The mission of the First Year Experience Department is to work cooperatively and creatively with academic and support services to offer students a comprehensive first-year experience that empowers them as engaged learners, integrates them into the college community as meaningful participants in campus life, and facilitates their successful transition into future transfer and career pathways.
The FYE Department provides centralized collaboration for first year courses and efforts at Butte. The many excellent student and transfer success programs across the campus have a contact point as they seek to coordinate efforts around the first year experience of our students. The FYE department houses the following courses and programs: • Life Management (LM40) • College and Life Success (CSL20) • On Course (EDUC100) • Career & Life Planning (CLP 30) • Other Counseling classes as offered. The FYE "student success courses" (with common SLOs and ongoing faculty collaboration) include: •Life Management (LM40) •College and Life Success (CSL20) • Career & Life Planning (CLP30) • Health and Wellness (HLTH2) •College Study Skills (READ126). The FYE department collaborates with the following courses, programs, departments, and committees: • Health and Wellness (HLTH2) • College Study Skills (READ126) • Exploring Leadership (POS92) • English 118 & 119 • New Student Orientation • Reg2Go • Recruitment, Outreach & Student Life • Summer Bridge • Center for Academic Success • Information Literacy courses • Student Success Committee • Counseling (provide group academic advising to FYE classes each semester) •Assessment •Contract Education / Work Training Center •Numerous other departments across the campus. The FYE Department ensures consistency across the FYE student success courses as they address mutually agreed-upon common core curricula (see SLOs).
Every semester, each instructor administers an FYE SLO survey to all enrolled students and is provided with his/her SLO survey results (data and student narrative comments). In addition, an aggregate of the program-wide results – by course – is distributed to each instructor. Instructors can compare their results with the program-wide aggregate, fueling self-reflection and dialogue. In Spring 2015, 560 students completed the survey. FYE faculty discussed survey results at a September 2015 meeting dedicated to the department’s SLO work.
CSL 20 faculty noted that students reported learning about goal setting and seeking to make personal goals more concrete and achievable (questions #4 and #5). For these two questions, CSL 20 SLO survey results were higher than any of the other FYE classes.
CSL 20 faculty also noted that students reported experiencing a solid understanding of their unique identities. On survey questions #16 and #17, students reported being challenged to reflect on who they are and how they live their lives. They also reported utilizing the concepts presented in class to improve their lives.
Finally, CSL 20 faculty expressed satisfaction with the fact that students seem to be gaining understanding about personal wellness and healthy lifestyles (questions #13 and #14). Students seem to be developing more awareness about the effects of drugs and alcohol. Faculty attribute this growth to specific reading assignments and follow-up class discussions.
LM 40 faculty reported that students learned personal management strategies that they were able to utilize to better balance their lives (questions #1 and #2), and LM 40 survey results in this area were higher than the aggregate. Students also grew in the area of accepting personal responsibility, as evidenced by the many “I” statements in the narrative response portions of the survey.
LM 40 faculty identified students’ understanding personal learning preferences and their approach to learning based on this understanding as an area for continued growth (questions #10 and #11). Faculty agreed that a more concrete, rather than meta-cognitive, theoretical approach to learning styles, might be more effective.
Finally, LM 40 faculty agreed that taking the SLO survey at the end of the course affords students the opportunity to reflect upon what they have learned over the course of the semester. Faculty commented that often they do not fully appreciate what students have learned until they run into them in a future semester or, very occasionally, receive a phone call or an email. One faculty member shared an email from a former student who had recently become an attorney and wanted to express gratitude for all she had learned in LM 40.
Overall, FYE SLO survey results are impressive. In addition to these student-reported outcomes, institutional longitudinal data clearly demonstrates that students who take FYE courses succeed and persist at 20%+ higher rates than the general Butte College population. However, the FYE department seeks to improve always, so that our students may succeed in their success and completion goals. To that end, collective dialogue is essential.
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College |
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Program |
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Indicator |
Source |
2013-2014 Performance |
Standard |
Five Year Goal |
Fall 2015 Performance |
Standard |
Five Year Goal |
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Course Success |
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- Overall |
PDR |
71.1% |
70% |
73% |
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- Transfer/GE |
PDR |
71.5% |
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73% |
67.3 % |
62% |
68% |
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- CTE |
PDR |
75% |
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77% |
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- Basic Skills |
PDR |
51.7% |
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55% |
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- Distance Ed (all) |
PDR |
62.5% |
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64% |
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Persistence (Focused). Note: The Persistence (Focused) that is included in the PDR is a different indicator than the three-primary term persistence indicator, from the state Student Success Scorecard, that is used to measure institutional persistence. The Focused Persistence indicator measures the percentage of students that took a second course in a discipline within one year. There is no relationship between the college and program standards in this area. |
PDR |
72.6% (Three-Term) Scorecard |
67% (Three-Term) Scorecard |
75% (Three-Term) Scorecard |
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Degrees |
PDR |
1,455 |
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1,600 |
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Certificates |
PDR |
366 |
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475 |
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Developmental Strand Completion |
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- English |
State |
42% |
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45% |
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- Math |
State |
30.7% |
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33% |
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- ESL |
State |
25% |
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28% |
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Licensure Pass Rates |
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- Registered Nursing |
SC |
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- Licensed Vocational Nursing |
SC |
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- Respiratory Therapy |
SC |
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- Paramedic |
SC |
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- Cosmetology |
SC |
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- Welding |
SC |
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Job Placement Rates |
PIV |
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The First Year Experience department supports the Strategic Direction and Priorities of Butte College by offering classes that empower students and help them to persist and achieve their academic goals. Students who complete FYE classes persist and complete at a rate of approximately 20% higher than students who do not complete FYE classes.
The First Year Experience department looks forward to collaborating with colleagues across campus as discussions focused on Guided Pathways unfold. It is the position of the department that all Butte College students would benefit from taking a First Year Experience course.
The FYE department supports the following Butte College Strategic Initiatives:
1. Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement (conveying to students the possibilities available to them, making students active partners in their educational success, empowering new students to succeed through First Year Experience and involvement in campus activites, connecting sutdents to support services, assisting students to identify potential careers and develop the soft skills required in the workplace)
2. Supporting Student, Faculty, and Staff Success (creating a culture of meaningful interactions with students, engaging students in campus life, actively encouraging and enabling students to make decisions that support their success and completion, putting students first, developing and maintaining collaborative processes across campus)
3. Using data-informed Processes for Continuous Improvement (student achievement, class scheduling)
6. Enhancing a Culture of Inclusiveness (educating students about diversity, improving success of targeted populations)
The Validation Team recommended that the FYE department hire a full-time faculty member to teach and serve in a future leadership role. The hiring process is underway.
The Validation Team recommended that the FYE program consider "rebranding," choosing a name more indicative of the program's purpose, for exmple "College and Life Success." The department has discussed this suggestion.
The Validation Team recommended that the FYE program target groups that they can effectively serve with existing program offerings. For example, to facilitate their success, readmitted, disqualified students might be allowed to register as continuiing students for FYE and Basic Skills courses for their first semester post-readmission. This recommendation will be addressed during Guided Pathways discussions.
The Validation Team recommended that the FYE program ensure that they are offering the most appropriate and effective course offerings, based on students' needs. The team suggested possibly offering a three-week FYE class in August for students new to Butte College. The FYE department looks forward to working with Summer Bridge, Student Equity, and othe Student Success Initiatives to meet Butte College Students' needs.
The First Year Experience department will participate actively and contribute to Guided Pathways conversations at Butte College. The department will work cooperatively and creatively with academic and support services to offer students a comprehensive first-year experience that empowers them as engaged learners, integrates them into the college community as meaningful participants in campus life, and facilitates their successful transition into transfer and career pathways.
Strategy 1 - Hire Full-time Instructor
The FYE department will hire a full-time instructor to provide leadership in the department and to teach core classes.
The FYE department currently has two full-time faculty teaching two of the the department's core courses: LM40 and CSL20. Both of these instructors will be retiring at the end of the 2015-16 academic year.The department is in the process of hiring one full-time instructor, but another is needed to provide adequate leadership as the college moves forward with a focus on student achievement. Full-time faculty members not only provide leadership but assist with training and mentoring associate faculty, curriculum and SLO work, unit planning, and program review.
Currently, most faculty teaching core classes in the department are associate faculty or full-time academic counselors teaching a one-course overload .In 2015-16, several experienced associate faculty found full-time jobs, did not accept teaching assignments for health reasons, or reduced their teaching loads for some other reason.
Strategy 2 - Classify FYE Department Chair as Chair III
The FYE department chair will be reclassified as a Chair III to accurately reflect the amount of time and effort required to perform the duties of the position effectively.
Prior to the 2014-15 academic year, the FYE department chair received 30% assigned time reduction to manage the department and coordinate the program. In 2014-15 the assigned time was reduced to 20%, which is not adequate to perform the duties of the position effectively while simultaneously working to develop and expand the program to meet the needs of more students. In addition to the standard duties of a department chair (including hiring, scheduling, evaluating associate faculty, dealing with student complaints, and managing the department budget), ordering books, attending two-hour Thursday afternoon meetings three weeks per month (Department Chairs, Learning Council, Dean's Area Meeting) along with bi-weekly meetings with the dean, the FYE department chair must meet and work closely with Student Services (Counseling, Orientation, Reg2Go, and Summer Bridge) and other academic departments. Each semester, the department chair is responsible for creating and distributing SLO surveys to all faculty teaching LM40, CSL20, CLP30, HLTH2, and READ126, collecting and analyzing survey results, and distributing results to faculty prior to Institute Day. Last year, the FYE department conducted its first Program Review, which has required considerable time and effort on the part of the department chair.
In Fall 2015, the department chair attended numerous committee meetings and meetings with with college decision makers to request input regarding the future of the First Year Experience program. The chair has been appointed to the Educational Master Planning committee and is also actively engaged in conversations focused on the book Redesigning America's Community Colleges, which makes a strong case for mandatory student success courses. The FYE program is ready to expand to serve even more students. Possibilities for expansion, all of which would require leadership on the part of the department chair, include:
1) Collaborating with the PROD office to serve disproportionately impacted students from local area high schools
2) Collaborating with the Child Development department to offer LM 40 in Spanish to students in the ECE certificate program
3) Increasing the number CLP 30 course sections/locations to serve students hoping to define or refine academic majors and/or career options
Strategy 3 - Increase Student Access and Success
The FYE department will seek to ensure that all students, especially disproportionately impacted students, have access to FYE Student Success Classes, including CLP 30, CSL 20, HLTH 2, LM 40, and READ 126.
If, as is consistently seen in excellent FYE programs across the country, Butte College hopes to make FYE Student Success classes a pivotal “jumping off” place for our new students, we obviously must offer enough sections to accommodate student need. When First Year students are successful, the entire campus is more successful. According to Butte College data, students who complete a FYE class are approximately 20% more likely to achieve their academic goals.
The department is actively pursuing the development of online versions of LM40 and CSL20 and has discussed the possibility of adding an online or hybrid version of CLP30 in the future. Two associate faculty have developed online courses, and additional faculty are engaged in online course development.
The FYE department plans to participate actively in campus-wide discussions about the possiblity of developing guided pathways at Butte College. Ideally, each guided pathway will include at least one FYE class option.
Strategy 4 - Collaborate Strategically with Departments, Groups, and Individuals
The FYE department will make strategic, broad-based collaboration with groups, departments and individuals across campus its ongoing focus. In particular, FYE will broaden its collaborative model to include working with more Student Services offices. The department has considered the possibility of developing a 12-unit certificate, possibly a certificate that encourage new students to take math and English classes during their first year. The department will continue to engage in meaningful dialogue with Math, English, and LEAD faculty about empowering students' success during their first year at Butte College.
Recommendation 2.4 of the Advancing Student Success in California Community Colleges, The Recommendations of the California Community Colleges Student Success Task Force is to “Require students whose diagnostic assessments show a lack of readiness for college to participate in a support resource, such as a student success course, learning community, or other sustained intervention, provided by the college for new students.”
The narrative for this recommendation broadens the recommendation to include first-year experience programs. The report also cites that experience both in California and throughout the nation demonstrates that these interventions - when carefully and deliberately planned and implemented - do have a positive impact on student success, retention and persistence.
The FYE department hosted a brainstorming session with faculty and administrators from across campus in April 2014. Several ideas came out of the session:
1. Possible Cohorts or Linked Classes: FYE class with a Math, English, or Reading class
MATH 217/READ 126
ENGL 219/READ 126
MATH 108/LM 40, CSL 20, CLP 30
ENGL 118 & 119/LM 40, CSL 20, CLP 30
The FYE department, with support of the Dean of Student Learning, has made excellent progress in working with Counseling and Reg2Go; however, more work between and among departments would allow us to serve more students and help them achieve their academic goals. The department has also made great strides in marketing the program via screens on campus, paper flyers, and letters to counselors and parents of graduating high school seniors who participate in Reg2Go. More time and energy devoted to these efforts would allow the FYE department to address more of the ideas suggested at the brainstorming session, which would ultimately result in greater success for students and higher retention levels for academic programs across the college.
Strategy 5 - Support Use of Online Environment to Enhance Learning
The FYE department will continue to work with colleagues to explore ways to ensure that first year students receive appropriate training in digital literacy as needed.
Numerous conversations and meetings over the past several years have reinforced the need for students to be prepared to succeed in an increasingly digitized and technological world. As Blackboard (soon Canvas) is used in virtually every class at Butte, and as faculty broaden requirements for students' use of technology in instructional settings, new students need to be equipped with at least basic digital competency skills.
The FYE department would benefit from dedicated classroom space.
The FYE department has a Life Management Foundation Account(from LM40 workbook fees, for LM program development use only). As of 2/2016, the Foundation account balance is $6941.83.
| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | First Year Experience | Operating Expenses | $0.00 | $0.00 | ||
| The FYE department chair will be reclassified as a Chair III to accruately reflect the amount of time and effort required to perform the duties of the position effectively. Augmentation amount represents stipend in increase of $3,500 plus additional 10% assigned time reduction. | Prior to the 2014-15 academic year, the FYE department chair received 30% assigned time reduction to manage the department and coordinate the program. This year the assigned time reduction has been reduced to 20%, which is not adequate to perform the duties of the position effectively while simultaneously working to develop and expand the program. In addition to the standard duties of a department chair (including hiring, scheduling, evaluating associate faculty, dealing with student complaints, and managing the department budget), ordering books, attending two-hour Thursday afternoon meetings three weeks per month (Department Chairs, Learning Council, Dean's Area Meeting) along with bi-weekly meetings with the dean, the FYE department chair must meet and work closely with Student Services (Counseling, Orientation, Reg2Go, and Summer Bridge) and other academic departments. Each semester, the department chair is responsible for creating and distributing SLO surveys to all faculty teaching LM40, CSL20, CLP30, HLTH2, and READ126, collecting and analyzing survey results, and distributing results to faculty prior to Institute Day. This year, the FYE department is conducting its first Program Review, which has required considerable time and effort on the part of the department chair. This academic year, the department chair has also been responsible for adding two class sections in Winter Session, one of which (CSL 20) required Curriculum Committee approval to be offered in the short-term format; three class sections in Spring; and five class sections in Summer 2015, one of which will be offered in conjunction with Summer Bridge. The department chair has also been responsible for a marketing campaign that has included slides on screens posted around campus; flyers distributed to the English department, Counseling, and Orientation; and a letter to counselors and parents of graduating high school seniors who participate in Reg2Go. Additional marketing strategies, such as a department Facebook page and newspaper articles, have been proposed; however, the chair has not had the time to pursue those opportunities. Finally, the department chair consulted with the Work Training Center / Contract Education to offer FYE-related suggestions and support for the new Occupational Life Skills program. |
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| 2 | First Year Experience | Operating Expenses | $17,500.00 | $0.00 | ||
| The FYE department seeks resources to ensure that all students, especially disproportionately impacted students, have access to FYE Student Success Classes, including CLP 30, CSL 20, HLTH 2, LM 40, and READ 126. Augmentation requested for additional class sections and/or "boot camp" experiences for targeted groups of students. | If, as is consistently seen in excellent FYE programs across the country, we want to make our FYE Student Success classes a pivotal “jumping off” place for our new students, we obviously must offer enough sections to accommodate the need. When First Year students are successful, it translates over time to the entire campus being more successful. According to Butte College data, students who complete a FYE class are approximately 20% more likely to achieve their academic goals. The department is actively pursuing the development of online versions of LM40 and CSL20 and has discussed the possibility of adding an online or hybrid version of CLP30 in the near future. Faculty have been identified to develop the courses, and additional faculty have expressed interest in doing so. The department is also planning to apply for Student Equity funds to conduct a research study that would answer the following questions: 1) When, in their college careers, do students typically enroll in FYE classes? Do they enroll during their first year or first semester at the college? 2) Which FYE intervention model would most effectively address the needs of disproportionately impacted students? One model that has been shown to be effective is the model used at DeAnza College, where FYE classes are offered to targeted cohorts of students. At Butte College, it would make sense to capitalize on cohorts that currently exist, for example, EOPS students, STEM students, foster youth, re-entry students, international students, and/or Latino students. FYE classes for specific student cohorts would enhance students' ability to connect and feel part of the greater Butte College community, likely resulting in increased retention, persistence, and completion among students who participate in the program. |
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| 3 | First Year Experience | Operating Expenses | $6,250.00 | $0.00 | ||
| The FYE department will collaborate with campus funding sources to provide basic organizational supplies to students in FYE classes. | FYE classes teach students self-management and organizational skills, and the FYE department plans to support CSL 20 and LM 40 students by providing them with planners in which they can chart daily, weekly, and monthly schedules and record assignment due dates, test dates, and other important times and dates. The total cost would be $5.00 x 1250 students = $6250. FYE can purchase customized planners through the Office of Student Life if it is possible to make a commitment to purchase by April 2016. |
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