ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

                                         


General University                                                
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered        

September 9, 2004
Date Submitted

Expanded Statement of Institutional Purpose Linkage:
Institutional Mission/Goal(s) Reference:
Texas A&M International University, a Member of the Texas A&M University System, is committed to the preparation of students for leadership roles in their chosen profession and in an increasingly complex, culturally diverse state, national, and global society … Through instruction, faculty and student research, and public service, Texas A&M International University is a strategic point of delivery for well-defined programs and services that improve the quality of life for citizens of the border region, the State of Texas, and national and international communities.

Administrative or Educational Support Unit Mission Statement:
The Department of General University strives to prepare students for the rigor of college studies and standardized exams.  It helps prepare freshmen “at-risk” students for college success by giving them strategies for time management, information management and application, and critical thinking skills required in college level courses.  Interpersonal skills are also taught in order to positively affect students’ interaction with others in the college atmosphere and the workplace.

Intended Administrative Objectives:

1. Retention of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18 on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) will increase.

2. The percentage of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18 on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) in good academic standing (2.00 grade point average or higher) will increase.

3. The percentage of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18 on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) on academic probation will be reduced.

 

 

ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

General University                                                
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered        

September 9, 2004
Date Submitted

Intended Administrative or Educational Support Objective:

1. Thepercentage ofat-risk students retained (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18 on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) will increase.

First Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
1a. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
A 12th class day Focus report (Report 1) part of the University’s Student Information System database used for reporting, will indicate that at least 65% of students who took General University (GENU) 1300 Fall 2002 will be retained in Fall 2003.  The baseline from Fall 2001 to Fall 2002 was 62.3%; Fall 2002 to Fall 2003 was 62.4%.

1a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
55.4% of students taking GENU 1300 were retained, a 7% decrease from the previous year. 
 
1a. Use of Results to Improve Unit Services:
In summer 2004,GENU 1300 faculty and First Year Success peer mentors participated in a professional development seminar sponsored by Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment.  Mr. Eldon McMurray, a professional consultant for first year program, delivered a two day workshop, “Framework for Critical Thinking,” covering the latest research on how the brain learns, strategies for learning, and personality assessment (The Color Code).  The focus of the seminar was on improving instruction for first year students that would translate into increased retention.  Even though the retention data was not available at that time, General University Department continued its third year of reviewing and improving GENU 1300 to meet the needs of our first year students. 

Since research indicates that Learning Communities are particularly effective in retention, a pilot Learning Communities project was also launched Fall 2004 teaming certain sections of GENU 1300, HIST 1301 and either DENG 0370 or ENGL 1301 faculty and students. Faculty met prior to the beginning of the term to plan the semester.  Faculty teams meet during the semester to design common course assignments. 

 

 

  

 ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

General University                                                
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered        

September 9, 2004
Date Submitted

Intended Administrative or Educational Support Objective:

2. The percentage of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18 on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) in good academic standing (2.00 GPA or higher) will increase.

First Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
2a. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Focus reports (Report 2), the University’s Student Information System used for reporting, will indicate that the percentage of General University (GENU) 1300 students who were not enrolled in any developmental course, returned Fall 2004, and had a GPA of 2.0 or above will be 75% or above.  Student grade point average will be measured at the end of the second summer session. 

2a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
The percentage was 75%.  Benchmark was met.

2a. Use of Results to Improve Unit Services:
Even though the GPA data was not available at that time, General University Department continued its third year of reviewing and improving GENU 1300 to meet the needs of our first year students. 

Faculty and peer mentors met during the summer to review syllabus and participate in the professional development two-day workshop sponsored by Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment.  Mr. Eldon McMurray, a professional consultant for first year program, presented  “Framework for Critical Thinking” covering the latest research on how the brain learns, strategies for learning, and personality assessment (The Color Code).  The focus of the seminar was on improving instruction for first year students that would translate into increased motivation, higher GPA in their courses, and higher retention. 

Prior to the beginning of the fall semester, peer mentors went through an intensive 2 weekend training program under the direction of the GENU counselor and modeled after the University of South Carolina.  Topics covered a broad range of subjects related to effective peer mentoring of first year students.  Mentors were assigned readings, discussed first year student challenges, did role-playing, and given a handbook and books for further reading and training during the year.

Faculty adopted the Q-card strategy for learning proposed by Mr. McMurray.  Students will be using that study strategy as part of the applications for learning.  

As mentioned in the first means of assessment, Learning Communities were also adopted for Fall 2004 with several sections of GENU 1300 linked to HIST 1301, ENGL1301 or DENG0370 and DRDG 0301.

Second Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
2b. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success
Focus reports (Report 3), the University’s Student Information System used for reporting, will indicate that the percentage of General University (GENU) 1300 students who were enrolled in at least one developmental course, returned Fall 2004, and had a GPA of 2.0 or above will be 75% or above.  Student grade point average will be measured at the end of the second summer session. 

2b. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
The percentage was 72.37%.  Benchmark was not met.

2b. Use of Results to Improve Unit Service:
Even though the GPA data was not available at that time, General University Department continued its third year of reviewing and improving GENU 1300 to meet the needs of our first year students.   Faculty and peer mentors met during the summer to review syllabus and participate in the professional development two-day workshop sponsored by Programs for Academic Support and Enrichment.  Mr. Eldon McMurray, a professional consultant for first year experience programs presented “Framework for Critical Thinking,” covering the latest research on how the brain learns, strategies for learning, and personality assessment (The Color Code).  The focus of the seminar was on improving instruction for first year students that would translate into increased motivation, higher GPA in their courses, and higher retention. 

Prior to the beginning of the fall semester, peer mentors went through an intensive 2 weekend training program under the direction of the GENU counselor and modeled after the University of South Carolina.  Topics covered a broad range of subjects related to effective peer mentoring of first year students.  Mentors were assigned readings, discussed first year student challenges, did role-playing, and given a handbook and books for further reading and training during the year.

Faculty adopted the Q-card strategy for learning proposed by Mr. McMurray.  Students will be using that study strategy as part of the applications for learning in the GENU 1300 class. 

As mentioned in the first means of assessment, Learning Communities were also adopted for Fall 2004 with several sections of GENU 1300 linked to HIST 1301, ENGL1301 or DENG0370 and DRDG 0301.

 

 


ASSESSMENT REPORT

FOR

General University                                                
Administrative or Educational Support Unit

September 2003 to August 2004
Assessment Period Covered        

September 9, 2004
Date Submitted

Intended Administrative or Educational Support Objective:

3. The percentage of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18 on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) on academic probation will be reduced.

First Means of Assessment for Objective Identified Above:
3a. Means of Unit Assessment & Criteria for Success:
Focus reports (Report 4), the University’s Student Information System used for reporting, will indicate that fewer than 20% of General University (GENU) 1300 students who returned in Fall 2004 will be on academic probation.  The baseline from Fall 2002-Fall 2003 was 19.2%.  .

3a. Summary of Assessment Data Collected:
Of the General University (GENU) 1300 students enrolled during Fall 2003-Spring 2004 year, 21.2% were placed on probation in Fall 2004.  This percentage exceeded our target goal of 20%; however first year freshmen not enrolled in General University (GENU) 1300 had a similar probation rate of 21.34%.  This similarity in probation rates indicates that GENU 1300 is effective in reducing probation rates of at-risk students since these students are not as academically prepared as those students who meet the SAT, ACT minimum test requirements.

3a. Use of Results to Improve Unit Services:
Starting Fall 2004, GENU 1300 peer mentors report to the Director of the First Year Success Program.  This re-organization should allow for more quality control of the peer-mentoring program.  More peer mentors have been hired so mentors have fewer students assigned to them. Peer mentors have assumed more first year student training responsibilities so they are more knowledgeable about the university; consequently, they should be more effective resources for the GENU students in helping them address issues and identify resources to assist them.