Vision:
To create a transformative and equitable educational environment with supports in place to support students' seamless transition from high school to college and equipping them with knowledge and resources to help them achieve their academic and personal goals, fostering lifelong success and a commitment to learning.
Goal 1:
By 2028, the College will re-examine and refine its current comprehensive support systems to intentionally build upon successes and making data informed decisions as needed to further empower students in their transition from high school to college, ensuring they are knowledgeable about and employ the resources and guidance available to them to enhance present and build new skills to support them in achieving academic success and positioning them to thrive in their collegiate journey.
Pillars: 1.1, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.3, 3.5
A. Re-envision the ways in which the College connects with high school instructors in which both reciprocally support professional growth and student success and enhance engagement between the College and school districts
B. Research best practices in serving students as they transition from high school to college, including efforts to become more knowledgeable about meeting students’ needs based upon their multiple, varying backgrounds, needs, interests, and experiences
C. Develop and provide professional learning opportunities to faculty and staff on strategies to increase students’ sense of self-accountability and ways to facilitate their connection to the College, motivation, and persistence toward degree and certificate program
D. Review and refine the pathways from the SUNY Schenectady College in the High School concurrent enrollment program to matriculation in degree and certificate programs
E. Review and align dual enrollment programming across high school and college programs, making pathways to degree attainment more direct and visible to both students and school district personnel
F. Review the data currently used as multiple measures for incoming student course placement and determine if any adjustments to the current measures are warranted or if any new measures should be considered
Vision:
Excellence in a thriving professional learning culture where Teaching and Learning are foundational elements of the faculty experience and collaboration to implement best teaching and instructional practices toward driving increased mastery of course and program learning outcomes, academic success, retention, and completion rates is standard practice.
Goal 2:
By 2028, we will further enhance faculty and staff professional learning opportunities in Teaching and Learning, building on our current efforts and driving improvements in student success. Our culture and operations will be marked by a commitment to continuous professional learning and a focus on teaching and instructional best practices is ingrained in the College’s operations and its approach to fulfilling its mission, from the organizations’ way of thinking through to the faculty and staff evaluation processes. Faculty and staff will work in tandem to leverage and share in-house expertise and reinforce collaboration and innovation across the institution.
Pillars: 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.5
A. Develop a plan for the Teaching and Learning Center, including staffing, maintenance, sustainability, and promotion of opportunities, and incorporating processes for access to SUNY CPD
B. Research and establish a clear structure, driven by the VPAA, for professional learning, including a timeline, funding sources, equitable distribution plan, and a clearly defined communication strategy for faculty, both full- and part-time, and staff
C. Create dedicated spaces and scheduled times (e.g., IW, professional learning days, regularly scheduled meeting times, etc.) for faculty collaboration, peer learning, and collegial support
D. Research and define best practices for evidence-based teaching and instructional methods and support implementation through the design and offering of professional learning opportunities provided by both members of the College community and external resources and colleagues
E. Design professional learning programs and define clear expectations for the use of teaching and instructional best practice to support the mastery of course and program learning outcomes and student success
F. Ensure full implementation and consistent utilization of professional learning initiatives aligned with faculty evaluation procedures and policies, supported by a robust process for tracking professional learning participation in a designated system (e.g., Brightspace, Slate, or another tracking tool)
Vision:
Our onboarding process provides students with clarity, opportunities to build confidence, and prepares them to successfully navigate college. Each student will begin the semester prepared with knowledge about the College and its multitude of resources and ready to thrive by achieving their academic and personal goals.
Goal 3:
By 2028, we will have examined and refined our current student onboarding processes, and developed new data-informed processes and procedures, to ensure clarity in messaging to students, multiple opportunities for students to build confidence, and experiences that will build a foundation for them to successfully navigate college and pursue their academic and personal goals. These efforts will continue to position us for continuous improvement and will provide a clear path for students and a knowledge management system for faculty and staff to support the student journey, leading to continued improvements in retention and enrollment rates as well as fostering a positive student experience as reflected in student feedback on programming.
Pillars: 1.3, 1.4, 1.5, 2.1, 2.3, 2.4, 3.1, 3.5
A. Re-envision of the First Year Seminar course to ensure that it is calibrated as a student success course, aligned with the onboarding process and focused on fostering student engagement and knowledge about the multitude of tools available to students at the College, including an active focus on how to access those tools. The course revision will be informed by best practice and data analysis
B. The tool My Survey to Success will be reviewed to ensure it is up to date in relation to the data gathered and that it continues to provide the best information possible to the staff working to support the students
C. Support Academic Affairs in their efforts to enhance the clarity of degree and certificate pathways to program completion through Guided Pathways
D. Expand and promote Credit for Prior Learning opportunities
E. Collaborate with Marketing and the Vice President of Student Affairs on the communications audit and subsequent creation and implementation of a unified, campus-wide student communication plan
Vision:
Data will be integral to fueling professional learning, assessment, and continuous improvement across the College. The use of data to drive growth and enhance outcomes in all areas of the College will be standard operating practice for faculty and staff in all units and departments across the College, in support of a cohesive program designed to support our students and those who serve them.
Goal 4:
By 2028, the use of data will be embedded into every day, standard operating practices in all areas of the College, with the majority of staff and faculty (a) knowledgeable about the College’s key student success indicators and (b) proficient in reading and interpreting basic data. Every area of the College will continue to earnestly make use of data in assessment and decision-making, driving continuous improvement for the organization and enrollment.
Pillars: 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 3.3, 3.5
A. Identify key data elements that can support faculty instruction and advances in best practice, provide it to faculty at a regular cadence, and share the ways in which data are used to help inform the College as a learning organization
B. Provide professional learning on data literacy, focused on the interpretation, use, and application of data to efficiently and effectively inform advancement in best instructional and teaching practice to support increased mastery of course and program learning outcomes and student success
C. Review the data dashboard, and similar data tools (e.g., departmental assessment results, etc.), and provide additional user training on how to read it and utilize it fully and set its use as an expected practice of all Team Leads and departments across the College
D. Define the term Gateway Courses for the College and ensure campus-wide knowledge of them, analyze student success in each, and identify actionable trends to advance improvement in instructional and teaching best practice, student mastery of course learning outcomes, and student success; as needed review course outlines and take action to implement any needed adjustments
E. Establish a routine schedule for releasing and discussing data at college-wide as well as division and departmental level gatherings and meetings
F. Support Team Leads in enhancing their knowledge and application of the use of tools such as Starfish, Argos and Banner Reporting, and Slate to support continued data management and usage