Criterion Three

Teaching and Learning: Quality, Resources, and Support

The institution provides high quality education, wherever and however its offerings are delivered.

 

Core Component

3.A. The institution’s degree programs are appropriate to higher education.

1. Courses and programs are current and require levels of performance by students appropriate to the degree or certificate awarded.
2. The institution articulates and differentiates learning goals for its undergraduate, graduate, post-baccalaureate, post-graduate, and certificate programs.
3. The institution’s program quality and learning goals are consistent across all modes of delivery and all locations (on the main campus, at additional locations, by distance delivery, as dual credit, through contractual or consortial arrangements, or any other modality).

Argument

3A1. Courses and programs are current and require levels of performance by students appropriate to the degree or certificate awarded.

Review of Curriculum and Programs

New academic programs and modification of existing programs are subject to review by department and college-level committees and by the Academic Senate’s Academic Programs Committee. Furthermore, new programs are subject to rigorous review by the State of Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) (see 1.A.2), as well as the Chancellor’s Council on Graduate Studies [CCGS Guidelines 07.28.2017], based on a set of guidelines and procedures for program approval.

Faculty members review programs and assess learning outcomes regularly after implementation. YSU has developed a program-review process in which four to five undergraduate programs from each of the academic colleges are reviewed on a five-year cycle (discussed further in 4.A.1). According to the Program Review Handbook (See uploaded Evidence for 3A), “outcomes of program review must be consistent with and responsive to the mission and strategic plan of the university as well as the expectations of the communities of interest served by the program.” Based on the cycle, the departmental and college-level process involves completing a program submission form that includes the following criteria:

• Program Mission and Strategic Alignment
• Program Goals and Outcomes
• Program Resources
• Ethical and Responsible Conduct
• Goals and Action Steps.

Once a program has submitted its self-study to the Program Review Coordinator, it is distributed first to a college-level committee, which uses a rubric (see handbook) to evaluate the extent to which the document is complete and addresses the criteria. Documents are then forwarded to a university-level committee for review. Programs that have undergone program review are required to submit progress reports.

Graduate Program Review follows a similar process: evaluation and improvement of graduate programs are to be ongoing and continuous. As the YSU Graduate College website notes that programs will be scheduled for review approximately every seven years (Schedule available in 3A Evidence) unless the graduate program review committee determines that more frequent review is necessary. There are two main parts to the scheduled review process: 1) Self-Study and 2) Review of the self-study and evidence provided by a team of reviewers. In concluding the scheduled review process, the review team and key program personnel meet to discuss the evaluation, clarify any part of the evaluation or evaluation process that was unclear, and then issue a composite review of their evaluation.

The criteria for graduate program review are organized around the themes of Quality of the Program, Need of the Program, Resources to Support the Program, and Opportunities and Threats. An annual report is shared with ODE, and a summary of programs reviewed is shared with YSU’s Board of Trustees (B0T) in the Urban Research University Transition Cornerstone Report [Urban Research University Cornerstone Report}. A new process is being implemented to leverage and improve efficiency of program-review, assessment and annual reporting. Scheduled review of graduate programs will move to a five-year cycle to align with undergraduate program reviews [Review Matrix for 5 Year Evaluations].

The development and modification of courses contributing to program requirements are reviewed and approved by the University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (UCC) or by the Graduate Curriculum Committee (GCC) and Graduate Council. GCC and UCC processes involve review with departmental and college administrators and campus circulation, so key stakeholders can ensure courses and programs maintain standards and are appropriate for the level of study indicated [Graduate Curriculum Committee Process, Undergraduate Curriculum Committee Process]. Approval of courses for YSU’s General Education Program is controlled by YSU’s General Education Committee (see 4.A.4).

To ensure consistency of course and program descriptions across campus, YSU has implemented an electronic catalog through CourseLeaf. During the implementation process, department chairs reviewed their department’s courses and curriculum to ensure accuracy and document learning outcomes. The new catalog will be the single source for curriculum. Starting in Fall 2017, YSU will also use CourseLeaf to implement a new course and academic program review management system.

Professional Accreditation and Student Performance

More than twenty accrediting agencies accredit graduate and undergraduate programs at YSU [Current Accreditation Activity June 2017]. Information about accredited programs and the accrediting entity is included in the Course Catalog [Composite List of YSU Accredited Programs]

Excellent Student Performance

YSU requires appropriate levels of student performance for its degrees and certificates. Undergraduates must maintain good academic standing with a minimum GPA of 2.0 on a 4-point scale. Students who fall below this standard may have “holds” placed on their registration to ensure they meet with an advisor. They may have restrictions placed on the number of hours for which they can register, as well as restrictions on participation in student activities and employment. Some programs require higher minimum GPAs for acceptance.

Graduate students must have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher to earn their degree or certificate. Graduate students are required to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher on a 4-point scale to remain in good standing.

Williamson College of Business Administration

The Williamson College of Business Administration’s bachelor’s and master’s programs are accredited by AACSB International—The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, the premier accrediting agency for programs in business administration. Fewer than 5% of business schools worldwide have earned AACSB accreditation.

• Four students passed the CFA Level 1 exam last June 2015 out of six students who took the test for a pass rate of 66.6%. National pass rates for the CFA exam are generally in the 42% to 44% range.
• In 2016–2017, twenty-two MBA students earned their IIE Six Sigma Green Belt Certification.
• Twenty-two MBA students earned their IIE Lean Green Belt Certification, a 100% achievement rate.
• This past year 100% of fifty students received Hootsuite Certified Professional certification, and four students received Hootsuite Social Media certification.
• In addition, twelve students took the NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional certification, and eight passed.

Beeghly College of Education

YSU teacher-education programs are accredited by the Ohio Department of Education and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). These programs are subject to the sections of the Ohio law and regulations governing teacher education and licensure. The Beeghly College of Education (BCOE) serves as the recommending agent for YSU graduates who wish to qualify for state of Ohio licensure as well as for licensure in other states.

• The Art Education program is accredited by both the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), a specialized body for visual arts related programs.
• Italian Education and Spanish Education Programs are accredited by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL).
• Music Education is accredited by NASM (Nation Association of Schools of Music).
• YSU’s counseling program is accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling & Related Educational Programs (CACREP), and is current through 3/31/2023.

In required licensure exams, YSU students have done well:

College of Creative Arts and Communications

The Dana School of Music is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM).

Bitonte College of Health and Human Services

As is typical for HHS colleges nationwide, Bitonte College of Health and Human Services hosts many accredited programs:

The licensure/certification pass rates for select health care programs in the College of Health and Human Services include 88.5% for Nursing, 100% for Physical Therapy, 95% for Dental Hygiene, 94% for Respiratory Care, and 100% for Emergency Medical Services.

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

The College Credit Plus Program in English employs mentors that work with teachers in the public schools to ensure course content and delivery meets performance standards.

Italian Education and Spanish Education Programs are accredited by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL). Foreign Languages and Literatures faculty in CLASS are active participants in this process.

College of Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics

YSU’s STEM college includes many accredited programs:

Graduates are qualified to apply to the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies (NICET) for certification procedures in various specialty areas, depending on academic major and employment area. In many states, including Ohio, West Virginia and Pennsylvania, bachelor’s degree graduates are qualified to take the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam and, with sufficient work experience, the Professional Engineers (PE) exam.

Sources/Evidence for 3A1-3A2 :

Outside accreditation
Advising groups
Program review process
Normed tests like PRAXIS, ACTFL, HHS licensing exams (GRE?)
OH transfer module (GenED)
OBOR Guidelines for Academic Program Review
Bulletin
Course approval process and forms
Annual Outcomes Assessment process
Graduate Program Review process

3A2. The institution articulates and differentiates learning goals for its undergraduate, graduate, post-baccalaureate, post-graduate, and certificate programs.

Requirements for completion of degrees are detailed in the Academic Policies and Procedures section of the Undergraduate Catalog (i.e., graduation and general-education requirements, university credits, course levels, majors, grade point average, residency and degree applications). Specific requirements and learning outcomes for each major are listed in the catalog as well as on the Office of Assessment Website.

All programs at YSU must develop learning outcomes consistent with the Ohio Department of Higher Education’s requirements (undergraduate programs, graduate programs). These outcomes are periodically reviewed by the university’s Office of Assessment in a seven-step process, as outlined by the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment Handbook:

Assessment is a shared responsibility on the YSU campus, involving faculty, program chairs and/or unit-level assessment coordinators, and an Assessment Council consisting of representatives from all the colleges and several divisions in the university. Other forms of measuring learning outcomes occur via the National Survey of Student Engagement, which has documented successes in areas such as high impact practices and challenges in areas such as diversity and globalization (2016 NSSE YSU Snapshot). More detail about learning assessment activities and results is available in 4.B.2.

Review of the Student Learning Outcomes in the online catalog revealed that programs articulated learning outcomes, and differentiated undergraduate and graduate level outcomes. However, undergraduate SLOs were sometimes expressed at the department level, and at other times they were specific to individual degrees (Learning Outcome Bio: BS, MS, Cert., Criminal Justice Curriculum Map: BS, MS, Certificate Learning Outcomes: Education BS, MS, Certificate).

3A3. The institution’s program quality and learning goals are consistent across all modes of delivery and all locations (on the main campus, at additional locations, by distance delivery, as dual credit, through contractual or consortial arrangements, or any other modality).

YSU’s program quality and learning goals are consistent across all modes of delivery and all locations.

General Education

General-education requirements at Ohio’s public colleges and universities represent a shared body of knowledge and academic skills. The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) requires each school to identify a set of courses (36–40 semester hours), referred to as the Ohio Transfer Module, in the following areas: English Composition, Mathematics, Arts/Humanities, Social and Behavioral Sciences, and Natural and Physical Sciences. The learning outcomes for these courses are determined by faculty panels and consistent across all Ohio public institutions of higher education.

Partnerships

YSU maintains articulations and partnerships with a range of two-year colleges within the majority our academic colleges (Spreadsheet of Partnerships and Articulations). These programs are reviewed by transfer and degree-audit personnel. Faculty and academic advisors ensure that off-campus students have consistent access to degree counseling and the availability of coursework (via camps, onsite, and online delivery) to expedite time to degree regardless of the status of the articulation at the time of enrollment.

College Credit Plus (College in High School)

As part of its outreach, YSU offers college credit for courses under the state-mandated College Credit Plus (CCP) program (CCP Offerings). The program website (www.ysu.edu/ccp) details policies and procedures ensuring that CCP courses use approved, qualified instructors; follow YSU’s course withdrawal, grading, and absence policy; and use the same textbooks and syllabus as the on-campus courses. Syllabi must follow the template that clearly identifies learning outcomes, outcome-related learning activities, and outcome assessments as determined by the academic department housing the course.

A summary report of the College Credit Plus dual-enrollment course oversight plans and course oversight reports contained in the Training Schedules for CCP Instructors provide evidence that dual-enrollment course standards are current and commensurate levels of student performance are met and maintained. Academic department chairs and one or more department faculty mentor(s) have primary responsibility for oversight. . Each department reviews high-school instructors’ applications to teach college-level courses (CCP List of collected credentials).

If an instructor meets credentialing requirements, a mentor meets with him/her to review the course syllabus, learning outcomes, performance expectations, assessments, and texts and materials. Subsequently, three hours of professional development “roundtables” are provided each year the course is offered. Content of each professional development session may vary according to need and may include review of actual student outputs, pedagogy, and content exploration (Training Schedules for CCP Instructors).

In 2015–2016, each CCP instructor received a site visit and teaching observation from his/her department; this visit is documented on Site Visit forms. New instructors have a site visit their first year, and veteran instructors are visited every other year and as needed.

Cyberlearning

Degrees offered via cyber learning are also offered on campus and are often comprised of existing courses, thus assuring SLOs are appropriate and content is current. Program Quality and Learning Goals are the same for campus, video conference, and online delivery. The modality does not change the university processes. Peer review of DE courses is an additional piece (this is not done with the campus courses) that faculty can elect to do and then in turn are provided a stipend (eYSU Rubric Checklist). Attached is the rubric we use.

YSU allows faculty to run courses through Quality Matters, but we are not able to provide their rubric since it is proprietary. (Quality Matters Rubric eYSU Rubric Explanation)

cyber learning courses are not all peer reviewed. The current process entails a review of the course only when the faculty developer seeks compensation for the development of the course. Faculty can choose whether they want to retain ownership of the course. When they choose to develop the course for compensation, they are put through a rubric review process to ensure that key standards are met.

(Application to Develop or Redesign an Online Course )
201640 Web Only Offerings
All DE courses should be reviewed to ensure the same standards are met across all online courses offered at YSU. All courses should be reviewed against the standards, and YSU should incentivize the development process in another way. The bottleneck in this approach will be man hours available to review all of the courses because YSU only employs two Instructional Designers.

Consortia

YSU is a member of multiple consortia:

All consortia members are regionally accredited, and faculty members at each institution are responsible for monitoring their courses. For example, in the consortial MFA, students complete a thesis evaluated by faculty from multiple campuses. To date, 100% of students who defended a thesis before their multi-campus committee have passed it, which indicates that, across the campuses, our students are successful at the writing they do—successful enough to write publishable work in their genre.

Classes at all campuses are evaluated by students for their quality, adherence to class purpose, etc. These are, across the four campuses, consistently positive and reflect appropriate use of class time, delivery of instruction, relevance to degree, etc. The NEOMFA Handbook describes what each kind of required course involves—what a “workshop” is, e.g., or a “craft and theory” course, and what students can expect from each.

Core Component

3.B. The institution demonstrates that the exercise of intellectual inquiry and the acquisition, application, and integration of broad learning and skills are integral to its educational programs.

Argument

Overview of YSU’s General Education Program

YSU’s General Education Program was revised in 2010–2011 through the efforts of a representative group of faculty and academic staff, approved by YSU Academic Senate in 2011, and became effective in the Fall of 2012 (see senate motion). In 2015 the General Education program was modified to include a first-year experience course (see senate motion.)

YSU’s General Education Program for bachelor’s degree students consists of the following four areas:

For a course to be included in YSU’s General Education Program, the course must go through a review process conducted by YSU’s General Education Committee and be approved by YSU’s Academic Senate.

3B1. The general education program is appropriate to the mission, educational offerings, and degree levels of the institution.

Mission

YSU’s General Education Program is appropriate to its mission. YSU is an open-access university that offers a wide variety of academic programs. Furthermore, the university states in its mission several academic-related themes, including global perspectives and diversity. YSU’s General Education Program is designed to facilitate transfers, provide pathways for less-prepared students, provide flexibility with the wide-variety of majors, and facilitate student learning in areas that intersect with both program-level outcomes and themes in the mission.

As an open-access university, YSU provides flexibility in transfer and pathways for students that are often less prepared for college. YSU closely follows Ohio Transfer Module (OTM) (see State Program Guidelines) that allows students to easily transfer general-education courses within the state of Ohio. Furthermore, YSU has developed articulation agreements and partnerships with several regional community colleges. YSU’s Office of Admissions provides transfer guides (see example of a transfer guide from Kim Avery) for students at local community colleges. Incoming transfer courses that do not have an exact course-to-course match are also evaluated for general-education credit by the General Education Coordinator following a set of established guidelines (see Gen Ed transfer guidelines.)

To provide pathways for less-prepared students, YSU offers developmental courses below the levels of the general-education courses in mathematics and writing. Each of area of YSU’s Core Competency, writing and mathematics have on-campus centers (The Writing Center and the Math Assistance Center) that provide for tutoring and additional academic support. In addition, conditionally admitted students are restricted to a subset of general-education courses that have higher success rates (see conditional admit list).

YSU’s mission contains academic-related themes pertaining (but not limited) to the following:

YSU’s General Education Program links to each of those five themes. YSU students often engage in research-related projects within their general-education capstone course (see example.) The new first-year experience course contains a common intellectual experience that is being designed to help foster intellectual curiosity (see handout). The SPA knowledge domain (students are required to take two courses from this domain) contains courses on domestic diversity, global perspectives, and environmental sustainability.

Educational Offerings and Degree Levels

YSU’s General Education Program is appropriate for its education offerings and degree levels. YSU’s General Education Program meets and exceeds the state of Ohio’s Program Guidelines minimum requirements for Bachelor and Associate Degree seeking students (see program guidelines.) Including the capstone, students may complete the General Education Program in forty-one hours. The structure and number of hours is consistent with other schools within the state (see spreadsheet on other state schools.)

The General Education Program is different for different degree levels. Applied Associate Degree seeking students may complete their general-education program in seventeen hours, and Associate of Arts or Science degree-seeking students must complete the full general-education program (not including the capstone.)

3B2. The institution articulates the purposes, content, and intended learning outcomes of its undergraduate general education requirements. The program of general education is grounded in a philosophy or framework developed by the institution or adopted from an established framework. It imparts broad knowledge and intellectual concepts to students and develops skills and attitudes that the institution believes every college-educated person should possess.

Articulates Purposes, Content, and Intended Learning Outcomes

YSU’s General Education Program has the following seven goals:

These goals are clearly articulated on YSU’s General Education Program’s page and in the YSU electronic catalog (see link). Under each goal, there are stated General Education Learning Outcomes that also appear in the YSU electronic catalog. Syllabi for general education courses are required to state the General Education Learning Outcomes that pertain directly to that course (see syllabi example or form.)

During the transition period to the 2012 General Education program students watched a video and received handouts (see pdf of handout) about the General Education program and its goals. An overview of YSU’s General Education Program is available to students within YSU’s First-Year Experience Blackboard template (see pdf of presentation.)

Framework

YSU’s General Education Program is derived from Ohio’s Transfer Module (OTM.) The OTM consists of a set of broad knowledge and concepts and a distributional requirement. YSU adds to the OTM by requiring courses in Social and Personal Awareness (SPA), which often relate specifically to YSU mission, by requiring a first-year experience class, and by requiring a capstone course.

Broad Knowledge and Intellectual Concepts

YSU’s General Education Program imparts broad knowledge and intellectual concepts through the knowledge domains. Students must take courses in Arts and Humanities, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Social and Personal Awareness domains to complete the General Education Program. Many of YSU’s new first-year experience courses provide broad overviews of many different subjects within a college.

Skills and Attitudes

YSU’s General Education Program imparts necessary skills and attitudes through the core competency courses and through the capstone course. Through the General Education Program’s goals, YSU identifies the ability to write and speak effectively, reason quantitatively, and think critically as key skills required by all students. These skills are initially developed in the General Education Core Competency Courses, reinforced through other general-education courses and within programs, and demonstrated within the capstone courses. General Education in cooperation with YSU’s Office of Assessment created curricular mappings of how writing is developed within programs (see writing curricular map.) Curricular mappings for oral communication, critical thinking, and quantitative reasoning are also planned.

3B3. Every degree program offered by the institution engages students in collecting, analyzing, and communicating information; in mastering modes of inquiry or creative work; and in developing skills adaptable to changing environments.

Collecting, analyzing, and communicating information

All bachelor’s degree programs engage students in collecting, analyzing, and communicating information by incorporating a capstone course that is part of both general education and the program itself. These capstone courses must go through an approval process by the Universities General Education Committee (see approval form) and to be approved they must meet the following learning outcomes:

Collecting, analyzing, and communicating information are also desired outcomes of the core competency courses and are thus incorporated into YSU’s Associate degree programs.

Mastering modes of inquiry or creative work

Every degree program engages students in mastering modes of inquiry or creative work. This is best demonstrated through student capstone projects. (Go with anecdotes from different colleges and programs.)

Developing skills adaptable to changing environments

Every degree program engages students in developing skills adaptable to changing environments. (Need some information for this one.)

YSU’s program review process ensures that academic programs are adjusting to advances in their disciplines and to the evolving needs and interests of the community and other stakeholders (see Program Review Evaluation Form and Rubric). Specifically, program reviews ask programs to reflect on the alignment of their curriculum with their discipline and professions, assessment of the effectiveness of that curriculum, and affiliations that give students the opportunity to develop and apply skills. DO WE HAVE DATA ON THESE ITEMS?

3B4. The education offered by the institution recognizes the human and cultural diversity of the world in which students live and work.

YSU offers a range of educational opportunities that recognize cultural diversity of the world in which students live and work. There are three levels of education opportunities offered to students: 1) general-education course opportunities, 2) program-level opportunities, and 3) co-curricular education opportunities.

General Education provides human and cultural diversity opportunities through the Arts and Humanities domain, the Social Science domain, and the Social and Personal Awareness domain. Students can take courses specifically related to human and cultural diversity. The general-education learning outcomes related to human and cultural diversity include:

Many programs, especially accredited programs, include additional learning outcomes related to human and cultural opportunities. For example, (add a few outcomes.)

Outside of the classroom, YSU offers a range of speakers and multicultural activities on campus. (add calendar.) Students in first-year experience courses are required to participate in campus activities, which could include human and cultural diversity-related activities.

Despite YSU offering educational opportunities related to diversity, assessments show that students perceive this as a weakness. NSSE results from 2016 show that YSU lags peer institutions in categories such as “Interaction with Diverse Others.”(see NSSE results) To address some of these issues, YSU’s Culture of Community Committee has … The Office of Assessment has partnered with students from Counseling to further analyze the NSSE results (see presentation.) General Education has begun to investigate short-comings of the SPA domain where students can avoid taking classes related to diversity.

3B5. The faculty and students contribute to scholarship, creative work, and the discovery of knowledge to the extent appropriate to their programs and the institution’s mission.

Faculty

Faculty YSU are required to engage in scholarship that includes creative activity/works (YSU-OEA Agreement 2014-2017 (YSUOEA) Article 16.1 and Appendix C.b..) Scholarship is assessed in the chair’s evaluation of faculty (YSU-OEA Article 14.7); NEED PT FACULTY evaluation policy pre-tenure and tenure reviews (YSU-OEA Article 10.3); and promotion (YSU OEA Article 15.4) and tenure decisions (YSU-OEA Article 10.3).

The standard of scholarship requires a working commitment to inquiry and research and to creative achievement. The University obligation for the generation of new knowledge and practices imposes a responsibility for creativity, whether in inquiry and investigation, writing, de­sign and production, or in the performing and fine arts. In the best of scholars and the best of teachers, creative inquiry is joined with effective classroom teaching. YSU-OEA Agreement Appendix C.

In addition, faculty seeking graduate-faculty status must demonstrate evidence of scholarship and professional development in the field or discipline appropriate to graduate-faculty membership requirements established by the College Graduate Studies Committee. Category 1 graduate faculty are also required to complete Responsible Conduct of Research Training (YSU College of Graduate Studies Policy Book).

Support of faculty research efforts is evident in the annual awarding of Research Professorships. These awards provide the recipient with time to engage in research. The Research Professorship Committee may award a minimum of six semester hours to a maximum of nine semester hours for research. No fewer than eighteen research professorships are awarded each year with a minimum of six of these reserved for probationary tenure-track faculty.

Faculty productivity in research, scholarship, and creative contributions is summarized in annual reports. Faculty research is also tracked through the Web of Science index. This information and other metrics related to the university’s research activity and its urban-research transition are included in an annual report to the YSU Board of Trustees by the Urban Research Cornerstone Committee (Urban Research Cornerstone Dashboard (2017)).

Further evidence of a culture of research and discovery on campus are the Centers of Excellence. These centers are “…designed to provide focus and distinction through instruction and inquiry into specific academic areas” (YSU Centers of Excellence):

Students

Student scholarship is celebrated on the YSU campus, and the connection with faculty mentorship is evident. Undergraduate and graduate students have been participating in QUEST, a forum for student scholarship, for twenty-eight years. In 2017, 338 students presented—each listing a faculty mentor (QUEST 2017 Program). Graduate students showcase scholarly work annually at the Three Minute Thesis Competition and the Diversity of Scholarship. In addition to recognizing student scholarly work, these events publicly celebrate the faculty mentorship that enhances scholarly work and discovery of knowledge (Diversity of Scholarship News Release, Three Minute Thesis). Scholarship and discovery of knowledge are evident in many capstone projects, theses, and dissertations completed by students.

The Office of Research provides support for faculty who wish to engage in research and intellectual property and commercialization (YSU Intellectual Property Procedure). The College of Graduate Studies and the Office of Research produce New Frontiers, a publication that celebrates outstanding research and scholarship by faculty and students (New Frontiers Spring 2017).

YSUNews also has articles that report students’ conference presentations and awards for students’ scholarships and creative work. Their archive may yield some useful data here.

Funding offices should have data on students’ travel to participate in conferences and creative activities:

3.C. The institution has the faculty and staff needed for effective, high-quality programs and student services.

Argument

3C1. The institution has sufficient numbers and continuity of faculty members to carry out both the classroom and the non-classroom roles of faculty, including oversight of the curriculum and expectations for student performance; establishment of academic credentials for instructional staff; involvement in assessment of student learning.

With 400 FTE faculty holding terminal degrees [HLC3_ProspectFacultyAndChairInfo] teaching a ratio of 18 to 1, YSU has qualified faculty that are able to oversee curricular and classroom expectations of student performance and assess that performance. The university has a rigorous curriculum review process with all new courses and programs pproved through either the Academic Senate consisting of ninety members [HLC3_20172018AcademicSenateMembership] or Grad Council with thirteen members [HLC3_20172018GraduateCouncilMembers].

Additionally, the university has established a centralized review process for undergraduate programs under the direction of the Office of the Provost. This review follow a five-year review cycle involving data analysis, action plan implementation for improvement, and re-evaluation of progress. Likewise, the College of Graduate Studies has a rigorous process reporting annually to the State of Ohio and conducting a seven-year review cycle, which will be switched to a five-year review cycle by the Fall of 2017.

College/Departmental curricular review [HLC3_CurricularReviewSteps] follows the same guidelines as those used in the program review [HLC4_ProgramReviewHandbook]. Individual college curriculum committees review programs and courses, obtain appropriate departmental and college signatures, and forward the proposals to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. General-education course proposals are also reviewed by the General Education Committee. Then the course proposal is sent for Academic Senate approval, where it is reviewed against a set of criteria [HLC3_CriteriaForCurriculumApproval].

Assessment is done departmentally with data gathering focused on monitoring how effectively programs meet their objectives. The departmental assessment chair, guided by the Office of Assessment, coordinates collection and analysis of student performance data, student survey data, alumna survey data, and so on. Data are collated into an annual report and submitted to the Office of Assessment. [HLC3_AssessmentWikiArchive]

The annual assessment report is presented to department faculty for discussion where data are used to guide program or curricular changes. Any program or curricular changes resulting from assessment data are recorded in the next annual report. [HLC3_AssessmentWikiArchive]

Improvement in YSU’s Assessment Culture will be a continued focus for the university. Surveys have gone out in 2010, 2013, and 2017 to capture data about the faculty and instructional staff perception of assessment at YSU. Notable is that in 2010 and 2013, respondents saw more participation in assessment than value in it. In 2017, the reverse is true, as participants note value of assessment being higher than participation. This speaks to efforts on campus over the past decade to move campus stakeholders from compliance to understanding the role assessment plays in improving their department and areas. [HLC3_AssessmentCultureSurvey].

3C2. All instructors are appropriately qualified, including those in dual credit, contractual, and consortial programs.

YSU ensures that instructors have appropriate credentials to perform their duties. Credentials of newly hired full-time faculty are reviewed by hiring committees and finally by personnel in the Provost’s Office to verify the highest degree earned. The Provost’s office also reviews credentials of part-time faculty to verify the highest degree earned. They have a database of academic credentials for full time/full service faculty, which is updated annually with the credentials of new/incoming faculty, both full- and part-time.

The credentials of all faculty teaching graduate courses are reviewed and approved by Graduate Council or departmentally via chairs and deans before they are accepted for graduate faculty status. Current graduate faculty are reviewed on a five-year cycle to ensure that they continue to meet Graduate School standards. The Graduate School Office maintains a database of graduate faculty.

The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) has established instructor credentials for the dual-credit program, Ohio’s College Credit Plus Program (CCP): high-school teachers who teach college courses in this program must have a master’s degree in the area of the course or a master’s degree in any discipline plus eighteen hours of graduate credit in this area. When the minimum requirements were established, teachers falling below the eighteen-hour requirement were given until Fall 2017 to earn the credits needed to qualify. The credentials of YSU CCP instructors are reviewed annually by the departmental chair to ensure that they have met the qualifications. The 101 approved CCP teachers are well on the way to full compliance, as this status report notes [HLC3_CcpInstructorsQualifiedAndApproval]:

College Credit Plus Instructors initially submit credentials when they apply to teach at YSU. Annual updates of these credentials are kept on file in the academic departments, and electronic copies are maintained in YSU’s Metro Credit Office [HLC3_CcpListOfCollectedCredentials].

3C3. Instructors are evaluated regularly in accordance with established institutional policies and procedures.

The university uses a variety of instruments to evaluate instructors and provide them with feedback for continued improvement.

All full-time faculty are evaluated regularly by the departmental or program chair. For full-time faculty, this evaluation encompasses teaching, service, and scholarship. Their evaluations are scheduled as follows:

These evaluations serve as a basis for a discussion between faculty members and their chair. Both parties can provide input/feedback regarding teaching, scholarship and service. The chair’s evaluation of faculty is forwarded to the dean of the college and the provost, who review it and add comments if they wish. The evaluation then becomes part of the faculty member’s personnel file in Human Resources.

Part-time faculties are to be evaluated regularly by the departmental or program chairs. A more defined process/procedure is under development for implementation in the Fall of 2017.

[HLC3_PartTimeFacultyChairpersonEvaluation] [HLC3_PartTimeFacultyChairpersonEvaluation]

[HLC3_ChairInstructionsForPtFaculty] [HLC3_DeanInstructionsForPtFaculty] [HLC3_FacultyInstructionsForPtFaculty] [HLC3_AppendixForPtEvaulations]

Student evaluation of teaching and learning is conducted according to an online course-evaluation survey that covers issue about the course and instructor. Results of this survey are returned to instructors and departmental or program chairs, where they are used to inform course and program revision or curricular development. The survey results can become a component of the discussion between faculty and chairs during the Chair’s evaluation of faculty. In the Fall of 2016, 40,431 recipients were sent surveys with response from 10,411 of them. This is a 25.75% response rate. The Spring 2017 surveys went out to 35,063 with a response from 8932. This is a response rate of 25.47%.

[HLC3_Spring2017EvaluationOfTeaching] [HLC3_Fall2016EvaluationOfTeaching]

CCP instructors are evaluated with additional oversight from their university departmental faculty.

YSU is in the process of implementing a new faculty evaluation tool, SmartEval, that will provide a better participation rate and in turn allow decisions about changes recommended via the survey results to carry more weight. [HLC1_SmartEvalsContract]

3C4. The institution has processes and resources for assuring that instructors are current in their disciplines and adept in their teaching roles; it supports their professional development.

YSU provides several resources to ensure that instructors are current in their disciplines and adept in their teaching roles.

To engage faculty in the process of updating and improving their pedagogy, YSU has implemented the Faculty Development Committee and the Teaching and Learning Center.

The Teaching and Learning Center, sponsored by the Office of the Provost, provides support to faculty members in many ways:

YSU’s Faculty Development Committee is charged with organizing and communicating activities that facilitate faculty development. Activities include the following:

The Office of Human Resources provides professional development for skills and procedural knowledge necessary to conduct university business effectively and efficiently. Examples of this professional development are ccompliance training, ADA compliance training, and search-committee training. [HLC3_TrainingAvailableOfferedAndAttendee]

In support of professional development, YSU provides faculty members several opportunities to request reassigned time, financial support, and travel:

University Research Council Grants also provide funding (up to $5000) to faculty to pursue research, scholarly activities, and creative works.

Over the past 5 years, 1412 awards were made for reassigned time, which includes sabbaticals, FILs, and Research Professorships. [HLC3_FacultyReleaseTime20122017]

3C5. Instructors are accessible for student inquiry.

Instructors are available for student inquiry. Minimum expectations for faculty availability to students are addressed in the collective-bargaining agreement and monitored by department chairs and assessed through student evaluations. Faculty members commonly exceed this minimum requirement, often meeting with students before and after class and working with students on research and scholarly activities (QUEST Program, Program self-studies). Contact with students can be through various means, such as face to face, phone conversation, email, text messages, or even video messaging such as Skype. Contact information is available to students on the website under the faculty/staff directory and listed on the syllabus. [HLC1_OeaCba]

Instructor availability and interaction with students is supported by the extensive student engagement in scholarship such as projects presented at QUEST.

When students were surveyed through National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), the percentage their answering “Very Often” or “Quite a Bit” were the following:

When surveyed through NSSE the percentage of students answering percentage of students answering done or in progress or plan to do were the following:

This information was presented to the faculty on campus through a series of Lunch and Learn sessions. [HLC3_NsseDataConversationsFacultyLunch] [HLC3_NsseExperiencesWithFacultyHandout]

3C6. Staff members providing student support services, such as tutoring, financial aid advising, academic advising, and co-curricular activities, are appropriately qualified, trained, and supported in their professional development.

Descriptions with minimum qualifications exist for all YSU staff positions. These minimum qualifications are the basis of initial screening during the hiring process; they ensure that all hires have the minimum skills needed to successfully execute the job requirements.

Training of staff members is typically conducted departmentally and ranges from formal programs to on-the-job training models. For duties specific to the position (i.e. federal aid compliance), each department ensures that all employees are appropriately trained.

Human resources provide training to staff for the improvement various skills on such topics as Banner training, YMES, Web Focus, People Admin, eCube, Outlook, and ALICE.

YSU provides resources for training and support of professional administrative staff members’ development. These professionals are contractually provided $500/year for training in their contract (APAS). [HLC3_ApasCba20152018].

Core Component

3.D. The institution provides support for student learning and effective teaching.

Argument

3D1. The institution provides student support services suited to the needs of its student populations.

YSU offers a wide variety of support services to a diverse student population, as this list demonstrates:

Services to assist these groups are offered across the University’s divisions:

For a comprehensive list of these, please view the YSU Student Support Services document. [HLC3_YsuSupportServices]

To highlight a few of these services/programs:

Division of Student Success

Career and Academic Advising

Student Experience

Multicultural Affairs

Enrollment Management and Planning

3D2. The institution provides for learning support and preparatory instruction to address the academic needs of its students. It has a process for directing entering students to courses and programs for which the students are adequately prepared.
LEARNING SUPPORT

YSU has three main learning support centers on campus: The Center for Student Progress (CSP), the Math Assistance Center (MAC), and the Writing Center (WC). Noteworthy from 2016 NSEE data: first-year students at YSU responded three percentage points higher than true peers on the Student Engagement indicator about to what degree the institution emphasizes use of learning support services. [HLC1_2016NsseSnapshot]

The Center for Student Progress

Student Progress is the primary learning center on YSU’s campus and encompasses the following services:

Students who use the CSP have higher fall-to-fall retention rates than those who do not. [HLC3_CspRetentionChart20152016] Additionally, student utilization of the CSP has steadily increased over the past 6–7 years. [HLC3_CspHistoricalData]

Academic coaches provide individualized academic support in weekly meetings with students who are on academic or financial aid probation, conditionally admitted students, as well as students who are referred by faculty/staff, academic advisors, or who self-refer. Regular participation in academic coaching sessions results in higher average term GPAs. [HLC3_CspAcademicCoachingF16Results] [HLC3_CspAcademicCoachingF16Results]

Disability Services offers support and accommodations to students who provide appropriate documentation of their disability. DS acts as a liaison between students, faculty and staff, collaborating with faculty/staff regarding issues involving students with disabilities, arranging for classroom modifications for students with disabilities to allow equal educational access, and making campus referrals and connections. [HLC3_DisabilityServicesData]

Multicultural Student Services provides faculty/staff mentoring and academic support to multi-cultural students as well as programming to address issues multicultural students face on a predominantly white campus. MSS co-sponsors cultural events such as Native American Expo, Black History Month, and Hispanic Awareness Week.

The Summer Bridge program is coordinated by CSP Multicultural Student Services and is a one-week pre-semester immersion program designed to provide traditional-aged multicultural students the opportunity to become more familiar with the academic and social experiences most often encountered by first-year students. Students (typically 25–30) participate in a week of activities, which include introductory classes, presentations, and attendance at several social/cultural events.

Bridge and Beyond, an extension of Summer Bridge, provides participants with a cohort of friends with whom they form a learning community. Within this learning community, students take classes together and participate in campus events; they also meet weekly with an academic coach in the CSP. In 2016, YSU was awarded a $10,000 grant from the Wean Foundation in support of the Summer Bridge program; the program is slated to expand to fifty participants in summer 2017 and to potentially a hundred participants in summer 2018. [HLC3_2017SummerBridgeSchedule]

The Supplemental Instruction (SI) program is an academic assistance program that uses peer-assisted study sessions in select historically difficult courses. Students learn how to integrate course content and study skills while working together. Students who participate in this program (particularly those who attend ten or more sessions per semester) earn significantly higher course grades than those who do not. For Fall 2016, over 1,000 students in 32 sections of 20 courses (which was 42% of the total enrollment in selected courses) participated in SI, resulting in more than 7,000 contact hours and a 1.09 GPA difference between students attending 10+ sessions vs. non-participants. [HLC3_CspSupplementalInstructionF16Summary]

Student Tutorial Services (STS) provides one-on-one and small group tutoring in face-to-face, appointment-based weekly sessions.

Tutoring is available in most disciplines—except math, composition, and foreign language, which have distinct tutoring centers (see below). The sciences and business courses are the highest demand subject areas. Student progress and satisfaction are tracked and assessed quantitatively and qualitatively, with end-of-semester results consistently showing that students attending sessions regularly have higher course pass rates, term GPAs, and subsequent semester re-enrollment and with very high (99% average) satisfaction ratings about their tutoring experiences. [HLC3_CspStudentTutorialServicesF16]

In 2012, YSU joined the Ohio eTutoring Collaborative, in an effort to offer online tutorial support to students; however, this service is highly underutilized by YSU students, indicating a preference to meet in person with a tutor for support.

Math Assistance Center, Writing Center, and Language Learning and Resource Center

An additional three centers offer tutoring to YSU students in general-education courses that are particularly key to their progress at YSU: Mathematics Assistance Center (MAC), Writing Center (WC), and Language Learning and Resource Center and several academic departments provide additional tutoring.

The MAC operates on a drop-in basis and offers online support, review sessions, and video tutorials. The MAC has more than doubled the number of contacts with students from 2015–2016, with the addition of a full-time coordinator, who also serves as math faculty, to run the center. [HLC3_MathAssistanceCenter20162017]

The Writing Center offers drop-in and appointment-based tutoring, as well as an online option for students who wish to upload their documents and have them reviewed by a tutor.

The Jermaine Hopkins Center for Academics [HLC3_AcademicSupportForAthletes] is a private study lounge available exclusively to student-athletes. Two athletic academic counselors provide extensive support, monitor progress, and make appropriate referrals.

Preparatory Instruction

Process for Directing Students into Appropriate Courses

YSU uses a combination of placement testing, students’ academic records, course prerequisites, and intentional academic advising (based on the student’s chosen degree program) to direct entering students to courses and programs for which they are adequately prepared.

Honors College

Incoming students qualify for entrance into the Honors College with a 3.5 overall grade point average and a minimum composite ACT score of 26 or combined SAT score of 1760 or 1260 on the new SAT. The Honors College offers enriched learning opportunities:

Admissions/Placement Testing

On the admissions application, students can self-identify as “undecided/exploratory” if they are uncertain about their major or target profession. Students unsure of their degree path are connected at orientation with the Office of Career and Academic Advising.

Entering students are placed into reading, writing, and mathematics courses based primarily on test scores (ACT or SAT). If students have no test scores (for example, transfer students), they must take placement assessments in the Testing Office to determine appropriate course placement before attending orientation:

Transfer students’ courses are evaluated by the Office of Degree Audit and the relevant department chairs to determine YSU course equivalency (see Criterion 4A). The Office of Degree Audit maintains YSU’s many articulation and consortium agreements with other 2- and 4-year institutions. These agreements help to guide the process for directing entering students to appropriate courses at YSU. [HLC3_ArticulationAndConsortiumAgreementInstitutions]

Adult students with prior learning, life or work experiences may be eligible to receive college credits through the Prior Learning Assessment process. [HLC3_PriorLearningAssessment]

Students with less than a 2.0 HS (or transfer) GPA or ACT composite less than 17 (SAT less than 910) are conditionally admitted. The majority of these students place into developmental reading, writing, and math courses; further, they are restricted to taking a selection of approved courses and no more than 14 credit hours per semester until they have fulfilled all requirements. Requirements include meeting weekly with an academic coach in the Center for Student Progress and meeting with a professional academic advisor twice during the semester. [HLC3_ProposedRevisionsToConditionalAdmission] This student population typically represents half of the incoming class in the spring semester, and approximately 15% of the incoming fall semester class. [HLC3_ConditionalAdmitsAsAOf]

First-Year Experience Course

Per the proposal passed by Academic Senate in October of 2015, a new category of General Education courses was created for First Year Experience (FYE) courses. These courses are to serve as a cornerstone for new student success initiatives with goals of improving completion and retention of students at YSU. By creating courses in each of the 6 colleges, incoming students will be assisted with the transition to college, the disciplines, and YSU, as well as would allow YSU to fulfill potential mandates, including Federal Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (Campus SaVE) Act, and a call for career assessment by all incoming freshmen. Further, the potential mandate for students to participate in financial literacy training was also considered and added as a component to the courses. In addition, students in the FYE courses are required to participate in college and campus activities and programs, as well as a common intellectual experience. Subsequently, consideration has been given to also include information literacy as well as diversity and inclusion themes. Effective Fall 2017, all incoming students are mandated to take the appropriate course offered by their designated college. [HLC1_FirstYearExperienceCourse]

Advising

 

Professional academic advisors assist students with their transition to YSU, discussing such issues as course and major selection, placement levels, general-education requirements and other helpful resources. Advisors ensure that students know how to interpret their degree audit report and understand the admission requirements for their intended majors. In addition, students can find curriculum requirements and a sample four-year degree path for each undergraduate major through program link in the undergraduate bulletin.
Degree Pathways

Three-Year Degree Pathways—Undergraduate students (with the exception of those needing remedial coursework) may be able to complete a Baccalaureate degree in three years. To complete a degree in three years, students must enter the university with credits from one or more of the following:

A co-requisite model is being developed and implemented for math and for writing gateway courses in order to streamline the number of hours/credits a student spends on remediation. Guided Degree Pathways are also being explored. [HLC3_MathCoRequisiteModel][HLC3_PsychologyProgramSnapshotForGuided]

3D3. The institution provides academic advising suited to its programs and the needs of its students.

YSU uses a mixed modeling of academic advising, employing both faculty and professional staff advising, with examples of both centralized and distributed advising among colleges and departments. Models vary across individual colleges.

Advisors across campus guide students to an array of resources and services designed to address their needs. Professional advisors bring a breadth of institutional knowledge that allows them to help students in a myriad of ways such as registration, general-education requirements, major requirements, and restricted program requirements. Faculty provide guidance about specific programs, research opportunities, career and internship opportunities and post-graduate goals.

To ensure consistency, accuracy and quality of academic advising campus wide, Youngstown Academic Advising Association (YACADA) was formed in 2007. YACADA was granted Allied status by National Academic Advising Association (NACADA) and adheres to the NACADA Statement of Core Values of Academic Advising. Students receive academic advising by a professional advisor upon entrance to the university and advising by either a professional advisor or faculty advisor until sophomore status is earned.

Varied modes of delivery serve advising needs: appointment, walk-in, phone, email, skype and remote locations. Advising is strongly encouraged each semester but not required.

Eighteen professional advisors providing academic advising services to students among the six undergraduate colleges. Honors students receive supplemental advising through the Honors College and student-athletes through Athletics. Students who are part of partnerships and articulation agreements receive the same availability of advising as on campus students although there may be fewer face-to-face meetings in some programs and done via email/phone. In Spring of 2017, the Career and Advising Office began advising conditionally admitted students hoping to major in BCHHS degree programs. Beginning Fall 2017, this office will also advise incoming students who are Exploratory/Undecided.

Advisors use integrated technology to monitor early alerts, class attendance, tutor referrals and degree course milestones to facilitate case management that emphasizes an intrusive, proactive model of advising. In October 2017, YSU will be implementing uAchieve, a comprehensive degree audit and academic planning solution. uAchieve combines degree audit reporting, academic planning, and schedule building into one comprehensive solution for student success. Supporting student and advisor collaboration in the process of planning an academic career, uAchieve ensures that students have accurate, complete, and personalized information for achieving their educational goals.

Advisors also serve in the following capacities:

3D4. The institution provides to students and instructors the infrastructure and resources necessary to support effective teaching and learning (technological infrastructure, scientific laboratories, libraries, performance spaces, clinical practice sites, museum collections, as appropriate to the institution’s offerings).

YSU provides resources and physical spaces to support the needs of our faculty and students. This includes a variety of labs, creating and performing spaces, clinical sites and innovative teaching-learning environments located on and off campus. What follows is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather a sampling of what YSU offers. For a comprehensive list by college with links to teaching and learning facilities, follow the link here [HLC3_LinksToTeachingLearningSpaces]

Technological Infrastructure

Two-hundred and twenty classrooms have basic media configurations, including workstations, Internet access, document cameras, projectors, and screens. Three classrooms have more advanced configurations, such as the planetarium, nursing simulation lab, and the exercise lab. The number of media-enhanced classrooms has been increased and upgraded over time to reflect technological and instructional needs and trends.

The University is updating electronic information technology so that there are more hot-spots on campus, allowing students, faculty, and staff to be more reliably connected to wi-fi anywhere on campus.

Laboratory Spaces for Teaching and Learning

Each college includes teaching/learning labs:

Creating/Performance and Museum Spaces

Bliss Hall is home to many spaces for creating and performing, including (but not limited to) the following:

Clinical Sites

YSU partners with an extensive number of clinical sites used by a variety of majors across. These sites provide exceptional, diverse, hands-on learning experiences for students. Clinical sites include, but are not limited to major hospital systems, health departments, community health agencies, and long-term care facilities.

Learning partnerships with hospital systems include the following:

A vast number of community agencies are used:

The Physical Therapy program partners with Youngstown’s Midlothian Free Clinic to provide free care along with learning and research opportunities for students. Nursing has collaborated with local public health agencies to coordinate mock disaster drills on campus.

Because enrollment has increased in programs at YSU that use clinical sites and students from surrounding colleges and universities seek the same learning experiences, obtaining student placement in clinical sites has become competitive. Patient simulation has provided amelioration, but this may be an ongoing problem.

Unique Learning Spaces

YSU’s Center for Innovation in Additive Manufacturing features two high-end 3D printers, an ExOne M-Flex printer and an ExOne X1-Lab printer. The resources this center provides allow for research, education, and workforce development in additive manufacturing.

The Usability Lab is a joint venture between the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering. The Usability lab houses two state-of-the art eye trackers along with software for analyzing results, logging software, statistical packages, and audio/video equipment. Four workstations are available for students.

Online Learning Support

The Department of Cyberlearning offers comprehensive support to both students and faculty. For students, the office supports the delivery of online degree programs. For faculty, the office supports and assists in the creation, delivery, training, and student support for our faculty teaching in online degree programs. Housed within the office is the Electronic Information Technology Lab and the Instructional Design and Development Center (IDDC). The Electronic Information Technology lab is available to faculty and staff for training and support in meeting federal ADA compliance in online courses. The IDDC provides faculty with training and support in the design of courses and application of instructional technologies.

Finally, the YSU Tech Desk offers support with Blackboard-related questions.

Library, Information Resources, Electronic Databases

Maag Library provides access and circulation services to students and instructors, including MaagNET, OhioLink, SearchOhio and InterLibrary Loan. Instructors can also put course materials on Course Reserves for students to access. A complete listing of library services can be viewed here [HLC3_MaagLibraryServices] Library usage statistics can be viewed here [HLC3_MaagLibraryStatistics].

Reference services include support via phone and email as well as individual appointments with subject-specific librarians. Faculty can schedule a librarian-taught class specific to a class assignment and how to use the wide variety of information resources for the purpose of the assignment. There are a plethora of research resources as well as computers and a scanner for student/faculty/staff use.

Maag Library houses a Multi-Media Center, Archives and Special Collections, Government Documents and Information, and a Microform Center. The Curriculum Resource Center (housed in Beeghly College of Education) offers collections, education reference and research assistance specifically in the fields of education, school psychology and counseling.

Maag Library is the second largest user of the D-Space digital institutional repository after The Ohio State University. D-Space is an open source software while most academic libraries use a proprietary software for a cost. D-Space stores important University historical collections as well as faculty projects such as Oral Histories compiled over forty years by the History Department and The Shoah Foundation Visual History Archive, a collaborative initiative lead by the YSU Center for Judaic and Holocaust Studies. Using this open-source software enables YSU to easily share digital content with various users outside YSU and other institutions, allowing more opportunities for projects and collaborations throughout the state, nationally, and globally.

3D5. The institution provides to students guidance in the effective use of research and information resources.

Capstone courses—All bachelor’s degree-seeking students must complete a capstone course within their major. A capstone course serves as the culminating and usually integrative experience of an educational program, under the guidance of a faculty member. Students are required to synthesize research that is discipline specific. [HLC3_GeneralEducationFirstYearExperience] [HLC3_PsychologyCapstoneSyllabus] Students in the Honors Senior Thesis seminar course work with a faculty advisor in the development of a capstone proposal. Here are two examples. [HLC3_Example1CapstoneProposal] [HLC3_Example2CapstonProposal]

Office of Research—YSU is committed to fostering high-quality, nationally competitive research to promote faculty and student development in support of the teaching mission of the University. Established in 2015, the Office of Research administers the research enterprise at YSU, inclusive of the Office of Research Services, campus-wide research integrity functions, intellectual property and commercialization, undergraduate research, faculty research funds, student travel funds, and graduate research opportunities, as well as the YSU Research Foundation. [HLC3_UndergraduateResearchAtYsu] The Office of Research sponsors Quest, providing YSU students an opportunity to present scholarly research and projects to the campus community. 2016 NSSE Data shows that YSU seniors scored 10 percentage points higher than true peers on the high-impact practice of working with a faculty member on a research project. [HLC3_Quest] [HLC1_2016NsseSnapshot]

Maag Library offers a number of reference services, including in-person research help and individual student appointments; telephone reference service; Ask A Librarian Email Service; and Subject-specific librarians. There is also a Library Instruction Classroom on the 4th Floor, for subject-specific research classes taught by librarians for faculty who wish to schedule a class specific to their assignments. [HLC3_MaagLibraryServices]

The Writing Center offers assistance with APA, MLA, Chicago and other styles for written work and citation.

ENGL 1551 (Writing 2) focuses on practice in writing with emphasis on the process of investigation: exploration of topics, formulation of tentative theses, collection of data from suitable primary and secondary sources, and clear and appropriate presentation of the results of these inquiries. A sample syllabus illustrates the degree to which students are immersed in learning about, as well as conducting, effective research. [HLC3_Engl1551Syllabus] This is a course taken by an average of 2000 students/annually and is typically completed within the first few semesters. Most disciplines have at least one course which focuses on research. The curriculum map for English provides an excellent illustration of the emphasis placed on writing and research across the curriculum. [HLC3_BaEnglishCurriculumMap]

Core Component

3.E. The institution fulfills the claims it makes for an enriched educational environment.

Argument

3E1. Co-curricular programs are suited to the institution’s mission and contribute to the educational experience of its students.

In alignment with its mission, Youngstown State University is proud to provide students with an enhanced learning environment, as demonstrated by the vast and diverse array of co-curricular opportunities that supplement the learning that is taking place in classrooms across campus. These programs and opportunities mirror YSU’s commitment to continuous learning in attempts to develop “ethical, intellectually curious students who are invested in their communities.” Some clear examples of this are the following:

3E2. The institution demonstrates any claims it makes about contributions to its students’ educational experience by virtue of aspects of its mission, such as research, community engagement, service learning, religious or spiritual purpose, and economic development.

YSU strives to provide ways to enhance and enrich its students’ educational experiences by fostering support and opportunities in the areas of research, community engagement, service learning, religious or spiritual purpose and economic development.

Research

YSU is committed to fostering high quality, nationally competitive research to promote faculty and student development in support of the teaching mission of the University. The Office of Research administers the research enterprise at YSU, including campus-wide research integrity functions, intellectual property and commercialization in support of faculty and students, undergraduate research, faculty research funds, student travel funds, and graduate research opportunities, and the YSU Research Foundation. The Office of Research also sponsors the annual QUEST Competition, a unique University sponsored forum for undergraduate and graduate students to present and receive recognition for their research to the community.

[HLC3_OfficeOfResearchNewEnterprises]
[HLC3_QUESTPrograms]

Economic Development

In addition, the Regional Economic Development Initiative (REDI) was established in 1967 to act as a research and public service arm of YSU. REDI’s focus has shifted toward leading the Economic Action Group, which supports economic development in the city of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, leading grant-writing initiatives and GIS mapping and data services to various agencies in the area and beyond. Students work as part of the REDI staff through assistantships, internship, and student-learning programs.

[HLC3_REDIServicesMenu]

Service Learning/Community Engagement

Separately, each college in the Division of Academic Affairs has active student co-op and internship programs with business and industry, with the Office of Career and Academic Advising providing additional support.

[HLC3_InternshipPrograms]

College of Creative Arts and Communications (CCAC)

CCAC provides a number of service-learning opportunities for students to expand on what they have learned in the classroom as well as expand their experience through community engagement.

[HLC3_SummerFestivalOfTheArts]

College of Education (BCOE)

[HLC3_ProjectPass]

Williamson College of Business Administration (WCBA)

College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences (CLASS)

CLASS provides one of the largest academic programs, the English Festival. The English Festival is a spring tradition, which attracts thousands of middle- and high-school students from regional public and private schools each year. A 2005 recipient of a National Council of Teachers of English Intellectual Freedom Award, the YSU English Festival is a nationally recognized model for encouraging and celebrating reading and writing among young people. Approximately 110,000 students have attended the English Festival over its 39-year history.[HLC3_EnglishFestival]

• Nearly 100% of students who complete the Teacher Licensure Programs pass normed licensure exams. The only exceptions are middle-school science (87%) and middle-school social studies (88%).
• There is 100% passage rate for educational administration principal track completers.
• Counseling students have a 92% first-time pass rate on the National Counselor Exam (NCE).
• Since its inception the School Counseling program students have had a 100% pass rate on the Praxis exam.
  • The emergency medical services (EMS) and medical assisting technology programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. The EMS program is also accredited by the Ohio Department of Public Safety—Division of EMS (ODPS).
  • The Dental Hygiene program is accredited by the American Dental Association Commission on Dental Accreditation (ADAC).
  • The Medical Laboratory Technology Program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS).
  • The Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Care and Polysomnography certificate programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Respiratory Care (COARC).
  • The Dietetic Technology Program, the Coordinated Program in Dietetics, and the Didactic Program in Dietetics are approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).
  • The Department of Human Ecology is accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS).
  • The family and consumer sciences education programs are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teachers Education (NCATE).
  • The Bachelor of Science in Nursing program is accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and approved by the Ohio Board of Nursing (ACEN and OBN).
  • The physical therapy program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (APTE).
  • The social work program is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE).
  • The Department of Chemistry is Accredited by the American Chemical Society (ACS).
  • The Chemical Engineering Program at Youngstown State University has been continuously accredited by ABET from October 1, 1974, to the present.
  • The civil and construction, electrical, and mechanical engineering technology associate and bachelor programs are accredited by the Engineering Technology Accreditation Commission of the Engineering Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ETAC-ABET).
  • develop learning outcomes
  • develop curriculum maps
  • design outcome measures
  • collect data
  • analyze and evaluate data
  • share results
  • reflect on process and start again
  • Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED)
  • Northeast Ohio Master’s of Public Health (NEOMPH)
  • Northeast Ohio Master’s of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (NEOMFA)
  • Ohio International Consortium (OIC).
  1. The general education program is appropriate to the mission, educational offerings, and degree levels of the institution.
  2. The institution articulates the purposes, content, and intended learning outcomes of its undergraduate general education requirements. The program of general education is grounded in a philosophy or framework developed by the institution or adopted from an established framework. It imparts broad knowledge and intellectual concepts to students and develops skills and attitudes that the institution believes every college-educated person should possess.
  3. Every degree program offered by the institution engages students in collecting, analyzing, and communicating information; in mastering modes of inquiry or creative work; and in developing skills adaptable to changing environments.
  4. The education offered by the institution recognizes the human and cultural diversity of the world in which students live and work.
  5. The faculty and students contribute to scholarship, creative work, and the discovery of knowledge to the extent appropriate to their programs and the institution’s mission.
  • A first-year experience course
  • A set of core competencies courses made up of
    • Two writing courses
    • One mathematics course
    • One oral communications course
  • A set of knowledge domain courses made up of
    • Two Arts and Humanities (AH) courses
    • Two Social Science (SS) courses
    • Two Natural Science Courses (NS) with at least one containing a lab
    • Two Social and Personal Awareness Courses (SPA)
  • A capstone course that is embedded within the major
  • research
  • intellectual curiosity
  • diversity
  • sustainability
  • global perspectives
  1. Students will participate in a culture of community
  2. Students will learn skills that will promote academic and professional growth
  3. Students will demonstrate the ability to write and speak effectively, reason quantitatively, and think critically so they are prepared to perform appropriately in their professions upon graduation. These skills will be applied in the major and culminate in the successful completion of a senior capstone project.
  4. Students will demonstrate understanding of the basic facts, principles, theories, and methods of science. Students will demonstrate the interdependence of science and technology and the influence of science and technology on society.
  5. Students will interpret significant writings and works of art, with a focus on aesthetics, historical responses, and the nature of the human condition.
  6. Students will demonstrate understanding of the development, diversity, and complexity of human behavior, institutions, and culture.
  7. Students will demonstrate understanding in any of the following critical areas of contemporary life: Domestic Diversity, International Perspectives, Sustainability, and Well-being.
  1. Write and speak effectively
  2. Acquire, process and present quantitative and qualitative information using the most appropriate technologies.
  3. Reason critically, to distinguish among forms of argumentation, and to derive justified conclusions.
  • Social and Personal Awareness (Domestic Diversity)—Students will demonstrate knowledge of the experiences of different groups within the United States where those groups are defined by class, ethnicity, race, religion, disability, sex, or sexual orientation.
  • Social and Personal Awareness (International Perspectives)—Students will demonstrate knowledge of the artistic, social, economic, or political life of communities outside the United States.
  • Social Science—Students will demonstrate understanding of the contexts and development of human cultures and institutions.
  • Arts and Humanities—Students will demonstrate awareness of ethical or cultural values in shaping the human experience.
  • Center of Excellence in Materials Science and Engineering
  • Advanced Manufacturing Research Center
  • Williamson College of Business Administration Center of Excellence in International Business
  • Center for Sports Medicine and Applied Biomechanics
  • Centofanti Center for Health and Welfare for Vulnerable Populations
  • SGA also offered travel funding in support of student research (Title II in their Financial Path Governing Documents)
  • Office of Research provides “USE” funds for student travel (see Form for application process)
  • Graduate Studies provides Graduate Student Travel Funds (see posted Guidelines for details)
  1. The institution has sufficient numbers and continuity of faculty members to carry out both the classroom and the non-classroom roles of faculty, including oversight of the curriculum and expectations for student performance; establishment of academic credentials for instructional staff; involvement in assessment of student learning.
  2. All instructors are appropriately qualified, including those in dual credit, contractual, and consortial programs.
  3. Instructors are evaluated regularly in accordance with established institutional policies and procedures.
  4. The institution has processes and resources for assuring that instructors are current in their disciplines and adept in their teaching roles; it supports their professional development.
  5. Instructors are accessible for student inquiry.
  6. Staff members providing student support services, such as tutoring, financial aid advising, academic advising, and co-curricular activities, are appropriately qualified, trained, and supported in their professional development.
  • Fifty-six are fully credentialed (55.5%).*
  • Thirty-six are in progress toward meeting the 18-hour credential (35.6%).*
    • Twenty are scheduled to complete summer 2017.
    • Three are scheduled to complete fall 2017.
  • Ten are exempt (10%).
  • Assistant professors and part-time faculty: evaluation annually
  • Associate professors: evaluation biannually
  • Full professorsr: evaluation every five years.
  • Orientation for new faculty and current faculty moving to new positions
  • Faculty mentoring
  • Faculty preparation toward tenure, promotion, reassigned-time awards, and grant proposals
  • Support of scholarship and creative activities
  • Best practices in teaching and learning and associated technologies
  • Support in achieving job satisfaction
  • Life/work balance techniques [HLC1_FacultyTeachingAndLearningCenter]
  • A new-faculty mentoring program offers orientation programming, workshops, meet-and-greet activities and faculty mentors.
  • Additionally, professional development workshops focused on best practices in teaching and learning are offered throughout the year. Workshop attendance by faculty was 316 for 2015–16 and 361 for 2016–17. [HLC3_20162017FacultyDevelopmentReport] [HLC3_20152016FacultyDevelopmentReport]
  • Full sabbatical year at 90% salary
  • Faculty-improvement leave (one semester of full reassignment)
  • Research Professorship at a minimum of six (6) hours to a maximum of nine (9) hours of alternative assignment time.
  • Travel funds to attend conferences and/or pursue training in the discipline. [HLC1_OeaCba]
  • 16 % of first-year students worked with a faculty member on activities other than coursework.
  • 30% of seniors worked with a faculty member on activities other than coursework (higher than our peer institutions by 6%).
  • 20% of first-year students discussed course topics, ideas, or concepts with a faculty member outside of class.
  • 35% of first-year students discussed course topics, ideas, or concepts with a faculty member outside of class (higher than our peer institutions by 3%).
  • 30% of first-year students participated or plan to participate in research with a faculty member
  • 44% of senior students participated or plan to participate in research with a faculty member (higher than our peer institutions by 11%)
  1. The institution provides student support services suited to the needs of its student populations.
  2. The institution provides for learning support and preparatory instruction to address the academic needs of its students. It has a process for directing entering students to courses and programs for which the students are adequately prepared.
  3. The institution provides academic advising suited to its programs and the needs of its students.
  4. The institution provides to students and instructors the infrastructure and resources necessary to support effective teaching and learning (technological infrastructure, scientific laboratories, libraries, performance spaces, clinical practice sites, museum collections, as appropriate to the institution’s offerings).
  5. The institution provides to students guidance in the effective use of research and information resources.
  • undergraduate and graduate students
  • new, transfer, and online students
  • first-generation students
  • underprepared students
  • adult learners
  • veterans
  • Student Success
  • Student Experience
  • Multicultural Affairs
  • Enrollment Management.
  • First-Year Student Services on-boards new undergraduate and transfer students through Orientation and Ignite programs.
  • At Orientation, students experience the campus, learn how to navigate the MyYSU portal, receive important information about the academic colleges, meet their advisors and register for classes. [HLC3_Fall2017OrientationAgendaFor]
  • Ignite presents an opportunity for team-building, social integration, and awareness of campus resources as well as connecting first-year students with Peer Leaders, who will show students where their classes are and remain connected throughout the first year. [HLC3_Fall2017IgniteScheduleOf] In fall 2017, YSU welcomed its largest incoming freshman class since 2011, with 2,278 students. Close to 1,800 new first-year students participated in Ignite.
  • Provides advising support to exploratory students who are unsure about an academic major
  • Supports all students with resume and cover letter writing, career exploration, and internship prep and the job-search process. Two job fairs (fall/spring) yearly offer opportunities for students to interface with employers. In 2016­–2017, 626 students participated in these events, with over 185 employers participating. Thirty-one additional on-campus recruiting events (interviews, employer information sessions) were offered last year. [HLC3_CareerAcademicAdvisingOverview]
  • Student Government Association (SGA) supports YSU students with several initiatives, such as a food pantry, shuttle to local grocery stores, textbook affordability, access to student discounts on campus and in the community, and championing for an environmentally sustainable campus. SGA assists student organizations with the start-up and budgeting processes, and they assist with organizing volunteers for campus and community events. SGA was integral to securing a critical location move for Disability Services in 2017.
  • Students also have many opportunities, through student clubs and organizations, to integrate into campus life socially, academically and professionally.
    • SOGIE (standing for Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression) is one such organization that hosts weekly meetings open to anyone on campus, has a constitution, and participates in campus and community events to support the inclusion of YSU students into the campus community. [HLC3_StudentGovernmentAssociationFall2016]
  • In 2016, the Division of Multicultural Affairs created the Navarro Executive Fellows (NEF) mentoring-work experience program for incoming ALANA (African American/Black; Latino/Latina/Hispanic; Asian/Pacific Islander; Native American/Indian, etc.) freshmen with YSU’s Executive Leadership. A cohort of incoming freshmen is chosen as Fellows and matched with YSU’s Executive Leadership for two years during fall and spring semesters. Executives provide insight and networking as well as help Fellows set goals and stay on track academically, professionally and personally.
  • Students receive comprehensive, one-stop support via the Penguin Service Center. Students can receive assistance with questions pertaining to financial aid, registration, billing, records and advising as well as referrals to other campus resources. Fall and spring semester productivity dashboards demonstrate the effectivenss of this division. [HLC3_PenguinServiceCenterProductivityDashboard] [HLC3_PenguinServiceCenterProductivityDashboard]
  • Last academic year, the Penguin Service Center had 18,732 contacts with students. [HLC3_PenguinServiceCenterTypesOf].
  • This Division also houses Veterans Affairs. A new Veterans Center opened on campus in 2014, offering student veterans a place to convene and study. This office offers several events throughout the year to support the needs of this student population. [HLC3_VeteransAffairs]
  • Academic Coaching
  • Disability Services
  • Multicultural Student Services
  • Supplemental Instruction
  • Student Tutorial Services
  • YSU has two pre-college enrichment programs for high school students. Academic Achievers is a University/privately funded program for students in the Warren City Public Schools grades 9–12. [HLC3_AcademicAchievers]
  • Upward Bound [HLC3_UpwardBound] encompasses SCOPE, an ACT-prep program [HLC3_SCOPE]. It is a federally funded TRIO program for East and Chaney High School students. Both programs focus on participants completing high school and subsequently enrolling and completing a higher-education degree, with many coming to YSU as a result.
  • YSU has two dual-enrollment programs: Youngstown Early College (YEC) and [HLC1_YoungstownEarlyCollege] College Credit Plus (CCP) [HLC3_CollegeCreditPlus20172018].
    • YEC has been recognized by Ohio and nationally for student performance. [HLC3_YecReportCard] In 2016, thirty out of fifty YEC graduating seniors earned associates degrees from YSU while earning their high-school diploma.
    • College Credit Plus (CCP) is administered by YSU’s Metro Credit Education Outreach Office. While enrolled in CCP, middle/high school students are eligible to receive both high-school and college credit. Students can take courses at the high school, online, or on YSU’s campus. “Credit Pathways” illustrate examples of dual-enrollment courses that will count toward degrees and transfer to University System of Ohio colleges and universities.
  • The International Programs Office (IPO) offers an English Language Institute (ELI), an intensive English program with non-credited classes for students from around the globe. [HLC3_EnglishLanguageInstitute] The IPO also offers a Summer Camp to help students acclimate to YSU and the Youngstown area.
  • Jump Start offers qualified incoming first-time freshmen an opportunity to take up to six credits from a select list of general-education classes during the summer and at a reduced cost, with the idea that engaging students and awarding credit early in their college careers will increase fall semester matriculation.
  • Special sections of traditional courses
  • Seminars on special topics
  • Contract honors as necessary
  • Advanced course work in areas outside of the major
  • Service and engagement activities to encourage community engagement
  • Capstone project or thesis in the senior year
  • Math placement: the ALEKS Math Placement Assessment
  • Reading: Accuplacer (CRT)
  • Writing: Composition Placement Test (CPT) is used. Students can also take CLEP and AP exams in order to receive credit for several introductory college-level subjects. [HLC3_AleksMathPlacementAssessment] [HLC3_ActSatNewSatGuidelines] [HLC3_AdvancedPlacementExams] [HLC3_ClepInfo]
  • Advanced Placement credits
  • College in High School credits
  • International Baccalaureate program credits
  • PSEOP credits. [HLC3_Sample3YearDegreePathway]
  • Plan and implement three Crash Days
  • Manage transfer student orientation days
  • Participate in fifteen orientation days for all incoming freshmen
  • Participate in CCP orientation days
  • Plan and implement Ignite, College Open Houses, and two Adult Learner Open Houses
  • Plan Majors Fair
  • Participate in recruiting events such as Canfield Fair, International Student Day, Honors College Open Houses, Block Party during Welcome Week.
  • The Nursing Skills Lab houses ten beds, eight exam tables, two stretchers, two chalkboards, student desks, and student tables with chairs. There are seven medium-fidelity full-body Laerdal® simulators used in conjunction with Laerdal® SimPads. The simulators include four adult Nursing Annies, one adult Nursing Kelly, one Nursing Child, and one Nursing Infant. In addition, multiple training models and task trainers are available for student teaching and learning: IV simulators, injection pads, torsos, Skele-Torso, trauma/moulage equipment, AED simulator, CPR manikins, and a simulated Medication Dispensing System.
  • The Beeghly Physical Education Center is used by the Exercise Science program. Lab equipment available for use include an AEI Metabolic analysis unit, Mortara Stress electrocardiogram system, research treadmill, Lode electronically-braked cycle ergometer, and a BIOPAC data acquisition system. Students in this program also use the Arnold D. Stambaugh Stadium, including a 7,500 seat gymnasium 50-meter swimming pool, fitness center, and rifle range.
  • Criminal Justice and Forensic Sciences facilities include a forensic and investigative lab, which houses equipment commonly found in crime labs, including UV-visible and infrared spectrometer and a gas/liquid chromatograph. Specialized equipment includes gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer and DNA profiling. A Crime Scene Condo simulates a real-life crime-scene investigation experience.
  • Engineering facilities in Moser Hall offer a comprehensive range of lab space. In addition to forty-nine laboratories, eleven classrooms, two research and development rooms, and seven conference rooms, it contains the 200-seat, state-of-the-art Schwebel Auditorium. Areas include an X- Ray Facility, an Electron Microscopy Facility, a 3D Printing Facility, and an Electrical Engineering Technology Lab.
  • Ward Beecher Hall houses the departments of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics and Astronomy. The building contains thirty-one laboratories, including a planetarium and greenhouse, nine classrooms, fifty-three faculty-research rooms and a conference/seminar room. Chemistry facilities include an X-ray diffraction lab, an NMR lab, and an electron microscopy facility.
  • Communication Studies and Telecommunication Studies: facilities include smart classrooms, audio and video labs, and television studio. The ConneX lab was first opened in 2013, with the idea of creating a hub for businesses and nonprofits in the valley. Housed in the basement of Maag Library, the lab includes five iMac computers, five MacBook Pros, 10 iPads and a group video-conferencing hub. Students get a lot of hands-on experience in the TV studio, with access to Sony cameras, a Grass Valley media server, tricaster, eccolab switcher and mackie audio, as well as EFP cameras and EFP editors.
  • Art and Graphic Design: There are studio and lab spaces for ceramics, sculpture and print-making as well. The McDonough Museum of Art is YSU’s Center for Contemporary Ideas, Art, Education + Community offers exhibitions (including the Graduating BFA exhibition) and educational and cultural programming to YSU and to the community.
  • Dana School of Music: There are eighty 80 acoustically controlled practice rooms, thirty faculty studios, eight classrooms, numerous rehearsal rooms, and a recital hall with a seating capacity of 237. There is also an extensive library of band, choral and orchestral music representing musical periods from the Renaissance to the present. The Dana School is also home to sixty-eight new Steinway pianos, making YSU the first public university in Ohio to be designated an All-Steinway School. The Dana Electronic Music Laboratory also has sophisticated systems such as hard-disk recording, sampling, digital editing and advanced sequencing. A complete analog music synthesis offers students fundamental experiences in analog electronic music techniques and composition. Music students also use two off-campus sites (Stambaugh and Powers Auditoriums) for large ensemble productions, and the Butler Institute of American Art showcases student work daily at noon.
  • Theatre and Dance: The Ford Theater is a 40-seat auditorium for recitals and the Spotlight Arena Theater is designed for theatrical productions in close proximity to the audience. Bliss Hall houses a lab theater/rehearsal studio; a theater design studio, a film screening room, a television production studio (affiliated with PBS channels 45/49 in Northeastern Ohio), scene and costumer shops, makeup and dressing rooms, a green room, and box office and front-of-house facilities. Dancers practice in a large studio space in Beeghly Health and Physical Education Center.
  • Mercy Health
  • ValleyCare Northside and Trumbull Memorial Hospitals
  • Akron Children’s Hospital
  • Salem Regional Medical Center
  • Sharon Regional Health System
  • Southwoods Health
  • Vibra Hospital
  • Cleveland Clinic
  • University Hospitals Cleveland
  • Home health agencies
  • Senior citizens’ centers
  • Local elementary, middle, and high schools
  • Hospice of the Valley
  • Area Agency on Aging
  • Easter Seals
  • Rescue Mission of the Mahoning Valley
  • Rich Center for Autism
  • Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic
  • Belmont Pines
  • Ohio Nurses Association
  • St Vincent de Paul.
  • Ohio Living Park Vista and Lake Vista
  • Shepherd of the Valley
  • Heritage Manor
  • Windsor House Inc. facilities.
  1. Co-curricular programs are suited to the institution’s mission and contribute to the educational experience of its students.
  2. The institution demonstrates any claims it makes about contributions to its students’ educational experience by virtue of aspects of its mission, such as research, community engagement, service learning, religious or spiritual purpose, and economic development.
  • The Office of Student Activities leads the development and implementation of ongoing campus programming that supports the engagement and co-curricular learning of students. Through social programming, student organization coordination, student leader training and support, and student award recognition, Student Activities fosters a sense of belonging, a connection to the YSU community, and the development of leadership, communication and organizational skills that prepare students for success after college. Student Activities also employs a significant number of students and is proud to oversee and advise numerous student organizations, Greek Life, the Emerging Leaders program, Penguin Productions, and Student Government at YSU. [HLC3_HousingViewbook].
  • The Department of Campus Rec offers fitness and wellness opportunities (both instructed and self-led. The Rec has one of the greatest concentrations of student employees on campus and is committed to providing an environment where students can experience and advance their character development and teamwork skills as they grow as professionals. Programs such as Endure for the Cure allow for community engagement/service learning, while offering an all-encompassing model of wellness, which integrates social, economic, and global ideas. [HLC3_CampusRecreationScheduleMisson].
  • The Office of Housing & Residence Life considers student development in the areas of intellectual, emotional, ethical, social and cultural growth a high priority. Fundamentally, the experience of living on campus in an environment encourages students to share resources, establish meaningful relationships with others (with a specific focus on creating diverse relationships and positive conflict management), and grow through the opportunity to self-govern. In addition to providing students with a residential experience, the department supports co-curricular learning through individual RA programming efforts. Small-scale programming with an academic or social focus occur regularly and provide opportunities for social engagement and community development within each floor community within the residence hall; large-scale programming efforts include programs such as Safer Sex Week, Alcohol Awareness Week, and Tunnel of Oppression). Housing also supports various Academic Learning Communities. [HLC3_LivingLearningCommunities].
  • Student Conduct provides students with another avenue for continuous co-curricular learning. The area is committed to providing a process that promotes character, community, and civility among students. In support of that focus, the process maintains policies and procedures committed to providing a fair, structured, timely, and educationally based student conduct process, while working in collaboration with several departments on campus to educate and provide support for Title IX through programming efforts, including “Walk a mile in her shoes” and “The Clothesline Project.”
  • Examples of other co-curricular activities include, but are not limited to Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, Moot Court, Steel Bridge, and National and International Math, competitions.
  • [HLC3_ExamplesOfCoCurricularActivities]
  • Communication Foundations, offered by the Department of Communication as a general-education requirement of all YSU students, includes a service-learning component. For the group project, students identify a community need or problem, research it, make a connection with the local entity, and volunteer there. They then create a group presentation about their experience.
  • Youngstown Design Works (YDW) is a student-led graphic and interactive design agency that provides creative solutions to the Mahoning Valley region’s non-profit organizations, small businesses, and startup companies. They have worked with over 100 companies since 2014; they also collaborate with the College of Business.[HLC3_YoungstownDesignWorks]
  • Dana School of Music offers a full calendar of “music at noon,” held at the Butler Art Museum. Performances are free to the community and are an outcome of student coursework.
  • The Summer Festival of the Arts provides regional artists including students an opportunity to show case and sell their creations. Student visual artist, musicians and volunteers from the campus community participate in delivering a weekend long extravaganza to the Mahoning Valley. It is a community tradition and is widely attended.
  • The Youngstown cultural and arts community is greatly enhanced by the Performing Arts Series where students are featured actors and musical talent.
  • BCOE student organizations such as the Youngstown Student Educational Association, Minority Education Association, and Chi Sigma Iota engage in numerous school settings as literacy coaches, student teachers, and planners of special programming for students of various age groups. They engage with community, state, and national professional organization to enhance their awareness of the political and social climate affecting the public school systems locally, statewide, and nationally.
  • Project PASS has been in place since 2015. Teacher candidates to date have logged over 50,000 hours of tutoring for second- and third-grade students in the Youngstown City Schools, resulting in increased literacy skills.
  • WCBA fosters unique partnerships with area businesses to provide internships, shadowing experiences and student-led projects. A significant outreach and co-curricular experience for accounting student is the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. VITA offers income tax preparation and e-filing at no charge to local residents and hands on experience to skilled business students.
  • Additionally WCBA offers the center for Non-profit leadership. [HLC3_Vita]