Section IV Educational Program

Introduction

4.1 General Requirements of the Educational Program

Description

The university's posture and practice have been consistent with the characteristics and expectations of its mission statement and guiding principles. The mission stresses the primacy of undergraduate education, explains that graduate and continuing education programs will be selected and developed based on need and resources, establishes specific degree program areas, and establishes FGCU's commitment to serving the local geographical area. The mission clearly spells out an expectation that FGCU will employ alternative learning and teaching systems. It calls for faculty public service involvement, applied research to support the teaching and service mission, student volunteer service through community projects, an emphasis on environmental studies, and senior projects or papers to synthesize learning. The guiding principles establish quality goals and affirm professional academic ideals. Specifically, the guiding principles declare the centrality of student success; affirm the ideals of academic freedom, diversity, an informed citizenry, and service as a public trust; and state the importance of technology, collaborative learning, and assessment for improvement and renewal.

These documents have guided and shaped the development and implementation of educational programs at every stage in the process. For example, faculty transitioning from the University of South Florida at Fort Myers were informed of the mission and expected to subscribe to it before joining the FGCU faculty, and new faculty were hired with full understanding and acknowledgement of the mission and guiding principles. Diversity, service to the local community, commitment to alternative learning systems and technologically-enhanced learning, and emphasis on environmental studies have been established in faculty hiring, in the development of an environmental studies program with community input, in the inclusion of service learning in all educational programs, and in the development of distance learning options. For further details, see Section II Institutional Purpose.

In addition, the university has established a set of overarching undergraduate student learning goals and outcomes that directly connect undergraduate programs to the expectations of the mission. For example, these goals and outcomes include ecological perspective, ethical perspective, technological literacy, and community service all of which are directly aligned with the mission of the university. The student learning goals and outcomes are the backbone of the undergraduate curriculum, and the faculty has elected a university Undergraduate Curriculum Team whose job it has been to review the curricula of all programs to ensure that they are clearly connecting program, college, and university student learning goals and outcomes. Each degree program completes syllabi for all courses and an Integrative Program Matrix which shows how its required courses meet program, college, and university outcomes. The university Undergraduate Curriculum Team reviews these materials and provides collegial feedback to the program regarding curricular design, curricular omissions and/or duplications, and the clarity, quantity, and quality of the connections between programmatic goals and university student learning goals and outcomes. For more detailed information, please see the descriptions of educational programs provided in Section 4.2 Undergraduate Programs.

Most graduate programs have come to FGCU by way of transition from USF Fort Myers. The university Graduate Curriculum Team has been elected by the faculty to review graduate curricula and to ensure that they are closely aligned with the university's mission and guiding principles. The Graduate Curriculum Team undertook to develop learning outcomes that were more appropriate to, and reflective of, graduate educational programs. After a lengthy process, during which numerous drafts were submitted to the faculty for discussion and revision, the Graduate Curriculum Team developed a set of graduate student learning outcomes. These faculty-sanctioned outcomes provide the university Graduate Curriculum Team with a standard for curriculum review; using them, the Graduate Curriculum Team can ensure that graduate programs are designed to serve the professional and practical needs of graduate students while also meeting the broad educational goals stated in the university's mission statement and guiding principles. For further information, see Section 4.3 Graduate Programs.

The university provides educational programs and experiences for learners in a variety of non-traditional formats. Students can, for example, participate in community-centered learning experiences via partnership arrangements with local businesses and government agencies. Students have the option to take many classes via distance learning technologies (e.g., World Wide Web, two-way interactive video, and television classes). FGCU has a strong commitment to distance learning, and the faculty continues to experiment with distance learning technologies. In addition, several programs are currently developing consortial relations with foreign institutions in China and Mexico. Currently students may enroll in FGCU course work that includes some foreign travel for credit awarded by FGCU. For more detailed information, see Section 4.5 Distance Learning, and Section 4.9, Consortial Relationships and Contractual Agreements.

All in all, FGCU has strong educational resources. The faculty is outstanding: diverse, well prepared, and committed to teaching, scholarly activity, and institutional and public service. The FGCU annual survey gives faculty very high marks, and the SACS Candidacy Team stated in its report that the university "has provided ample evidence that it has employed an outstanding faculty especially suited to accomplish its mission and stated objectivesAs a whole, they constitute a diverse and distinguished group of scholars dedicated to teaching and to students." For further details, see Section 4.8 Faculty.

While Library Services offers significant educational resources to the FGCU community, it does not yet have adequate resources for graduate programs and some newer undergraduate programs. For on-campus users, the library is open seven days a week. For off-campus users, resources are available through the library Web page. The library Web page connects learners to WebLUIS, the searchable database of all books held by the FGCU and State University System libraries, and to a large number of other electronic databases which cite, and sometimes provide abstracts and/or on-line full-text versions of, research materials. The library's holdings include 118,000 volumes, about half of which were acquired through the purchase of the complete library holdings of Upsala College. For more detailed information, see Section 5.1 Library and Other Learning Resources.

FGCU's computer resources are outstanding. The university has made a commitment to the use of appropriate technology to enhance education, and that commitment is embodied in the computer resources that have been purchased and implemented so far. Those resources include a computer (PC or Macintosh) for every full-time faculty member, two computer labs (PC and Macintosh) for student use, two computer classrooms, a fast and effective networking and communications infrastructure, and T1 Internet access. In addition, most classrooms are equipped with multimedia podiums that enable professors and students to do multimedia presentations, to conduct computer modeling/simulation experiments, and to use library and Internet resources during class time. For further details, see Section 5.3 Instructional Technology.

FGCU is proud of the physical facilities that have been constructed in phase 1 of the campus development plan. The campus provides a pleasant environment for learning. Phase 1 and all future facility development will be guided by the university's Five Year Capital Improvement Plan, which was developed to meet the needs of the university as the student body grows. This plan is part of a legislative budget request that is prioritized during legislative sessions. Currently, three academic buildings are approved for funding in the next fiscal year: (1) classroom/faculty office building; (2) math, science, and technology building; and (3) fine and performing arts building. By the year 2004, the university plans to complete two more academic buildings, a teaching gymnasium, and some environmental science laboratories. In addition, the existing library will be remodeled (to convert office space to stack space) and expanded. These building priorities support the instructional mission of the university. For more detailed information, see Section 6.3.1 Financial Resources, and Section 6.4 Physical Resources.

Florida Gulf Coast University is the tenth member of the State University System of Florida and has received generous and ongoing financial backing from the Florida legislature. During FGCU's first year of instructional operation (1997-98), the unduplicated student headcount was 3,393 and the annual full time equivalent (FTE) student count was 1,275. The operating budget is predicated on 3,000 FTE students as an initial funding level, with consideration given by the central office, the Florida Board of Regents (BOR), for the university to grow into its basic level of funding in its first five years.

The FGCU enrollment plan projects growth to 4,860 FTE students in seven years. Given current funding levels that are based on 3,000 FTE, the university is moving along a carefully planned path toward achieving an FTE level consistent with the current funding level. Adequate funding has also been committed to provide necessary physical resources to meet the needs of a growing student population. The current inventory of nine buildings and over 250,000 square feet meets the current demands of a newly formed campus adequately.

Florida Gulf Coast University Foundation, Inc., is a strong financial supporter of the university. The foundation has provided for the funding of phase 1 of the student housing project, which has an estimated cost of $7 million dollars. Next year, the university will begin construction on a new math, science, and technology building with an estimated cost of $10 million dollars. The foundation was instrumental in raising the funding for this building ($2.5 million FGCU foundation, $2.5 million private foundation match, and $5 million from the State of Florida challenge grant program). The foundation annually provides funding for five endowed professorships and tens of thousands of dollars for student scholarships through its endowed gifts program. For more detailed information, see Section 6.3.1 Financial Resources.

The university's mission statement and guiding principles mandate a learning-centered approach to education. As mentioned previously, the university has clearly articulated sets of undergraduate student learning goals and outcomes and graduate student learning outcomes which provide coherent frameworks for the development and implementation of undergraduate and graduate programs. These frameworks, and the curriculum review process which relies on them, are intended to make student achievement the central standard for measuring the success of undergraduate and graduate programs, regardless of the methods of instruction used or the location of such programs (when distance learning is involved).

Each educational program at FGCU is independently developed and implemented by faculty with expertise and experience appropriate for that program. However, each program must establish a clearly articulated set of program outcomes that show direct correlation with, and ensure progress toward, the university undergraduate student learning goals and outcomes or the graduate student learning outcomes. The curriculum review process carried out by the Undergraduate Curriculum Team and planned by the Graduate Curriculum Team focuses particularly on the connections between expected outcomes at all levels: course, program, college, and university. These connections must be clearly documented, regardless of the methods of instruction used or the locations where instructional activity takes place. Each individual course, for example, is expected to articulate a group of specific learning outcomes. And each professor is expected to develop activities and student assessment plans that support those learning outcomes. The undergraduate and graduate curriculum review processes that have been developed are intended to ensure that this actually takes place.

This means that different sections of the same course, offered in different formats or in different locations, are aiming to reach the same outcomes, and that student learning results can be compared among sections regardless of instructional methods and technologies used.

Each program is also responsible for designing and implementing program assessment measures that evaluate the program's success at meeting its own outcomes. These measures will gather directional feedback, which will be used to refine the programs over time. For further details, see Section 3.1 Planning and Evaluation, Educational Programs.

Analysis

The Steering Committee finds that all undergraduate educational programs have been, and are being, developed with the explicit aim of serving the established university learning goals and outcomes. The curriculum review process currently in place pays close attention to the relationship between the stated learning outcomes of each program and the overarching learning outcomes of the university. An Integrative Program Matrix is used to express and examine these relationships, and to show the ways in which the particular courses and programs of study being offered actually meet or do not meet the overarching undergraduate university student learning goals and outcomes. By November 1998, matrices will have been completed by all undergraduate academic programs and reviewed by the university Undergraduate Curriculum Team. A parallel process is being developed for graduate programs.

The Steering Committee finds that the faculty is competent, well prepared, and committed to the purposes of FGCU. It is significant that 84 percent of the faculty responding to the FGCU annual survey agreed with the statement "FGCU's mission was an important consideration in my decision to become a member of its faculty," and that more than 90 percent expressed familiarity with the FGCU mission and guiding principles. This level of faculty understanding and commitment bodes well for FGCU's educational programs.

An area of concern may be the faculty's response to the university's commitment to distance learning. In the FGCU annual survey, 55 percent of faculty disagreed with the statement "FGCU should offer more distance learning classes" and 54 percent disagreed with the statement "At FGCU, distance learning is an effective alternative to traditional instruction." This negative response might be construed as refusal to support the university's commitment to distance learning. But it can also be seen, in part, as a problem of definition and phrasing that makes faculty uncomfortable. It may also arise from the fact that the process of "building a university from scratch" makes prioritizing essential, and distance learning may not be as high a priority as initial design and implementation of programs.

The faculty at FGCU are very much involved with the use of technology to enhance instruction. Some concerns remain. The faculty are exploring issues of appropriateness: of the scope of technology use, of the sorts of technology used, and of the sorts of instruction that can take place via distance learning technologies. They are also exploring intellectual property rights and workload issues related to distance learning. See Sections 4.5 Distance Learning Programs and 4.8 Faculty for a more detailed analysis of faculty issues.

The Steering Committee finds that library and learning resources are currently adequate but in need of rapid development and expansion to meet the needs of faculty and students. More space needs to be allocated for library collections, better access to electronic resources needs to be assured, and better processes for purchasing and developing collections need to be put in place. See Section 5.1 Library and Learning Resources for a more detailed analysis of related issues.

The Steering Committee finds that FGCU's curriculum, curriculum review processes, and planning and evaluation procedures are designed in ways that will ensure the quality of programs. Because clearly-defined student learning outcomes are stated at each level course, program, college, and university and these outcomes provide a uniform framework for the assessment of student learning, then (1) student achievement can be measured effectively and held to high standards, and (2) we can be sure that the use of different methodologies and technologies will not lead to entirely different student learning results.

Nonetheless, it is difficult at this time to assess how well students are reaching university learning outcomes and how well programs are achieving their learning-centered program outcomes. Some critical university-wide decisions need to be made before educational programs can design assessment measures that are fully effective. The university must decide, for example, whether it wants to measure incremental growth in each of the areas represented by the learning goals, or to measure final mastery of particular skills (as yet to be defined), or to expect mastery of basic skills and advancement along a defined path of skill development. It must determine whether it should implement a set of university-wide assessment measures in addition to the program-specific measures developed by each program. And, it must determine how to establish baseline assessment measurements, which will ascertain student progress. Such baseline assessments are already being made in the writing program; the university may want to implement them in other areas as well.

In a learning-centered environment, curriculum and assessment issues are closely interwoven. FGCU's institutional structure currently separates the two, assigning university curriculum review duties to one group of people (Undergraduate and Graduate Curriculum Teams) and university assessment and evaluation duties to another group (the Office of Planning and Evaluation and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee). This separation may lead to a lack of communication and to less effective planning. If other structures would work better, they should be examined. In a university that stresses both faculty autonomy and shared program goals and outcomes, good communication and cooperation among the individuals and teams working at various levels of development and assessment (individual faculty, program, college, and university) is absolutely vital.

See the sections cross-referenced in this analysis for additional recommendations and suggestions.

Recommendations

None.

Suggestions

S4.1-1 The Steering Committee suggests that the Office of Planning and Evaluation and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee investigate, and with faculty approval determine, how to formalize the university's expectations concerning student achievement and program evaluation. Issues for this investigation should include:

a. Whether students are expected to show mastery of a set of well-defined skills and abilities or to show some well-defined degree of progress toward those skills and abilities, and how those skills and abilities are to be defined for the purposes of measurement.

b. Whether university-wide assessment measures should be developed in addition to the program-specific measures developed by each program, and what sort of assessment measures should be used.

c. Whether baseline assessment measurements will be taken of student ability in some or all of the learning goal areas in order to allow us to record student progress, and what sorts of baseline assessment measurements should be used.

S4.1-2 The Steering Committee suggests that the Institutional Effectiveness Committee investigate the current institutional relationships of curriculum review and assessment planning groups and work to establish relational structures that will ensure good communication among the teams and offices working on these issues.

S4.1-3 The Steering Committee also suggests that a more formal relationship be established between the Office of Planning and Evaluation and each academic college to assure that the assessment plans and measures implemented at each level will work together effectively (and avoid unnecessary duplication).

4.2 Undergraduate Program

4.2.1 Undergraduate Admission

Description

The admissions policies for the Florida State University System are established by the Board of Regents (BOR) by authority of Florida Statutes and the Florida Administrative Code (Rule 6C-6, F.A.C.). These policies establish minimum criteria for admission to all state universities in Florida.

FGCU enforces the BOR regulations regarding admission. Auditing is conducted externally by the Auditor General's Office of the Florida State legislature and the Florida Department of Education. Internal auditing is conducted by reviews of reports generated by the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records (ARR) each semester and by the FGCU inspector general. Specific BOR rules which apply to admissions are:

Rule 6C-6.001, F.A.C. Admissions

Rule 6C-6.002, F.A.C. Entering Freshmen

Rule 6C-6.004, F.A.C. Transfer Students-Undergraduate

Rule 6C-6.005, F.A.C. Acceptance of College Credit by Examination

Rule 6C-6.009, F.A.C. Admission of Foreign Students to the SUS Institutions

Rule 6C-6.018, F.A.C. Substitution or Modification of Requirements for Program Admission, Undergraduate Transfer, and for Graduation by Students with Disabilities

The BOR rules are used to develop specific FGCU policies. General admissions criteria were approved by the Deans Council on June 22, 1996, and are published in the university catalog.

The enrollment targets of the university have been determined by the BOR and projections outlined in the Ten Year Development Plan for a New University in Southwest Florida and the revised FGCU enrollment plan.

Implementation of specific admission policies at FGCU is the responsibility of the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records in the Division of Student Services as a unit of academic affairs. The faculty contribute to the implementation through the Admissions and Credits Committee comprised of one faculty representative from each college, two representatives from the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records and one member representing the Academic Advising Council. The Admissions and Credits Committee reviews any exception, waiver or modification to the established policies on undergraduate admissions into the university and readmission of students after academic dismissal.

The Division of Academic Affairs, under the leadership of the vice president of academic affairs, is responsible for the FGCU admissions policies. The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records in the Division of Student Services is responsible for policy. The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records is also responsible for first-time-in-college and transfer student admissions and compliance with the articulation agreements among the universities, community colleges, and school districts. [See Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C., Articulation Agreements.]

FGCU can establish admissions criteria that exceed the minimum admission requirements set by the BOR. At this time, however, at FGCU only limited access programs have admission requirements higher than the minimum requirements set by the BOR. Limited access programs at FGCU include education programs, physical therapy, nursing, clinical laboratory science, and occupational therapy. Admission and access to these programs is determined by the various departments/schools. The student services coordinator of limited access and graduate admissions serves as the liaison between the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records and the academic programs. [See FGCU Limited Access Program Admission Policies.]

The pursuit of academic excellence and student success at the center of all university endeavors are continual themes throughout the mission and guiding principles of FGCU. Furthermore, the educational purposes of the university embrace a commitment to diversity as a source of renewal and vitality, and affirm that multiplicity and difference are accepted with tolerance and equity. Integral to the university's philosophy is instilling in students an environmental consciousness that balances their economic and social aspirations with the imperative for ecological sustainability. The FGCU admission policies are consistent with these educational purposes of the institution while upholding the quantitative and qualitative requirements of the Board of Regents.

The FGCU Admissions and Credits Committee convenes regularly to review the academic credentials of undergraduate applicants who do not meet standard admission quantitative criteria and may make exceptions to admit these students. The qualitative criteria used to assess students' potential for success include personal statements, recommendations from guidance counselors and extracurricular leadership, and are consistent BOR Rule 6C-6.001(2), F.A.C., which states, " . . . the universities shall take into consideration the applicant's academic ability, and may also consider creativity, talent, and character."

The Board of Regents establishes quantitative requirements for admission to the state universities to which FGCU adheres. First-time-in-college students are to be considered for admission under criteria outlined in the Rule 6C-6.001, F.A.C., as follows:

I. The student who has at least a "B" average (3.0 on a 4.0 scale) in fifteen required high school academic/Carnegie units. These required units are:

English four units (three of which must have included substantial writing requirements)

Mathematics three units (at the Algebra I and above levels)

Natural Science three units (two of which must have included substantial laboratory work)

Social Science three units (may include: history, civics, political science, economics, sociology, psychology and geography)

Foreign Language two units (both credits must be in the same language). An alternative method by which students can demonstrate foreign language competency is by College Level Examination Program.

Academic Electives four units (must be completed but are not included in the GPA calculation for admission).

II. The student who has less than a "B" average in the required academic units must present a combination of high school grade point average and entrance examination score as noted on the sliding scale outlined below. If the high school GPA in the required academic courses equals any entry in the GPA column, the scores on the SAT; the ACT taken prior to October 1989; or the Enhanced ACT (E-ACT) taken during or after October 1989 must equal or exceed the corresponding entry in the appropriate column below:

GPA E-ACT ACT *SAT1 SAT

2.0 25 24 1140 1050

2.1 24 23 1110 1020

2.2 23 22 1090 990

2.3 22 21 1060 960

2.4 22 21 1030 930

2.5 21 19 1010 900

2.6 21 19 1000 890

2.7 21 19 990 880

2.8 20 18 980 870

2.9 20 18 970 860

*SAT taken after 3/31/95

III. An applicant who does not meet these requirements may bring to the university other important attributes or special talents (such as outstanding artistic or musical ability) and may be admitted if, in the specific judgment of an appropriate faculty committee, it is determined from documentation provided that the applicant can be expected to do successful academic work.

Transfer students must meet the following admission criteria as outlined in Rule 6C.6.004, F.A.C. If a student has fewer than 60 semester hours of transferable credits, he/she must meet regular freshmen admission requirements. If a student is transferring with more than 60 semester hours, the student must have at least a cumulative 2.0 (on a 4.0 scale) grade point average on all work attempted and be in good academic standing at the most recent institution.

If a student is transferring with an associate of arts degree from a Florida community college, the student is admissible to Florida Gulf Coast University. The admission of Florida community college associate in arts transfer students is governed by the articulation agreement between state universities and public community colleges in Florida (Rule 6A-10.024, F.A.C., Articulation Agreement). Admission is not guaranteed to programs designated as limited access.

Florida Gulf Coast University is prohibited from offering college preparatory courses (Florida Statute 240.117). Edison Community College, in agreement with FGCU, will offer preparatory math courses on the FGCU campus. Admission test scores (SAT and/or ACT) and local placement scores determine eligibility for registration in entry-level courses.

Florida Gulf Coast University offers supportive and developmental programs for students who lack requisite college-level skills. These students are referred to the Admissions and Credits Committee, and if accepted, are referred to tutoring services or referred to the local community college to complete remedial course work. Follow-up reports of the students' remediation are submitted to the Board of Regents for review. The support programs, coordinated through the Division of Student Services, provide advising and counseling for academic, personal, and career needs and services in tutoring, testing, and accessibility issues.

Prior to taking a mathematics or statistics course, all students are required to test for placement by the Assessment Center in student services. The results of the placement test are used in advising students as to the appropriate mathematics or English courses in which to enroll.

State policies are regularly reviewed by the BOR and its staff and are revised in response to changes in state statutes or administrative policy. The ten admissions directors and registrars of the state universities meet at least three times per year to discuss policies. FGCU policies are regularly reviewed and revised as needed to ensure compliance with BOR policies by the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records with approval by the Deans Council. FGCU may promulgate local admissions criteria that exceed the established entrance requirements set by the BOR; however, only limited access programs within the university utilize this option by admitting students above the minimum requirements set by the BOR in Rule 6C-6.001, F.A.C., Admissions.

The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records coordinates undergraduate recruitment activities for the university. Distribution of information regarding admission policies and related enrollment information occurs through:

1. Written correspondence and electronic mail to inquiries.

2. Recruitment visits to high schools, community colleges, and businesses.

3. Campus visitation programs sponsored by the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records.

To ensure all printed materials and the university's Web site are accurate, faculty, and staff are directed to evaluate all content before publishing. A check and balance system ensures that the program fact sheets are reviewed by their respective colleges and by the Office of Evaluation and Planning for consistency across the university and updating as necessary. A representative from each college serves as a liaison to the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records for oversight of information used in information dissemination for undergraduate programs. Brochures used in distribution activities are designed and written by respective programs and colleges. The university catalog was developed through cooperative efforts of each program, college, and unit as needed with a catalog committee comprised of representation from each college, student services, and academic affairs. The information contained therein is deemed representative of the university until the subsequent publication.

Undergraduate admissions are governed by the Rule 6C-6.002 and Rule 6C-6.004, F.A.C. A diploma from a Florida public or regionally accredited high school or from an accredited out-of-state high school is required for admission of first-time-in-college students and students with fewer than 60 hours of transferable credit. However, upper division students transferring with more than 60 hours of transferable credit are exempt from this requirement.

First-time-in-college students admitted under the state's acceleration mechanism (e.g., early admission) are exempt from this requirement on an individual basis. Each applicant must demonstrate a substantial capability for academic work based upon a college preparatory curriculum while in high school, submit appropriate ACT or SAT scores, and have a recommendation by a school board.

Any student who completes a non-traditional program of study which is not measured in Carnegie units, such as home schooling or General Equivalency Diploma (GED), must present a test score of at least a 1010 on the re-centered SAT I or a 21 on the E-ACT.

Applicants who do not meet the quantitative admission criteria set by the Board of Regents, may be admitted by exception by the Admissions and Credits Committee in accordance with Rule 6C-6.002, F.A.C., which states, "in the judgment of an appropriate faculty committee, it is determined from appropriate evidence that the student can be expected to do successful academic work" or Rule 6C-6.001(2), F.A.C., which states, " the universities shall take into consideration the applicant's academic ability, and may also consider creativity, talent, and character."

The admission policies for the State University System are established by State Statutes and Rule 6C-6, F.A.C. These policies set forth the minimum criteria for admission to all state universities in Florida. FGCU admission policies and practices are regularly reviewed by the BOR and its staff when admissions policies are affected by changes in state statute or administrative policy. All FGCU procedures established for implementation of institutional admission policies are followed in the admission of all students. Auditing is conducted externally by the Auditor General's Office of the Florida state legislature and the Florida Department of Education. Internal auditing is conducted by reviews of reports generated by the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records and by the FGCU inspector general.

FGCU enforces the BOR regulations regarding admission. Auditing is conducted on a regular basis by the Department of Education and the Board of Regents. Reports generated each semester by the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records audit the implementation of the admissions criteria set by the Board of Regents.

FGCU has established minimum academic standards to which all students must adhere. Action is taken in the case of students who fail to meet these standards at the completion of course work, usually at the end of each semester or summer session. A student is placed on academic probation when his/her cumulative GPA drops below 2.0. A student on academic probation must earn a minimum semester GPA of 2.25 each semester after being placed on academic probation. Academic probation continues until the cumulative GPA reaches 2.0 or above. A student on academic probation who fails to earn a semester GPA of 2.25 will be suspended.

The admission criteria for transfer students are explicitly stated in the university catalog, Schedule of Courses, and the Student Road Map, with requirements distinguishing between lower and upper level status. A student who has achieved a "C" average in at least 60 transferable semester hours from a regionally accredited institution may be qualified as an upper-level transfer.

Minimum requirements for admission of transfer students are established by the Board of Regents and are mandated in Rule 6C-6.004, F.A.C. The minimum requirements for transfer students include:

1. Status of "good standing" and eligibility to return to the most recent institution attended as a degree-seeking student.

2. A grade point average of at least 2.0 on a 4.0 system on all college-level academic courses attempted.

3. Completion of two credits of one foreign language or American Sign Language in high school, or eight to ten semester hours in the undergraduate institution attended. Each university may admit a limited number of freshmen and lower level transfer students who have not met the above foreign language requirement if there is evidence that the applicants will do successful academic work at the university. Students who have not completed the foreign language requirement for admissions must complete this requirement prior to graduation [See Rule 6C-6.002 (3)(c), F.A.C., and Rule 6C-6.004 (1)(c), F.A.C.]

Transfer students from Florida public community colleges and the State University System who have earned an associate of arts degree are governed by the articulation agreement between the state universities and public community colleges (Rule 6A-10.024 Articulation Agreement, F.A.C.). Florida associate of arts degree graduates receive priority over out-of-state students for admission to a state university. Within curriculum, space, and fiscal limitations, admission as a junior to the upper division of a university is granted to any graduate of a Florida public community college or SUS institution who has completed the university parallel program and received the associate of arts degree.

Transfer students who have not received associate in arts degrees from Florida community colleges or SUS institutions must meet the admission requirements described above and, if the applicant has fewer than sixty semester hours of transfer credit, should satisfy the same admission requirements as beginning freshmen. With approval of the chancellor and of the executive director of the Community College System, exceptions may be granted.

Transfer students who do not meet the minimum requirements stated above but who have demonstrated attributes or special talents will be further evaluated in those areas by the Admissions and Credits Committee at FGCU. The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records or the college/faculty advisors advise all students of applicable appeal procedures.

The FGCU catalog, SUS application, course schedule, and recruitment materials for transfer students include a description of the minimum criteria for admission and clearly state that official transcripts from all institutions previously attended must be sent to the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records directly from the issuing institution.

Associate of arts degree holders from Florida public institutions will be considered to have met FGCU general education requirements and are awarded sixty semester hours of lower division credit. Credits that are part of the associate of arts degree earned through articulated acceleration mechanisms, such as dual enrollment, International Baccalaureate, early admission, advanced placement and credit by exam, will be transferable to the state university.

All courses from a Florida community college or university bearing the same state common course numbering system prefix and last three numbers as an FGCU course are automatically transferred. Age and concordance of content to current requirements may be factors in determining course transfer and acceptance toward degrees. Excluded are graduate courses, studio courses in art, internships, practice, and performing arts courses such as dance, acting, and vocal and instrumental music.

A course-by-course transfer credit evaluation is provided for all applicants who have previously attended out-of-state or private in-state institutions. Courses that are equivalent to FGCU courses and academic, non-remedial courses are accepted for transfer credit. The course title, level, and number provide the primary basis for determination of acceptability for transfer to FGCU. The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records also maintains a reference library of catalogs from institutions across the country to review course descriptions when performing transfer credit evaluations.

If a student is in disagreement with the review of course work for articulation to FGCU, the student is referred to the Admissions and Credits Committee for review. If, based on a review of pertinent materials (e.g., textbooks, syllabi, and course assignments), the committee determines that the course(s) in question is/are appropriate to accept in transfer, a memorandum to that effect is forwarded to the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records. The office then assigns the credit to the student's permanent academic record.

International credentials must be evaluated course by course by an independent evaluation service acceptable to FGCU in addition to meeting other transfer criteria.

Transfer applicants who do not meet admission requirements are denied admission. Under FGCU and the Board of Regents policies, students may appeal admission decisions to the Admissions and Credits Committee.

As stated in the FGCU catalog, the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records makes the initial determination of transfer credit. Faculty input is solicited and provides the basis for the transfer credit evaluation process. FGCU equivalent courses are then assigned. These course tables are accessed on-line when transfer courses are entered into the Banner Student Information System by staff in the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records. Using these tables, consistent and accurate transfer credit evaluations are performed. Additional institutions are added to the tables when course work is received from an institution not previously evaluated.

The catalog lists several options for receiving credit by advanced placement. These options include the following:

1. Recognition of satisfactory performance on tests offered through the College Level Examination Program.

2. Recognition of satisfactory performance on tests offered through Advanced Placement Programs of the College Entrance Examination Board.

3. Early admission for qualified high school students.

Decisions regarding the awarding of credit and the determination of such credit are made by qualified FGCU faculty members at the institution or according to procedures and standards approved by qualified faculty. Faculty members ensure that assessment procedures are appropriate for the credit awarded.

Qualified faculty members in specific curricular areas are responsible for developing procedures and establishing criteria for awarding credit. These criteria are then used during the advising and evaluation process. As previously described, a review by the appropriate faculty provides the definitive data for the evaluation of transfer credit by the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records.

Students admitted to the degree programs of nursing, clinical laboratory science, and criminal justice may earn credit for experiential learning. Credit is earned upon determination of documented learning and mastery of all outcomes for specific courses in the approved program. This is determined by evaluation of the documented experience of each individual student which is subject to examination to measure mastery of all course objectives. Experience assessment and verbal, written or practical competency examinations are designed and evaluated by program faculty members with specialty expertise. Credit is awarded only to students enrolled in these specific programs. Students register for each course that they request assessment for experiential learning credit. Upon assessment and subsequent successful examination, students earn credit and that credit is documented on the transcript as completion of the course with the passing grade earned in the examination and assessment.

Information is made available on the policies and procedures for each individual course for credit by experience and examination to any requesting institution by the program director. Credit for experiential learning and examination is earned only for courses that are in the student's academic program plan.

Program fact sheets and brochures describe credit for experiential learning and are available to all students. Detailed explanation of the policies for credit earned for experiential learning is provided by faculty advisors to students requesting this information. All program policies are continuously reviewed by the program and assessed by the program faculty. An evaluation process to establish validity entails post-graduation assessment survey of students and employers in the nursing, clinical laboratory science and criminal justice programs. Clinical laboratory science uses the national board certification examinations and the State of Florida licensing examination as an additional means of assessment of successful completion of program content.

Transfer credit is evaluated under the auspices of Rule 6C-6.004, F.A.C., and FGCU policy outlined in the catalog. At FGCU, transfer articulation is not finalized and made part of the student's permanent record until all official transcripts have been received in the Office of Admission, Registration and Records and the student has matriculated as a degree-seeking student. The Office of Admission, Registration, and Records completes the transfer articulation and mails a copy to the student. For those students whose admissions files are complete and all required official transcripts have been received, the Office of Admission, Registration, and Records routinely completes transfer credit evaluations prior to the registration period for the next term of enrollment.

As stated in the catalog, the receipt and evaluation of transfer credit is the responsibility of the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records. The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records will evaluate the acceptability of total credits transferable to the university. The college of the student's major will assign equivalent courses to determine which courses are applicable toward a specific degree at FGCU. Transfer students meet with their college or faculty advisor at transfer orientation. At that time, the official evaluation process is initiated.

With the exception of a few documented situations stated in the catalog, FGCU accepts credits only from those institutions accredited by one of the regional accrediting agencies/commissions at the time the credits are earned. These accrediting agencies are as follows: New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Learning; Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, Commission on Higher Education; North Central Association of Colleges and Schools; Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges; Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges; Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Accrediting Commission for Junior Colleges.

The specific exceptions to the above-stated policy are listed in the catalog. These exceptions are credits from foreign institutions if course equivalency is determined by a certified credential evaluating service; military schools or training; and, in some cases, courses taken at the International College of Fort Myers/Naples as approved by FGCU Deans Council.

Transfer credit from a foreign institution is awarded after careful review of the transcript, syllabi, and in compliance with recognized practices promoted by the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers and the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NAFSA).

Credit is awarded to students who have attended military schools or have specialized military training on a limited basis. As stated in the catalog, service school courses will be evaluated with reference to the recommendation of the American Council on Education when official credentials have been presented. Such recommendations, however, are not binding upon the university.

When students wish to have credit awarded for courses taken at institutions that are non-regionally accredited but are accredited by an agency recognized by the Council on Accreditation (COPA), now superseded by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA), documentation is presented by the student to FGCU faculty in the appropriate academic discipline(s). This documentation is used by the faculty member to determine relevance to the FGCU degree, appropriateness of course content, and level of instruction.

FGCU reserves the right to deny credit for specific courses. FGCU does not accept transfer credit from two-year institutions for courses determined to be occupational or vocational in nature.

All policies regarding academic dismissal, suspension and readmission of students are stated in the catalog. Florida Gulf Coast University established minimum academic standards for all students. Action is taken toward students who fail to meet these standards at the completion of course work, usually at the end of each semester or summer session. Officially changing a course grade does not necessarily reverse these academic actions. An exception can be made when an error is committed and is so stated on a Change of Grade form by the professor of a course. The following definitions and policies are followed:

Semester GPA Grade point average on all credit course work attempted during any given semester at FGCU.

Cumulative GPA Grade point average on all FGCU course work attempted while in attendance at the university.

Academic Probation A student is placed on academic probation when his/her cumulative GPA drops below 2.0. A student on academic probation must earn a minimum semester GPA of 2.25 for each semester after being placed on academic probation. Academic probation will continue until the cumulative GPA reaches 2.0 or better. Academic probation status will not be noted on the official academic transcript.

First Academic Suspension A student on academic probation who fails to earn a semester GPA of 2.25 will be suspended. The first academic suspension will last for one semester and re-admission is not automatic. A student must submit an application for re-admission with a letter indicating the reason for the academic difficulties and a plan for achieving a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or better. The appeal should be addressed to the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records. The Admissions and Credits Committee will review a student's entire academic history and make a decision on the student's appeal. Academic suspensions are noted on the official academic transcript.

Indefinite Suspension A student who has been readmitted following the first academic suspension and who fails to achieve a semester GPA of 2.25 will be suspended indefinitely from the university. Re-admission will not be considered for a minimum of one year for any student who has been put on indefinite suspension. All cases of indefinite suspension will be referred to the Admissions and Credits Committee. Indefinite suspension will be noted on the official academic transcript.

A FGCU freshman or sophomore student who receives a first or indefinite suspension and who subsequently receives an associate in arts degree from a Florida public community college or SUS institution may be readmitted to the university. Students who attend other colleges or universities following first or indefinite suspension and re-apply for admission to FGCU will be classified as transfer students and readmission will be based on total educational records. The determination and notification of probationary status or academic dismissal is made by the registrar on the student's grade report and academic record. A student who has been academically dismissed from FGCU and subsequently earns a BA/BS from another regionally accredited four-year institution is also admissible to the university.

The Admissions and Credits Committee serves as the board of appeal for students wishing to secure a waiver or modification of university-wide academic policies, including readmission after academic dismissal and undergraduate admission into the university. The committee is comprised of representative faculty from each of the four undergraduate colleges, a representative from the Academic Advising Council, and two representatives from the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records.

A student may be re-admitted if sufficient documentation verifies extenuating circumstances to explain poor academic progress, he or she has support from appropriate college representatives and/or university supportive personnel, the reasons for prior academic problems are no longer present, and the student shows evidence of reasonable potential for success as when originally admitted to the university.

Analysis

Admission policies are set by the Board of Regents for all Florida institutions. Florida Gulf Coast University adheres to these policies and they are consistent with the educational purpose of the institution. Policies are set for transfer credit, experiential learning, advanced placement, and limited-access programs. Policies are regularly evaluated by the State University System and FGCU. All policies are clearly defined and published.

Publications have been printed as needed to update information and to accurately represent the university. Out-dated publications need to be disposed of when new up-dated materials are available according to protocol. Policies are clearly defined regarding academic dismissal, suspension, and readmission of students and are consistent with the academic policies of the institution. In awarding credit for prior experiential learning, FGCU programs awarding such credit have defined criteria and policies. Credit is awarded only to matriculated students, but there needs to be a mechanism for identifying on the transcript credit earned by departmental examination or experiential learning.

Recommendations

None.

Suggestions

S4.2.1-1 The Steering Committee suggests that a mechanism be established for disposing of out-dated materials and publications to ensure that all materials accurately and truthfully portray the university.

S4.2.1-2 The Steering Committee suggests that the university develop a mechanism to identify on student transcripts credit earned by departmental examination or experiential learning.

4.2.2 Undergraduate Completion Requirements

Description

Florida Gulf Coast University publishes a catalog that states the requirements for each undergraduate degree that is awarded. Within the catalog, each college section delineates how the student can expeditiously complete degree requirements within the context of the major and college requirements. Program curriculum is described and available for students.

The graduation requirements at the university for a baccalaureate degree and an associate of arts degree are presented in the FGCU catalog. The minimum requirements for awarding the baccalaureate degree are as follows:

1. Successful completion of a minimum of 120 semester hours (certain majors require more than 120 hours as determined by the State University System of Florida) with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all course work attempted at FGCU (colleges and departments may have requirements that exceed these minimums).

2. Satisfactory completion of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), or an approved alternative to the CLAST or exemption from CLAST by stated criteria;

3. Completion of 36 semester hours of general education requirements to include writing and computation course requirements (Gordon Rule, Rule 6A-10.030, F.A.C.);

4. Earn a minimum of 48 hours of upper-division course work (Rule 6C-3.007, F.A.C.);

5. Completion of the residency requirement of 30 of the last 60 semester hours at FGCU;

6. All students entering FGCU with fewer than 60 hours of credit are required to earn at least nine semester hours of credit prior to graduation by attendance during one or more summer terms (Rule 6C-3.007, F.A.C.);

7. Completion of the university's service learning requirements;

8. Completion of IDS 3920 University Colloquium;

9. Completion of any program requirements determined by each college, program, and concentration;

10. All students admitted as freshmen or transfers, must satisfy or meet exemption qualifications from the state foreign language admission requirement. Students who do not meet this requirement may be admitted with the condition that they fulfill the requirement by completing a two-semester sequence of a foreign language prior to graduation (Section 240.233, Florida Statutes).

The minimum requirements for awarding the associate of arts degree are as follows:

1. Earn a minimum of 60 semester hours with a cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all course work attempted at FGCU;

2. Completion of 36 semester hours of general education requirements to include writing and computation course requirements (Gordon Rule, Rule 6A-10.030, F.A.C.);

3. Completion of 24 hours of lower division elective course work;

4. Satisfactory completion of the College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST), or an approved alternative to the CLAST or exemption from CLAST by stated criteria;

A minimum of 36 semester hours, distributed over five areas, are required of all associate and baccalaureate programs in the general education requirements.

The FGCU program of general education blends innovation with tradition. Interdisciplinary courses demonstrate the relationship of knowledge across fields, while traditional courses offer depth and breadth in specific disciplines and fulfill Florida State University System program prerequisites.

General Education Distribution FGCU Course Fulfillment Subject Area Requirement

Area I: 6 semester hours ENC 1101 and ENC1102, Composition Communication I and II

Area II: 6 semester hours STA 2023 or STA 2037 and 3 semester hours Mathematics of Algebra or higher

Area III: 6-9 semester hours 6-9 semester hours of Social Sciences Social Sciences electives

Area IV: 9 semester hours IDS 1301L, IDS 2110, HUM 2510, and Humanities 3 semester hours of Humanities elective

Area V: 6-9 semester hours 6-9 semester hours of Natural Science Natural Sciences electives

Core courses in FGCU's general education requirements mandate that students complete six credit hours of course work in Area I Communication that encompasses reading and writing. In addition, the Gordon Rule (Rule 6A-10.030, F.A.C.) mandates competency in writing with rule requirements of twelve semester hours of English course work in which the student is required to demonstrate writing skills. For purposes of this rule, a writing-intensive course is defined as any semester-length course in the general study area of the humanities in which the student is required to produce written work of at least 6,000 words. Six semester hours in the area of mathematics (three semester hours each of Statistics and Algebra or higher) is required. As previously illustrated, the CLAST (College Level Academic Skills Test) is a measurement of testing and ensuring student competency in the areas of mathematics, reading, and writing.

The College of Business requires a course in oral communication for degree completion. Communication skills are woven into course requirements in several courses throughout other curricula. A general education requirement of IDS 1301 Styles and Ways of Learning incorporates communication skills within its content. The College of Health Professions' required core course HSA 3119 Foundations and Dynamics of Health Services Delivery has an oral communications component as does the College of Professional Studies courses which require students to make oral presentations. Oral communication courses may be taken as electives in partial fulfillment of general education core requirements. The University Colloquium and the senior seminar course, requirements for every FGCU undergraduate, require students to make an oral presentation and have an emphasis on writing.

There are several courses offered in computer information systems and computer science. A State University System common prerequisite for Business majors requires CGS 1100 Introduction to Computers. Other majors may take computer science courses as electives in partial fulfillment of graduation requirements. Additional courses in computer instruction are offered such as EME 2040 Introduction to Computers in Education and EME 4402 Computers in Education, and EME 6930 Programming Language. With FGCU's emphasis on technology and distance learning, necessity mandates that students familiarize themselves with various forms of technology, including basic computer skills. Computer laboratories are available for student use with guided instruction and tutoring available. Each enrolled university student is provided an electronic mail address to facilitate communication with other students and with faculty. Many of the courses at FGCU incorporate the use of electronic mail communications, electronic message boards, on-line chat-rooms, and Internet searches; and some courses are offered using the Internet as the primary delivery tool.

The State of Florida has identified Common Prerequisites for all university programs. The Common Prerequisite Counseling Manual lists the Common Prerequisites or their substitutions, which must be completed by all students going into that field of study and which must be accepted by all State University System institutions and applied towards the degree. The Board of Regents establishes the length of all undergraduate degree programs offered at SUS institutions. The requirements for each program, concentration, or major at FGCU are clearly listed in the catalog. Forty-eight upper-division semester credit hours are required within the 120 or more total credit hours required for a baccalaureate degree.

Each course at the university is reviewed by department/program and/or college curriculum committees and the Office of Planning and Evaluation. Courses are identified by prefix, level digit, course number, and lab code, in accordance with the Statewide Course Numbering System, a classification system based on course content. Where appropriate, intermediate and advanced courses have prerequisites that must be satisfied prior to enrollment in the course. The Statewide Course Numbering System has identified standardized course descriptions and prerequisites for all courses with the same prefix and number. Course descriptions and prerequisite requirements for courses offered at FGCU are listed in the catalog.

FGCU student residency requirements state that 30 of the last sixty 60 hours must be earned at FGCU to receive an FGCU degree.

All courses offered at FGCU are applicable as either required or elective courses that apply to one or more degree or certificate program offered by FGCU.

Analysis

All completion requirements at FGCU are in accordance with the State University System requirements and the Florida Administrative Code. Each degree program has an appropriate sequence of courses leading to the degree with all requirements clearly stated and available for students. Undergraduate degree programs contain general education core of 36 semester hours distributed over the areas of communication, mathematics, social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences. All graduates demonstrate competency in reading, writing, oral communication, mathematical skills and the basic use of computers by successful completion of required courses for degree completion. Thirty of the last 60 semester hours must be completed at FGCU to earn an FGCU degree. Most degrees at FGCU are 120 semester credits. For programs in excess of 120 semester hours, additional semester hours completed at FGCU need to be required to meet the requirement of 25 percent of credit semester hours be earned from the degree-granting institution. All courses offered at FGCU are applicable as either required or elective in one or more degree or certificate programs. Other educational offerings are considered continuing education and are not offered for college credit.

Recommendations

R4.2.2-1 The Steering Committee recommends that a clearer definition of academic residency requirements be adopted by the university to ensure that all FGCU programs, including those requiring more than 120 credits, require that 25 percent of credit hours be earned through instruction at FGCU for students to receive an FGCU degree.

Suggestions

None.

4.2.3 Undergraduate Curriculum

Description

An expressed purpose of the university is to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence and to develop an environmental and social awareness of its ecologically and culturally diverse environment. Florida Gulf Coast University is dedicated to providing a learning-centered environment that offers the highest quality educational opportunities for the development of the knowledge, insights, competencies, and skills necessary for success in life and work. To maintain this learning-centered environment, the university as a whole and its units and individuals actively practice continuous planning and assessment leading to improvement and renewal. There are four colleges at FGCU and 16 undergraduate degree programs. FGCU offers both bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degrees. The goals and objectives of the curricula for each undergraduate program at Florida Gulf Coast University are stated in each program's integrative program matrix. Furthermore, college, department, and program missions, goals, and objectives are written and provided in the university catalog and in college and program brochures.

Each college/program/division lists specific course offerings for the degree requirements in the catalog. The appropriateness of these courses and their relationship to the degree is monitored by the college, the department and/or program, the FGCU Undergraduate Curriculum Team, the Board of Regents, and the accrediting bodies of professional programs, where appropriate.

The university curriculum is diverse to accommodate the varied abilities, preparations, and needs of students. Students must meet admission criteria as set forth by the Board of Regents and the university. Admission requirements are published in the catalog. Programs are available for those students who exceed these requirements or who need supportive services.

The University Honors Program is designed to bring talented and ambitious students into FGCU honors programs and courses. A description of the honors program is included in the catalog. Students enrolled in the honors program have access to both faculty and community mentors to assist the students in their intellectual journey. Students in the honors program take a series of courses, which provide the students more individualized attention. For the first year of the honors program, students will enroll in special honors sections of courses already offered. These sections are more rigorous, take a more interdisciplinary approach, and incorporate more community activities than other sections of the course.

Special services are available to students needing preparatory work for university curriculum through the Office of Admissions, Records, and Registration within the Division of Student Services. These include tutoring services, such as personal and on-line writing assistance and personal and on-line tutoring. Peer tutors also take part in the tutoring process.

Programs are planned consistent with the resources available to FGCU. Financial resource allocation by the state is linked to enrollments. As new programs generate increased enrollments, the Board of Regents recommends additional funding. The administrative responsibilities of academic affairs are the jurisdiction of the vice president of academic affairs. College deans are charged by the vice president of academic affairs to maintain college budgets as allocated in concert with department chairs or others as designated by each college dean. Periodic reviews are conducted to assure that resources are sufficient to meet curricular needs.

Programmatic and curricular initiation or change begins at the program level, follows a college approval mechanism, is reviewed by the university Undergraduate Curriculum Team, administratively reviewed in the Office of Planning and Evaluation, and forwarded to the Board of Regents staff, as appropriate (Section 240.2095, Florida Statutes, Board of Regents Program Approval).

The FGCU Undergraduate Curriculum Team (UCT) is a standing committee within the FGCU Faculty Senate, with member representation from each college. The development, implementation, and maintenance of the curriculum reside with the faculty and this committee. The purpose of the UCT is to review all FGCU undergraduate curricula to assure their excellence and congruence with the university's mission, guiding principles, and student learning goals and outcomes. Responsibilities of the UCT include:

1. Conducting peer review of all undergraduate curricula, curricular changes and revisions, and outcomes of degree programs for consistency with the university's mission, goals, and objectives.

2. Developing, reviewing, and revising guidelines and procedures for action on new program proposals, new course proposals, and curricular revisions.

3. Reviewing distribution of courses to identify gaps and duplication.

4. Fostering interdisciplinary learning.

5. Maintaining records of new program proposals, new course proposals, curricular revisions, reports, forms, agendas, and minutes.

6. Developing and distributing to faculty, administration, and staff, guidelines, procedures, and forms for submitting curricular materials for review.

7. The BOR is responsible for the final approval of programs ensuring that they meet the Florida Administrative Code and the State University System requirements and standards.

Program coordination, development, and review are the responsibility of department chairs or program leaders in the academic units. These persons are academically qualified by criteria set forth by the Board of Regents, FGCU, and program accreditation as appropriate. Position announcements with stated educational and experience requirements are available for each position in human resources. A curriculum vitae for each department chair and program leader is available in the office of the associate vice president of academic affairs.

Teaching assignments in the major are made to faculty members with appropriate credentials in the major (or Liberal Studies concentration) in all offered courses. At least one full-time faculty member with appropriate credentials has primary teaching assignment in the major. Position announcements with stated educational and experience requirements are available for each position in human resources. A curriculum vitae for each faculty member is available in the office of the associate vice president of academic affairs depicting appropriate credentials.

The Board of Regents grants final approval for the number and types of degrees to be granted by the university (Section 240.209(3)(c), Florida Statutes). The BOR is also responsible for approval of organizational changes that involve increased expenditures (Section 240.277 (21), Florida Statutes).

The university conducts programs using distance learning as a part of the curricula. As stated in the Ten Year Development Plan for a New University in Southwest Florida, "distance learning is transmission of educational or instructional programming to geographically dispersed individuals or groups." FGCU uses many distance learning delivery strategies, such as videotape, interactive television, and the Internet. Via distance learning technology, students may earn college credit and complete degree requirements from remote locations. The university's distance learning activities are consistent with BOR policy on extended delivery of programs and courses.

Initial recommendations for academic programs for FGCU were developed by the Board of Regents and defined in the Ten Year Development Plan for a New University in Southwest Florida. Revisions to the proposed program list were made by the administration in concert with the academic deans based on regional needs assessments. The formal recommendations for initial programs to be offered at FGCU were presented to the Board of Regents in February 1996.

Department chairs, program leaders, and faculty have been instrumental in the development of the initial academic programs and are responsible for the ongoing implementation of the curriculum and monitoring the policies. Faculty in each program have been responsible for defining the learning outcomes for each major and for establishing the courses required for the major. Two university-wide requirements, the Colloquium and the college senior seminar, are required of all students and were formulated by the Deans Council and academic affairs. Requirements for general education follow the framework set by the Section 240.115(1)(b), Florida Statutes, which requires a minimum of 36 semester. Specific requirements for FGCU general education were developed by a faculty committee of the College of Arts and Sciences and approved by the Undergraduate Curriculum Team and subsequently, the Board of Regents.

An institution-wide process to coordinate programmatic and curricular changes is the charge of the Undergraduate Curriculum Team. The UCT is responsible for providing peer review of undergraduate programs, courses, and curricular revisions. Guidelines for preparation of materials for submission to the UCT are published and available.

The Board of Regents is ultimately responsible for monitoring the unwarranted proliferation of courses and degree programs across the state, and BOR procedures for program approval provide the mechanism for avoidance of unnecessary duplication. [See Sections 240.209 and 240.2095, Florida Statutes, and Rules 6C-1003 and 6C-1.010(2), F.A.C.]

The guidelines concerning university procedures for new degree programs are explicit in a Chancellor's Memorandum, CM-84-06.02, dated January 8, 1998, Development of New Degree Programs, and Format for Submitting Requests for New Degrees. These guidelines list the steps necessary for new course development to prevent duplication and overlap. FGCU adheres to these guidelines with the UCT overseeing the distribution of courses to identify duplication.

Informal and formal needs assessments are conducted for each undergraduate program to determine the need for inclusion into program offerings at FGCU. Past needs assessments were varied in form and included combinations of library research, brainstorming sessions, focus groups with professionals in the appropriate field of study, and regional surveys to determine the need for educational programs for the region and for the state. Careful consideration is given to identify financial resources to support all programs before they are considered further.

Following the needs assessments, faculty and administrators follow the specifications of the Board of Regents for new degree programs and courses. All new programs and courses are held to the review process of the colleges, the Undergraduate Curriculum Team and any state or accreditation bodies that may apply.

Florida Gulf Coast University adheres to the guidelines of the Statewide Course Numbering System, and all courses are identified by prefixes and numbers that are assigned by this system. This common numbering system is used by all public post-secondary institutions in Florida and by two participating private institutions. The major purpose of this system is to facilitate the transfer of courses between participating institutions. [See Section 229.551(1)(f), Florida Statutes, and Rule 6A-10.024(19), Florida Administrative Code.]

When a student transfers among regionally accredited post-secondary institutions that participate in the common course designation and numbering system, the receiving institution shall award credit for courses satisfactorily completed at the previous participation institutions when the courses are judged by the appropriate common course designation and numbering system faculty task forces to be equivalent to courses offered at the receiving institution and are entered in the course numbering system. Credit so awarded can be used by transfer students to satisfy requirements in these institutions on the same basis as native students.

Florida public institutions are governed by an articulation agreement between state universities and public community colleges in Florida, which encompasses this common course numbering system and policy across the State University System. In accordance with this agreement, students graduating from public community colleges with an associate of arts degree are granted admission into the State University System. (Rule 6A-10.024, Florida Administrative Code).

FGCU and the University of Central Florida (UCF) have entered into an agreement for a baccalaureate degree in engineering beginning fall 1998. FGCU provides general education and common course prerequisites for basic preparation for subsequent transfer to the UCF engineering program.

Curriculum articulation agreements between FGCU and Edison Community College are specific to the disciplines of criminal justice and nursing for two-plus-two programs. In addition, an articulation agreement has been developed between Manatee Community College and FGCU to facilitate transfer of students into the university's bachelor of science program in health sciences. These agreements ensure that adequate credit hours at the upper division level are incorporated into the degree program. For additional information, see Section 4.9 Consortial Relationships and Contractual Agreements.

FGCU currently does not have any partnerships with secondary schools that result in the award of college credit.

Analysis

The degree programs offered at FGCU are consistent with the mission of the university and have been developed to meet the needs of the state and the region. The scope and variety of programs offered are appropriate for a new institution and are within the financial resources of the university. Faculty with responsibility for specific programs are properly credentialed. FGCU has sufficient faculty with appropriate qualifications with teaching assignments in all discipline areas.

The FGCU process for approval of new degree programs is in alignment with Florida Statutes and the Florida Administrative Code. The relationship and articulation agreements between FGCU and the Florida Community College System are defined by rule. This articulation agreement facilitates transfer of students with associate in arts degrees to all institutions within the State University System. Furthermore, the Statewide Course Numbering System allows for transferability among all Florida public postsecondary institutions. At this time there is no established university-wide process for coordinating changes in curriculum to ensure that any changes are consistent with state rule, university policy, and the needs of all units affected.

Recommendations

None.

Suggestions

S4.2.3-1 The Steering Committee suggests that an institution-wide process to coordinate program and curricular changes be developed and implemented.

S4.2.3-2 The Steering Committee suggests that a central office be designated as the official repository for academic transfer program agreements and articulation agreements.

4.2.4 Undergraduate Instruction

Description

In Florida Gulf Coast University's founding mission statement, undergraduate education is identified as the institution's primary mission. The university is organized to support this task and a vast array of resources support the teaching/learning environment. Starting with the university-wide student learning goals and outcomes, nine specific frameworks that demarcate progress towards making students both effective citizens and life-long learners, the university fosters a mindset that encourages students to make links from specific content areas to more global intellectual abilities.

Each academic unit is responsible for producing an Integrated Program Matrix that identifies the courses where each student will demonstrate these program outcomes. Each program must demonstrate that all university outcomes are met in the content of the sequence of courses for each degree. Each academic unit's sequences of courses are designed to provide students with multiple opportunities to develop the abilities necessary to demonstrate the outcomes. The primary means of accomplishing this demonstration is through the individual course. Each course explicitly states its goals in its course syllabus, a document that is provided to each student either as a hard copy document and/or as a Web document. Faculty-selected instructional techniques ensure that there are appropriate approaches to the expected learning outcomes, both in terms of university and discipline-specific course goals.

The teaching/learning cycle requires regular evaluation to affirm that progress is being made. The evaluation of the practice of instruction is built into the educational fabric of FGCU. The student evaluation of individual instructors is an important tool in the overall evaluation of faculty. The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the Board of Regents and the United Faculty of Florida requires the annual evaluation of instruction and the student evaluation.

This formal process, along with peer and self-evaluation are the primary means of collecting information about instructional effectiveness currently employed by the university. The information from these sources is shared with the individual faculty member after being reviewed by peer review committee members and/or supervisory administrators as per the Faculty Performance Evaluation Document, revised August 25, 1998. This information is used in setting goals and objectives for the individual faculty member's professional development plan (PDP), in connection with the faculty member's supervisor. See also Section 4.8.10 Criteria and Procedures for Evaluation.

By publicly identifying student goals and outcomes, FGCU has committed itself to an educational structure that builds common goals into all the various undergraduate disciplinary tracks and degree programs. Through the university catalog, program fact sheets, and the Student Road Map, the university articulates its expectations to both its students and its various constituent communities. Through course descriptions in the catalog and on Web pages, and through hard copy course syllabi, instructors communicate course goals and requirements, course content, and evaluation methods according to procedures detailed in the Course Development Handbook, the BOR requirements, and FGCU's Undergraduate Curriculum Team review process.

The process of building an entire university from the ground up has allowed for the creation of programs of study that are the result of a cohesive design process. Individual courses have been designed to meet the needs of students as they progress from beginning to intermediate to advanced levels of ability. The successful completion of introductory courses prepares and assures students' ability to engage in more advanced learning experiences. Faculty and administrators have tailored the delivery of instruction not only to the level of the students, but also to the means of delivery. And while the traditional face-to-face method of instruction is by far the most common means of instruction at FGCU, video, interactive video, and Web-based courses are according to the founding mission statement an important part of the educational environment at the university.

Recognizing the need challenging the traditional physical limits for access to the educational process, FGCU has made a significant commitment to using advanced technologies to broaden its reach and impact as an institution of higher education. Using a variety of distance learning delivery systems including two-way video and Web-based classes, FGCU is committed to making high quality education available to student populations unable to attend to their learning within the confines of a traditional time and location structure.

To ensure the effective use of technology, FGCU has established an Office of Instructional Technology. By supporting both the design and delivery process of electronically enhanced instruction, FGCU's instructional technology program has greatly enhanced quality of distance learning. The FGCU Distance Learning Strategic Plan recommends ongoing evaluative processes.

A wide-range of assessment instruments are routinely used to evaluate student learning. From case studies to simulations, from take-home examinations to in-class quizzes, students at FGCU are exposed to higher education's entire repertoire of evaluative measures. Students demonstrate their learning by producing written documentation of their research and learning in a multitude of formats varying from short, single-word responses to in-class queries to research paper length essays that sum up an entire semester's worth of work and include almost every permutation in between these two distinctive lengths. In-class presentations, poster sessions, and video-taped presentations are only some of the ways individual and group projects are made public. Multi-media presentations, harnessing all the power of the Internet and sophisticated presentation software, are being used by students not only to showcase their mastery of this new technology for its own sake, but because it is the most effective way of demonstrating the depth and breadth of their learning. Traditional means of measuring student learning are also used. Multiple choice examinations, problem sets, short and long essay examinations are used by instructors to ensure familiarity on the part of students to discipline-specific professional testing and measurement practices. Individual course grading rubrics are generated by either academic units or individual faculty members. Faculty members are typically both the designers and administrators of their classroom assessment instruments, as well as the interpreters of the data collected.

FGCU's grading policy is identified in the FGCU catalog as well as in individual course syllabi. Based upon the standard four-point system, course grades are generated for each student at the end of each course and submitted to the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records. The university uses the standard alphabetic grading system to identify student grades and other administrative actions regarding student progress. Unofficial and official grade reports may be requested through the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records; by telephone; and by using the FGCU Web system.

The effectiveness of instructional programs is evaluated by measuring student performance on national and state standardized tests such as those used for professional certification and licensure. These state and national tests are available for graduates in the programs of education, social work, certified public accountant, clinical laboratory science, nursing, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. These assessments of graduates from baccalaureate programs will be ongoing commencing with the first graduating class. Other measures of success of the undergraduate programs will include successful admission to graduate study; assessment of employers; and alumni evaluation of the university and program of study. Evaluations are administered by colleges, departments, programs, and the Office of Planning and Evaluation as appropriate and needed. The State University System has an evaluation program in place that generates alumni data for each Florida state institution as well.

FGCU offers no abbreviated formats for undergraduate courses at this time. All course offerings for undergraduate study are provided over a semester or summer session.

An expressed purpose of the university is to encourage the pursuit of academic excellence. FGCU is dedicated to providing a learning-centered environment that offers the highest quality educational opportunities for the development of the knowledge, insights, competencies, and skills necessary for success in life and work. To maintain this learning-centered environment, the university as a whole and its units and individuals actively practice continuous planning and assessment leading to improvement and renewal.

The FGCU mission identifies the library as the heart of the university. The library provides access to information resources to fulfill the academic and artistic needs of the students. Library resources include reference materials, periodicals, government documents, special collections and access to electronic materials in all of those areas is also provided. To facilitate this access, the library has developed extensive Web pages identifying many electronic materials to assist faculty, staff, and students in their learning and research needs. The libraries are described in greater detail under Section V Educational Support Services.

A variety of computer facilities and support services are similarly available for research and instructional activities. The University Computing Services provide support services to students, staff, and faculty. Central site computing equipment consists of two open computer laboratories one of which is a Macintosh laboratory with 27 computers and one a PC laboratory with 30 computers. There are four computer classrooms (three PC classrooms with 92 computers and one MAC classroom with 26 computers). Additionally, there is a systems development lab with nine PCs, five SUNs, and five SGIs including a server.

The University Honors Program is designed to bring talented and ambitious students into FGCU honors program and courses. Students enrolled in the honors program have access to both faculty and community mentors to assist the students in their intellectual journey. Students in the honors program take a series of courses, which provide the students more individualized attention. For the first year of the honors program students will enroll in special honors sections of courses already offered. These sections are more rigorous, take a more interdisciplinary approach, and incorporate more community activities than other sections of the course. On the university level, the honors program is designed for first-time-in-college students, grounded in the liberal arts tradition and intended for superior students regardless of major. The primary goals of the University Honors Program are the development of critical thinking skills, an appreciation of the liberal arts tradition, and the development of creative, independent thought.

Undergraduate students who are enrolled full-time and demonstrate superior academic achievement during one semester are honored on a Dean's List or President's List. To be eligible for the Dean's List or President's List, a student must be among the students who have registered for at least 12 credit hours of FGCU credits in a given semester and complete a minimum of 12 credit hours of graded course work with no incomplete grades during the semester. Dean's List recognition eligibility is for students with an FGCU grade point average of 3.5 to 3.99. The President's List recognition is awarded to students with a cumulative grade point average of 4.0 for the semester. Students with an outstanding academic performance at FGCU are honored at commencement. Baccalaureate candidates must have an overall GPA of 3.50 (on a 4.0 scale) for all course work attempted at FGCU to be considered for honors.

1. Candidates with a GPA of 3.50 but below 3.70 shall receive a diploma designation of cum laude (with honors).

2. Candidates with a GPA of 3.71 but below 3.89 shall receive a diploma designation of magna cum laude (with higher honors).

3. Candidates with a GPA of 3.90 or higher shall receive a diploma designation of summa cum laude (with highest honors).

In addition, the university sponsors and supports numerous activities which enhance the learning environment beyond the classroom or laboratory experience some of which are included in the following:

1. Florida Gulf Coast University requires all of its graduates to participate in service learning opportunities. The first-time-in-college students and students entering at the sophomore level must complete 80 service learning hours during their four years and transfer students must complete 40 service learning hours during their two years at the university. Opportunities are identified for the students through faculty, service learning staff, and other students by registering the opportunities with Eagles Connect, the service learning program.

2. Lectures sponsored by the administration, faculty, and students bring to FGCU national and international scholars and artists who are at the forefront of their professions. The FGCU lecture series provides the university community with nationally acclaimed speakers who bring the most recent, informed perspectives on a wide range of significant issues. Speakers are selected by a committee that consists of students, faculty, and staff.

3. Publications by students and faculty are disseminated throughout the university community, providing greater exposure to intellectual and creative perspectives. Student publications include the Eagle, a campus newspaper published weekly, and the Ampersand, an electronic journal of undergraduate work from the College of Arts and Sciences published each semester.

The College of Health Professions, Departments of Clinical Laboratory Science, Nursing, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy require clinical experience through clinical practicum education. These clinical experiences are provided through university contract for affiliation with each clinical facility. Each contract is explicit in the responsibilities and functions of the university and the clinical facility. Learning experiences for which credit is awarded is under the ultimate supervision of FGCU program faculty.

The College of Business and the School of Education have similar procedures. In the College of Business, academic credit is not granted for internship experiences unless the student is directly supervised by a faculty member. Students in the School of Education who register for a clinical experience are assigned a university supervisor who is responsible for their final grades. This academic supervision may utilize on-site visits to off-campus agencies in evaluating student performance.

The university encourages active involvement with the professional community and continually pursues every opportunity to be informed of the most current and effective techniques. Advisory boards or committees are in place in many colleges or programs for consultation to assist with the assessment of curricula in terms of relevance and currency.

Community-based professionals provide instruction, either as classroom adjuncts, as off-campus supervisors of clinical experiences and as guest lecturers. Several programs in the university also rely on published guidelines from their professional societies or accrediting bodies that provide standards for current professional instruction.

In the College of Professional Studies, School of Education, faculty work in the schools on a regular basis in the supervision of interns and provision of technical assistance and in-service training. Many of them conduct research in the schools.

Accreditation procedures are a valuable resource for measuring the relationship between curriculum and the current demands of the profession. Many programs at the university are seeking accreditation or plan to do so upon the university receiving full accreditation as required. These programs include nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, clinical laboratory science, education, social work, and business.

Faculty in the College of Health Professions maintain their clinical expertise in a wide variety of ways. Faculty maintain their practice through service assignment related activities while others choose to work in clinical practice, consultant capacities, and volunteer activities. Most regular faculty provide consultation to clinical specialists or other practitioners. Health professionals are required to complete continuing education for renewal of licenses and certifications.

FGCU supports professional development of all faculty. Faculty research is encouraged and sponsored in areas of current methodologies. Travel funds are available for professional development, presenting papers, and attending conferences, seminars, and workshops to provide opportunities for faculty.

The Board of Regents determines the length of all undergraduate programs, upon recommendation of the Articulation Coordinating Committee and statewide faculty discipline committees appointed by the Department of Education. Individuals nominated to serve on the faculty discipline committees are selected for their knowledge of their disciplines, for their ability to provide advice reflective of best practice in their fields, and to maintain a representative balance as to type of institution and discipline field or specialization. The minimum program length for all baccalaureate programs is120 hours.

Assessment of tuition and fees is established by the Board of Regents and the Florida legislature. FGCU adheres to these rules.

Analysis

All instructional techniques, policies, and evaluation are in accord with the purposes of the institution and are appropriate for the courses and programs. Each program is held responsible to demonstrate, by means of an Integrative Program Matrix, that all university outcomes are met in the content of the sequence of courses for each degree. Continued development of these matrices is needed in some programs. Evaluation of all instruction is with concern for quality and the assessment of the goals of each course and the capabilities of the students. Nontraditional formats are evaluated for quality and consistency across the university. The learning environment is scholarly and creative achievement is encouraged.

Recommendations

R4.2.4-1 The Steering Committee recommends the continued development of an integrative program matrix for each program to ensure that programs, courses, and instructional delivery support the university's mission and promote achievement of identified student learning outcomes.

Suggestions

None.

4.2.5 Academic Advising of Undergraduate Students

Description

The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records is the central advising office for first-time-in-college and undecided/undeclared students at Florida Gulf Coast University. Students are advised by qualified admission counselors/advisors who assist in the selection of a major, articulation of general education and program requirements, as well as help in planning schedules that meet student needs. The point of initial contact with a counselor/advisor is at orientation for first-time-in-college students.

The FGCU Counseling and Student Health Services Office provides services for career counseling and planning, as well as career resources that are available to all students. Trained counselors administer and interpret career tests such as the System of Interactive Guidance and Information, Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, and the Campbell Interest and Skills Survey. Counselors assist students in making informed career decisions that are consistent with individual abilities, interests, personality, and personal values. Records of consultations with students are kept for consistency and follow-up. Additional services include monitoring of College Level Academic Skills Test (CLAST) competencies and tutoring services.

Each college has academic and faculty advisors who offer guidance through the upper division program requirements. Each department or program within the college delivers advising using procedures adapted to meet specific needs. All colleges have one or more coordinators of advising whose duties may include maintaining academic records for students with a declared major in the college, certifying students for graduation, participating in orientation, determining final transfer equivalencies for courses within the college, and apprising students of university policies and requirements. The college advisors provide written fact sheets and brochures that outline program requirements. The initial point of contact with a college advisor is at new student transfer orientation. Advisors work in coordination with faculty members in advising students.

The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records advisors and the college advisors have access to Banner, a computerized student information system that allows perusal of student information such as admissions records, class schedules, student directory and biographic information, and academic history. The Office of Admissions, Registration and Records provides training in the use of the system as modules are updated. The Curriculum, Advising, and Program Planning (CAPP) module of Banner is currently being established. This module allows the advising staff to have access to computerized information regarding compliance toward programs. Also, the Student Academic Support System (SASS), which is software provided and maintained by the Board of Regents' Software Development Support Staff (SDSS), is being implemented in order to comply with Section 240.2099, Florida Statutes.

All members of the advising staff hold at least a baccalaureate degree, with the majority having earned a master's degree or higher. The position description and position announcements are on file in human resources for each position and outline the specific knowledge and skills required. Resumes document the professional background of the advising staff to meet or exceed the qualification for each position. The advising staff is encouraged to continue professional development through membership in the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and attendance at national and regional conferences. Advisors meet and adhere to the standards of the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS).

The number of students assigned to ARR and college advisors is reasonable and meets the needs of the students. University advisors, title, degree and number of advisees are depicted in the following table.

*Note: There are 744 non-degree seeking students served by various advisors at the appropriate level.

Orientation at FGCU is designed to accommodate two distinct groups: first-time-in-college students and transfer students. Orientation sessions are directed by the Office of Admissions, Registration and Records and designed to assist all new students in making a successful transition to the physical, intellectual, social, and cultural environment of Florida Gulf Coast University. This mission is achieved through programs that familiarize students with educational and support services, technological resources, program requirements and registration. Orientation is mandatory for first-time-in-college students and transfer students. This comprehensive introduction to the university is in place for both first-year and transfer students with special sections available for international students. [See FGCU Orientation Agenda and Invitation, Campus Tour Flyer, Admission Checklist.]

Evaluations are an integral part of the orientation process and allow students the opportunity to express concerns. Program changes are made whenever possible to address concerns expressed by student orientation evaluations. In recent orientation evaluations, students rated specific areas of orientation programming. The mean of all responses in the evaluation were rated 3 or higher on a scale of 1 to 4 with 3=good and 4=excellent.

Advising at the university was evaluated in the FGCU annual survey administered in spring 1998. Results of the survey indicate that students have concerns regarding certain aspects of the advising process. Survey questions and mean response rating with the scale of 1 to 6 with 5=agree and 6=strongly agree are as follows:

Item A4: I am aware of the graduation requirements for my degree. Response rating 4.16.

Item E3: Academic advising services help me select appropriate courses for my degree program. Response rating 3.67.

After studying the results of the FGCU annual survey, including student comments, the Office of Planning and Evaluation decided that student advising warranted closer consideration. Interviews with certain advisers and others related to the process were held, and these enabled investigators to develop a model of the existing process and generate a further set of questions about advising. These questions were used later in a focus group session in which all Florida Gulf Coast University advisers participated.

A report, entitled An Examination of the Academic Advising Process at Florida Gulf Coast University, was prepared and presented to deans. It contained a brief presentation of student responses to the FGCU annual survey, a synopsis of the interviews, a timeline describing the advising process, the original/improved models of the process derived from interviewees' descriptions, a report of the focus group investigation, insights about enhancing the quality of student advising derived from these responses, and a discussion of advising in relation to the marketing of the university. Investigators recommended that fuller attention be paid to advising, in particular to facilitating, supporting, and enhancing the process.

The Deans Council reviewed the Florida Gulf Coast University advising procedures in the light of these observations. A special committee consisting of the four college deans and the dean of student services was established with a view toward establishing a more effective advising operation and, in particular, ensuring proper articulation between advising done at the lower and upper d