This priority is the most difficult to measure, but we wanted to capture IU East’s spirit of innovation (e.g., early adoption of online education) and willingness to experiment and try new things. Some accomplishments in this area include the following:
- An internal grant program (“Chancellor’s Innovation Fund,” 2016) that funded several projects, including “Math Counts!” This program, in which IU East students provide year-round tutoring for K-12 students in the community, was such a success that in 2017 it received external funding support from the Stamm Koechlein Family Foundation.
- One of 44 campuses nationwide to participate in the AASCU Reimagining the First Year (RFY) initiative. We brought nationally known expert David Yeager to train faculty and staff on new ways to think about working with first generation students, a significant population at IU East. Other RFY accomplishments include:
- creation of a First-Year Convocation ceremony
- creation of a full-time position to support key functions in Academic Support Services, including Supplemental Instruction, Exam Jam (final exam support) and Jumpstart (a summer “bridge” program for first time freshmen)
- revised our probation letters significantly, leading to better outcomes (i.e., more students actually following up with support services)
- piloted a “case management” system using the new Student Engagement Roster. The goal is to have one piece of technology that everyone who interacts with a given student can connect to and make notes in (coaches, advisors, faculty, dean of students, FYS instructors etc.). (Another way of streamlining retention efforts by coordinating all the student touchpoints.)
- Teaching Innovations:
- Collaborative Classroom constructed in Springwood Hall (mentioned under Priorities 1 and 2 above)
- IQ wall installed in the newly renovated Whitewater Lobby (first IU regional campus to have this unique technology, which is used by students, faculty, classes and campus and community events)
- developed a Virtual Reality Lab in Hayes Hall (also noted under Priority 2)
- built a unique archaeology teaching site, supported with significant private funding. This multidisciplinary outdoor facility provides hands-on experiences in archaeological excavation and analysis and the study of forensics. It allows IU East students, many of whom have family or work obligations that preclude attendance at a traditional archaeological field school, to gain relevant field experience.