will explore curricular designs that support early student engagement, persistence, equity, and progress to degree. Variously called areas of emphasis, meta-majors, and pathways, these designs provide a middle path between the traditionally narrow major on one hand, and undeclared majors on the other. They reflect broader fields of interest such as STEM, health care, the performing arts, or design and engineering. The fields are united by a common set of prerequisites to allow for exploration in the first two years of college without losing progress to degree. Done well, they also integrate early exposure to work-based learning and other high-impact practices, thematically relevant general education courses, early career guidance, and contextualized coursework. Acknowledgements The organizers are grateful to the James Irvine Foundation and College Futures Foundation, whose support made possible a landscape analysis of student transfer and graduation patterns in California, and a series of regional planning meetings in 2016. We also thank the hundred or so colleagues from the CSU, CCC, and regional partners who met with us in Oakland, Fresno, and Pomona to inform today s work. Project leadership and advisors CSU Dominguez Hills: Mohsen Beheshti Bridget Driscoll Jim Hill Pat Kalayjian Ken O Donnell Paz Oliverez Sheela Pawar Elizabeth Adams/CSU Northridge Dawn Digrius/CSU Office of the Chancellor Karl Ewald/Cabrillo College John Freitas/L.A. City College Dan Gleason/CSU Long Beach Nele Hempel-Lamer/CSU Long Beach Ken Nishita/CSU Monterey Bay Maureen Scharberg/CSU East Bay Qiana Wallace/CSU San Bernardino Lori Beth Way/San Francisco State
CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study 1 Tuesday, January 24, Marriott Marquis 5:30-7:30 Hosted Reception SoMa Room, Second Floor Join early arrivals and overnight guests for informal networking and introductions. Heavy hors d oeuvres, desserts, soft drinks and coffee provided, in addition to a cash wine bar. Wednesday, January 25 7:30 Breakfast Golden Gate Ballroom, B2 Level 8:00 Keynote: Implementing Guided Pathways: Lessons from Other States Rob Johnstone, National Center for Inquiry and Improvement Rob Johnstone s Pathways Demystified (2015) is the companion piece to CCRC s seminal work Redesigning America s Community Colleges, a set of resources for organizing curriculum into clear meta-major and major pathways that fit student learning and exploration. He will describe current state-level efforts to implement these curricular designs, and the relative benefits of undertaking the work in a consortium or one institution at a time. 9:00 Plenary Panel: Associate Degrees for Transfer Michelle Pilati, Rio Hondo College Stefanie Adams, Clovis Community College Deborah Bird, Pasadena City College Teresa Guinon, MiraCosta College Cheryl Ney, CSU Los Angeles Moderator: Ken O Donnell, CSU Dominguez Hills Each year transfer students comprise the majority of CSU graduates. A growing share of those students are choosing Associate Degrees for Transfer while in the California Community Colleges to focus their study, qualify for priority admission, and assure themselves a clear, efficient way to the baccalaureate. This panel will discuss recent work to embed work-based learning, high-impact practices, and advising into major preparation and transferable general education recognized by the CSU.
2 CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study Wednesday, January 25 (Continued) 10:15 Break 10:30 Working Session 1: Shared Courses in Major Preparation Using the statewide Transfer Model Curriculum patterns for affiliated majors, participants will identify common prerequisite courses in the lower division that are or could be offered to students who begin in the CSU as freshmen. By the end of the session each group will have a handful of courses that prepare students for a number of related majors across multiple CSU campuses. Global Studies Pacific Room C Social Justice Studies Pacific Room H Social Work/Human Services Pacific Room I Law, Public Policy, and Society Pacific Room J Noon Lunch Golden Gate B, B2 Level 12:45 Luncheon Plenary: Re-Imagining the First Year of College A Status Report George Mehaffy, American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) Six California State Universities are among the 44 campuses selected by AASCU to participate in its new initiative, Re-Imagining the First Year of College. In his presentation, Mehaffy will review the activities and initiatives underway and describe some of the initial conclusions that the project team and participating campuses are drawing from the work. 1:30 Working Session 2: Work-Based Learning for Meta-Majors Participants will discuss summer bridge, undergraduate research, international experiences, internships, and community & service learning experiences that may be offered in the freshman and sophomore years in particular meta-majors, in order to give students an early indication of their interest and aptitude for potential majors and careers. Global Studies Pacific Room C Social Justice Studies Pacific Room H Social Work/Human Services Pacific Room I Law, Public Policy, and Society Pacific Room J
CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study 3 Wednesday, January 25 (Continued) 2:30 Hosted Break and Networking/Team Time Golden Gate B, B2 Level 3:15 Working Session 3: Campuses and Regions In the last of the working sessions, participants will meet by region rather than by groups of majors, with CSU campuses anchoring local community colleges and other organizations. Teams will zero in on the groups of disciplines, departments, and majors that seem readiest to test meta-majors over the next two to three years, and map out what would be needed in terms of money, staffing, faculty time, and logistical support. Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Diego Golden Gate B Central State Pacific Room H Bay Area and Northern California Pacific Room I State Level, Academic Senate, Foundations Pacific Room J See the roster of participants for room assignments. 4:15 Report-Out from Group Leads and Recommended Next Steps 5:00 Adjourn By the end of this working conference, participants will know what steps to take on their campuses in order to design meta-majors, conduct early tests of their implementation, and be prepared to offer them to the incoming cohort of Fall 2021, whose four-year graduation rates and gaps comprise the CSU s commitment to the state. 7:00 AAC&U Opening Night Forum, Hyatt Regency San Francisco (Separate registration required)
4 CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study Thursday, January 26, Hyatt Regency San Francisco 8:45-5:30 AAC&U Annual Meeting (Separate registration required) 6:00-8:30 Optional Hosted Dinner Garden Room, Hyatt Regency Offered at the AAC&U conference hotel for attendees of CSU Working Conference on Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study Panel: Meta-Majors Outside of California Moderator: Jennifer Keup Executive Director National Resource Center for the First Year Experience and Students in Transition Meta-majors are increasingly popular in other states, and benefit from promotion by national student success groups like Education Advisory Board and Complete College America. But what does it take to implement them well on an individual campus? How can they become not only a logistical adjustment to curriculum, but also a driver of institutional integration and improved learning? This panel will explore the practical and interpersonal tools that help campus-level champions get where they want to. Panelists: Scott Evenbeck, President, Guttman Community College Heidi Leming, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, Tennessee Board of Regents Casey Self, Executive Director, Academic Services, Arizona State University College of Integrative Sciences and Arts Holly Shadoian, Assistant Vice President, Academic Affairs and Enrollment Engagement, Rhode Island College
CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study 5 Meeting locations for Tuesday and Wednesday Marriott Marquis San Francisco Tuesday Night Reception SoMa Room, Second Floor General Plenary Sessions Golden Gate B, Level B2 Breakout sessions: Pacific Rooms, Fourth Level
6 CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study Participants who are also attending the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Colleges & Universities, or who plan to stay for the optional Thursday evening dinner, can walk or ride between the two conference hotels. The most direct walk is along 4 th Street and Stockton Street, with a brief turn in between at Ellis Street. Or just let your phone figure it out: CSU Meta-Majors and Integrated Courses of Study San Francisco Marriott Marquis 780 Mission Street San Francisco, CA 94103 AAC&U Annual Meeting and optional CSU dinner on Thursday night Hyatt Regency San Francisco 345 Stockton Street San Francisco, CA 94108 This program and supporting materials are available at csudh.edu/laboratory.