Division of Undergraduate Education
Ten-Year Strategic Plan
July 2006
The mission of the Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE) is to enhance the quality and value of the undergraduate experience for our students. Over the next ten years, DUE will continue to provide leadership for curriculum development, enrollment growth and diversity, and technology and support for teaching and learning.
DUE in the Context of the Campus Strategic Plan
Curriculum Development
Building on the foundation of existing academic programs, DUE has plans to create new and grow current programs to benefit a larger proportion of campus undergraduates. For example:
- DUE's new initiatives include these academic programs recommended by the Task Force on Undergraduate Education:
- First-Year Integrated Program (FIP): an interdisciplinary First-Year Experience that will offer 2 sequences in 2006-7 and plans to grow to accommodate 25% of freshmen within 5 years.
- New Interdisciplinary Majors and Minors: The Office of Research and Evaluation (R&E) will provide curricular analysis, research and recommendations regarding the development and implementation of new majors and minors as well as assistance in designing appropriate assessment tools.
- UCI's General Education Requirements: DUE will collaborate with CEP and the campus community to redesign the General Education requirements.
- Undecided/Undeclared option: DUE will lead the campus toward making Undecided/Undeclared the normative choice and developing a campuswide Freshman Advising program.
- Consistent with the goal stated by the Task Force on Undergraduate Education, DUE will seek ways to expand resources to provide UCI undergraduates with the opportunity to do research as part of their undergraduate education. The Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program (UROP) will also initiate programs designed to introduce transfer students to research methodologies early in their UCI careers so that they can participate in research activities while at UCI.
- The Campuswide Honors Program (CHP) will follow a senate-supervised growth plan to grow at a rate greater than that of the University without compromising the integrity of course offerings, advising, research, and extracurricular programs
- To enrich and broaden the academic experience of undergraduates, DUE plans to increase the number of students participating in specialized academic programs such as Education Abroad, DC (UCDC), and Sacramento (UCCS), and to motivate faculty to be more involved in these programs. DUE's Center for International Education, which houses Education Abroad and the International Opportunities Program, will assist in the creation of an interdisciplinary program, institute, or other appropriate framework, to coordinate current research and educational programs focused on international or global study, and to encourage an international perspective in undergraduate education.
Growth and Diversity: As the campus grows, DUE will develop new and grow existing programs to attract and retain the brightest and most diverse student population. For example:
- DUE's Student Academic Advancement Services (SAAS) will develop a new summer bridge program to attract a larger number of first-generation low income students and maximize their ability to succeed at UCI. In addition, DUE will develop a high-school freshman program that will culminate with SAT preparation in order to increase the size and diversity of the UC-eligible pool.
- Through its new Community College Partnerships Program, DUE will work to increase the number of transfer students coming to UCI. Approximately 90% of transfers come to UCI from community colleges and 80% of underrepresented minority students who attend post- high school education attend community colleges. Beginning in Fall 2006, a UCI transfer counselor will hold regular office hours at our two largest community college feeder campuses to advise students and facilitate the transfer process. Over the next ten years, we expect to schedule UCI counselors at every local community college campus. In addition, in fall 2006 we will offer the first transfer student seminars to facilitate their transition to the research university. The number of transfer seminar offerings will grow to meet student demand over the next 5 years.
- DUE will work with Graduate Division to develop additional pipeline programs to attract qualified underrepresented minority students to UCI graduate programs.
- To help secure the magnitude of resources needed for the many goals, initiatives, and activities in the area of undergraduate education, DUE will require a full-time development officer.
Technology and Support Systems for Teaching and Learning:
- As the DUE Smart Classroom project nears completion, we are committed to keeping UCI classrooms state of the art, in terms of classroom facilities and equipment, and by bringing new pedagogy and instructional technologies to our faculty with DUE's Instructional Resource Center.
- Similarly, other academic support programs (for example, academic advising, the Learning Center, and the office of Student Testing) will expand services and schedules to meet the demands of enrollment growth and curriculum development.
- DUE's Research and Evaluation unit plans to establish the Center for Educational Assessment, a program that will provide assistance to faculty and staff in three areas: 1) the identification and assessment of student learning outcomes, 2) the evaluation of undergraduate programs and curricular innovations, and 3) the use of evaluation and assessment results for the improvement of undergraduate education. Services will include technical assistance, workshops, mini-grants and other resources. DUE will provide participation incentives to faculty who include assessment in their courses to encourage growth of this program across campus.
- DUE will work with the School of Humanities to develop a writing center as a step toward a more comprehensive writing support service.
Community collaborations
- Further efforts to make international and multicultural education at UCI more vibrant and visible on our campus include continuing collaboration with Student Housing to develop living/learning communities, for example the new International Village opening Fall 2006, future houses linked to DUE's First-Year Experience programs, and new theme houses to be associated with new academic offerings in the residence halls in the areas of freshman and transfer seminars, large course discussions sections and tutoring services.
- DUE will collaborate with Student Affairs to redesign and grow the Student/Parent Orientation Program with the goals of (a) having at least 80% of our incoming freshmen participate, (b) enabling students to register for fall classes during orientation, and (c) enhancing the academic focus of the program.
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