First-Year Council Notes: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

1:00 - 2:00 p.m. via Zoom

Membership of First-Year Council for 2024-2025

(listed alphabetically)

Rotating Members

Carly Asher-August, COB (member through 2025)
Dr. Jamie Atkinson, COE (member through 2028)
Crystal Dicke, LIBR (member through 2025)
Dr. Toby Dogwiler, CNAS (member through 2027)
Scott Handley, Honors College (member through 2027)
Aubrey Hardy, Student Representative, Special Needs Ed major
Rob Moore, Student Affairs (member through 2027)
Dr. Linda Moser, RCASH (member through 2025)
Dr. Sarah Murray, MCHHS (member through 2025)
Dr. Christi Sudbrock, DCOA (member through 2025)

Ex-Officio Members

Dr. Kelly Wood, Associate Vice Provost, Student Success (standing member)
Dr. Tracey Glaessgen, Associate Director, Center for Academic Success and Transition (standing member)

Council Charge:

To advise the Executive Director and Associate Director, Center for Academic Success and Transition on initiatives involving the first-year experience (FYE) at Missouri State University. These initiatives include, but are not limited to: 1) developing overarching goals for the first-year seminar course, 2) ensuring the course is designed to increase academic skill building, public affairs awareness, and campus connections, 3) evaluating the effectiveness of the first-year seminar course and recommending changes based upon assessment data, and 4) serving as a liaison with other departments/colleges/student affairs as part of a larger effort to inform and address issues involving first-year students.

Agenda

Convene meeting—
Members in attendance: Toby Dogwiler, Scott Handley, Rob Moore, Sarah Murray, Christi Sudbrock, Kelly Wood, Tracey Glaessgen
Updates
- GEP 101 Updates
  - GEP 101 Instructors
    - Review/Approve Instructor List
      Members discussed and approved pool of instructors who applied, as presented.
    - Still encourage colleagues to apply
      Due to possibility of instructor attrition, FYC members should still encourage faculty/staff to apply as GEP 101 instructors.
    - GEP 101 Peer Leaders
      In the process of selecting Peer Leaders for fall 2025 with a Peer Leader training planned for new and returning Peer Leaders in mid-April.
    - CGEIP community engagement/collaboration goals—activity
      Tracey collaborated with Dr. Kathy Nordyke, Director, CASL and Dr. Kelly Wood to create an in-class activity to use as a way to explore service learning and to meet the CGEIP goals for community engagement and collaboration, which are assigned to our course.
      
      FYC will vote via email to approve this activity that will be implemented Fall 2025. Members will also receive a copy of the activity for their review/opportunity to provide input.
    - BrightSpace—Updating GEP 101 materials
      In the process of updating curriculum materials and instructional resources for fall 2025.
    - Instructor Retention Model
      Drafted proposal and sent to Honors College for UHC 110 inclusion. Will discuss further with FYC in fall 2025
- GEP 101 University Conversations
  - Student/Alumni workgroup
  - LinkedIn Learning
  - Public Affairs
  - Career Development
    Tracey shared that the listed items have expressed interest in being added to the course in some form. FYC agreed that no additions should be made at this time.
- Center for Academic Success and Transition—
  - Boomer ChatBot (EdSights)
    Kelly Shared that 97% of the 11,000 plus students have opted to stay with Boomer Bot. She also shared some of the comments received from students as well as the message scheduling calendar with topics planned to cover.
Other discussion items
- Rob Moore shared an update on FAFSA apps/completion data as well as information regarding a scholarship program
Next meeting—fall 2025