CSUMB Among the Best

CSUMB is one of 20 public and private colleges in the country to be cited as a model for promoting student success.

The university is featured in the book "Student Success in College: Creating Conditions that Matter," released recently by the American Association for Higher Education.

CSUMB was the only school in California identified in the book, which describes the strategies and techniques that various institutions have used to increase student achievement.

The university was cited for promoting student success through applied, active and collaborative learning; for having a Vision-centered approach to learning; for exposing students to diverse experiences off campus through Service Learning; and for supporting a technologically sophisticated environment.

The diverse colleges and universities highlighted in the book were selected by the Center for Post Secondary Research at Indiana University, based on a national student survey funded in part by the Pew Charitable Trust.

The annual National Survey of Student Engagement focused on whether students were challenged academically; collaborated with faculty, peers and the community; interacted meaningfully with faculty; received the support they needed for academic and social success; and participated in enriching educational experiences that complemented academic programs such as community service, internships and study abroad.

A team of six researchers for the project visited CSUMB in 2002 and again in 2003 to conduct in-depth interviews with students, faculty members and staff; examine curriculum; and assess the collaborative nature of the decision-making process, among other things.

In the book, CSUMB is cited as having "a strong, cohesive sense of purpose" deriving from the Vision Statement. "An unusually high level of energy of the faculty, administration and staff is devoted to experimenting with ways to implement the Vision."

The book calls CSUMB "an educationally engaging university" and adds that it "unequivocally honors diversity."

Researchers found that in some respects, the 20 schools on the list are similar: they are never satisfied with their performance, and they continually collect data to see how they are doing.

"These are not perfect places," says George Kuh, lead researcher on the project. "But they share a desire to be better than they are."

USA Today acknowledged CSUMB's inclusion on the list in a story published on Aug. 29. That story can be found at http://www.usatoday.com/news/education/2005-08-28-colleges-success_x.htm

Contact: Joan Weiner, News and Public Information, (831) 582-3653