QUALITY FOCUS ESSAY #2: GUIDED PATHWAYS

BACKGROUND

As Gavilan College approaches its centenary in 2019, Gavilan classified professionals, faculty, students and administrators are working to transform college services to a Guided Pathways structure. Preparation for Guided Pathways began in 2015-16, with broad participation from staff in creating “crosswalks” of student success initiatives. After a campus convocation on Pathways in August 2016, a Focused Inquiry Group was formed to build engagement and to assess current efforts that could be incorporated into a broader Pathways framework. With support from the Career Ladders Project and with campus partners from Equity, Career Education, Kinesiology, and Liberal Arts, the campus hosted a retreat on program mapping in summer 2017. This event was followed by day-long mapping sessions in the areas of STEM and educational studies in Fall 2017. These programs serve as models for the rest of the campus as they develop two-year academic maps, with corresponding milestones, opportunities for career exploration, and dedicated advisors. In Fall 2017, the Academic Senate formed a Guided Pathways Task Force. This Task Force had broad campus participation with representation from students, classified professionals, and full and part time faculty. In Fall 2017, the Task Force facilitated interactive sessions to complete a broad self-assessment of readiness for full-scale pathways development, identifying current resources and opportunities for greater integration. Based on that investigation, work groups were formed to complete a five-year work plan, for which contributions were solicited from all departments and programs. The plan and other task force materials can be found here:

http://www.gavilan.edu/academic/guided_pathways/Guided_Pathways_Task_Force.php

The six desired Goals/Outcomes are:

● Strengthen interdepartmental collaboration and develop meta-majors.

● Map all majors and programs.

● Create predictable scheduling with 2-year rotation based on demand and guaranteed courses for degree completion.

● Integrate academic and student support to ensure greater success within meta-majors and accelerated courses.

● Develop an integrated technology plan within a guided pathways framework.

● Integrate career exploration within meta-majors.

TIMELINE for QFE #2

Spring 2018	● Create Task Force and develop comprehensive work plan with budget, timelines, and activities. Task Force includes designated representatives from administration, classified, faculty, and students ● Communicate Task Force activities and plans broadly through shared governance and campus-wide events, including convocation ● Form work and inquiry groups
Summer 2018	● Conduct retreat for pathways inquiry and work groups to develop action plans with goals, timelines, and assessments ● Plan mapping activities for department chairs and counselors
Fall 2018 - Spring 2019	● Train leadership for cross-functional inquiry, planning, and assessment. ● Begin implementation of inquiry and work group action plans ● Conduct exploratory meta-major design activities. Plan meta-majors. ● Begin program-mapping with departments, including integration of academic and student support and career exploration ● Develop framework for two-year scheduling cycle.
Fall 2019 - Spring 2020	● Improve data integration through training, planning, and assessment activities. ● Implement meta-majors. ● Implement two-year scheduling cycle. ● Expand technology infrastructure to support website redesign for meta-majors. ● Plan assessment of initial pathways models. ● Continue to integrate career exploration and academic student support
Fall 2021 - Spring 2022	● Conduct work group assessments. ● Implement technology support for integrated learning assistance and student support within meta-majors.
Fall 2022 - Spring 2023	● Assess two-year scheduling process and academic program maps. ● Refine pathways milestones and integrated support within meta-majors.