First-Year Council Notes: Tuesday, September 23, 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 2028)
  • Dr. Jamie Atkinson, COE (member through 2028)
  • Dr. Toby Dogwiler, CNAS (member through 2027)
  • Mike Foster, RCASH (member through 2028)
  • Scott Handley, Honors College (member through 2027)
  • Rob Moore, Student Affairs (member through 2027)
  • Dr. Sarah Murray, CHHS (member through 2028)
  • Tracy Stout, LIBR (member through 2028)
  • Dr. Christi Sudbrock, COA (member through 2028)
  • Student Rep, TBD

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

  1. Convene meeting—
    Welcome to Tracy and Mike!

    Members present:  Carly Asher-August, Jamie Atkinson, Toby Dogwiler, Mike Foster, Rob Moore, Sarah Murray, Tracy Stout, Kelly Wood, Tracey Glaessgen

  2. Updates
    • GEP 101 By the numbers
      • Highlights from 2025 include: 
        • 63 instructors teaching the course, which includes 36 faculty, 24 staff, and 3 FYP graduate teaching assistants.
        • 2302 students were registered in the course at semester’s start.
        • 80 sections (77 blended; 3 online)
          1. 21 college sections (including 2 for undeclared)
          2. 16 first-generation college (including 3 for undeclared)
            1. 2 college and 2 FG college were mixed
        • 27 classrooms utilized across campus in 11 different buildings
        • 28 peer leaders
        • Workshops
          1. 2 options for primary required instructor workshop in April
        • 11 workshops with rotating topics (min. 1 required)
          1. 2 additional workshops focused on the textbook with FlatWorld

    • • GEP 101 Customized Textbook –StreamlinED
      • GEP 101 is in its fifth year of using the College Success customized textbook from FlatWorld, and its fourth year of using it via StreamlinED.

    • BrightSpace course shell
      • Simplified from Fall 2024 version, which was based upon instructor feedback.

  3. Discussion
    • The role of AI in GEP 101
      • Tracey participating in a Faculty Learning Community: Teaching with Artificial Intelligence.
      • Tracey will meet with Tracy to discuss re-imagining the current Intro to Information Literacy assignment to work in an AI angle.

    • Boomer Bot
      • Due to time constraints, we will discuss at our November meeting.
         
  4. Center for Academic Success and Transition
    • Success Coaching— faculty/staff referral and student self-referral

  5. Next meeting—Monday, Nov. 3 @ 2:00pm (changed from 1:30pm) via Zoom (calendar invite previously sent)