Forming First year Student Foundations, Improving Retention & Evaluating University Approaches: a Conversation with Boulder University
The Foundation of Excellence First-Year process allows universities to revisit their approach to first-year students and develop new plans to improve the students’ first two years of experience at their chosen university. This case study shares the experience of the entire process through the eyes of Daryl Meada, who is the Dean and Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education – professor of ethnic studies, Shelly Bacon, the Associate Vice Provost, and Joe Thomas; the Associate Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs. During the study Bacon, and her team recalled why the university sought out to work with the Gardner Institute as well as the tips they received while working with Foundations of Excellence, and the takeaways they were able to integrate into the University’s programs and departments.
Goal
Boulder needed new ways to improve its first-year student’s experience at the university. The initial goal was to gain structure and learn how to implement the ideas they were imagining and narrow them down because they had several ideas but didn’t know how or where to begin. Bacon stated, “We needed a little bit of structure to come in and help us out. So, engaging with foundations of excellence was really important at that time.” She also went on to say that
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