Transitions Dimension Report
Pellissippi State Technical Community College

Foundations Institutions facilitate appropriate student transitions beginning with outreach and recruitment and continuing throughout the period of enrollment.  They communicate clear curricular/co-curricular expectations and possibilities, and they provide appropriate preparation and support for educational success. They are forthright about their responsibilities to students as well as students' responsibilities to themselves and the institution. These institutions create and maintain communication with secondary and other postsecondary institutions, families, employers, community agencies, and other sources of support for students.

Committee Leaders:
Becky Milam, Student Assistance Center Coordinator
Bob Stern, Associate Professor - Mathematics

Committee Members:
Sharon Burlingame, Assistant Professor - Business and Computer Technology
Rachael Cragle, Secretary 3 for Advising, Articulation and Curriculum
Dorothy Donaldson, Associate Professor -Liberal Arts
Lana Doncaster, Director of Educational Technology Services
Lisa Ezzell, Instructor/Business and Computer Technology
Cathalin Folks, Professor - English
Margaret Franzen, Associate Professor - Natural and Behavioral Sciences
Mark Fuentes, Assistant Professor - Business and Computer Technology
Tom Gaddis, Associate Professor - Business and Computer Technologies
Jonathan Lamb, Assistant Professor - Mathematics
Elizabeth McCowan, Associate Professor - Business and Computer Technologies
Sarah McMurray, Coordinator Services for Students with Disabilities
Melanie Paradise, Manager of Records Office
Linda Randolph, Director of Educational Improvement
Harold Rowland, Assistant Professor - English
David Smith, Coordinator of Web Services
Stewart Taylor, Assistant Professor - Engineering and Media Technologies
Berta Ward, Dean of Academic Advising, Articulation and Curriculum
Audrey Williams, Instructional Technology Specialist

Current Situation
5.1 Communications to Students

The institution's academic expectations for freshmen are clearly set forth in the catalog and clearly communicated by admissions and records. Leadership opportunities through COSA and volunteer opportunities are especially well-communicated. Entry requirements for specific academic programs and majors are provided in three ways: personal contact through admissions and records, the college catalog, and the college website. There is an excellent breakdown of requirements for technical programs as well as for transfer programs. Admissions and Records does a good job of communicating information relating to college costs and financial aid. Financial aid does a fair job even though counselors are
not available full-time on all campuses.

5.2 Communication to Others

The general consensus of our findings is that there is no formal plan in place to help freshman transition successfully from high school to college.

With regard to secondary school personnel, the Admissions office makes regular contact with local guidance counselors.The Admissions recruiters make regular visits to area high schools and plan special events such as Open House, Seniors on Campus, etc. to try to increase interest in Pellissippi. PSTCC also has a growing number of dually enrolled high school students. The current number approaches 200 students. The Admissions office also holds an annual Guidance Counselor conference where area counselors spend two days on campus.

New Student Orientation provides a significant opportunity for communication between the college and families. There is a specific parent session which does seek to inform parents about their role as a support in their student's life as well as college expectations for students. Parents who attend orientation may attend advising sessions as well.

Gayle Wood, who is responsible for Orientation, has instituted a new Eletter. The newsletter is sent to parents via email twice a semester to inform them of important dates, events, and general information.

Parents or family members may attend advising sessions with their students at any time.

As for other support networks, there are of course various community outreach events that PSTCC participates in, but we could find none that truly focus on student success.

5.3 Establishing Connections

Connections with Instructors
Instructors provide a class syllabus which includes required office hours and contact information. PSTCC also pays adjunct faculty for office hours. Degree-seeking students are assigned a full time faculty advisor based on their major. Students are strongly encouraged to see their advisors each semester.

There is no other formal policy or directive at the institution level that structures experiences in which new students can connect with instructors outside of class. Individual instructors do take many approaches to increasing their contact and connection with students outside of the classroom. These include: sponsoring clubs, holding review sessions or additional office hours, meeting office hours in the cafeteria, providing multiple contact avenues such as home phone or email and gathering personal information cards at the first of the semester to use in conversations with the students throughout the term. It was also indicated that our smaller class size allows for a better connection with students than other, larger college settings.

Connections with Other New Students
40% of new students participate in New Student Orientation. It is difficult to assess how well students actually make connections with each other during New Student Orientation, but during orientation they are told about ways that they can connect with other students outside of the classroom.

Student Life and Recreation (SLR) has several activities that help new students connect with each other and with other students. During New Student Orientation, students are introduced to Panther Pause (a biweekly newsletter announcing campus events and activities); they are involved in an activity that encourages them to read the newsletter and prizes are awarded. SLR sponsors a scavenger hunt 'FreshFusion' for new students - they work in small groups and visit various campus sites; at each site, they learn about the resources or services that are offered. Following the scavenger hunt, there is a cookout and door prizes. Although not limited to new students, SLR has developed a "PassPort" program that encourages students to participate in out-of-class activities. After completing 3 of the numerous activities that are offered each semester, students receive a t-shirt. For each additional activity in which they participate, they get an entry in a drawing for really nice prizes (MP3 player, laptop, $50 gift certificates) at the end of the semester. In fall 2005, 60% of the 262 participants in the PassPort program were freshmen. The Panther Pause is also posted on the doors of all bathroom stalls frequented by students.

Connections with Continuing Students
There are several events and aspects of campus culture that afford new students the opportunity to connect with continuing students. These include New Student Orientation (NSO) during which time participants interact with Student Ambassadors (continuing students who are developing leadership skills); the TRIO program which hires continuing students to serve as tutors for students receiving Trio services (8% of new students participate in TRIO); structured programs and activities organized by the SLR Office and Council of Student Advocates (COSA). Activities are co-curricular for new and continuing students on all four campuses (approximately twenty social and academic student organizations are active). All new students are encouraged to join. A student round-up is held every fall allowing officers of existing clubs
to inform and recruit new members.

In addition, new students make up an average of approximately 18% of the students in the top 5 high enrollment courses. They have the opportunity to connect with continuing students via active learning activities in these courses. Most courses tend to have both new and continuing students enrolled; new students consistently enroll from all of the top 34 local feeder high schools, which should, to some extent, result in re-connection with alumni of their former high schools. Admissions Office personnel consistently schedule recruiting visits to the top feeder high schools.

Although it appears that there are abundant opportunities for new students to connect with continuing students, results of the Foundations of Excellence 2-year Student Survey indicate that many students do not experience those connections. The results of question Q007 which specifically asks, "As a first year student, to what degree has this College connected you with continuing students?" reveal that on a scale of 1 low to 5 high, the mean response was a 2.96 (moderate). For 18-19 year olds the result was slightly higher at 3.18, much higher at 3.8 for 45-50 year olds, but lower than the mean for every other age group.

Connections with Academic Support Services
Students currently are introduced to support services through orientations and overviews of services offered (via agendas and flyers). Representatives of the various support areas also are invited to disseminate information in College and Lifetime Learning Classes.

An example support program is the TRIO program. TRIO staff members go to classrooms and talk to students about general academic problems. General e-mails are sent to students on a systematic basis, announcing services available. The staff also holds regular orientations and workshops designed specifically for addressing academic problems; maintains informational booths at all club functions, and distributes/posts pamphlets and flyers.

Additional academic support services available to all students include New Student Orientation, New Student Advising, Student Support Services Request form, access to the Developmental Studies Program, Student Services, Disability Services, free tutoring, make-up testing center, counseling and retention programs.

Responses to Q009 of the Foundations of Excellence 2-Year Student Survey asks "To what degree has this college connected you with academic support outside the classroom?", the mean response was 3.37 (moderate). Response to that same question had a mean of 4.0 (high) for students who classified themselves as "somewhat active".

General Observations
The College Web site advertises almost all opportunities for student/instructor/support service interaction. It may be that students' freedom/ability to attend these programs is the limiting factor in the creation of effective connections.

5.4 Academic Advising

New students schedule an appointment to meet with an advisor. They are given a new student packet and if needed, a a DSP packet explaining placement in developmental courses and courses to complete high school deficiencies. Options for retesting are explained if developmental courses are required.

Advisors are expected to talk with new students about their degree or program of study. Advisors then assist new students with choosing classes and registering.

New students who are unable to get an appointment can still attend Final Registration and meet with an advisor. New student advising in Final Registration is not as beneficial to the new student as a scheduled appointment. Final Registration advising is often rushed and not as informative as an office meeting.

New faculty are required to participate in eight hours of training before advising new students. Advisors are updated about changes in curriculum requirements each semester through required advisor information sessions. No student is required to participate in advising or any other type of one-on-one discussion session.

Areas of Concern
5.1 Communications to Students

1) We need to improve our communication to students about on-campus employment opportunities.

2) Internships appear to work relatively well for students who are in specific programs, but other students are not exposed to these potential opportunities to find out if they have an interest.

3) Details of particular course fees, service charges, fines, etc. are available online, but only through the cashier's office webpage. This
is difficult for most students to find.

4) Limited availability of financial aid counselors at all sites.

5) Communication with students during the summer prior to the beginning of fall semester due to lack of availability of student email accounts at a time when postal mailings have been phased out. (Completed)

5.2 Communication to Others

While everyone interviewed participates in many activities that reach students, families and the community, again, the findings show that other than the events associated with Orientation, there is little focus on success. The focus is more on recruiting and getting students interested in college, specifically PSTCC. Areas of concern would be every area with the exception of Orientation.

5.3 Establishing Connections

Although we have intramurals, a concern raised was the lack of sporting teams or other ways for students, faculty and staff to rally together over a common experience or event. The experiences of students connecting with both other students and faculty in club events and outings was a strong positive, but the attendance for these types of activities was often very low and usually required offering extra credit in a course to get students to come. It is hard to get out-of-class events scheduled and approved and perhaps the system could be streamlined or even better publicized to raise awareness of the opportunities for participation. Connections will be more successful when students are intrinsically motivated to participate in activities that foster those connections rather than being extrinsically motivated.

We need to increase participation in New Student Orientation and out-of-class activities.

Student perception of what is being offered to them does not appear to match the effort made to provide opportunities for connections. Email is a major method by which students are informed of activities: however, students are inundated with email and do not appear to take notice of significant opportunities to participate.

Analysis of the Foundations of Excellence 2-Year student Survey seems to indicate that students in the 21-28 year age brackets are not feeling as connected as their younger peers. This is cause for concern because the 21-28 age bracket makes up the majority of our student population.

The availability of student support services is not perceived to be equal at all sites. It also appears that some students may not be taking advantage of all the services the College has to offer, even if they are aware of their existence.

Counseling is not very visible, but how can we make counseling visible and still maintain confidentiality?

The TRIO Website is out of date.

5.4 Academic Advising

New students meet with an advisor to discuss their major and develop a schedule for their first semester. The institution places a great deal of emphasis on the first semester advising; however, the emphasis for the following semesters is not monitored or encouraged on the same scale. New students are given a great deal of information their first semester about required courses, curriculum requirements, tutoring options and academic honesty.

First semester students are not given a lot of information about the philosophy of the institution on academic advising. There is a small paragraph in the catalog that gives a definition of advising followed by a very long list of the student's responsibilities.

First year students are not required to meet with an advisor. There is no early warning system for at risk students or first year students.

The initial advisor that a student meets with will not necessarily be their assigned advisor, and the student will need to make another connection to another advisor in order to continue into their second semester.

Not enough is done to encourage students to make connections with staff/faculty or other students.

Summary of Evidence
5.1 Communications to Students

1) College catalog
2) College website and online catalog
3) FOE organization data spreadsheet and writeup
4) Admission and Records personnel
5) Internal publications such as "Inside Pellissippi"
6) Cashier's Office webpage
7) New Student Orientation Agenda

5.2 Communication to Others

The committee interviewed Admissions personnel (recruiting & orientation), site dean, department head and the Director of Student Life.

5.3 Establishing Connections

The evidence to determine instructor connections was based on emails from several faculty and department heads and conversations with others. The summary of those emails is included in the Evidence Documentation section which follows.

Based on the evidence as documented in the next section, the effort expended by the college to help students make connections appears to be HIGH (4), however the perception of students is that the success of those efforts is approximately MEDIUM (3). Since having connections with faculty, staff and/or other students is an essential component of retention, making meaningful connections with students should be a priority. Because many of our students have hectic lives off campus, most efforts to help students connect should be focused on activities/programs that can be done during the time that our students are scheduled to be on campus.

Evidence used to Assess New student to New Student Connections
Email from Mary Bledsoe, Director of Student Life and Recreation, and from
Foundations of Excellence 2-year Student Survey results

Evidence used to Assess New Student to Continuing Student Connections
CPI - Table A : New Student Orientation, Student Life and Recreation Office, Trio Program
CPI - Table B Council of Student Advocates
CPI - Table C: Existence of student organizations
CPI - Table D1a: High Enrollment Courses
CPI - Table F3: Top Feeder High Schools
http://www.pstcc.edu/departments/institutional_research/ff_hs04f.php
Dimensions - Foundations of Excellence 2-year Student Survey results

Evidence used to Assess New Student Connections to Academic Support Services
CPI - Table A : New Student Orientation, New Student Advising; New Student Advisor Training; TRIO
CPI - Table C: Developmental Studies Program; Services for Students with Disabilities; Student Due Process Policy
CPI - Table F4:Library Services
Library Web Page (http://pstcc5.pstcc.edu/library (description of library services posted)

5.4 Academic Advising

There is some evidence from student surveys that we are not doing enough to prepare students in their first year to move forward with their educational goals. Based on the results of the student survey, we communicate to them their particular course requirements and the need for academic honesty. We also seem to do a pretty good job giving them the information they need for academic help outside the classroom. Based on survey evidence students feel good about the specific factual information we give them, but we fall short in making students feel like they have a connection to the institution, other students and faculty or staff members. An integral part of academic advising should be providing a connection for the student. As an institution we believe we are providing a good academic advising experience for students, but based on student survey results, we are not providing as good an
experience as we could be.

Recommended Grade: C

Recommended Action Items:

• Action Plan for Communications to Students (High priority)

1) Provide information to faculty/staff on the availability of internships, student on-campus employment, professional clubs, and volunteer activities.

2) Make online information about fees and fines etc. more easily accessible to the new student.

3) Make student email accounts available during summer prior to the beginning of fall semester and between semesters.

4) Improve communication about costs, deferred payments, web payments, and deadlines for payment/expunge to students during orientation.

5) Increase availability of financial aid counselors at all sites.

6) Communicate the importance of early filing of FAFSA to new students.

7) Promote application for Foundation Scholarships to potential students during recruitment so that they may meet the March 15 priority application deadline.

• Action Plan for Communications to Others (High priority)

1) Mention in printed materials the value of others' support.

2) Formally communicate to high school guidance counselors their significant role in student success.

3) During Orientation, continue to emphasize and expand information to parents about their role in their child's education.

• Action Plan for Academic Advising (High priority)

1) Develop a mutually agreed upon, clearly defined definition and philosophy of academic advising that articulates both the institution and the student commitment and responsibilities for academic advising.

2) Review the current practices in academic advising to determine if a new process/program could provide students with the opportunity to make better connections to the campus community and transition more effectively throughout their first year.

3) Utilize proven models of academic advising from other colleges, universities and programs to produce a program and culture that enables the student to find the connections that will allow them to transition from high school to college and from first semester to second semester.

4) Expand the staff of the Student Assistance Center so students have an opportunity to make connections to other people on campus besides their instructors or academic advisors.

5) Require first year students to meet with an advisor.

6) Develop a course that addresses the knowledge that is needed for a student to successfully transition from high school to college. It would not necessarily be a full term course but a class that first year students are required to attend that covers information such as email, P.S. Web, tutoring options, priority registration and other topics that students are just expected to know.

• Action Plan for Establishing Connections (Medium priority)

1) Add a line item about connections to the College's Vision and Values Policy.

2) In the New Student Packet, define what connections are and why they are important. List opportunities for students to make connections.

3) During new student orientation and in Developmental Study Skills courses, describe what connections are and why they are important. Do an activity specifically intended to create a connection between one student and another, between a student and staff member, and between a parent and staff member.

4) Target more activities to specific subpopulations - connect students with others having common demographics (Example - brown-bag breakfasts or lunches targeted to single parents. working students, ESL students, etc.)

5) Reduce the use of email/spam about upcoming activities.

6) Update the TRIO website.

7) Allow/encourage family and friends of students to fully participate in events that are scheduled after hours.

8) Implement a formal peer-to-peer mentoring program patterned after those implemented at local high schools with students paired by major, age and circumstance (voluntary participation).

9) Use the Luminous Portal to target promotions of activities based on the students' interests and needs.

10) Develop a course for credit that includes a ropes challenge course, other team building activities and instruction on the power of self-esteem and the power of purpose.