Success Collaboration Highlights Milestones Date: June 9, 2000 By: Chris Curran Phone: (513) 556-1806 Archive: Campus News The UC Collaboration for Student Success reported progress on five different fronts in a year-ending report to the President's Cabinet:  Tony Perzigian, senior vice president and provost for Baccalaureate and Graduate Education, reported that the first Student Satisfaction Survey was completed. A 5 percent sample of undergraduates and graduate students were surveyed in the classroom. All students had the opportunity to respond to a web-based version of the survey. Results will be widely shared, analyzed in detail over the summer and used for future planning. A task force is working on better coordination of transfer between programs and colleges at UC. Faculty in several disciplines, including math, English and the sciences, are expected to work together over the summer to identify courses which are equivalent. Standardized course titles and numbers could result. The First Year Experience program included two visits from nationally known consultant John Gardner and will result in the expansion of UC's Learning Communities next fall. At least 20 communities will be formed for incoming freshmen. The effort is funded through the Success Challenge grants. The task force charged with improving financial accountability spent the year meeting with leaders on campus and at other campuses to help develop a performance-based funding plan. The plan will be modified in coming months and eventually presented to the Council of Deans. The collaboration also initiated an effort to see how resources could be shared more effectively across colleges, from classroom space to computer labs and support staff. "I am very pleased with the progress that has been made since a group of us trekked last July to the American Association of Higher Education's Summer Academy in Aspen," said Perzigian. "Our year-end report signals strong momentum going into the next academic year with the goal of promoting a more student-centered university."