Meeting Minutes: Committee on Learning Support & Developmental Studies
Academic Advisory Committee on Learning Support
Minutes for March 31 and April 1, 2001
Jekyll Island
Call to order and Introductions: Carol Pinson, Chair, called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m. Saturday afternoon. Carol welcomed the new directors. The Learning Support directors and/or institutional representatives introduced themselves.
Approval of Minutes: The previous minutes were approved from e-mail responses and are on the University System of Georgia web page.
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Conference Updates: Rick Reynolds, Chair-elect, announced that around 230 people registered for the conference. He asked us to bring our door prizes to the registration area and reminded us that we have some special silver anniversary door prizes this year. When asked about the Math Advisory Committee, who at one time had planned to participate in our conference, Rick responded that the Math Advisory Committee was not funded so they would not be participating in our conference.
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Site Selection Committee Update: Sherry Jones reported that the 2002 Conference will be held April 7-9 at the Jekyll Inn and the 2003 Conference will be held April 6-8 at the Callaway Gardens Inn.
Central Office Reports: Kathleen Burk discussed the following issues with the committee:
Mini-Core Project: As we recommended, DTAE will use comparable placement and exit instruments for LS. Only COC accredited schools are involved in this project. Concerns about such things as the transfer of scores, number of attempts, and using ASSET instead of COMPASS were discussed. After some discussion, a committee was named to identify the concerns we have with this project. The committee consists of Elizabeth Ragsdale (Darton College), Carol Adams (Bainbridge College), Jason Horn (Gordon College), Beth Saxon (ABAC), Vince Postell (Dalton State College), and Tim Floyd (Floyd College). This committee will correspond with us via e-mail.
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Our request for data tracking LS students in follow-up core courses is still being collected. Kathleen hopes to have the report soon.
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Our policy states that students exiting LS should be ready for the institution's first credit course not the first course of the student's major. For example, a student majoring in computer science who has to take MATH 99 is ready for MATH 1111 upon exiting LS even though MATH 1113 is the required course in Area A for this student.
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We are still not using the WINDOWS version of COMPASS because of concerns with this version. Kathleen will continue talking to ACT to try and get the concerns addressed.
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Work on the on-line version of the Regents' Exam is still in progress. We hope to have this version available within the next couple of years.
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Regents' Test Remediation Committee Report: Tabitha Barnette reported that the person with the written report for this committee couldn't make it. We discussed some of the issues about summer remediation and re-examining the idea of a waiver for students with high SAT scores but people wanted to see a written report before making any recommendations. Bari Haskins-Jackson suggested that the report be sent out to everyone via e-mail and Carol Pinson collect comments to share with the group. Carol agreed to do this and it was decided that this topic be tabled until the October meeting where we will try to come up with a recommendation to send to the BOR.
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Number of Attempts Report Update: Carol Pinson reported that 7 schools have not sent in their directories yet so she could not compile this report. As soon as she receives the other directories she will compile the information and send it out to everyone.
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NADE/Georgia: Margo Eden-Camann, President of NADE/Georgia, discussed the following issues:
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The results of the NADE/Georgia survey about the changes in LS programs around the state will be shared at the NADE/Georgia meeting on Monday afternoon.
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NADE/Georgia printed Conference Proceedings for directors and presenters so don't forget to pick your copy up at the NADE/Georgia membership table.
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As Past-president, Margo plans to work on a couple of projects: NADE certification of programs and bringing some developmental education sessions on SI and motivation to next year's conference. Margo would like to have someone from NADE come to next year's conference and conduct training for the certification process. The NADE Self Study Guides: Models for Assessing Learning Assistance Programs is an excellent book. The Guides can be ordered from H&H Publishing Company for $25.95 (plus shipping and handling). H & H Home page address. http://www.HHPublishing.com
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Margo distributed a brochure about Chi Alpha Epsilon, an honor society for former developmental education students. She encouraged directors to check into this organization and consider starting a chapter on their campus.
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Bylaws/Guidelines for Executive Committee: Rebecca Casey distributed a report/proposal from the subcommittee established to examine the executive committee guidelines (see attachment). Bari Haskins-Jackson spoke about the positive experiences of serving on the executive committee. We were reminded of who presently serves on the executive committee, their discipline, and type of institution they represent. Bill Dodd made a motion we accept the proposal and Beth Saxon seconded it. The motion passed unanimously. A call for volunteers to serve on the executive committee was made. Terry Irvin from Columbus State, Tim Floyd from Floyd College, and Rosalyn Jones from Albany State volunteered to serve on the committee. The three people rotating off the committee are Bari Haskins-Jackson, Sherry Jones, and Bill Dodd.
Subgroup Meetings:
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Sherry Jones reported that the 4-year group discussed the following issues:
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Kathleen reminded the group that students who come in with AP credit and/or who have credit from joint enrollment classes have two semesters to take the Regents' Exam no matter how many hours they have previously accumulated.
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The group recommended that Kathleen pursue the possibility of on-line Regents testing and exemptions from Regents' testing for students with high SAT scores.
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There was discussion about the possibility of a two-tiered remediation program. Students who haven't taken the test or only failed once could possibly take a shorter remediation course (maybe 1-hour credit instead of 3-hour credit). Kathleen said she would check on the possibility of having a one-year pilot of such a course and then we could submit a proposal of what we would like to do.
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To help support our LS programs we should collect retention data to share with our administrators. Present data shows that the percentage of students who keep HOPE is higher among those who are institutionally placed in LS.
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Jason Horn reported that the 2-year group spent their time talking about the proposed agreement with the DTAE schools and raised the following issues:
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The LS Executive Committee should meet with a group from the DTAE schools to discuss LS issues.
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The group was concerned about teacher accreditation at the DTAE schools, number of attempts, test scores, and clarifying which courses must be passed for a student to be considered exited from LS.
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The following recommendations were made:
Recommendation 1: We strongly recommend DTAE schools use COMPASS for placement and exit purposes; however, if using ASSET, Intermediate Algebra must be used for exit purposes.
Recommendation 2: We recommend that number 4 on page 2 of the February 15th draft of the Mini-Core Project's Admission and Placement Standards for Freshman English and Mathematics be changed to the following:
Both DTAE and USG institutions ensure that enrollment in the Mini-Core English and mathematics courses is open only to students who have exempted or exited Learning Support/Developmental Studies and completed all prerequisite courses leading to mini-core English and math courses.
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The Advisory Committee unanimously endorsed the recommendations made by the two-year group.
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Other Learning Support Items for Discussion:
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Additional Semester Attempts: Bari Haskins-Jackson asked everyone to please allow her to let students who transfer to her institution after completing three attempts at a previous institution the chance to have a fourth attempt with her. The students she has given this opportunity to in the past have been very successful.
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Kathleen Burk reminded us that we asked for Learning Support not to be included in the eCore curriculum at this time. If we change our mind, we should make a recommendation to the BOR. Kathleen also reported that the Admissions officers have asked to lower the SAT requirement of 500 that we presently have for eCore students. She also told us that Regents' remediation is being developed next. She will e-mail us the request for volunteers to develop and teach these remediation courses when she returns to the office.
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Adjournment: The committee meeting adjourned at 12:15 p.m. on Sunday.
Attendance Roster:
| Institution | Representative |
|---|---|
| Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College | Beth Saxon |
| Albany State University | Rosalyn Jones |
| Armstrong Atlantic State University | Lottie Scott |
| Atlanta Metropolitan College | Valerie Epps |
| Augusta State University | Bill Dodd |
| Bainbridge College | Carol Adams |
| Clayton State College and University | Rick Reynolds |
| Columbus State University | Terry Irvin |
| Coastal Georgia Community College | Michael Hannaford |
| Dalton College | Vince Postell |
| Darton College | Elizabeth Ragsdale |
| East Georgia College | Sandra Sharman |
| Floyd College | Tim Floyd |
| Fort Valley State University | Rosie Petties |
| Gainesville College | Carol Pinson |
| Georgia College and State University | Sherry Jones |
| Georgia Institute of Technology | Tabitha Barnette |
| Georgia Perimeter College | Bari Haskins-Jackson |
| Georgia Southern University | Janet O'Brien |
| Georgia Southwestern State University | Angelia Moore |
| Georgia State University | |
| Gordon College | Jason Horn |
| Kennesaw State University | Rebecca Casey |
| Macon State College | Laurence Fennelly |
| Middle Georgia College | Shirley Hall |
| North Georgia College and State University | |
| Savannah State University | Joan Maynor |
| South Georgia College | Carl McDonald |
| State University of West Georgia | Karen Rollins |
| University of Georgia | Sherrie Nist |
| Valdosta State University | Pat Burns |
| Waycross College | Sara Selby |
| Regents' Office | Kathleen Burk |
| NADE/Georgia | Margo Eden-Camann |
Report of Subcommittee established to examine
Executive Committee Guidelines
March 31, 2001
Rebecca Casey, Kennesaw State
Rosalyn Jones, Albany State
Bari Haskins-Jackson, Georgia Perimeter
After reviewing the History of the LS Executive Committee submitted at the Fall Directors' meeting by Bill Dodd, and discussing past and current Executive Committee processes, the following recommendations are suggested:
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Modify composition of current nine member Executive Committee to include Secretary, Chair-Elect, Chair, Past Chair, and 5 members at large.
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Past Chair will eventually rotate off (this year: Sherry Jones and Bari Haskins-Jackson will rotate off the committee). The person who rotates off will stay off the Executive Committee for at least one year.
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Establish term limits of 3 years for members at large and 4 years for Executive Committee officers. Terms begin and end at Spring Directors' meeting.
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Ask for volunteers at Spring Directors' meeting to fill annual vacancies on Executive Committee; if necessary hold an election to fill slots.
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Note that Executive Committee service includes the following commitments:
- The Executive Committee serves as the planning committee for the state conference.
- The Secretary (appointed from the elected members at large) becomes Chair-Elect the following year, responsible for planning the state conference.
- Executive Committee service obligates an individual to at least three required meetings: a one-day meeting in the summer, a two-day meeting in January, and a one-day Advisory Committee meeting in the fall.
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If an elected Executive Committee member cannot serve out their full term, an election will be held to replace that person.
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Consideration will be given to maintaining diversity on the Executive Committee (Gender, Race, Region, Content Area, two-year/four-year institution, etc....)
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