Foundations of Excellence® in the First College Year
During the 2008-2009 academic year, UC Denver’s Downtown Campus was one of 26 institutions nationwide selected to participate in "Foundations of Excellence® in the First College Year." The Foundations of Excellence (FoE) program is a comprehensive, year-long self-study program of assessment that focuses on undergraduate students, especially the first-year student.
FoE enhances UC Denver’s ability to realize excellence in goals of student learning, success, and persistence. The product of the FoE program is a strategic action plan for the beginning college experience at the University of Colorado Denver.
The UC Denver Foundations of Excellence program is co-chaired by John Lanning, Asst. Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Experiences and Peggy Lore, Asst. Vice Chancellor for Student Success. The FoE data gathering, assessment and reporting is the work of faculty, students and staff who are participating in nine committees studying the following dimensions surrounding UCD’s first-year undergraduate experience: philosophy, organization, learning, faculty, transitions, all students, diversity , roles & purposes, and improvement.
A major portion of the FoE process is gathering data including surveys sent to 1500 staff, faculty and administrators; as well as 2400 freshmen students. Additional information is gathered from focus groups and interviews. Students are playing a major role in gathering data, reviewing data, and working as integral members of the Dimension Committees to produce a draft report.
Expected FoE Achievement
What does UC Denver expect to achieve through the Foundations of Excellence?
- The FoE process needs assistance from the UC Denver campus community before the final Report can be written and submitted to the Provost. The nine FoE Dimension Committees reports on this webpage are currently under development and will not be finalized until the end of April. Building on the work done thus far by the committees, your comments are critical to help move this project to the next phase. You may wish to comment on one or several of the reports listed below utilizing a short survey. We look forward to hearing from you.
- FoE promotes a joint participation of individuals in academic affairs and student affairs for a comprehensive planning process to improve student success. The FoE Report will greatly assist UC Denver to move the undergraduate curriculum and student support services to a high level of excellence with the goal of making UC Denver a ‘first choice’ institution among students seeking a baccalaureate degree.
- Recommendations from the FoE Report will serve as a guideline to influence the UC Denver Strategic Plan and UC Denver budget process towards excellence in the undergraduate student success.
- The FoE Report emphasis on students, faculty, learning and assessment will be used as input to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) Self Study that is currently underway in preparation for the Spring, 2011 accreditation visit by North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
The Nine FoE Dimension Committees
The nine FoE Dimension Committees are:
Does UC Denver have a first year student philosophy that is explicit, clear and easily understood, and consistent with the institutional mission?
Does UC Denver have administrative structures and policies that promote partnerships among academic affairs, student affairs and individual schools/colleges providing first-year undergraduate instruction or guidance?
Does UC Denver promote, inside or outside of the classroom, increased competence in critical thinking, ethical development, and the lifelong pursuit of knowledge?
Has UC Denver created and nurtured a culture of faculty responsibility for the first-year experience that is realized through high quality instruction in first-year classes and through substantial interaction between faculty and first-year students both inside and outside the classroom?
Does UC Denver communicate expectations, student support services, and student and institutional responsibilities required for success in making the transition from high school to the university to first-year students?
Does UC Denver include services based on students’ abilities, backgrounds, interests, and experiences; and address students’ needs through a regular program of assessment and adjustment throughout the first year?
Does UC Denver structure experiences in which students interact in an open and civil community with people from backgrounds, cultures and values different from their own?
Does the UC Denver first-year experience include and promote knowledge acquisition for personal growth, learning to prepare for future employment, learning to become engaged citizens, and learning to serve the public good through general education (core curriculum) and the major?
Does UC Denver carry out first year experience program assessment, using assessment results for institutional planning and resource allocation, and to promote ongoing first-year program improvement?