This resource contains activity handouts and considerations for facilitators. This resource is part of the Teaching Excellence Toolkit to help accomplish the College Readiness Goal: I want students to feel like they belong in the course.Activity Description:This is a writing activity where students reflect on the relevance of what they are learning and its applications to their future goals.

In the Course Transformation Project, a team of faculty who teach courses with traditionally high D/F/W rates work together to explore ways to improve student learning and performance in the course by incorporating student-centered, evidence-based design and teaching practices as well as disseminating and replicating best practices already in use by individual instructors. The director of the Office of Faculty Development serves as project facilitator. The project includes examining granular, disaggregated course data to identify design and pedagogical strengths and gaps. These data are used by the team to identify research-based design and pedagogical practices that address gaps and enhance strengths. The team integrates these identified practices into the course as disciplinary-appropriate interventions in a pilot phase of the project. In addition, the team designs and implements methods of assessing efficacy of the interventions during the pilot. The team meets weekly during the design stage of the project and monthly during the implementation stage to discuss findings and make any necessary adjustments.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

PROGRAM SCALE: Small-scale (reaches fewer than 10 percent of its target population)

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 10 Faculty teaching General Chemistry I and General Chemistry II (This is our pilot year.)

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants are automatically enrolled in this program if they meet eligibility requirements

EVALUATION STATUS: No data related to outcomes have been collected from this program

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Office of Faculty Development

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Candace Hastings at hastings@txstate.edu or 512-245-2112

This guide explores the value of student workers in higher education institutions and provides strategies for effectively managing and integrating them into departments. It emphasizes the importance of onboarding, fostering an inclusive environment, professional development, open communication, focused skill development, strategic offboarding, and talent retention. By implementing these strategies, departments can enhance their performance, diversity, and alignment with institutional goals while providing valuable opportunities for student workers' growth and development.

This 5-module course prepares faculty with skills needed to create a more inclusive and equitable learning environment and improve students’ sense of belonging. The teaching practices align with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Inclusive Teaching for Equitable Learning Framework: managing the impact of biases, reducing microaggressions in learning environments; addressing imposter phenomenon and stereotype threat; creating inclusive learning environments; and designing equity-centered courses.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program is online only.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants must apply to enroll in this program

EVALUATION STATUS: Data related to program outcomes are currently being externally collected

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Faculty Center for Teaching and Learning

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Lisa Bunkowski at lisa.bunkowski@tamuct.edu or 254 501 5866

C.R.A.S.H. is a faculty development program that lasts over the course of one school year. The program begins with a 3-day workshop aimed at teaching faculty culturally relevant pedagogy. At the end of the 3-day workshop faculty choose an inquiry project to run in one of their courses that involves making a specific pedagogical change and collecting data on that pedagogical change. Over the fall semester the faculty teach the course with the pedagogical change and collect data on the effectiveness of the change. In the spring semester they analyze and interpret their data and then present their project to an audience of their peers.

One goal of this program is to increase the use of culturally relevant and inclusive teaching practices so that students feel a greater sense of community and belonging as well as reach higher learning gains in their courses. A secondary goal of this program is to increase the use of systematic inquiry of pedagogical techniques in courses across campus. By increasing the use of systematic inquiry faculty will gain more insight into their own teaching practices and their students learning so that they are able to better serve the population of students that they have.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program is in-person only.

PROGRAM SCALE: Small-scale (reaches fewer than 10 percent of its target population)

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 33

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants must apply to enroll in this program

EVALUATION STATUS: Data related to program outcomes are currently being internally collected

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Faculty Learning Commons

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Heather Lehto at heather.lehto@angelo.edu or 3254866990

The purpose of the program is to strategically plan how to build capacity and infrastructure for greater use of affordable course materials and open educational resources at Tarleton State University. Through the greater use of affordable course materials and open educational resources, we aim to make college more affordable for students, thereby reducing barriers to persistence and graduation.

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Curriculum and Faculty Affairs

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Lesley Leach or Aimee Shouse at leach@tarleton.edu or 2549689588

The Drop Rate Improvement Program is a scientifically based program developed at Odessa College to answer the question “What factors account for the differences in student drop rates between instructors?” Created from research based on faculty feedback, the program has led to the highest in-class completion rates in the nation. Since its implementation in AY 2011, the Drop Rate Improvement Program has been institutionalized across the instructional division, with intentional support from the Division of Teaching & Learning, where success and drop rates are reviewed for each instructor, every term. The results of this program have led to the reduction of achievement gaps and attainment of equity among all major student demographic groups, across all courses, and instructional delivery methods at Odessa College.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Office of Institutional Effectiveness

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Janice Hicks, VP of Institutional Effectiveness at jhicks@odessa.edu or 432-335-6342

EAGLE is a mentoring program that pairs new teachers/adjuncts and facilitators from partnering school districts (ISDs) with seasoned LIT faculty to immerse them in LIT’s culture and receive any needed support.

Throughout the semester, the mentor will meet with mentee in person and/or online to review processes, policies, procedures, the learning management system (LMS), and the early alert system. The mentor will also generally be available to provide support and assistance, serving as the mentee’s point of contact for immediate assistance and providing instructional support as needed.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 0

HOW TO ENROLL: New teachers, adjuncts and facilitators will be assigned to a mentor during their first semester at LIT.

EVALUATION STATUS: No data related to outcomes have been collected from this program

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Instructional Division, Office of the Provost/Vice President of Instruction

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Angela Hill at ajhill@lit.edu or 409-880-8188

This 25-module course prepares faculty to implement evidence-based teaching practices shown to improve student outcomes and support equity goals. The teaching practices align with the Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) Effective Practice Framework: designing an effective course; establishing a productive learning environment; using active learning strategies; promoting higher order thinking; and assessing to inform instruction and promote learning. Faculty who complete all modules earn the full ACUE Certificate in Effective College Instruction, endorsed by the American Council on Education (ACE).

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program is online only.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 25

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants must apply to enroll in this program

WEBSITE TO APPLY: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=UisfZMscqEO8cUpg5D7wdsaVXBOvLNxCkHOHKSf6OYxUNEdTSUtRNzFNM044MFBUSjM1WjBKTE1RVC4u

EVALUATION STATUS: Data related to program outcomes are currently being internally and externally collected

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Center for Faculty Engagement

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Lisa Bunkowski at lisa.bunkowski@tamuct.edu or 254-501-5866

The Engaged Learning Institute (ELI) is a robust by-faculty, for-faculty cohort-based program that cultivates the uncovering, sharing, and implementation of engaged learning practices to impact student success. It focuses on transforming student learning in and beyond the instructional space, employing relevant technology to facilitate engaging, inclusive, and accessible student-centered teaching across all modalities. Institute participants share their experiences and build on their expertise through practice, self-reflection, discussion, and redesign.

The Engaged Learning Institute frontloads a contextual framework focused on three core lenses:

ENGAGEMENT is the broad lens through which ELI focuses content to encourage faculty to think about how to intentionally create environments and facilitate opportunities that help students to become world-ready, emphasizing Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) core skills. The ELI is centered on four dimensions of engaged learning suggested by the Associate of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U): classroom, multidisciplinary and contextual, civic and social, and technological and experiential. Engaged learning strategies center students as active participants in their own learning, maintaining essential focus on learners so that they may take ownership of their learning processes.

UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING serves ELI faculty as a framework grounded in neuroscience to advance consideration of ways to intentionally build in multiple means of content representation, skill demonstration, and overall engagement throughout course curriculum and delivery to ensure activation of brain networks essential to student learning.

CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE TEACHING offers ELI faculty a framework to help us craft inclusive environments that honor the whole student. ELI actively works to break down assumptions that Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) is reductionist and only about race. ELI supports achievement Title V to facilitate student access and success, specifically focused on developing and enhancing culturally competent faculty and staff through professional development.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Organizational Excellence and Development

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Sha-shonda Porter at sha-shonda.porter@tccd.edu or 8175151208

The Entering Student Experience supports UTEP students in their first 45 credit hours to build a foundation for their academic excellence and professional success. ESE fosters an inclusive environment to ensure students from diverse backgrounds have a meaningful transition to UTEP.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program is in-person only.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

PROGRAM OUTCOMES: The impact of UNIV 1301 is greater on the first-term retentions of students. The impact is that students who take UNIV 1301 are 1.37 times more likely to be retained for high risk students.

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Office of the Provost

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Denise Lujan, Ed.D. at cdlujan@utep.edu or (915) 747-6521

FLEXTech is an innovative program that supports mobility into cybersecurity and information technology by connecting students and employers through networking events, career fairs, mentorship opportunities, and use of career platforms, the program provides career readiness to students through online and in-person learning and assistance with job search strategy, resume assistance, LinkedIn, cover letters, employer research, networking, and developing an understanding of IT and Cybersecurity job fields.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

PROGRAM OUTCOMES: 126 program participants have self-reported an IT/Cybersecurity-related job or internship. Preliminary research indicates 85% of Bachelor of Applied Technology-Information Systems Cybersecurity graduates enrolled in the program have attained employment in their field of study versus 63% of students not enrolled in the program. Additional student labor market outcomes continue to be collected.

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Emerging Technical Grants Department

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Tara N. Lewis at tnlewis@collin.edu or 469-365-1809

Standardize instructional best practices and faculty tutor partnerships through guided professional development to better influence student outcomes.

(1) The activity director develops a library of study modules, informative videos, and discussion postings in VC's online course delivery system. The director will map out a "Recommended Training Plan," by which faculty complete tasks to go through specific modules until they've completed one module for each of the 12 best practices. Faculty will engage with other faculty for implementation strategies and incorporate their own strategies with the best practices in their courses where appropriate.

(2) The second element of Activity IV is to implement a program that will improve faculty understanding of VC's tutoring services and, therefore, increase the degree to which faculty encourage or require students to participate in tutoring.

As a result of developing a professional development program for faculty-driven student support, by the end of September 2023 (end of project year 3), VC will:

A. Increase Fall FTIC whose instructor explained VC's support services from 81.1% to 85%
B. Increase Fall FTIC who ask questions or contribute to class discussions two or more times from 63.3% to 70%
C. Increase Fall FTIC who work with other students during class at least once from 81.6% to 85%
D. Increase Fall FTIC who work on projects with classmates out of class from 49.1% to 55%
E. Increase Fall FTIC working in study groups outside of class at least once from 23.4% to 30%

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Victoria College

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Lisa Elsik at lisa.elsik@victoriacollege.edu or 361-582-2429

The goal of the Falcon Maps Advising Summits program is to produce the best academic paths for students by bringing together faculty and staff to make sure students progress to degree in the best way possible, reaching graduation with less debt and in the fastest possible time. Faculty and staff are gathered twice a year, once in the fall and once in the spring, by the University of Texas Permian Basin’s Student Success and Quality Enhancement Plan teams. At least one faculty advising mentor from each academic department is required to attend the sessions. The sessions switch between an interactive workshop facilitated during the fall and a conference style convening held in the spring. In both cases, faculty and staff learn more about the most up to date best practices for advising and mentoring students as well as the institution’s degree pathways.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 55

HOW TO ENROLL: All stakeholders have access to this program. As such, there is no enrollment process

EVALUATION STATUS: No data related to outcomes have been collected from this program

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Dean of Student Success

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Michael Frawley at frawley_m@utpb.edu or 432-552-2314

Increasingly, students name food insecurity as a barrier to their success. St. Edward's University is committed to eliminating on-campus food insecurity. Through grant funding and donations from faculty, staff and alumni, we support peer-to-peer outreach about on-campus and community-based food resources, transporting students to nearby food resources, stocking the St. Edward's Monarchs Food Pantry, fulfilling weekly grocery requests, reducing food waste and providing emergency aid funds through HOOF (Hilltoppers Overcoming Obstacles Fund).

During the 2021-22 academic year, 750 St. Edward's students applied for emergency aid through the Hilltoppers Overcoming Obstacles Fund (HOOF); 95% of applicants cited food insecurity as the reason for their request. Additionally, the free, on-campus Monarchs Food Pantry is open every weekday afternoon. While open to the university community only, we anecdotally know that many of the students who access these resources do so to feed their families. Started by students for students, the Monarchs Food Pantry is maintained through Campus Ministry and supported through privately raised dollars and food donations. It is currently student volunteer-run with a paid student Food Pantry Operations Intern supervising. Additionally, St. Edward's has formal partnerships with two South Austin food pantries: St. Ignatius Martyr Catholic Church and Foundation Communities.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Dean of Students Office and Campus Ministry

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Connie Rey Rodriguez at connierr@stedwards.edu or 512-448-8408

Recognizing the importance of STEM education in preparing the increasingly diverse generations that will make up the American workforce, this project strives to generate STEM student success at Texas State University (TXST) for Hispanic and Low Income (HLI) students who will become our next scientific and technical professionals. There are four primary activities designed to address persistent challenges in STEM education and career attainment for HLI students. Activity 1 will create a Peer Education Program with Success Coaches that will serve all incoming HLI freshman and transfer students in their first year at TXST who are identified through a predictive analytics factor-specific model as needing high-support during their transition to college. Activity 2 will improve the transfer navigation process and increase transfer matriculation to TXST through creation of a Transfer Articulation and Navigation Center. Center staff will initiate new transfer articulation agreements with 2-year HSIs, produce an online repository of course equivalency guides and other information pertinent for transfer students, and provide direct student transfer advising to facilitate the transfer process. Activity 3 will create a STEM Workforce Advisory Council to build collaborations with STEM employers leading to expanded Co-Op and work-based experiences for HLI STEM students; additionally, a new Work-based Experience Preparatory program will be implemented to provide targeted students with professional development improving their competitiveness for employment upon graduation. Activity 4 will provide professional development in culturally responsive teaching methods for STEM faculty teaching core courses that will enable faculty to make lasting changes to their instructional methods to improve HLI students' success.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format or has both online and in-person components.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Generación STEM

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Dr. Carolyn T. Chang at carolyn.chang@txstate.edu or 512-245-3150

This resource contains activity handouts and considerations for facilitators. This resource is part of the Teaching Excellence Toolkit to help accomplish the College Readiness Goal: I want students to feel like they belong in the course.Activity Description:Send a brief survey to students near the beginning of the term that asks them to share a little bit about past and current experiences, as well as their future aspirations. 

Whether you're a faculty member transitioning to remote teaching or a student taking online classes, setting up a productive workspace at home becomes increasingly important. Achieving this on a budget doesn't have to be a daunting task. This guide aims to equip you with the knowledge to create a home workspace that focuses on key aspects such as effective technology, ergonomic furniture, and essential accessories.

The I’m First – UT Tyler program is a program that services the needs of first-generation college students on main campus as well as satellite campuses and those undertaking online coursework. This program understands that each first-generation college student experience is different from the next (and many of those experiences are based in intersectional identities), so our program is centered on information sharing, advocacy, and connections to UT Tyler students, faculty, and resources. We strive to provide a sense of belonging within our campus community, which is key to not only retention and completion but the success of each student’s journey with us. As such, one of our primary methods is advocacy on campus through open and accessible communication channels – we are the touchpoint for all first-gen student questions about anything UT Tyler or college related and direct them or take them to the appropriate office to aid them.

Every month we send out a checklist newsletter to all first-generation college students (including international students and non-degree seeking students) that highlights upcoming university deadlines, breaks, campus community events (like blood drives, game and movie nights, holiday celebrations, etc), and links to all resources like tutoring and supplemental instruction. In addition to the checklist, we have created a regularly-updated glossary of all university terms (with links to the appropriate contacts and webpages) that is posted on our website and circulated accordingly.

We also host our own events, such as scholarship application workshops in which students may come to learn how to find the best scholarships for their situations and demographics, how to write the best essay, and how to submit them. This is an all-day, 2-day service offered in-person, but online and distance students are free to make unlimited one-on-one appointments for the same purpose as well as for resume review. We also host come-and-go social events. Further, we honor these students by providing first-generation stoles at every graduation and present them at a free banquet for them and their families. They are also available for pickup at graduation check-in. We host tables at preview days and homeschool days with swag and information, and our newly formed student organization will have a presence at orientation as well as host their own peer-centered events.

Lastly, beginning in the 2022 fall semester, the first-generation living-learning community will open its first wing in an on-campus housing unit. It will have its own first-generation RA as well as weekly meetings with our office’s staff that serve to bring the university’s resources to the students directly, such as advising, tutoring, safe zone training, study halls, library liaison tutorials, and more. Further, these students will also participate in servant-leadership opportunities and get to experience the Tyler community on field trips.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

PROGRAM SCALE: Medium-scale (reaches between 10 and 25 percent of its target population)

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 110

HOW TO ENROLL: Participants are automatically enrolled in this program if they meet eligibility requirements

EVALUATION STATUS: No data related to outcomes have been collected from this program

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: UT Tyler Office of Academic Success

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Sidney Wilson at sidneywilson@uttyler.edu or 903-565-5528

In this era of increasing polarization, UNT’s mission of preparing students for the challenges they will meet in a world that is evolving rapidly has never been more important. A critical part of this preparation is helping students learn to consider and engage with different perspectives, and to be comfortable and confident expressing their own. Unfortunately, some students do not always feel included, nor that their experiences are valued. Indeed, some students often express doubt that they belong in the academic programs in which they are interested or even that they belong at a university at all. For the sake of all our students, it is incumbent on all of us that we carefully examine our policies and practices to ensure that they equitably support, affirm, and validate all students. During the 2021-22 academic year we asked faculty to gather input from students regarding how inclusive they feel the program curriculum is, asking questions such as how safe they feel in sharing their perspectives and how welcome they feel in the program. We then provided some guiding questions that individual faculty should consider and, together with the input gathered from students, asked them to reflect on their courses and teaching practices. Finally, we asked faculty in each program to consider together ways the overall program might be adjusted to encourage respectful and welcoming dialog, and then submit a narrative to their college’s dean detailing what steps they have taken so far and what further steps they have planned to support this mission.

DELIVERY FORMAT: The program has a hybrid format.

PROGRAM SCALE: Large-scale (reaches more than 25 percent of its intended target population)

APPROXIMATE PARTICIPANTS SERVED IN 2021-22: 32000

HOW TO ENROLL: All stakeholders have access to this program. As such, there is no enrollment process

DEPARTMENT(S) OVERSEEING PROGRAM: Vice Provost for Student Success

CONTACT FOR MORE INFO: Michael McPherson at michael.mcpherson@unt.edu or 940-565-2550