LA PIERCE COLLEGE & CSUN PATH COLLABORATION: HELPING STUDENTS MAKE SENSE OF GENERAL EDUCATION
Los Angeles Pierce College 20,253 Credit headcount (Fall
13)Diverse student body70% Part-time, 30% full time68% Under age 25 Over 50 % state transfer as
goal 1,615 degrees & certificates927 transferred to a CSU
(2011/12)320 transferred to a UC
(2011/12)
Quality Collaboratives (AAC&U) Opportunity Strong partnership with
CSUNCollaboration amongst
facultyIncrease desired
outcomesSuccessRetentionPersistenceCompletionTransferCommunity
Trail Blazing to Well Worn PathsProject alignment
with campus culture
Faculty buy-inStudent
motivationProductive
partnershipsClear
communication
Project Alignment with Campus“Simple” & “Cheap”
Course vs. SectionSerendipity vs. Intentionality
Transcript memoranda vs. state approved certificate
Synergy vs. energy
Faculty buy-inStudents at the centerIntellectual community across disciplinesIncreased collaborationIncreased intentionalityProfessional developmentMeaningful assessmentStronger GE program coherenceProtected courses
Motivating students toward completion Creating coherence through
thematic pathwaysGE Path communities
CourseCampusBridge to CSUN
Minors in Civic Engagement and Sustainability
Productive partnershipsFaculty leaders
Department chairsStudent Success
CommitteeAcademic SenateCounselors
Administrative supportInstitutional ResearcherPRScheduling staffAdmissions and records
Clear CommunicationOnline schedule of classesClass syllabiMaterials for students,
counselling and facultyFaculty leadersTransfer CenterOnline orientationStudent leaders (ASO)
Five General Education Paths
Aesthetics and Culture
Global Studies Health and Wellness
Social Justice Sustainability
GE Path plan for studentsStudents apply to GE Path programStudents take FOUR classes at Pierce in ONE PathStudents apply for “GE Path Certificate”
(memorandum note on transcript)Students transfer to CSUN, apply to CSUN PathStudents take TWO upper division GE Path
classes to earn a minor in Civic EngagementFor minor in Sustainability Path, take 4 classes at
Pierce and THREE additional courses at CSUN
Aesthetics and Culture Pathcourses at Pierce• Art 101 Survey of Art History I• Art 102 Survey of Art History II• Art 103 Art Appreciation• Art 111 History of Contemporary Art• Art 119 Theories of Art• Philosophy 40 Introduction to the Philosophy
of Art• Philosophy 41 Introduction to Philosophy
and Literature• Philosophy 42 Philosophy and Cinema• Psychology 69 Psychology in Film
Global Studies Pathcourses at Pierce• Art 105 History of Asian Art• Anthropology 102 Human Ways of Life: Cultural
Anthropology• Communication Studies 121 The Process of
Interpersonal Communication• Education 203 Education in American Society• English 203 World Literature I• Philosophy 30 Asian Philosophy • Sociology 15 Religion and American Society • Sociology 86 Popular Culture • History 1 Introduction to Western Civilization I• History 2 Introduction to Western Civilization II• History 86 Introduction to World Civilizations I• History 87 Introduction to World Civilizations II
Health and Wellness Pathcourses at Pierce• Communication Studies 122 Communication
Across Culture• Health 2 Health and Fitness• Health 8 Women’s Personal Health• Health 11 Principles of Healthful Living• Kinesiology 117 Introduction to Personal Training• Psychology 14 Abnormal Psychology• Psychology 16 Intimacy, Marriage and Family
Relationships• Psychology 41 Life Span Psychology: From
Infancy to Old Age• Psychology 52 Psychological Aspects of Human
Sexuality• Psychology 60 Stress Management
Social Justice Pathcourses at Pierce• Administration of Justice 1 Introduction to
Administration of Justice• Child Development 11 Home, School and Community
Relations• Child Development 42 – The Child in Diverse Society• Communication Studies 104 Argumentation• English 239 Women’s Literature• English 215 Shakespeare I• Political Science 19 Women in Politics• Psychology 13 Social Psychology• Psychology 32 Psychology of Women• Sociology 11 Race and Ethnic Relations• Sociology 21 Human Sexuality• Sociology 29 The US and Terrorism• Sociology 35 The Labor Movement • Sociology 31 Sociology of Gender
Sustainability Pathcourses at Pierce• Animal Science 511 Anatomy and
Physiology of Animals• Anthropology 101 Human Biological
Evolution • Geography2 Cultural Geography • GIS 31 Introduction to Geographic
Information Systems• Philosophy 28 Environmental Ethics• Plant Science 103 Introduction to Soils
Spring 2014 Events at PiercePlanning coordination meetings Pierce & CSUN
teamsInformational Path events for students, in
combination with the Resistance film festival Path faculty coordinators’ meetingPath faculty retreat, to meet and discuss
assessment, common concerns and strategiesShowcase of GE Path student workSpeech Competition Diversity training for faculty and studentsGE Path Faculty debrief “happy hour”
(assessment….)
Future possibilitiesIncrease intentionalityExpand to other CSUsAlign more courses with
GE Paths Strategic scheduling of
Path classesStronger Student &
faculty CommunityStrengthen interaction
with CSUsFacultyStudents
Thank you…..Lumina Foundation
AAC&U (LEAP)
Quality Collaboratives
CSUN team
More information
http://faculty.piercecollege.edu/gepathswww.csun.edu/gepaths
LA Pierce CollegeBarbara AndersonAnia BruzzeseRay LimMia Wood