January 2014 - Interim Update to the Community on Priority Undertakings

The College’s Strategic Planning Steering Committee met on December 3, 2013 to discuss the progress of the priority undertakings that had been identified for action during Academic Year 2013-2014 and shared with the campus community in April 2013. Below is an update to inform you of our institutional progress to date and a highlight of our community’s ongoing Spring 2014 work. In Fall 2014 a full progress report on all AY 13/14 priority undertakings will be published and widely shared. As we move forward, we will communicate further as to how these undertakings will be assessed and outcomes defined.

Direction 1: Offer distinctive, relevant, rigorous academic programs of quality

Ø  The Communication Department is conducting a departmentally driven program of self-study and serving as a pilot to inform the process.

v  A work team is meeting in Spring 2014 to review the draft annual time frame for each departmental self-study, meet with department chairs and develop a resource guide to assist departments in the process. (D1, IA, U2).

Ø  Draft guidelines have been developed for the membership and process for an advisory board for new program proposals.

v  A draft meeting schedule is also in development. The guidelines and schedule will be reviewed with UCC, Grad Council, Chairs/Directors/Coordinators and subsequently presented to faculty at a Spring 2014 meeting (D1, IB, U1 and U2).

Ø  The Advisory Board for New Program Proposals has been constituted. The Board met twice during the Fall 2013 semester to review proposals for new programs from Science and Applied Technology. The focus of Board is to pilot the construction of processes and templates to support the creation of academic programs by the different academic areas and governance committees. (D1, IB, U2).  

Ø  UCC, UPAC, the Gen Ed Committee and Chair of Faculty are all involved as part of the implementation team for Gen Ed, targeted for implementation in Fall 2015 (D1, IB, U3).

Ø  Academic Departments are working on proposals for new and revised programs in:

v  Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Environmental Science (Natural Science and Mathematics)

v  Exercise Science (Science and Community Health and Wellness)

v  Portable Device Development  and Educational Technology (Applied Technology)

(D1, IB, U3).

Ø  The Departments of Management, Communication, and the Center for Career Development have each established a program advisory board to enhance their academic programs and co-curricular experiences. Each advisory board is comprised of 10 -12 business leaders with Curry alumni representing at least half of the members of academic program advisory boards. Departmental faculty and currently enrolled students are also represented. All three advisory boards will convene on March 27, 2014 to launch their inaugural meeting.   (D1, IE, U1).

Direction 2: Attract, educate, and graduate students prepared to engage in a complex and changing world.

Ø  A peer review was conducted by peer reviewers from Assumption College and Great Bay Community College to assess the College’s academic services and supports. The review included a survey to inventory services provided by the Academic Advising Center,  Academic Enrichment Center,  Academic Success/Dean’s Office,  Counseling Center, Disabilities Services, FY Studies, Math & Science, and the Speaking Center.  Results of the survey and the peer review consultation informed a report and recommendations for enhancements and improvements to services. This report has been presented to the Enrollment Team and Student Services and the recommendations are being prioritized for implementation.
(D2, IB, U1).

Ø  The Office of the Registrar led a pilot project to identify and remedy specific curricular structures and course scheduling patterns that create barriers to student success. The Criminal Justice and Management departments participated in this pilot that examined the high percentage of “freshmores” ─ i.e. students who do not earn enough academic credits to advance from first year to sophomore year standing. Key pilot findings revealed the need to use a student-centric approach when developing course schedules and the beneficial impact of using the newly developed degree maps to communicate clearly to students the appropriate academic pathways to progress from first year to sophomore standing. The results from these studies provided recommendations that are being implemented and the process and structures that were developed will be used this semester to do similar studies in two additional departments.(DII, IB, U2) 

Ø  A new first-year cohort program was developed for majors in Natural Sciences and Mathematics and implemented in Fall 2013. Thirty-three incoming science majors are enrolled in the pilot cohort, thirteen of whom reside in the North Campus Residence Hall as part of a living/learning community.  (DII, IB, U4)

Ø  An integrated communication plan targeted specifically to first-year students was developed and implemented for the Class of 2017. A work team collected data on when and how the College had been providing information to our first-year students, and developed a new weekly communication map. A publication designed to validate choice and reduce summer melt was mailed and a Class of 2017 myCurry portal site was launched in August 2013. A bi-weekly email newsletter has been distributed to the Class of 2017 throughout Fall 2013 and is ongoing in Spring 2014. The work team conducted a survey of the Class of 2017 and evaluated digital analytics in November 2013 as part of an interim evaluation of the communication plan. A special print edition of the FYI newsletter, FYI@Home, was delivered to Class of 2017 students the week of 1/6/14, intended to keep students engaged over winter break and prepared for return for the spring semester.   (DII, IB, U4)

Ø  A community psychology course was selected to serve as a service learning course pilot. A work team benchmarked best practices, established service learning guidelines, and recommended components of an infrastructure that would facilitate service learning.  The pilot program assessment verified that enrolled students gained “real world” experience and enhanced their critical thinking and communication skills as a result of participation in the service learning course.  Recommendations have been compiled on how the College might effectively expand this form of experiential education as a retention tool.  (DII, ID, U2)

Ø  To increase engagement of our alumni population, in December 2013, a graduate from the Class of 2013 was hired as the College’s new alumni relations coordinator. (SD2, IE, U1).

v  In Spring of 2014, the Institutional Advancement Office will leverage the alumni relations coordinator along with a cross-department group to improve the collection and dissemination of qualitative and quantitative data about their experiences at Curry and outcomes beyond graduation.

Direction 3: Foster an inclusive campus community that attracts, respects, and supports diversity in multiple forms.

Ø  The College’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive community has become more prominently displayed on digital channels and in print materials. A revised institutional statement about diversity and inclusion at the College was created and approved, and  published in the current year’s Course Catalog and Admission View Book. A Diversity and Inclusion website is now live at www.curry.edu/diversity, and includes a video about diversity and inclusion at Curry. The commitment to expressing the College’s commitment to a diverse and inclusive community is ongoing, and is operationalized through the work of the Diversity Coordinator hired in August 2013, the Institutional Advancement communications staff, and the Diversity Committee. (D3, IA, U1) (D3, ID, U1)

Ø  The College has joined a Consortium with five other Boston area schools who are exploring opportunities for a partnership with Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST) located in Wuhan, China. Academic Affairs and Admissions representatives visited China twice with Consortium partners to develop a partnership with HUST and discuss study abroad opportunities with other Chinese officials, and the College has hosted two HUST related visits on campus. The College has modified its international website, and HUST has produced a high quality video and an extensive web site that highlights the academic programs and unique features of each Consortium institution and describes the HUST program. The initial cohort of Consortium students began an ESL program at HUST in September 2013, and Curry representatives returned to China with Consortium partners to meet with these students and their families, as well as other prospective students.  Consortium partners are exploring strategies to strengthen student recruitment, the potential for 2+2 transfer agreements for HUST students enrolled in associate degree programs looking to study aboard, teacher exchanges, and a summer student feeder program.

v  HUST recruitment of students is ongoing through 2014, and an initial cohort of students is expected to enroll in Consortium member schools in January 2015. Work to assess and identify the academic support and social needs of international students at Curry has begun and remains ongoing (D3, IB, U1 and U2).

Ø  As part of a new international exchange agreement, four Curry students are studying at Richmond University in London, and the College is working on the application with the Department of State to secure the appropriate visas in order to welcome Richmond students to the Curry campus beginning in Fall 2014. Policies and systems were developed to support international partnerships that will be used as the College explores other exchange agreements for students to study abroad in France and Wales. (SD3, IB, U5)

Direction 4: Strengthen a culture of organizational integrity, accountability and sustainability.

Ø  In May 2013 a cross-constituency work team was formed and convened to renew the College Mission Statement and develop a vision statement. (D4, IA, U1A)

v  In the work team’s inaugural meeting, breakout groups were formed to discuss and define “who we are,” “what we do” and “whom we serve.” A subcommittee engaged in a discussion about distinctiveness during Fall 2013. The work team is planning to reconvene in Spring 2014 for a working retreat and writing session, and subsequently a draft mission statement is anticipated to be presented to community members for feedback. The work team plans to present a final proposed statement to the Board of Trustees for approval at its May 2014 meeting. (D4, IA, U1B)

v  D4, IA, U1B is related to D2, IE, U3– Develop a distinctive institutional brand informed by the new Mission Statement that is operationalized and executed through an annual brand marketing effort. A work team for D2, IE, U3 is expected to be convened in May 2013 subsequent to the approval of the new Mission statement.

Ø  Twenty-five undertakings supporting the College’s Strategic Plan initiatives were prioritized for consideration in AY2013-2014, and announced to the community in April 2013. The Senior Staff, in consultation with the Strategic Planning Steering Committee, launched thirteen of those undertakings in May 2013.   A work team has explored literature, best practices, and tools for creating integrated plans, multi-year budgets, and tracking to implement Strategic Plan initiatives.

v  In Spring 2014, the team will review goals, develop a multi-year budget process that aligns with multi-year budgets for strategic initiatives, determine key performance indicators (KPIs) for Strategic Planning Directions and assessment milestones, and finalize a project management tool.  (D4, IC, U1 and U2).