Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP)

Topic Proposal

Title of proposed QEP: Improving College Readiness

Description: How is the proposed topic transformative in terms of student learning? What student learning

outcomes are addressed?

Students enrolled in developmental level courses will participate in a comprehensive program to increase their

college readiness.

Students will demonstrate the ability to

- develop and/or refine personal wellness goals (General Education Personal Development Goal).

- develop and/or enhance the knowledge, skills, and understanding to make informed academic, social,

personal, career, and interpersonal decisions (General Education Personal Development Goal).

In addition, students will

* Students will explore, define, and work toward achieving their academic, career, and personal goals

* Students will be familiar with and be able to use campus, college, and community resources

* Students will learn and be able to use skills to explore, evaluate, and pursue career and job opportunities

* Students will gain the ability to realistically self‐appraise

* Students will embrace and enact social responsibility

* Students will collaborate and communicate effectively with others

* Students will become independent and effective self‐advocates

Congruence with Mission and Strategic Vision 2015:  NOVA's mission is to respond to the educational needs of its dynamic and diverse community through an array of comprehensive programs and services that facilitate learning and workforce development in an environment of open access and through lifelong educational opportunities.

By increasing college readiness, NOVA will improve its ability to meet the educational needs of its diverse

community, which includes students who come to NOVA ill‐prepared for college‐level courses. A

comprehensive college readiness program responds to NOVA’s open access environment and will facilitate

increased opportunities for learning and future educational and career opportunities.

Refocusing our energies on NOVA's Mission is critical on a few levels:

a) Recent discussions in the Chronicle for Higher Education point the fact some Community Colleges are

entertaining the thought of getting rid of their "Open Enrollment Policy." In times of shrinking budgets, the

thinking is that the meager resources should be directed to students who are college‐ready.

b) Some community colleges, for marketing and image purposes, are deleting the "Community" out of their

names. The implicit message‐‐"remedial classes are not offered here."

In light of all these trends, not only should NOVA wear its name is pride, but should refocus on working with

targeted or selected area high schools in getting students prepared to enter college, retain them and facilitate

their graduation and transfer.

Method: How do you envision NOVA carrying out your proposal?

Students who have demonstrated a desire to pursue an associate’s degree or transfer to a four‐year institution

must take the English placement exam before enrolling in any class, and the math placement exam by the end of

their first semester at NOVA. Students who place into any developmental level course will be required to be

part of the college readiness program. This program will address the following:

Students placed in Eng 001 (the lowest level of developmental reading) and/or Eng 004 (the lowest level of

developmental writing) must successfully pass these courses before being allowed to enroll in college level

courses, with the following exceptions

- students may enroll in SDV 100, CST, and/or PED activity courses.

- students may enroll in other courses with the permission of the instructor.

Students enrolled in any developmental level courses will be limited to a reduced number of credits per

semester.

Students enrolled in any developmental level course will be required to take a special section of SDV, designed

to address the issues pertinent to developmental‐level students.

Faculty of students enrolled in any developmental level course will be required to submit midterm grades to

students, who will share them with their SDV instructor.

NOVA will create a developmental advising center, staffed by advisors and/or counselors for students in

developmental level courses and peer mentors for these students.

Working with local high schools to prepare students for college is imperative. The following initiatives would

enhance readiness:

Collaboration with the School Board and High School Principals

Facilitate dual enrollment of students to take classes at NOVA

Guest lectureship in partner high schools by a pool of NOVA faculty in core or foundational courses would

necessary.

Design 1 or 2 sessions of “College Visit Day” for high school students to attend classes of their choice to gain

a firsthand experience of how a college classroom works. This can be structured in 2 ways: a) Classes can be

held for the visiting high school students in a room with faculty members taking turns to lecture; or 2) where

logistically feasible, students attend selected regular classes drawn out of the course schedule.

Assessment Plan: Address the expected outcomes and how they can be measured.

Formative and summative assessments in the SDV course will measure the student’s ability to develop and/or

refine personal wellness goals; and the ability to develop and/or enhance the knowledge, skills, and

understanding to make informed academic, social, personal, career, and interpersonal decisions.

Resources: What kind of resources (personnel, training, technology, etc.) do you anticipate will be needed?

Counselors devoted to an SDV course for developmental‐level students will be required of the program. A

director of college readiness will ensure the standardization of services across the campuses.