Foundations Of Excellence in the First College Year

SUNY Cortland is participating in Foundations of Excellence in the First Year of College(FOE), a national project directed by the Policy Center on the First Year of College. SUNY Cortland will be looking holistically at the initiatives, programs, and policies that impact our first year students.

The Policy Center provides a framework and advises on the project, but we will review and analyze the information. The SUNY Cortland Foundations of Excellence Council brings together people from across campus to collaborate on the project. The work for this initiative includes an inventory of our current practices, a survey of students, a survey of faculty and professionals, and a final analysis and evaluation of all information. The FOE Council will take the lead in collecting, reviewing, and reporting findings.

Council Members

Why Participate in Foundations of Excellence?

This is an opportunity to utilize a framework that has been piloted at numerous colleges and to access the expertise of the research and policy staff of the Policy Center. The guidelines ensure that we are fully examining the first year and thinking critically about how and why we have certain programs and how effective we are as an institution in supporting first year students.

What Will Result?

The final report of the Council will be a critical assessment of our campus effort. The report will be organized around nine dimensions that have emerged from previous Policy Center research and practice. Rather than look at individual programs, this report will provide an integrated and comprehensive assessment of our work as a whole. The primary mission is to better understand and improve the first year experience. 

The Nine Dimensions

The Council will assess the work and provide a grade on nine Dimensions of Excellence. These are philosophy, organization, learning, transitions, faculty, students, diversity, roles and purposes and improvement.

Description of Dimensions

 

Additional Information

Executive Summary and Recommendations

Institutional Comparison Report

Institutional Comparison Report Means Testing

Institutional Camparison Study Survey

Faculty/Staff Survey Information:
All Survey Questions
Questions by Dimension
Categorical Questions
Open Ended Questions

Student Survey Information:
All Survey Questions
Questions by Dimension
Open Ended Questions

Powerpoint Introduction to SUNY Cortland Foundations of Excellence

Foundations of Excellence Homepage for a general overview of the national project at the Policy Center.