QEP Concept Papers

Collective Impact is the commitment of cross-sector partners to a common agenda for solving specific social problems using a structured form of collaboration--challenges too big for one entity to address on its own. The idea in this proposal is for UTC and its community partners to employ a collective impact model to unite around a common goal: to address UTC’s graduation rates and retention rates. UTC’s graduation rate is currently 53% and retention rate is 73%. The key components of this approach involve creating a structured system of collaboration utilizing existing on- and off-campus partners and resources and establishing new partnerships to close achievement gaps and increase graduation and retention rates for UTC students. 

Bridges to Success will help “bridge” the processes, people, programs, and partnerships that enable students to transition from semester to semester more seamlessly. The systems change approach will inevitably will have a campus-wide effect, but the focus in the first 2 years will be 700 undergraduate students (full and part-time, first-time freshman, first-generation who identify as students from an underrepresented group). By working better together, we will build a stronger campus community. For example: there will be an intentional and strategic focus to connect students with the DRC, SSS, MCC (to name a few) with other resources that support increased engagement and success. This proposal can link to other QEP proposals and partners attempting to accomplish similar goals. 

Employers who hire UTC graduates have indicated that they want employees to have skills in problem solving, teamwork, clear communication, and understanding/navigating diverse perspectives. The Chattanooga-Based Project would be a focused effort to help students develop those skills. As the focus of our new QEP, the Chattanooga-Based Project (CBP) would create the infrastructure to help UTC realize a number of its goals in our recently approved strategic plan: 

• It would employ one or more high-impact practices as students work in cohort partnerships with community organizations, government entities, and area nonprofits to address a local or regional problem. 
• It would offer a “distinct educational experience” unique in the state to UTC students. 
• It would be a learning space in which students hear and learn from multiple diverse perspectives that contribute to addressing a complex concern.  
• With the resources afforded to the QEP, it would expand access to faculty development that supports meaningful community-engaged learning opportunities. 

A CBP director would be appointed to understand existing community-campus partnerships, cultivate new opportunities, and maintain relationships with community partners. Beyond cultivating and maintaining relationships, the coordinator will also need to ensure that sufficient seats are offered every semester to allow students to progress to graduation. As such, this position has interests in both Academic Affairs and Enrollment Management and Student Affairs. Students could potentially complete the CBP as part of their major program or in a multi-disciplinary cohort that satisfies a university requirement. 

Since 2010, data collected through the Sophomore Experiences Survey have proven a steady increase in the percentage of sophomores struggling with aspects of their second-year experience, with one-third of respondents in 2017 reporting that they are “barely surviving” this critical transition year (Schreiner, 2018). During the second year of college, students begin to take on added responsibilities and make decisions that will affect the rest of their lives. Students struggle with selecting an academic major, academic self-efficacy, career development, making faculty connections, being motivation, maintaining financial viability, participating in social activities, developing a purpose, or developing an identity during this year. The second year is intentionally being used instead of sophomore. Sophomore standing is based solely on credit hours. When creating programs and services to help second-year students thrive, the university must pay attention to more than the course credit earned. 

The Second Year Experience at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (SYE@UTC) will serve an average of 2100 residential and commuter students who identify as second-year at UTC or transferred from another institution. SYE@UTC is designed to help second-year students navigate this pivotal year by supporting, challenging, and empowering them to find their sense of purpose, sense of community, and sense of self. The program will offer a variety of support, resources, events, and opportunities for students to become involved and engaged on campus, explore their academic and career options, engage with faculty, and develop a blueprint for success. 

A comprehensive, collaborative plan to place all incoming first-year UTC students not already in an existing or planned residential community in one living learning community with common academic and experiential elements that can be scaled. The first iteration of the Mocs LLC will include 500 first-year West Campus residential students and 150 first-year commuters. Mocs LLC students will take a common course that meets a general education requirement and emphasizes diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as overall health and wellness; each section of the common course will be linked to another first-year class. The residential curriculum will give place and face to the issues introduced in the course by way of a variety of activities (many that already exist) co-planned and executed by faculty and residential staff in the hall, on campus, and in the city. All activities will be open to and intentionally inclusive of commuting students. 

The Mocs LLC will eventually touch the majority of our campus’s students. Phase 2 will focus on transfer students and the degree-granting colleges. The budget covers: 10 tenure-track faculty from different disciplines (TBD by Academic Affairs) hired to teach 3 fall sections each of the common class; professional development for all participants to facilitate the class’s creation and experiential components; programming; 4 GAs tasked with assessment; a coordinator. All outcomes for the Mocs LLC lead toward better retention and graduation rates as well as contributing to the animation of our campus and the loyalty of our future alumni.