Institution-Wide Change at Capital University: Examination of Gateway Courses Uncovers University-Level Needs
Deanna N. Wagner, Jody S. Fournier
Capital University
Capital University made several transformative changes working with the Gardner Institute through the Foundations of Excellence – First Year Focus project in 2012. Elusive, however, were substantive changes in instruction. We reengaged with the Gardner Institute in 2017 to take a sustained look at classroom experiences and their relationship to student success. We anticipated making changes focused on in class teaching and learning but underestimated making major high impact institutional and structural changes as well. As a result, these changes positively impacted retention, persistence, and graduation rates, even eliminating first generation status as a negative predictor of retention.
