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Center for Student Success CENTER FOR STUDENT SUCCESS “Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” - Conrad Hilton Welcome to Spring 2015 The Center for Student Success (CSS) newsletter is to keep the UVI community informed about CSS and invite ideas on how we can improve the services we provide to our students. The overarching goal of CSS is to contribute to UVI’s retention rate for first time, full time degree-seeking freshmen. While the staff of CSS is committed to achieving this goal, we admit that it is not achievable without collaboration with all other units serving our students. The Center will continue to assist students as they strive to meet their academic goals, strong in the view that such assistance will increase retention. We will continue to provide advisement, counselling referrals, learning support through our Learning Centers on both campuses and targeted outreach to students referred to us by faculty. CSS will continue the work with our students and provide assistance to achieve academic excellence. Whether it is through our advisement, workshops, or tutoring services we look forward to a collaboration with you to support you on your pathways to greatness. Student Success Newsletter January 2015 Newsletter Editor: Jacinthe Proctor Newsletter Co-Editor: Julie Cruz In This Issue  Welcome to Spring 2015  Welcome Dr. Stephen Moore  CSS Learning Center  CSS Science and Math Center & Writing Center  Summer Bridge  University Bound  Freshman Development Seminar (FDS 100)  Advisor Trac  Faculty Support  CSS Staff  Thank you UVI - Specializing in Futures - Historically American. Uniquely Caribbean. Globally Interactive. Center for Student Success CSS Welcomes Dr. Moore Dr. Moore has worked in educational settings and business consulting for 31 years as School of Business faculty, Director of Bachelors Programs, Director of Business and Accounting programs, Associate Dean of Corporate On-Site Programs, and Business Learning Coordinator & Director of Faculty Development. He has taught 28 unique courses in business, education, instruction, statistics, and research methods. Dr. Moore has been involved in Student Support and Retention for several years and has been involved with the College Reading and Learning Association, the National Association of Development Education, and is certified as an International Supplemental Instruction Supervisor. He has served as the Founding Director of a successful Supplemental Instruction and Peer Mentor program funded by Title III grants. While at Sejong University in Seoul Korea, Dr. Moore taught capstone MBA courses and assisted with the development of two eighty-seat technology rich teaching environments. While at Syracuse University, Dr. Moore served in Athletics Advising and Counseling for NCAA Division I Athletics and worked in the Student Support and Retention Tutoring and Study Center which employed 250 tutors serving over 1,000 students per semester. He also assisted with the Freshman Gateway Course in the School of Management. While at SUNY, Dr. Moore consulted on the development of a Student Athlete Performance and Retention program and received the Best Academic Advisor Award for his work with students. Dr. Moore is a member of the Association of Internationalization Education Administrators and has significant work in campus internationalization and leading learning communities for faculty interested in taking study groups abroad. He has assisted with inbound and outbound internationalization efforts. He has served as Principal Investigator on a Faculty Development grant for professional development for Deans and Department Chairs. He is a certified Faculty Developer and has published and presented in the areas of Faculty Development, Student Support, and the use of technology to support teaching and learning. We welcome Dr. Moore to our team! Effective Study Tips 1. Take good notes - use study strategies (e.g. Cornel Method) to take notes on information professors may share with the class or write on the board 2. Be involved in class - ask questions for clarity and to have a better understanding of course materials and concepts 3. Review your notes - spend 30+ minutes each day looking over notes from classes 4. Read, read, read - take initiative and read...create a time management plan setting times for reading and reviewing class materials 5. Set up study times- create studying opportunities to avoid cramming and pulling “all-nighter” Strive for Success Dr. Stephen Moore, Executive Director of Student Success and Honors Program Center for Student Success CSS Learning Center CSS recognizes outstanding performance of Learning Assistants During the Fall 2014 semester, the CSS Learning Center was staffed by a dedicated group of students who must all be recognized for their commitment in helping students to achieve their fullest potential. In this issue of the CSS Newsletter, special recognition will be bestowed upon Troi Williams and Ayanna Hogan for their efforts and dedication in promoting and aiding in student success. The tutor tracking system, TutorTrac, records visits made by students that utilize tutoring services. TutorTrac indicates that both Ayana and Troi accumulated many contact hours with students, 259.94 hours and 161.25 hours, respectively. Ayana assisted students in Nursing Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and General Chemistry. Troi assisted students in the fields of Mathematics and Computer Science. Troi Williams, CSS Professional Learning Assistant Troi Williams, a CSS Professional Learning Assistant, serves the UVI community in various roles. Troi graduated from UVI in 2011 with a B.S. in Computer Science. He later earned an M.A. in Computer Science from Nova State University before returning to the U.S. Virgin Islands and UVI. In addition to his work at the CSS Learning Center, Troy is a CSC 117 Lab Leader and a SAT Preparatory Instructor at UVICELL. Although hardworking, Troi has a very unassuming personality and was very surprised he was being recognized for his contributions. He expressed gratitude for the recognition and was pleased that the students found his assistance valuable. “Not only did I see an appreciable number of people, but that I had impact on them to the point that they kept coming back to the center,” Troi said. “They were able to grasp the concepts and successfully passed the course.” Troi also spoke of how tutoring benefited him. “It improved my verbal communication and helped me in being able to break down concepts to people of different learning styles and capacity.” The Center for Student Success would like to encourage all students to visit the Center. Ayana Hogan, CSS Learning Assistant Ayana Hogan, a CSS Learning Assistant and UVI Senior, hopes to graduate next May with her B.A. in Chemistry. Ayana beamed with pride when she learned of her nomination for top CSS Learning Assistant. “Initially, I was a little surprised, tutoring has been a learning experience for me,” Ayana said. “I also felt a great sense of respect for the regulars who diligently came seeking my assistance.” Ayana shared that the recognition made her realize the importance of the work done at the CSS Learning Center. “Students continuously return to the Learning Center because of the atmosphere and the assistance provided, which means we must be doing a great job,” she said. For her part, Ayana has benefited from the tutoring experience. “Personally, tutoring has fine-tuned my knowledge of Chemistry. I have been able to refresh and retain my knowledge in the field.” She shares “As a direct result, I am much more patient, empathetic, and attentive. The tutoring experience has been a vastly beneficial one for me, and has allowed me to learn while tutoring.” Center for Student Success During the fall semester, the STX Writing Center had the support of five (5) tutors, which made it possible for us to extend our hours from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. during the week and for 6 hours during the week- end. The extended time sent a very strong message to students who felt we were trying to accommodate them, and they responded well by utilizing the services provided. Approximately 500 students signed in during the semester to use the computers, to work in a quiet environment, and to work with the tutors! We thank these five tutors for working with our students: Shanah Bannis, Joey Emmanuel, Audrey Laban, Arige Shrouf, Afiya Williams Valerie Combie Director, Writing Center UVI, Albert A. Sheen Campus, St. Croix News from the Science and Math Center & Writing Center In Fall 2014, the STX Science and Math Center had seven (7) tutors, which made it feasible for us to at- tend to the needs of our clients. Students were able to receive tutoring during the weekdays from 9:00am to 7:00pm. Many students were appreciative of the time and effort the center has made on their behalf. Approximately 525 students signed in during the semester to use the computers, to work in a quiet environment, and to work with the tutors! We owe thanks and gratitude to the tutors that put forth their efforts for both the students and the lab. Thank you to: Juanita Almestica, Patricia Francis, Fabian Tobierre , Shamoi Garcia, Wael Abduljaber, Nicholas Cromwell and Elangeni Yabba. Leslie Greene Coordinator, Science and Math Center UVI, Albert A. Sheen Campus, St. Croix Center for Student Success Xuxa Fraites, CSS Summer Bridge 2011 Participant CSS Summer Bridge The Center for Student Success (CSS) is proud to feature one of our first Summer Bridge student participants. Xuxa Fraites joined the CSS program in 2011 as a Summer Bridge student. She is presently a senior at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and is set to graduate in Spring 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work. She explained that the experience was an eye-opening one for her. She shared that the opportunity aided her in becoming familiar with the campus and meeting UVI faculty and staff before the semester began which facilitated a smooth transition into university life. Xuxa attended Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral School prior to her enrolment in the Summer Bridge program and felt very grateful for the chance and the time to meet other UVI bound students. The networks that she established with fellow bridge students and faculty is still beneficial to her today. Xuxa recalls Summer Bridge not only giving her a chance to review old material but also the opportunity to learn new content in math, reading, and writing. The program prepared her for the transition from high school to college by giving her a glimpse of what to expect during her time at UVI. Xuxa successfully completed the program and was able to register for all college level classes her first semester which has helped her to achieve her goal of graduating on schedule (four years). Xuxa is grateful for the opportunity Summer Bridge provided. She advises prospective UVI students to take full advantage of this program. Xuxa’s accomplishments include:  Dean’s List (seven consecutive semesters)  Executive positions in three organizations (Social Work Club, Foreign Language Honor Society, and Golden Key International Honour Society)  The Washington Center in Washington DC (grade=A)  Annual Giving UVI Scholarship recipient (two times)  CSS Learning Assistant For more information about CSS Summer Bridge Contact Jennifer Palmer Crawford #2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, USVI 00802-9990 (340) 693-1196 jpalmer1@live.uvi.edu Michelle Albany RR1 Box 10000 Kingshill, St. Croix, USVI 00850-9990 (340) 692-4182 malbany@live.uvi.edu Visit us on the web at www.css.uvi.edu Center for Student Success CSS University Bound University Bound was established at UVI in 1966. It is a college preparatory program designed to generate the skills and motivation that lead to academic success for students. University Bound provides an environment where each student can connect with faculty and tutors to enhance his or her academic ability through unique experiences and studies. University Bound is a year-round educational program that has an academic year and a summer residential component.  The Academic Year Program is held on Saturdays from October - May where students receive tutoring, counselling, and classroom instruction. Additionally, extra-curricular activities are planned to augment the academic program.  The Summer Residential Component includes an intense 6-week preparatory residential program from June - July. Students will attend daily classes in composition/literature, math through pre-calculus, laboratory science through chemistry or physics, and foreign language. They will also select from among the following non-curricular offerings: steel pan, concert choir, drama, dance, and beginning swimming. Students will be exposed to wide variety of cultural enrichment, social, and recreational activities. For more information about CSS University Bound Contact Rosalia Rohan, Director #2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, USVI 00802-9990 (340) 693-1133 rrohan@uvi.edu Yvette Richards #2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, USVI 00802-9990 (340) 693-1130 yrichar@uvi.edu Michelle Albany RR1 Box 10000 Kingshill, St. Croix, USVI 00850-9990 (340) 692-4182 malbany@live.uvi.edu Visit us on the web at www.css.uvi.edu Center for Student Success David Capriola, Academic Advisor III and Freshman Development Coordinator CSS Freshman Development Seminar Marks 20 Years This semester marks twenty years since Freshman Development Seminar (FDS 100) first appeared on UVI class schedule. The course was originally designed and approved for inclusion in UVI catalogue as a tool for student success during the 1980’s, but limited resources kept it from actually being listed on the schedule. During the 1993-94 academic year, a small group of staff and faculty began discussing ways to improve student success at the University. Working under a Title III grant designed to improve first-year student retention and in conjunction with the federally-funded Student Support Services Program, the course was placed on the Fall 1994 schedule. Three sections of the course were offered on each campus. Mr. David Capriola, Coordinator of FDS 100, was among the first faculty to teach the course and he remembers how successful the class was from that first semester. “We initially only listed the course as a daytime offering and students were strongly encouraged, although not required, to enroll in it during their first semester. My class was full, as were most of the other sections.” The curriculum was modeled after several student success courses from mainland institutions that were visited when we were putting the course together. We also had the founding members of the National Center for the First Year Experience from the University of South Carolina come and conduct an on-site training workshop for everyone involved with the course. Today FDS 100 is an important component of the Center for Student Success and has maintained its place as an essential part of the Freshman Year experience at UVI. Each year as many as 28 sections of FDS are offered during the fall and spring semesters on both campuses. The course teaches many academic survival skills, including time management, test taking, effective study habits, critical thinking, memory, UVI academic policies and regulations, career awareness, and many information technology skills. Most who have taught FDS 100 over the years believe that even beyond the curriculum, one of the best outcomes of the course is the bond created with the students that often lasts throughout their academic career at UVI. Currently, FDS 100 is taught by faculty from the various colleges and schools and Spring 2015 instructors are Xuri Allen, David Capriola, Daryl Edwards, Joseph Gaskin, Maria Fleming, Jacinthe Proctor, and Charmaine Smith. Any faculty interested in teaching FDS 100 are welcomed to contact Mr. Capriola. For more information about Freshman Development Seminar (FDS 100) Contact David Capriola RR1 Box 10000 Kingshill, St. Croix, USVI 00850-9990 (340) 692-4156 dcaprio@uvi.edu Visit us on the web at www.css.uvi.edu Center for Student Success Frazly Alexander, Academic Advisor I Advisor Trac The Advisor Trac system is a tool used to make data driven decisions on our Learning Center, Learning Assistants, faculty and CSS Academic Advisors. This tool is very dynamic and helps get rid of the cumbersome pen and paper log listing, paper filing, and data mining. This system has been used for over a year and has proven to be as dynamic as we thought. The expectation is that all faculty and staff advisors will be using TRAC by January 2015. We have recently added a new feature to enhance the efficiency on the process in which we follow up with students who are falling behind during the semester. SAGE is a reference tool that integrates into our data collection system. It allows faculty members to log into their Advisor Trac account, find a student, and initiate a referral right on the spot. This tool removes the intermediate steps in our student referral process. The following steps would be taken by faculty members to initiate an early alert referral: 1. Go to “mycampus”, and click on the trac-man icon. 2. Select the class in which the student is enrolled. 3. Click on the student’s name. 4. Go to the Sage tab and click on “new referral”. 5. Fill out all the information needed so that the advisors can be effective. 6. Click “submit”. An automatic email will bee sent out to the necessary parties. Once the parties follow up an alert email will be sent, and another upon completion of the referral. For more information about Advisor Trac or SAGE Contact Frazly Alexander #2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, USVI 00802-9990 (340) 693-1339 frazly.alexander@live.uvi.edu Visit us on the web at www.css.uvi.edu Center for Student Success They arrive now, in a flood, the end-of term papers. For the most part, they are beyond revision at this point, and the task ahead consists mostly of assessment. Still, I find myself clinging to my Luddite position of accepting papers only in hard copy, regardless of the risk of germ transmission by paper, regardless of deforestation, regardless of the printing costs or the various excuses the demand engenders. The main reason for my old-fashioned insistence is that I still find some students hesitate before turning in a printed copy. They read it one last time, this time not screen-by-screen, but page-by- page, and with the ability to spread the thing out on their desk and see it as a whole entity—an argument, or a narrative— that should have integrity. And those few, those happy few, may pick up a pencil and make a few scratches, then turn back to their computers and have at the thing one more time. Another reason I cling to the print-only submission requirement is that I prefer to refrain from using Track Changes to respond to student papers. Here, I realize I am swimming completely against the tide. Besides cleanliness and environmental awareness, the list of advantages for using Track Changes goes on and on: You can distinguish clearly between “comments” and “corrections”; You can highlight sections and make broad observations without worrying about squeezing them into the margin; You can return the work to the student whenever convenient; You can edit your own feedback before you send it; Students can respond directly to you electronically, opening a dialogue about your comments; Both you and your students can track several versions of their papers and compare them; If your handwriting is a scrawl, comments in Track Changes will be far more legible; You don’t have to lug piles of student papers around with you; Track Changes is “the way writing takes place in the workplace and it’s a timesaver.” And so on. Who can argue with such glowing reports? Not I. In fact, when I am working one-on-one with a student or former student, say on a thesis or a book proposal, I make liberal use of Track Changes for all the reasons just given and more. But when I’m teaching undergraduates, I still shy away. My reasons won’t apply to others, and I offer them less as argument than as defense. First is the temptation to correct. All the students I’ve spoken with whose other professors use Track Changes admit that they simply click “accept” when they find grammatical, syntactical, spelling, or punctuation corrections in their prose; they don’t stop to wonder what the original problem was or what they should be learning. So the temptation to function as an editor is strong, but I do not believe teachers should be editors. Second, even if I resist the temptation to correct—or especially if I do so and feel compelled instead to highlight and query what would normally be line-editing issues—the electronic version of the student paper ends up looking like a Jackson Pollock painting of colors, squiggly lines, and call-outs, a discouraging mess for the student to untangle and sort out, even if the paper’s underlying argument is fairly solid. Third, colors and different font emphases (bold, italic, etc.) cannot substitute for the all-capped, red-inked GREAT! splashed across the bottom of Page Three of a paper, with arrows pointing to several points in a paragraph to show how well the student has linked them together and to counteract all the niggling little comments in the margins about false inference or scrambled syntax. Encouragement, in other words, does not spring readily from Track Changes. Finally, just as the student who hands in the paper electronically cannot spread the paper before her and see it as a whole, so she reads my Track Changes comments screen-by-screen and cannot easily get a sense of how my assessment encompasses her paper as a whole. I also have the luxury of grading papers for classes of 20 students or fewer, and I recognize that instructors with larger classes, or working with graduate assistants, surely find Track Changes a godsend. But like every writing and editing tool at our disposal (think spell and grammar checkers), its use in pedagogy needn’t be automatic. It’s worth at least considering the costs along with the benefits. Correct me—using your tool of preference—if I’m wrong. December 10, 2014 by Lucy Ferriss The Chronicle of Higher Education Why I Don’t Use Track Changes on Students’ Papers Center for Student Success Stephen Moore - Executive Director of Student Success and Honors Program Maria Fleming - Assistant Director Ikysha James - Administrative Assistant I Frazly Alexander - Academic Advisor I Julie Cruz - Academic Advisor II Andre’a Dorsey - Academic Advisor I Jacinthe Proctor - Academic Advisor II Jennifer Palmer Crawford - Academic Advisor II / Learning Center Coordinator Valerie Combie - Associate Professor of English / CSS Writing Center Coordinator Leslie Greene - Science and Math Center Coordinator David Capriola - Academic Advisor III / Coordinator of FDS 100 Trudi Golphin - Academic Advisor II Rosalia Rohan - Director of University Bound Michelle Albany - Assistant Director of University Bound Yvette Richards - Administrative Assistant III Center for Student Success Staff Center for Student Success Contact Us Give us a call or send an email for more information about our services and products Center for Student Success #2 John Brewer’s Bay St. Thomas, USVI 00802-9990 (340) 693-1583 ijames@live.uvi.edu RR1 Box 10000 Kingshill, St. Croix, USVI 00850-9990 (340) 692-4140 mflemin@uvi.edu Visit us on the web at www.css.uvi.edu Thank You!!! Ms. Maria Fleming has admirably served as Interim Director for the Center for Student Success (CSS) and has provided remarkable service during her stead. Ms. Fleming will continue serving our students from the Albert A. Sheen Campus, St. Croix. She will resume her position as CSS Assistant Director and continue to work on several projects to enhance student success and the University experience. Remember: Your attitude determines your altitude! AT&T Regional Vice President for Puerto Ricio and USVI Ray Flores presents a $30,000 check to Maria Fleming for UVI Summer Bridge