ACE announced today that Fayetteville State University (NC) and Newbury College (MA) are the recipients of the 2016 ACE/Fidelity Investments Award for Institutional Transformation.
The award was created to recognize institutions that have responded
to higher education challenges in innovative and creative ways and
achieved dramatic changes in a relatively brief period, and includes a
$10,000 prize. ACE invited nominations and applications for the award
from any U.S. college or university eligible for ACE membership.
The awards were presented at ACE2016, ACE’s 98th Annual Meeting, and
were accepted by Fayetteville State University Chancellor James A.
Anderson and Newbury College President Joseph L. Chillo on behalf of
their respective institutions.
The award is divided into two categories: the first for institutions
with student populations of 5,000 and more (Fayetteville State
University), and the second for institutions with student populations of
up to 5,000 (Newbury College).
“Fayetteville State University and Newbury College serve as excellent
examples of the efforts our institutions are undertaking to increase
access to higher education and meet the needs of an ever-more diverse
student body,” said ACE President Molly Corbett Broad. “We appreciate
the generous support of Fidelity Investments for this award, which
allows us each year to recognize institutions where this type of
dramatic transformation has occurred.”
During the 2008 economic recession, Fayetteville State University
(FSU) lost nearly 22 percent of its state funding and cut 150 faculty
positions. The diminishing state resources presented challenges in a
political environment in which the costs and benefits of the University
of North Carolina system came under public scrutiny.
In a proactive response to the budget crisis, FSU implemented the
Continuous Improvement Report, an innovative tool for rewarding academic
departments’ performance on ten metrics related to major components of
FSU’s mission. The tool allowed the university to become more efficient
in degree productivity, rising from about 15 percent prior to the
recession to about 21 percent today. This improvement was coupled with
significant improvements in the average cumulative GPA of
undergraduates.
“The implementation of the Continuous Improvement Report enabled the
university to respond to the economic and political crises that arose
from the recession and has established a culture of continuous
improvement that provides a basis for Fayetteville State University to
thrive in the future,” said Chancellor Anderson. “The campus community
better understands the relationship among a) the strategic plan, b) the
university business model, and c) the critical need for metrics and
outcomes assessment.”
Almost 70 percent of Newbury College’s students are first generation
and nearly 60 percent are eligible for Pell grants. Additionally, a
number of Newbury students traditionally require additional support in
basic math and English. However, faculty were not satisfied with the
outcomes of “off the shelf” curricula, so they decided to create their
own competency-based instructional models for math and English.
Prior to 2009, approximately 50 percent of students enrolled in basic
math courses were performing poorly. Since the implementation of the
faculty-designed Math Mastery Program, they have seen a consistent
passing rate of over 80 percent of program participants.
The English Mastery curriculum was piloted in 2014 with terrific
results. All students in the pilot class passed, and about 90 percent
passed with a C+ or higher, compared to only 55 percent in the existing
English course. The English Mastery curriculum is now the standard
curriculum for all entry-level English classes.
The creation of Newbury College’s Student Success Center, which
physically connects tutoring, library services and English and math
faculty, is also driving student success in those areas.
"By investing in our students, we are clearly demonstrating the
importance of academic success and the opportunity for all students to
become college graduates," said President Chillo.
“Fidelity is honored to present this award with ACE, recognizing
exceptional leaders driving innovation in the higher education
community,” said Alexandra Taussig, senior vice president, Tax-Exempt
Market, Fidelity Investments. “Fayetteville State University and Newbury
College have implemented inventive programs that are making their
institutions more accessible to students, and we celebrate these
academic achievements.”
Left to right: Alexandra Taussing, James A. Anderson,
Molly Corbett Broad, Joseph L. Chillo, and Lynn Gangone, ACE vice
president for Leadership.