Notes from the Meeting of the Task Forces on
Student Success and Curricular Innovations

November 30, 2007
10:00 am to noon, Altgeld Room 203 and Room 225

Members of the two task forces met in rooms 203 and 225 for the first 90 minutes. After introductions, members received an agenda for today’s activities, sub-group assignments, lists of web/internet resources, and dates of future meetings.

Carolinda Douglass’s Task Force on Student Success decided to focus most of their discussion on two key concerns – what is student success and what are the key issues related to student retention. As these are the overarching themes of the task force, it seemed advisable to spend time discussing these issues at the outset. Related to this, Brent Gage prepared a PowerPoint presentation on retention issues and Sue Doederlein reviewed some enrollment data with the group. The task force was asked to consider the agenda item of framing questions of interest, determining what needs to be known about retention, identifying potential internal and external resources and defining short- and long-term goals for the task force to complete in addressing the issue of retention. The task force members were all assigned to subgroups of the committee and have plans to meet to discuss a similar process within these subgroups related to campus climate, advising, impacted majors, and VSA. Task force members will begin and maintain communication through the Blackboard community discussion group.

Dave Changnon’s Task Force on Curricular Innovations met in small subgroups, initially three focusing on new technology, implementation of a ‘themed year’, and methods to expand and enhance engaged learning. These groups met for approximately 30 minutes and through discussions tried to 1) frame questions of interest (separating the trees from the forest); 2) determine how much needs to be known about the current status of this issue at NIU; 3) identify potential resource needs (both internal and external to NIU) to address questions related to the issue they were addressing; and 4) identifying both short-term (next meeting) and long-term goals (Jan. 11, 2008 meeting). At the end of the period, task force members were then shifted to a second set of subgroups—these subgroups focused on identifying new approaches to general education, implantation of capstone experiences, the honors program, and identifying strategic imperatives for the institution. These groups spent 30 minutes involved in similar activities as the first round of subgroups. Discussions during both sessions were open, lively, and productive. To continue dialogue on these issues, most if not all subgroups will begin to communicate and trade information between task force meetings.

At approximately 11:35 am both task forces joined and Douglas and Changnon provided a brief overview of their sessions. The chairs thanked Murali Krishnamurthi for getting the Blackboard site up and operational. Task members can were told that they could add resource information to the site. Further, a library of related information will be made available at Carolinda’s office in the Campus Life building. An issue was brought up that many individuals would not be able to make the Jan. 11 meeting due to faculty meetings and other pre-semester obligations. Members of both task forces were asked to evaluate their schedules and then bring scheduling issues to the next meeting (Dec. 14th). The meeting adjourned about noon.