Semester Conversion

Task Force Progress ReportPresented to the Academic Senate May 4, 2010

Curriculum, Pedagogy and course Subcommittee

The Curriculum & Pedagogy subcommittee is composed of faculty representatives from each college, a representative from the Library, a number of administrators, and one staff representative. The student position remains vacant.

Prof. Nancy Hunt, Prof. Russ Abbot

Curriculum, Pedagogy and course Subcommittee

The committee has identified four possible conversion models that range from mechanical to transformational.

• Option 1—Direct Unit Conversion—uses a mathematical formula to convert quarter units to semester units without any curriculum revision.

• Option 2—The “Hybrid” Approach—uses the mathematical formula for GE courses and converts program level courses after limited curriculum review.

• Option 3—Total Curriculum Conversion at the Program Level—involves rethinking the curriculum of individual programs.

• Option 4—Institutional Transformation—adds general institutional reform and flexibility in curriculum delivery to program-level review.

Curriculum, Pedagogy and course Subcommittee

We have distributed a questionnaire asking Chairs for their estimates of the effort required for the option(s) best suited for converting their program(s). The Chairs’ responses are being tabulated and analyzed as received.

Curriculum, Pedagogy and course Subcommittee

The committee is also developing questions for a campus-wide online survey that is expected to be administered in May. The survey will ask respondents for their priority rankings of possible conversion objectives.

These will include (among others):addressing student learning and success outcomes, faculty workload, and course, unit, and calendar compatibility with other institutions of higher education.

Finally, the committee is gathering information on conversion experiences at other campuses. We expect to produce a draft report by the end of this quarter.

Academic Calendar Subcommittee

Prof. Ann Garry

The Calendar Subcommittee has identified two major tasks: 1) design a semester calendar to meet conditions so as to balance the needs of CSULA’s student, faculty, administrative, and campus-support constituencies; and 2) develop a calendar for completion of the semester conversion. The Calendar Subcommittee has completed the following tasks:

A) Examination of semester calendars at other CSUs in order to look for possible alignment with calendars from campus such as CSUN, CSULB, and/or CSUDH; and

B) Examination of calendars from local/feeder community colleges in order to better align transition from community college to CSULA

Academic Calendar Subcommittee

Prof. Ann Garry

C) Exploration of 13-, 14-, and 15-week (plus finals) calendars and the applicability to CSULA within the context of other CSUs on semester calendars and local/feeder community colleges; and

D) Compilation of a comparison summary of 13-, 14-, and 15-week calendars spelling out possible class modules for 3 or 4 unit courses.

Academic Advisement Subcommittee

The Semester Conversion Academic Advisement Subcommittee (SCAAS) is proposing a holistic seamless collaborative approach to academic advisement beginning with pre-admission contacts with the University until completion of the degree.

Prof. Evelyn Calvillo

Addressing the needs of students

a) specific academic advisement plans for each department/program for the transition period assuring that individual needs and students with special advisement problems are the priority,

b) academic advisement plans for the conversion period, and  

c) reaching students to meet with an adviser(s) during the transition period.

d) A timeline with objectives and identification of who is responsible for the implementation will be provided as part of the conversion plan.

To address the needs of all students the SCAAS is focusing on the importance of having guidelines for:

Infrastructure Subcommittee

The Infrastructure Subcommittee is comprised of eight staff members, one administrator, and two faculty members.  The subcommittee has identified critical tasks related to Student Services and semester conversion.  Among these tasks are changes in the registration, records, and financial aid databases and systems.  Some of the issues intersect with those of other subcommittees such as Information Technology and Policies and Procedures.  In addition, a tentative timeline for task completion was developed. The subcommittee is now working on cost estimates for identified tasks and personnel.

Prof. Carol Blaszcynski

Policies and Procedures Subcommittee

PPS is currently envisioning a triage system whereby appointed representatives with relevant expertise would identify policies and procedures for which changes are necessary and the sort the changes into:

a) those that are easy because they are largely editorial or obvious;

b) those that are most substantive and probably require committee review but are also somewhat easily managed; and

Prof. Jennifer Faust

Policies and Procedures Subcommittee

Prof. Jennifer Faust

PPS is also considering how to incorporate links or citations so that external but relevant documents (such as Executive Orders, NCAA rules, etc.) can be incorporated into the revised documents.

Finally, PPS is considering processes and costs for the curricular and policy review processes. We are also exploring the issue of whether/how comprehensive curriculum revision/review can take place in a more efficient manner without compromising the integrity of our current review processes.

Information Technology Subcommittee

The charge of the Information Technology (IT) Sub-Committee is to support the quarter to semester conversion taskforce with the technical knowledge and direction of what is needed to implement each design from the other sub-committees.  The IT Sub-Committee will create a technical plan detailing the conversion and implementation tasks based on the design specifications and policies provided by the other sub-committees.  The plan will include the development of processes, functionalities, and the conversion of existing data that is currently based on a quarter format into a semester format. 

Prof. Michael Germano, Bill Chang

Information Technology Subcommittee

All of the systems that support the campus will be evaluated and reviewed to ensure that proper modifications are implemented if needed.  Every effort will be made to certify that proper testing is done on these systems, minimizing adverse impact to our students, faculty, and staff.

Prof. Michael Germano, Bill Chang

Communications Subcommittee

Our Charge: To develop a comprehensive communications plan that will effectively inform and engage the CSULA community and its various stakeholders during the semester conversion process.

Prof. Steve Classen

Communications Subcommittee

1) Have begun work on calculating communications costs associated with semester conversion. 

2) Constructed student comment poster boards—soliciting student input, questions and concerns regarding possible semester conversion. Poster boards are currently up in five different University locations.

Prof. Steve Classen

Communications Subcommittee

3) Worked with ASI in construction of ASI Facebook page—within the next two weeks, should have a live Facebook page soliciting student and wider university community discussion of possible semester conversion. This Facebook page will be student (ASI) managed, and will be one medium for distribution of information and updates regarding the status of conversion. 

4) Present and near future communications—Academic Senate presentation, web page updates, university-wide emails, and “town hall” meetings, scheduled for May 18 & 19.

Prof. Steve Classen