SELF-STUDY REPORT NOVEMBER 21, 2018 MIDDLE STATES ...lehman.edu/middle-states/documents/Self-Study-11-20-18.pdf · MSCHE Self-Study Final Draft, 11/21/2018 x PREFACE In President

SELF-STUDY REPORT NOVEMBER 21, 2018

MIDDLE STATES COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION HERBERT H. LEHMAN COLLEGE OF CUNY

DR. JOSÉ LUIS CRUZ, PRESIDENT

MSCHE Self-Study Final Draft, 11/21/2018

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MSCHE SELF-STUDY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Lehman College of The City University of New York has focused its decennial Self-Study for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) on actively engaging faculty, staff, and students in preparation for our 50th anniversary, designing a new Strategic Plan, and reimagining higher education in light of ever-evolving challenges and expectations. Led by a new and visionary President, and featuring robust student enrollment, high levels of faculty engagement, and a number of innovative, forward-thinking programs and initiatives, Lehman College approaches the Self-Study process with commitment, rigor, and intentionality.

Through the lens of the seven new accreditation standards and responding to significant changes in institutional leadership, the intended outcomes of this Self-Study are to:

1. Demonstrate with evidence that Lehman College meets and exceeds the Middle States

Standards for Accreditation, thereby respectfully requesting reaccreditation by the Commission.

2. Develop specific operational recommendations to strengthen ongoing institutional

effectiveness in areas covered by each one of the seven Middle States Standards for Accreditation, laying a solid foundation for our next Strategic Plan for 2020-2025.

3. Leverage the Middle States Self-Study to sharpen our institutional vision, revisit our

institutional mission, and align our strategic priorities in the context under which we operate, so to bridge our current status with our ambitious aspirations.

Key Findings The extensive investigation and supporting evidence provided in this Self-Study demonstrate that Lehman College meets – and frequently exceeds – the expectations of the Middle States’ Standards and Requirements of Affiliation. Standard I: Mission and Goals Lehman College serves the Bronx and surrounding region as an intellectual, economic, and cultural center. Lehman College provides undergraduate and graduate studies in the liberal arts and sciences, high quality credit and non-credit certificate programs, and professional education within a dynamic research environment, while embracing diversity and actively engaging students in their academic, personal, and professional development. Since the Periodic Review Report of 2014, Lehman has concentrated on directly linking campus priorities and associated resources to the College and University missions and strategic goals (CUNY’s Performance Management Process and Strategic Framework). Over the past four years, resource allocation at all levels and across Schools and administrative units has been aligned with mission and goals, and justified based on initiatives identified by campus


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leadership. In turn, this alignment and allocation has resulted in increased institutional effectiveness, leading to enrollment growth and competitive programs. Efficient stewardship of financial resources has facilitated new strategic investments and smart budgeting practices to support student achievement and faculty productivity. Standard II: Ethics and Integrity Ethics and integrity are essential to realization of Lehman College’s operational policies and procedures, demonstrated by consistent adherence to ethical oversight in administration, governance, academic freedom, and research conduct. Designated College faculty, staff, and administration are required to complete ethics training in compliance with New York State Joint Commission of Public Ethics (JCOPE) regulations. Pursuant to the recent State Inspector General’s investigation of City University of New York’s financial practices and internal controls, this annual professional training stipulates that College representatives are informed and compliant with State-sanctioned standards of ethical conduct. As a public institution supported primarily with tax levy funds, Lehman’s ongoing and long-term stewardship and oversight of these resources is critical to instilling public trust and accountability. Further, the College is committed to the concepts of academic freedom, and has recently designed mechanisms for prompt and attentive response to related challenges. This corresponds to providing avenues for submitting complaints, with clearly delineated procedures for effective response. Standard III: Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience Lehman College is dedicated to dynamic and engaging student experiences that produce well-informed, community responsive, and professionally prepared global citizens who can succeed in the 21st century socioeconomic ecology. Since the Periodic Review Report of 2014, Lehman has made measurable progress by ensuring that approved Institutional Learning Goals (ILGs) are incorporated into all programs, with particular emphasis on General Education. Since previous assessment of General Education courses identified the need for more integrated quantitative and qualitative reasoning – in addition to more concentrated and consistent approaches to writing instruction – the College has refocused its commitments, strategies, and resources. This has resulted in demonstrated improvement in student achievement, notably in mathematics, combined with conscious efforts to continuously improve student performance outcomes. Standard IV: Support of the Student Experience The College provides coordinated and comprehensive support systems to foster student success. Students are assisted from admission through graduation by initiatives effectively aligned and deployed to respond to identified needs in order to promote retention and degree completion. Student services are informed by the goals of the Strategic Plan to assure successful futures.


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Collaborative and integrated campus-wide efforts to measure and improve the student advising experience have culminated in statistically significant increases in retention and graduation rates. Strategic investment of resources to design effective and innovative technological interventions has dramatically increased the targeting and timing of student communications. Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment The institution continues to develop and systematically evaluate its assessment systems, processes, and reporting tools to enable data-driven decision-making for continuous institutional improvement and student learning. Campus assessment activities progress in both academic and administrative units in response to evaluating data, identifying gaps, and implementing revised procedures for learning or operational effectiveness. Accordingly, assessment findings are applied by most academic departments and programs to determine improved adjustments regarding curricula, equipment, technology, space, and staffing. Department Chairs have adopted the best practices of aligning local goals with the College’s Strategic Plan, then competing for future resources by completing mapping grids with their justification. These, in turn, are reviewed by School Deans and the Provost to prioritize funding allocations. Standard VI: Planning, Resources, and Institutional Improvement Lehman College’s planning processes, resources, and infrastructure are aligned to fulfill its mission and goals, continuously assess and improve programs and services, and respond nimbly to the vicissitudes of budget challenges and emerging opportunities. The College is committed to extending its scholarly, technical, professional, and cultural resources for the benefit of the communities it serves. Due to formal tracking by the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment, the linking of planning goals and resource allocation is generally consistent across campus. No resources are assigned to academic or administrative areas without a justification that maps to the institution’s stated strategic goals. Standard VII: Governance, Leadership, and Administration As part of The City University of New York (CUNY) – the nation’s largest urban public university system – Lehman College’s governance, leadership, and administration follow policy guidelines from the Chancellor’s Office and Board of Trustees. Within this context, the College has designed its own local governance procedures. While the President, in consultation with the Cabinet (Vice Presidents), determines strategic directions and approves corresponding financial allocations, governance bodies such as the College Senate, General Faculty Committee, and Faculty Personnel and Budget Committee (academic chairs) work in concert to contribute supplementary guidance, oversight, stewardship, and accountability of the institution. Given the 26-year tenure of former President Ricardo Fernández, Lehman College has benefitted from continuity, stability, and institutional memory. Nevertheless, a new President and senior leadership team has engendered review of longstanding practices with a refreshed


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perspective, introducing new initiatives as the College strives to advance its mission and embrace ambitious and actionable strategic goals for the 21st century.


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Table of Contents

MSCHE SELF-STUDY EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................ii

Key Findings ..............................................................................................................................ii

Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ vi

PREFACE ........................................................................................................................................... x

INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY ................................................................................................................ 1

Institutional Overview ............................................................................................................. 1

History...................................................................................................................................... 2

Campus .................................................................................................................................... 3

SELF-STUDY METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 5

Intended Outcomes ................................................................................................................. 5

Model for Self-Study ................................................................................................................ 5

Preparation for the Self-Study ................................................................................................. 5

Organizational Structure of the Steering Committee and Working Groups ........................... 6

STANDARD I: MISSION AND GOALS ................................................................................................ 7

Analysis of Key Issues Related to Meeting the Standard and Criteria .................................... 8

Communication and Assessment of the College’s Mission and Goals .................................... 8

Processes Used to Assess Mission and Goals (C4) ................................................................ 13

[2009 Self-Study is in Appendix] ............................................................................................ 13

Self-Study Outcomes Analysis ............................................................................................... 20

Recommendations ................................................................................................................. 23

STANDARD II: ETHICS AND INTEGRITY .......................................................................................... 24

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 24

Academic Freedom (II.C1) ..................................................................................................... 24

Respectful Campus Climate (II.C2) ........................................................................................ 25

Title IX Training and Compliance ........................................................................................... 26

Complaint Procedures (II.C3) ................................................................................................. 27

Fair and Impartial Human Resources Practices (II.C5) .......................................................... 29

Conflict of Interest (II.C4) ...................................................................................................... 31

Honesty and Truthfulness in Public Relations and Communications (II.C6) ......................... 32


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Affordability, Value Received, and Student Financial Literacy (II.C7, C7a.) .......................... 32

Compliance (II.C8) .................................................................................................................. 36

Institutional-wide Assessments, Graduation, Retention, Certification, and Licensing Board

Pass Rates (II.C.C8a) ............................................................................................................... 37

8b) Compliance of Affiliation ................................................................................................. 38

8c) Substantive Changes Affecting Mission, Goals, Programs, Operations, Sites in a Timely

and Accurate Fashion ............................................................................................................ 38

8d) Institutional Compliance with Commission’s Policies ..................................................... 38

9) Periodic Assessment of Ethics and Integrity as Evidenced in Institutional Policies and

Practices ................................................................................................................................. 38


STANDARD III: DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF THE STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE ..................... 39

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 39

Support of Programs of Study and Academic Progress ......................................................... 39

Analysis of Key Issues Related to Meeting the Standard and Criteria .................................. 40

Analysis of Institutional Learning Goals Across the Curriculum ............................................ 46

Information Related to General Education ........................................................................... 48

The Results: Characteristics of a Lehman Graduate ............................................................. 48

Assessment in Academic Programs (III.C8) ........................................................................... 49

Mission-Centric, Strategically Designed and Supported Academic Programs ...................... 50

Program Offerings (III.C1) ...................................................................................................... 51

Degree Maps for Undergraduate Degrees ............................................................................ 51

Programmatic and Pedagogical Excellence: Data Driven ..................................................... 52

Lehman College Faculty ......................................................................................................... 52

Faculty Qualifications and Preparation ................................................................................. 52

Building a Diverse Faculty ...................................................................................................... 53

Faculty Evaluation (III.C2e) .................................................................................................... 53

Faculty Scholarship and Creative Work ................................................................................. 53

Support for Teaching Excellence (III.C2b) .............................................................................. 54

Undergraduate and Graduate Program Information ............................................................ 56

Office of Academic Programs ................................................................................................ 57

High Impact Practices and the Lehman Curriculum (III.C5a) ................................................. 58


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STANDARD IV: SUPPORT OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE ............................................................ 81

Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 81

Center for Career Exploration and Development (CEDC) ..................................................... 90


STANDARD V: EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENT .................................................... 100

Clearly Stated Educational Goals (C1) ................................................................................. 100

Organized and Systematic Assessments (C2) ...................................................................... 101

Assessment Summary .......................................................................................................... 110

Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 110

STANDARD VI: PLANNING, RESOURCES, AND INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENT ....................... 111

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 111

Analysis of Key Issues Related to Meeting the Standard and Criteria ................................ 112

Financial (VI.C3 and VI.C6) ................................................................................................... 112

Annual Independent Audit (VI. C7)...................................................................................... 118

Human Resources (VI.C4 and VI.C8) .................................................................................... 119

Campus Facilities (VI.C6) ..................................................................................................... 122

New Facilities, FY2009-Present ........................................................................................... 122

Assessment (VI.C9) .............................................................................................................. 124

Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 126


STANDARD VII: GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP, AND ADMINISTRATION ...................................... 128

Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 128

Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget ..................................................................... 129

Academic Departments ....................................................................................................... 130

Lehman College Senate ....................................................................................................... 130

Student Government Association ....................................................................................... 132

General Faculty .................................................................................................................... 132

Structure .............................................................................................................................. 132

COACHE Survey: Faculty Satisfaction ................................................................................. 133

Staffing Patterns and Reporting Lines Changes .................................................................. 136


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Communication Across Administrative Units ...................................................................... 138

Assessment of Leadership and Governance ........................................................................ 139

The Performance Management Process ............................................................................. 139

PMP Outcomes .................................................................................................................... 139

Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness ........................................................................... 141

Prioritization Initiative ......................................................................................................... 142

IT Initiatives.......................................................................................................................... 142

Professional Development for Faculty and Staff ................................................................. 145

Office of the Provost ............................................................................................................ 145

Office of Online Education................................................................................................... 146

President’s Office ................................................................................................................. 146

Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) .......................................................... 146

Professional Staff Congress ................................................................................................. 146

CUNY .................................................................................................................................... 147

Staff ...................................................................................................................................... 147

College Senate ..................................................................................................................... 147


CONCLUSIONS...................................................................................................................... 148


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PREFACE In President Jose Luis Cruz’s 2018 State of the College Address, as Lehman celebrated its 50th anniversary, he referenced Hurricane Maria in his native Puerto Rico as weathering the storm, a metaphor easily applied to the current ship of state of Lehman College. Over the years, we have survived and flourished despite: vicissitudes in state and federal funding; attacks on U.S. immigrant populations; student protests of the late 1960s and 1980s; New York City’s fiscal crisis of the mid-1970s, resulting in drastic faculty retrenchment and halting construction on major College buildings. Yet we persist and thrive. We are Lehmanites and Bronxites, after all, loyal denizens of a much-maligned Borough, disinvested from public support, that in the 21st century is emerging as New York City’s fastest growing borough, led by proud Lehman alumnus, Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr., reinvigorated by our historic embrace of immigrant groups from around the globe. The Bronx character is one of resilience, grit, and survival in the face of overwhelming odds. Through good times and ill, Lehman College has triumphed as the Bronx’s accessible public institution of higher learning, transforming generations of students into active, engaged citizens, propelling them into the middle class and successful careers. The vast majority of our alumni remain in the community and region, giving back and strengthening their neighborhoods as financial analysts, health care professionals, information technology practitioners, social workers, teachers, and elected officials. While the current status of Lehman can at times appear disorienting for this historically stable campus, people are energized and willing to step up to navigate this challenging transition. Nevertheless, we are blessed by: strong leadership and vision from President Cruz, entering the third year of his presidency; an engaged senior academic leadership team; the continuity of arguably the leading cohort of department chairs in the history of the College; and ongoing leadership in campus governance bodies. Significantly, we welcome the Middle States Reaccreditation process in these charged times (both nationally and locally) as an invigorating opportunity to take a step back, reflect, and successfully reengineer, restructure, and reinvent Lehman College for the next fifty years. We value the drafting and compilation of this Report as the first crucial initiative in developing our next Strategic Plan for 2020-2025. Further, President Cruz’s 90x30 Initiative (doubling the number of high-quality degrees and credentials awarded by the year 2030) has galvanized and united the campus around a grand challenge that has already transformed and integrated our work in emerging and unexpected ways. Proven throughout our history, Lehman remains agile and resilient, ready to redouble our efforts to respond to the very real environmental, economic, and social challenges of the future. We embrace and celebrate the strengths of a research-active and caring faculty dedicated to our mission of a rigorous and empowering undergraduate education for primarily first-generation college students from diverse backgrounds. We acknowledge the astonishing


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achievements of our students – many with families and who also work full-time – who apply themselves diligently and creatively to complete their degrees and fulfill their career aspirations. Accordingly, our institutional efforts are structured and nimble to respond to the changing ecology of our external community, embedded in a culture of assessment, reflection, mindfulness, and innovation. Some recent highlights of major accomplishments about which we’re particularly proud:

Lehman College was ranked number four nationally for social mobility of students based on Equality of Opportunity Project Data

Forbes recently included Lehman as the top CUNY campus of 25 higher education institutions (in the company of Duke, Harvard, Princeton, and Stanford) for lowest incidence of student loan debt

Fall 2017 total student enrollment of 14,130 is our College’s highest since 1976

Between Fall 2013-Fall 2017, the number of undergraduate STEM majors nearly doubled

In 2018, we graduated our largest cohort of nearly 2,700 students

In 2016-2017, 28 Lehman students won 34 prestigious scholarship awards totaling $607,534.


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INSTITUTIONAL HISTORY Lehman College serves the Bronx and surrounding region as an intellectual, economic, and cultural center. Lehman provides undergraduate and graduate studies in the liberal arts and sciences, high quality credit and non-credit certificates, and professional education within a dynamic research environment, while embracing diversity and actively engaging students in

their academic, personal, and professional development.

Institutional Overview With more than 81,000 alumni and 14,000 students (W176), Lehman College serves the Bronx and the surrounding region as an intellectual, economic, and cultural hub. The College is named after Herbert H. Lehman, former governor of New York State, U.S. Senator, and internationalist. His values of dedicated public service, commitment to human rights, and support for immigrants are an inspiration to the College today. Lehman College is affiliated with The City University of New York, the nation’s largest public urban university with 24 campuses throughout the five boroughs of New York City, consisting of senior colleges, community colleges, comprehensive colleges, and specialized graduate schools. While each campus is fairly autonomous, they work in concert with CUNY central administration in terms of coordinated strategic planning, budgeting and finance, and facilities planning. Lehman at a Glance

Type of College: A senior liberal arts college in The City University of New York, founded in 1968 and offering: 76 undergraduate majors and programs; 64 graduate degree programs; 33 graduate certificates; and 11 doctoral programs in conjunction with CUNY Graduate Center. (W175) Through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, the College offers over 30 high quality, non-credit certificate programs that lead to immediate employment.

Location: 37-acre campus in the northwest Bronx, across from the Jerome Park Reservoir, and centered along a major educational corridor with five neighboring public schools.

Enrollment (Fall 2017): 11,978 undergraduate students and 2,152 graduate students, for a total of 14,130 students in credit-bearing programs. More than 13,000 non-credit students were enrolled in 2016-2017.

(Appendix 5.3, Section 3) Undergraduate Profile (Fall 2017): Gender: 68% female/32% male. Age: Under 25:

51%/Over 25: 49%. (Appendix 5.3, Section 3)

Honors Students (Spring 2017): 186 students total, consisting of Macaulay Honors College (76) and Lehman Scholars Program (110). (W175)

Degrees Awarded (AY2016-2017): 2,153 Bachelor’s degrees; 667 Master’s degrees; 40 advanced certificates. (W175)

http://www.lehman.edu/about/

http://www.lehman.edu/lehman-legacy/lehman-facts.php




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Notable Faculty: Seven Distinguished Professors, including composer John Corigliano, winner of both the Academy Award (1999) and Pulitzer Prize for Music (2001); and until his retirement in 2016, Billy Collins, Poet Laureate of the United States (2001-2003) and New York State Poet Laureate (2004-2006).

Alumni: More than 81,000 in business, healthcare, social services, law, medicine, teaching, and the arts. More than half live in the Bronx and other New York City boroughs or elsewhere in New York State. (W175)

Research: For FY2017, Lehman College was awarded $13.8 million from Federal, State, City, and private sources in support of faculty and student-led scholarly research that impacted local K-12 school districts, community organizations, small businesses, and healthcare networks in the Bronx and the international community at large.

(Appendix 5.3, Section 8) Recent Recognition (partial list): Ranked by 2019 U.S. News and World Report as

#37 top public college and #120 regional universities north. (W12)

History Lehman College was established as an independent unit of The City University of New York on July 1, 1968, following a resolution by the University’s Board of Trustees to create a comprehensive senior college in the Bronx with its own faculty, curriculum, and administration. The College took over the campus that since 1931 had served as the Bronx branch of Hunter College, known as Hunter-in-the-Bronx. Shortly after U.S. entry into World War II, students and faculty vacated the campus and turned over the facilities to the U.S. Navy, which used it as a training station for the newly organized WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). For the decade preceding the War, only women students attended, taking their first two years of study at the Bronx campus, and then transferring to Hunter’s Manhattan campus to complete their undergraduate work.

The campus served as interim headquarters for the newly formed United Nations for six months in 1946. The Security Council’s first American meetings were conducted in the Gymnasium. During festivities honoring the 40th anniversary of the United Nations in 1986, the Southern New York State Division of the United Nations Association presented the College with a commemorative plaque, now displayed outside the Gymnasium Building. The College participated in the United Nations’ 50th anniversary activities in 1995-1996. In 1947, normal collegiate activity resumed at the campus, but in addition to women, the Bronx branch began accepting former servicemen who studied in separate classes. In 1951, the campus became fully coeducational and a four-year curriculum was introduced. The process of separating the Bronx campus from Hunter College into a separate unit began in 1967. Dr. Leonard Lief, Chairman of the English Department, was named Provost and made responsible


https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/lehman-college-7022


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for overseeing the transition. On July 1, 1968, Lehman College began an independent existence with Dr. Lief as President.

New York State’s Board of Higher Education named the new college after Herbert H. Lehman in recognition of the commitment to public service exemplified by the four-time governor of New York, who later was elected U.S. Senator and served as first director-general of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA). The College was formally dedicated on March 28, 1969, the 91st anniversary of Governor Lehman’s birth. Every year, on or about March 28th, the College commemorates the double anniversary by inviting a distinguished speaker to deliver the Herbert H. Lehman Memorial Lecture.

Campus The College is located on a 37-acre campus of neo-Gothic towers and tree-lined walkways across from the historic Jerome Park Reservoir, and centered along a major educational corridor with five neighboring public schools. Through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies, Lehman operates CUNY on the Concourse, an off-campus facility that houses the Bronx Tech incubator, an iTech innovation lab, as well as classrooms and labs for high quality, non-credit certificate programs and workforce development.

Over the past two decades, Lehman has experienced remarkable growth in facilities. These range from: a $15 million Information Technology Center (1999), which distributes effective technology applications; $22 million campus-wide fire, security, and communications system; new main entrance (2003); $16 million Multimedia Center (2010) that supports journalism, new media, and the arts; and Science Hall, a $70 million state-of-the-art teaching and research facility (2013).

Science Hall is the first in a three-phase plan to create a “campus within a campus” devoted to scientific study and research, and develop a STEM pipeline for students from high school through post-Doctoral research.

The 2013 opening of the new 12,000 square-foot, $6.3 million Child Care Center doubled the capacity of the previous center, and the $1.98 million renovation of the Student Life Building in the same year created a modern, upgraded facility for student clubs and programs. The completion in 2017 of the College’s upgraded and expanded central heating, cooling, and power plants has replaced equipment that had exceeded its life expectancy with energy efficient equipment sized to accommodate the campus’ expansion and future facilities. Lehman is home to three major art venues: Lehman Center for the Performing Arts, the Borough’s premier concert hall and one of the City’s finest performing arts centers; Lehman College Art Gallery, bringing significant contemporary art to Bronx and lower Westchester since 1984; and Lehman Stages, comprised of four entities – Lovinger Theater, Studio Theater, Student Experimental Theater, and the Dance Lab – providing rehearsal,


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performance, and conference spaces for arts, civic, and government organizations throughout New York City and beyond. Lehman’s music program offers free concerts open to the community, and the College partners with community organizations to provide special events and performances. The College serves as an engine of economic development and bridge to the surrounding Bronx community through the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), where the Small Business Development Center assists startup Bronx-based and minority-owned businesses. SCPS offers training for high quality certificates and licenses that lead to immediate employment. CUNY on the Concourse provides high tech facilities (business incubator, Virtual Reality training center and labs), and the workforce development team provides customized training to unions and businesses.


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SELF-STUDY METHODOLOGY Intended Outcomes Lehman College of The City University of New York has focused its decennial Self-Study for the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) on actively engaging faculty, staff, and students in preparation for our 50th anniversary, designing a new Strategic Plan, and reimagining higher education in light of ever-evolving challenges and expectations. Featuring robust student enrollment and a variety of new, forward-looking programs – in conjunction with a new and visionary President – our institution approaches the Self-Study process with vigor and intentionality.

Through the lens of seven new accreditation standards and responding to significant changes in institutional leadership, the intended outcomes of this Self-Study are to:

1. Demonstrate with evidence that Lehman College meets and exceeds the Middle States Standards for Accreditation, thereby respectfully requesting reaccreditation by the Commission.

2. Develop specific operational recommendations to strengthen ongoing institutional effectiveness in areas covered by each one of the seven Middle States Standards for Accreditation, laying a solid foundation for our next Strategic Plan for 2020-2025.

3. Leverage the Middle States Self-Study to sharpen our institutional vision, revisit our institutional mission, and align our strategic priorities in the context under which we operate, so to bridge our current state with our stated, ambitious aspirations.

Model for Self-Study After participating in the Town Hall meetings and Self-Study Institute provided by the Middle States Commission and attending the annual Middle States Conference, the Steering Committee resolved to adopt the examples of Collaborative Implementation Project (CIP) institutions and apply the comprehensive model to this Self-Study. It is best aligned with Lehman’s institutional administration changes and preparation for a new Strategic Plan. Accordingly, major goals of this Self-Study are to demonstrate and document the College’s compliance with MSCHE accreditation standards, as well as provide supporting evidence of ongoing progress to map student success goals with resource allocation across the institution. Preparation for the Self-Study Lehman College has been preparing for the Self-Study process since 2015. Steering Committee Co-Chairs held workshops on strategies to improve campus processes and resource allocation. They distributed templates for simple but effective alignment of budget requests related to goals for personnel, equipment, space, supplies, and travel. Attendees included representatives from the Offices of the Vice Presidents of Academic Affairs, Administration and Finance, Information Technology, and Student Affairs. All campus units now submit some form of these documents to ensure resources are aligned with strategic initiatives at every level.


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Further, workshops on the Middle States Self-Study process were held with each School and division, as well as major campus forums (General Faculty meetings, Curriculum Committee, Provost’s Council, Deans’ Council, President’s Cabinet, and College Senate). By Fall 2016, the Steering Committee and all Working Groups had been charged, preliminary meetings to discuss Self-Study design and Working Group goals had occurred, and key constituents attended multiple Town Halls and the MSCHE annual conference. Organizational Structure of the Steering Committee and Working Groups The former President and Provost appointed two Co-Chairs to lead the Self-Study effort and act as liaisons between campus stakeholders and the MSCHE leadership team. The Co-Chairs formulated a Steering Committee representing all aspects of the institution and its constituencies. Working Groups (see Appendix A, Table 1) were comprised of those most closely identified with specific criteria of the Standard, as well as outside members. During Summer 2018, the President resolved to add more faculty members to the Steering Committee to more fully represent the community. He also appointed an Executive Committee (see Appendix A, Table 2) to oversee this body.


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STANDARD I: MISSION AND GOALS The Working Group’s narrative provides analysis of important issues related to mission and goals identified as priorities and strategic initiatives at Lehman College. The group focused on review of the College’s mission in light of its upcoming 50th anniversary and goals of creating a new Strategic Plan. The Working Group examined the extent to which the institution’s mission and goals promote institutional improvement, innovation, and renewal. They considered the mission in light of public expectations of urban institutions, New York State budget realities, and University priorities. Based on this work and input received through campus-wide consultation efforts (Appendix), the Steering Committee approved the information contained in this section. The Mission Statement of Lehman College (I.C1a.,C3) provides a clear description of its purpose within the context of higher education, the diverse students we serve, and desired outcomes we aim to achieve. Lehman’s mission and strategic goals and objectives situate it as a quintessential anchor institution serving the educational and workforce needs of an historically underserved population. The College’s four overarching goals – as outlined in the Strategic Plan (I.C1a., C2) and the President’s Six Points – are linked to the Mission Statement and delineate a defined plan and detailed set of measurable objectives to guide the institution as it fulfills its mission. Alignment of strategic planning and initiatives at every division and unit level with the Mission and Institutional Strategic Plan – in addition to City University of New York’s Strategic Plan – encourages ongoing assessment of the College’s progress towards these goals as part of daily operations in all areas. Annual assessments of institutional performance via the University’s Performance Management Process (PMP) reveal that, despite challenges Lehman faces as CUNY’s only four-year senior college in the Bronx, it remains one of the top performing senior colleges across a wide variety of metrics. Planning and assessment at the division and unit level provide ample evidence of Lehman College’s commitment to its vision and goals, as unit-level behavior compels all areas of the campus to align resources (funding, space, technology, personnel) with mission-centered goals. Strategic planning, resource allocation, and assessment as a means of undertaking everyday activities across campus ensures that Lehman addresses both present challenges and future opportunities as it progresses within the dynamic landscape of higher education and the greater Bronx borough. This Self-Study process provides information needed for our new Strategic Plan and review of our mission to assure that both satisfy this transformative time in higher education and our own dynamic community. The comprehensive investigation and assessment of Lehman College undertaken for this Self-Study provide much necessary discussion and fact-finding that will lay the foundation for the forthcoming Strategic Plan, and most likely, a revised Mission Statement (C4).


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Analysis of Key Issues Related to Meeting the Standard and Criteria Communication and Assessment of the College’s Mission and Goals Mission Statement The College’s mission is to serve the Bronx and surrounding region as an intellectual, economic, and cultural center. Lehman College provides undergraduate and graduate studies in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education within a dynamic research environment, while enhancing diversity and actively engaging students in their academic, personal, and professional development. This Mission Statement – supplemented by Lehman’s first Vision and Values Statements – emerged from recommendations from the Strategic Planning Council’s Three-Year Planning Horizon, 2005-2008, and was approved by the College Senate on May 16, 2007. (IC1a., C1c) Lehman College’s mission is advanced through a series of programs, initiatives, and activities designed to promote a set of mission-aligned, time-contextualized goals articulated in a series of College and University documents after well-established participatory and collaborative processes. Collaboration for Strategic Plan Development In Fall 2008, after the conclusion of the three-year interim plan, establishment of the Strategic Planning Council proposed transition to a new plan. To fulfill its charge of providing a draft ten-year plan, the Council reviewed significant data and reports, engaged in discussions with senior administrators, and conducted Town Hall meetings with faculty, students, staff, and community stakeholders to identify issues, challenges, and opportunities facing the College over the next decade. The Strategic Planning Council Report (January 2010) contains ideas and recommendations emerging from this consultation process. This Report provides substance and context for goals, objectives, and strategies in Achieving the Vision by Building on a Strong Foundation: Strategic Directions for Lehman College, 2010-2020. During Spring 2010, Achieving the Vision was widely shared with the campus community, and approved by the campus at the General Faculty meeting (C1a, C1b, C1c., C1f). Strategic Plan: Achieving the Vision by Building on a Strong Foundation, Strategic Directions for Lehman College, 2010-2020 This Strategic Plan has guided the College’s institutional priorities in four strategic goals: i) excellence in teaching, research, and learning; ii) enhanced student success; iii) greater institutional and financial effectiveness; and, iv) a commitment to engagement and community service. (C1e, C2, C3) Advancement in each strategic area is guided by several objectives described below: The table below identifies the goals and objectives of the current Strategic Plan, Achieving the Vision:


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Table 2: Achieving the Vision Strategic Goals Objectives

GOAL 1: EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING, RESEARCH, AND LEARNING

1.1: Recruit, support, and retain distinguished faculty.

1.2: Support existing academic programs and develop new programs of exceptional quality informed by a rigorous review process.

1.3: Achieve greater external recognition and success of academic programs.

1.4: Enhance existing facilities, promote the efficient use of space, and ensure a well-maintained campus environment that supports teaching, research, learning, and quality of life.

GOAL 2: ENHANCED STUDENT SUCCESS 2.1: Recruit well-prepared, promising, and motivated students of diverse ethnicities and cultures consistent with the College’s mission.

2.2: Strengthen academic resources and student support services.

2.3: Enhance student experience and life on campus.

GOAL 3: GREATER INSTITUTIONAL AND FINANCIAL EFFECTIVENESS

3.1: Integrate institutional planning and assessment to improve effectiveness.

3.2: Strengthen existing sources of revenue support, and create new sources for student and faculty research and outreach programs.

3.3: Increase visibility and alumni engagement.

GOAL 4: COMMITMENT TO ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY SERVICE

4.1: Enrich the community through increased engagement of the College’s resources.

4.2: Improve the health and educational well-being of the community.

4.3: Contribute to the economic vitality of the Bronx and surrounding region.

These goals are realistic, consistent with the College’s mission, and appropriate for an urban-serving public higher education institution. Further, all goals and objectives are integrated and communicated in unit-level planning and initiatives in all academic and administrative areas of the campus. (C2) Figure 1 depicts the timeline for continuous strategic planning and Prioritization activities since the College’s last Middle States Report.


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Figure 1: Lehman College Strategic Planning Timeline

Lehman’s New President and Grand Challenge Following Dr. Ricardo R. Fernández’s 26-year tenure as the second President of Lehman College, Dr. José Luis Cruz was appointed as his successor on August 15, 2016. As the Lehman community prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, it has responded enthusiastically to President Cruz’s grand challenge: double the number of high-quality degrees and certificates earned by students by the year 2030. At its current pace, Lehman is on track to grant 45,000 degrees by 2030. Dr. Cruz’s 90x30 initiative ambitiously proposes doubling this target – redoubling our efforts – to 90,000. The Bronx’s current educational landscape underscores this call to action. Educational attainment rates in the Bronx – the nation’s poorest Congressional district – rank second to last for all 62 New York State counties. Only 27.7% of Bronx residents have an Associate’s degree or higher. For more related data, review: http://www.lehman.edu/90x30/index.php Over the past two years, President Cruz has been guiding the College for the institutional transformation necessary to accomplish the 90x30 challenge. President Cruz: Six Priorities During his first Convocation address in Fall 2016, Dr. Cruz announced his Six Priorities: http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/president-cruz-announces-his-six-point-plan-for-lehman-college/ Clarify our vision and solidify our identity as the nation’s ultimate urban serving institution. Establishing a “robust structure to support the development of a Middle States Self-Study Report

that will meet the standards of our institutional accrediting agency.” Strengthening institutional effectiveness “by pursuing the most promising recommendations in

the school’s Advancing the Vision Report.”

http://www.lehman.edu/90x30/index.php

http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/president-cruz-announces-his-six-point-plan-for-lehman-college/


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Ensuring the “health of Lehman’s enrollments through the development and implementation of an innovative enrollment management plan.”

“Redoubling efforts to increase graduation rates, narrow achievement gaps,” and reducing the amount of time it takes students to graduate.

Diversifying revenue streams in a variety of ways, including working with alumni to “raise funds and build a culture of philanthropy.”

Once this plan was announced, campus leadership resolved to align their divisional planning and resource allocation with these six operational priorities. Embedded in them is adherence to Middle States Standards, as well as acknowledgement of progress made as the result of earlier planning processes. (I.C2) In two subsequent State of the College addresses, President Cruz underscored Lehman College’s role as the “most mission-critical college in the largest urban university,” and indicated we would use three criteria to determine how well we are fulfilling our mission: quality, impact, and scale. Table 3 below provides evidence that there is an explicit connection between our mission and institutional learning goals (I.C3). Table 3: Mission, Vision, and Institutional Learning Goals Alignment

Mission Statement Vision Statement Institutional Learning Goal

• Providing liberal arts and sciences and professional education

• Engaging students in their academic, personal, and professional development

• Promote creative teaching strategies

Critical thinking skills

• Serving the Bronx and surrounding region as an intellectual center



• Off campus access to library resources

Competence within at least one discipline



• A dynamic research environment

• Invigorate faculty and student research

• Prepare Lehman students for science-based careers


• Partnerships

Skills in quantitative reasoning, information literacy, and research




• Multimedia Center will stimulate technological innovation

Outstanding communication skills in diverse media


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• Prepare students to live/work in the global community

• Service-learning and internships

Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team




• Study Abroad and experiential learning

Potential for leadership

• Embracing diversity • Engaging students in their

academic, personal, and professional development



Multicultural, global, and ethical awareness of diverse peoples and communities

While the academic program review process is described in detail under Standard V: Educational Effectiveness Assessment, the Mission and Goals Working Group examined the alignment of Lehman College’s Mission and Vision Statements with academic department mission statements Examples that illustrate alignment between School and department mission and goals are located in Appendix A, Table 3. In President Cruz’s September 2017 Convocation address, he presented Five Priorities for the coming years, leading to articulation of Lehman’s future 2020-2025 Strategic Plan:

1. Lehman will build institutional capacity to not only expand access, increase completion rates, and reduce time to degree, but also to ensure that our graduates become educated, empowered, and engaged members of their communities.

2. Lehman will establish a robust data analytics operation to accelerate the graduation rate gains that in the past five years have established Lehman as the University’s fastest improving senior college.

3. Lehman will optimize our resource allocation practices, continue to increase revenue from grants and contracts, and work to expand our virtual and physical infrastructure.

4. Lehman will double down on the strategies outlined in the Connected CUNY Strategic Framework and our College’s Achieving the Vision Plan — including those strategies designed to better support our faculty’s research, engaged scholarship, and creative activities, and those meant to enhance our students’ career prospects in the knowledge-based economy.


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5. Lehman will continue to solidify its identity as the most important, mission-critical senior college of the world’s greatest urban university.

Processes Used to Assess Mission and Goals (C4) [2009 Self-Study is in Appendix] Since its last Self-Study, Lehman College has developed or refined numerous assessment tools and strategies that inform decision-making from academic and administrative units to the President’s Office: a) Through annual reporting to CUNY’s Chancellor’s Office, Lehman has engaged in ongoing assessment of maintaining direct connection to all campus initiatives b) Lehman is mandated to employ CUNY’s Performance Management Process (PMP) as part of the President’s annual review and for measuring institutional effectiveness c) Lehman has instituted annual and long-term budgeting and planning linked to strategic goals and initiatives d) Lehman has undertaken the new Presidential initiative, 90x30, that articulates five priorities consistent with the four strategic goals from Achieving the Vision and City University’s Strategic Framework.

The College assesses its goals by utilizing the following assessment frameworks: Performance Management Process (PMP) The Performance Management Process – City University of New York’s primary assessment tool – is produced annually by the President’s Office by carefully measuring achievement in meeting the goals of CUNY’s Strategic Framework, in turn aligned with Achieving the Vision. All academic and administrative units report annual outcomes quantifying: student achievement in course completion, retention, graduation, and growth in STEM areas; faculty productivity in innovation and knowledge creation; and exploring new funding models. PMP is a robust process that links planning and goal setting by the University and all its constituent colleges, measuring annual progress towards key initiatives and goals. Guided by CUNY’s Master Plan, the Chancellor charts the University’s goals for each academic year and establishes performance targets with each President. Through academic year 2013-2014, the University focused on nine objectives nested within three goals (http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/oira/institutional/data/current-student-data-book-by-

subject/PMP_University_Data_Book_2018-Final_2018-08-16_v4.pdf). Commencing with its 2014-2015 cycle, PMP was redesigned to concentrate on University and college priorities. It is presently organized into three sections: (1) University Goals; (2) Sector Goals; and (3) College Focus Area Goals. University Goals comprise nine components relevant to most CUNY colleges. Sector Goals acknowledge the differing missions and priorities of senior, comprehensive, and community

http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/oira/institutional/data/current-student-data-book-by-subject/PMP_University_Data_Book_2018-Final_2018-08-16_v4.pdf




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colleges. College Focus Goals stimulate broad consultation with the local college community in order to articulate priorities. The new format identifies standard metrics for annual reporting. To facilitate efforts, CUNY’s Office of Institutional Research and Assessment provides campuses with the year-end Performance Management Process Data Book: http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/oira/institutional/data/current-student-data-book-by-subject/#Accountability Some noteworthy metrics contained in the 2017 PMP and linked directly to both Lehman’s and CUNY’s Strategic Plans include: 1) increase in retention and graduation rates at a higher rate than any other CUNY senior college; 2) dramatic increase in STEM majors (>50% in four years); 3) continuity in providing partially or totally online instruction; 4) increase in grant productivity; 5) doubling of private fundraising support over previous five years; 6) responsiveness to the Bronx community by offering classes in the evenings and on weekends to address needs of the substantial adult population. Appendix Chapter 2-2 provides a comprehensive chart demonstrating alignment of Promising Advancing the Vision/Achieving the Vision Strategies with the CUNY Master Plan: http://lehman.edu/strategic-planning/documents/Aligning-Promising-Advancing-Vision-Chart-11-16.pdf CUNY Master Plan Every four years City University is required by State law to submit a Master Plan to the State Education Department for review and approval by the Board of Regents. Every college contributes ideas and standards to the Master Plan. At Lehman, the Provost solicits goals or concepts from faculty and administrators for potential inclusion. CUNY’s most recent Master Plan (2016-2020) was developed in conjunction with the Strategic Framework, a streamlined version of the Master Plan. The Performance Management Process is then applied by the College to align with CUNY’s goals. See Appendix Chapter 2-3 for PMP Planning for Lehman College, 2017-2018: http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/hr/pmp_goals_2014-15_final_201405301.pdf

PMP process and data are discussed further under Standard VII. CUNY Strategic Framework The CUNY Strategic Framework articulates CUNY’s goals.

1. College Readiness: One of the best predictors of college success is entering prepared for college-level studies. CUNY will work with its partners to help ensure that a larger number of entering students are prepared, starting with early education and assisting them up to and through high school.

2. Access and Completion: To keep pace with the rapid changes of a knowledge-based economy, CUNY will ensure that more New Yorkers are able to attend college and earn degrees.

3. Career Success: CUNY will be an engine of economic development, connecting with workplace partners to ensure that students are prepared for successful careers and leadership in the knowledge-based economy.

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/oira/institutional/data/current-student-data-book-by-subject/#Accountability

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/oira/institutional/data/current-student-data-book-by-subject/#Accountability

http://lehman.edu/strategic-planning/documents/Aligning-Promising-Advancing-Vision-Chart-11-16.pdf

http://lehman.edu/strategic-planning/documents/Aligning-Promising-Advancing-Vision-Chart-11-16.pdf

http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/hr/pmp_goals_2014-15_final_201405301.pdf

http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/hr/pmp_goals_2014-15_final_201405301.pdf


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4. Knowledge Creation: CUNY will invest in and support its faculty’s knowledge creation, research, creative activities, and innovation as engaged scholars, teachers, and members of the community.

5. New Economic Model: CUNY will effectively leverage the public’s investment by redesigning business processes, using existing space more efficiently, and pursuing collaborative efforts to expand our physical reach, and reengineering development operations, while ensuring the University’s financial operations are sound, transparent, and accountable.

Strategy, Policy, and Analytics A new Strategy, Policy, and Analytics (SPA) function has been developed to guide organization of campus resources and data use to strengthen the College’s pursuit of its shared goals. The SPA function contains the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment (OIRPA), which combines Institutional Research, Assessment, and Institutional Effectiveness. The mission of the SPA function is to engage the campus in a data-informed process of continuous improvement. Its vision is to become a national model for using evidence to facilitate transformational change and student success. The SPA function is led by the Assistant Vice President for Strategy, Policy, and Analytics, a newly-created position that reports directly to the President. Over the next few years, the SPA function plans to: guide the campus in an ongoing conversation about data governance; work to fulfill the transactional work of IR and transition to a change leadership role; develop and produce a series of analytics products that center around Lehman’s goals; and foster a culture of evidence-based decision-making, continuous improvement, and assessment. Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment The Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment (OIRPA) serves Lehman College by generating relevant and actionable data to ensure effective coordination with student persistence, grantsmanship, and supporting the institutional mission and related strategic initiatives. The role of IR has recently begun to expand to include strategic planning, goal alignment, and change leadership. Areas of growing importance germane to the role of IR include identifying information needs, translating data into insights that lead to actions, and facilitating the campus in an ongoing dialogue concerning the future of data and analytics. OIRPA is led by the Director of Institutional Research. The Assessment function was established in 2009 and is nested within the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment. Its charge is to coordinate academic and administrative assessment across the campus. The function was created based on recommendations made by Middle States as a result of Lehman’s last Self-Study Report, which encouraged the campus to invest and commit to a deeper culture of assessment. The unit is led by the Academic Assessment Manager, who guides academic Assessment Coordinators, departmental faculty responsible for compiling student learning outcomes and program assessment data. Assessment Coordinators are granted reassigned time to repurpose


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annual assessment data, as well as five-year program data undertaken for Program Reviews, in order for Department Chairs to develop action items for annual resource requests. Student Learning Outcomes plans and findings are uniformly uploaded to Taskstream, an assessment management software. Further, the College has now begun to upload Department Strategic Plans and Mission Statements as supporting evidence. The Institutional Effectiveness function was created to measure Lehman’s progress towards fulfilling its mission and meeting strategic goals. The Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator works with academic, administrative, and student support areas to develop plans to monitor and evaluate programmatic goals. Through collaboration, the results of these evaluations are integrated into campus planning, resource allocation, and decision-making. This is accomplished by providing campus stakeholders with tools to effectively plan and evaluate their performance. Most tasked with academic, administrative, and student support assessment commonly use Taskstream to document evaluation activities. Those not using Taskstream are provided with a standard template that allows them to report key programmatic objectives, linkages of objectives to campus goals, anticipated findings, actual findings, and next steps that result from the evaluation. This helps assure that evaluations and their findings feed into Lehman’s strategic planning efforts. Prioritization During 2013-2016, Lehman College undertook a Prioritization initiative. With elimination of the State’s Compact funding, it was perceived as fiscally prudent to comprehensively evaluate how all resources are allocated to programs and initiatives most closely tied to our mission and Strategic Plan. Accordingly, every academic and administrative unit was requested to submit a detailed analysis of its mission, associated costs, and return on investment (see Appendix for expanded explanation of this process). Two college-wide Task Forces and a Steering Committee reviewed all Prioritization submissions. Prioritization findings were applied to support decisions to separate two academic departments (Math and Computer Sciences, and Journalism, Communications, and Theater), as well as create efficiencies by merging Central Stores with the Mail Room. Several inactive language programs (Greek and Russian) were closed. Unfortunately, Prioritization was ultimately regarded as a flawed and demoralizing process, a top-down initiative from the administration that never achieved sufficient cross-campus buy-in. Nevertheless, the new Provost identified positive strengths in a number of findings, and commissioned a Report to harvest restructuring recommendations that could be implemented in the best interest of students and faculty (see Appendix for submitted Report). Budgetary Alignment One direct consequence of the Prioritization process, however, was introduction of new budgetary procedures explicitly aligned with Lehman’s Strategic Plan. Specifically, the College developed a new Other than Personnel Services (OTPS) formula that allocates resources to


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academic departments based on student enrollment. This evolved into what is now termed smart budgeting, a formula that rewards Departments with high enrollment and large number of majors, determined by headcount of full-time faculty. Acknowledging the scale and diversity of academic programs, the Chairs have enthusiastically welcomed this development, as it addresses perceptions of past inequities in funding across the board. The School Deans have instituted best practices that new funding requests from Chairs must contain justifications tied to how these will advance the College’s mission and annual goals. Further, during 2016-2017, the College established Strategic Initiative Funds with a $200,000 surplus slated to support special projects that enhance the College’s Strategic Plan. Each recipient must submit an Outcomes Report tied to Achieving the Vision components, demonstrating how funds were applied and measuring their impact. As a result, Lehman was able to invest half of this allocation to build staffing for its successful but under-resourced Office of Online Education. The Deans and Chief Librarian were thrilled to be able to apply these additional monies to long-sought priorities. COACHE Survey For the first time in 2015, all CUNY colleges participated in the Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education (COACHE) Survey, which establishes key metrics related to faculty perceptions of the academic working environment. In this iteration, findings demonstrated the career stall experienced by faculty in the Associate Professor rank. During 2016-2017, Lehman’s Interim Provost foregrounded this issue by initiating a discussion group of this cohort, providing mentoring and guidance for them to seek promotion. While this would have established valuable baseline data, the COACHE Working Group resolved not to invest in a follow up survey, but will wait for CUNY’s commitment to underwrite it system-wide in 2019. The COACHE Survey is discussed further under Standard VII. Evaluating Programs That Serve the Bronx Community The College serves its surrounding community (a key component of its mission) through a myriad of program offerings. The Performing Arts Center, a premier cultural facility, presents many musical performances by diverse renowned artists. Frequently referred to as the Lincoln Center of the Bronx, it is the Borough’s largest entertainment facility. Similarly, Lehman’s School for Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) provides community outreach, workforce development, specialized certificate training, and support for small business development. The Bronx Institute, Institute for Literacy Studies, and Center for School/College Collaboratives in the School of Education offer a variety of innovative programs to the Bronx community to address educative needs of students, teachers, and residents. The Bronx Institute’s mission is to further research and advance leadership relevant to improvement of education and quality of life in the Bronx, as well as provide a forum to discuss, analyze, and identify potential solutions to contemporary social, political, cultural, and economic challenges facing this community as well as other urban areas. The Bronx Institute is


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committed to act in cooperation with other academic institutions, community groups, and organizations to develop joint projects, especially those that enrich the educational needs of Bronx students. The Institute is focused on providing services in two areas: youth development and professional development. The work of the Institute for Literacy Studies (ILS) falls into three overlapping areas: literacy education, mathematics education, and school improvement. ILS conducts professional learning, provides site-based support to schools and programs, and conducts and disseminates research studies that draw upon and extend the knowledge of practitioners in school and community settings. The New York City Writing Project (NYCWP) focuses on improvement of literacy teaching and learning in New York City schools. Its programming serves 1,732 teachers and 117,776 students. The New York City Math Project (NYCMP) concentrates on supporting standards-based, student-centered learning in mathematics with equity and access for all students, providing services and opportunities for 1,133 teachers impacting 77,044 students. Its direct service program, the Adult Learning Center, blends the three emphases to provide quality education to 700 Bronx residents each year. The Center for School/College Collaboratives is committed to supplying academic support to high school students from economically disadvantaged and underrepresented minority populations. The STEP program is designed to assist economically disadvantaged secondary school students from DeWitt Clinton High School in acquiring skills needed to pursue courses of study and careers in science and mathematics, technology, and health-related fields. Through the Out-of-School Time Initiative, this program provides a four-week summer bridge at Lehman College, and quality after-school services to ninth graders at Pelham Preparatory Academy. The goal is 100% promotion into the tenth grade. Department and Administrative Annual Reports Strategic initiatives are addressed through collaboration and cooperation with the College’s departmental and administrative units. They produce Annual Reports, which are then aligned with resources (such as new hires and space allocation). Professional and clinically-based programs must produce periodic Self-Studies for accrediting and licensing agencies. Reporting metrics produce valuable data helpful in assessment and planning efforts. Academic Department Mission and Goals While the academic programs review process is described in detail under the Standard V – Educational Effectiveness Assessment, the Mission and Goals Working Group examined alignment of Lehman College’s Mission and Vision Statements with academic departments’ mission statements. Through the Prioritization initiative, academic departments were required to submit their Mission Statement.


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Focus on Institutional Learning Goals In addition to in-depth study in a specific area of interest, Lehman undergraduate students are provided with a liberal arts education intended to empower them with a breadth of knowledge and understanding across the major disciplines. Further, students develop broadly applicable skills such as critical thinking and writing to enhance their capacity for lifelong learning and to strengthen their ability to contribute effectively to our culturally diverse society. The overarching characteristics of a Lehman graduate are: (1) Educated, (2) Empowered, and (3) Engaged. Through Institutional Learning Goals, Lehman graduates will expand the legacy of Herbert H. Lehman as an educated global citizen devoted to lifelong learning, values of honesty and integrity including: strength to follow one’s conscience; civic investment, based on the belief that everyone has a responsibility to help others; collaboration and empathy with others; and a willingness to address complex problems. Figure 2 below depicts the interplay among the characteristics of a Lehman College graduate and Institutional Learning Goals. Figure 2: Characteristics of a Lehman Graduate and Institutional Learning Goals

The Office of Academic Programs, under leadership of the Associate Provost, is responsible for coordination of initiatives related to General Education and Institutional Learning Goals. This office is tasked with systematically gathering and reporting evidence of student learning outcomes and program performance, and in turn applying it to improve educational outcomes.


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The Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment works in tandem with Academic Programs and supports these operations. The Mission and Goals Working Group engaged in an exercise to map each Institutional Learning Goal to relevant language in the College’s Mission and Vision Statements. Please refer to Standard III for more detail. Table 5: Mission, Vision, and Institutional Learning Goals Alignment

Mission Statement Vision Statement Institutional Learning Goal

• Providing liberal arts and sciences and professional education within a dynamic research environment


• Invigorate faculty and student research

• Prepare Lehman students for science-based careers

• Off campus access to library resources

• Multimedia Center will stimulate technological innovation

• Competence within at least one discipline

• Critical thinking skills • Skills in quantitative

reasoning, information literacy, and research

• Outstanding communication skills in diverse media



• Embracing diversity





• Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team

• Potential for leadership • Multicultural, global, and

ethical awareness of diverse peoples and communities

Lehman College engages in a comprehensive array of activities and initiatives to advance and achieve its Institutional Learning Goals. Appendix Chapter 2-4 provides a comprehensive chart with examples of the range of academic and administrative support programs and services for each Institutional Learning Goal. Self-Study Outcomes Analysis Lehman College has a clearly defined mission and set of strategic goals that: a) have been developed through appropriate collaborative participation; b) address external as well as internal contexts; c) are approved and supported by appropriate governing bodies; d) guide decision-making; e) support scholarly inquiry and creative activity; f) are publicized and widely known by stakeholders; and g) are periodically evaluated. Lehman has established that its institutional goals are realistic, appropriate to higher education, consistent with our mission, and periodically assessed to ensure they are relevant and


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achievable. Furthermore, the College’s and University’s goals clearly foreground student learning, student success outcomes, and institutional improvement through intentional administrative, educational, and student support programs and services. Indeed, Lehman is a proud catalyst for economic and social mobility for its students, almost half of whom are first generation college students. Proof that Lehman is delivering on its mission is that it has been ranked as having the fourth highest economic mobility rate in the nation by the National Bureau of Economic Research and the Equality of Opportunity Project. (Appendix) Evidence that organizational structures and processes Lehman has established to ensure its investments of time, talent, energy, and resources are well aligned with goals and objectives the College and University have set forth to advance their missions is captured by some noteworthy metrics reflected in the College’s 2017 Performance Management Process:

1. Among senior colleges, Lehman had the largest increase in graduation rates for first-time (8.8 percentage points) and transfer students (5.8 percentage points), and has the highest graduation rate for transfer students (58.6%).

2. Lehman increased the number of STEM majors by more than 500 students (>50% since 2012) (799 STEM majors in 2012 vs. 1,227 majors in 2016).

3. Lehman continues to be the University’s leader in online education. More than 20% of FTEs are generated in online or partially online courses, which is more than 2.5 times higher than the University average (8%).

4. Lehman is the only senior college to experience an increase in the number of awarded research grants since 2012.

5. Lehman has nearly doubled the amount of voluntary monetary support it received or has been pledged from five years earlier ($5.3 vs. $10.3M).

6. Lehman provides the most opportunity for students to enroll in classes at non-traditional hours. Lehman offers the highest percentage of FTEs in the evening and on weekends within the University.

Over the years, the College has made substantial progress to respond to the goals of its Achieving the Vision Strategic Plan, and has sought to address the most promising recommendations of its 2016 Advancing the Vision Program Prioritization Report. A few significant accomplishments in the 2016-2017 academic year are listed below:

• Lehman opened the first Virtual and Augmented Reality Academy and Lab in the region, a public/private partnership with Eon Reality, Inc. The academy is housed at Lehman’s School of Continuing and Professional Studies. (Goal 4: Commitment to Engagement and Community Service)

• Lehman received a $660K grant from the Economic Development Corporation to provide additional workforce development opportunities as part of a three-year partnership with New York University. NYU recently opened a new Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality Lab at Brooklyn Navy Yard. The grant is intended to help establish New York City as a center of excellence in the emerging VR/AR sector. (Goal 4: Commitment to Engagement and Community Service)

• Efforts to expand Lehman’s internationalization and global partnerships have resulted in Lehman in the Provinces: Strategic and Intentional Academic Partnerships with Cuban Universities, a comprehensive, collaborative project with two Cuban universities that includes research, teaching, and short-term study abroad. This initiative has been recognized with a


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grant from the Marlene M. Johnson Innovation Challenge for U.S.-Cuba, Caribbean, and Central American Academic Mobility to support its implementation in 2017-2018. (Goal 1: Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Learning, and Goal 2: Enhanced Student Success)

• An interdisciplinary workgroup was established to create a signature program in experiential learning to support student learning, persistence, and graduation. (Goal 2: Enhanced Student Success)

• Facilities have been renovated and repurposed to promote efficient use of space and ensure a well-maintained campus environment that supports teaching, research, learning, and quality of life. (Goal 1: Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Learning)

• Lehman secured a $3 million New York City Tech Talent Pipeline (TTP) award. TTP connects qualified undergraduate computer science students to internships with industry leaders looking for specially trained technology employees, and engages faculty and career advisors in ongoing work to align the College’s technology education offerings with industry demand, where appropriate. (Goal 2: Enhanced Student Success)

In 2014, the Art Department was awarded a CUNY 2020 grant as part of a joint effort with Hostos Community College and Macaulay Honors College. The total grant amount of $4.6 million is for a multi-campus media program that will lead to creation of new businesses and diverse employee candidate pool ready to work in New York City companies. The grant, which paid for a Media Jobs Incubator and Innovation Lab in the Bronx, includes capital funds of $801,976 for renovation of the Art Department’s computer labs, as well as funds for state-of-the-art hardware, software, and other equipment. The facilities and equipment will support a program that will serve as a bridge between Hostos, Lehman, and Macaulay: students will participate in a course sequence that covers digital media production and design, transmedia (cross-platform) storytelling, marketing and branding, and media business. The sequence lasts four semesters and is part seminar, part studio, and part hands-on experiential learning. The first semester is an introductory digital media production class that currently exists at Hostos and Lehman (the second semester class also currently exists at Hostos). The third and fourth semesters are currently running as Lehman classes on the Macaulay campus: http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/fpcm/2020challenge/nycuny2020/ http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Home-Page-Content/News/Hostos-Secures-Two-Large-State-Grants-To-Expand-An

(Goal 4: Commitment to Engagement and Community Service) • Investments totaling $807,420 were approved to advance many of the operational priorities and

strategic initiatives described in the 2016 Advancing the Vision Program Prioritization Report. These investments were made possible by our College’s healthy enrollment levels, sustained fiscal discipline, and hard work of faculty and staff, and were made to accelerate our progress and position us well for the challenges that lie ahead. Approved investments in operational priorities include: phased upgrades of faculty office space; computer lab upgrades; replacement of outdated computers for faculty and staff; and improvements to wireless access in Shuster Hall. Approved investments in Strategic Initiatives include enhanced support services for faculty teaching online and hybrid courses, and for initiatives that will accelerate progress on strategic goals in the areas of: excellence in teaching, research, and learning; enhanced student success; greater institutional and financial effectiveness; and commitment to engagement and community service. (Goal 3: Greater Institutional and Financial Effectiveness)

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/fpcm/2020challenge/nycuny2020/

http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Home-Page-Content/News/Hostos-Secures-Two-Large-State-Grants-To-Expand-An

http://www.hostos.cuny.edu/Home-Page-Content/News/Hostos-Secures-Two-Large-State-Grants-To-Expand-An


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Lastly, Lehman College’s objective to become the top contributor to educational attainment in the Bronx by the year 2030 is off to an impressive start as the College has registered an annual increase of 7.5% in the number of degrees awarded in each of the past two years. Moving forward, Lehman College is strongly committed to its role as an anchor institution serving the people, communities, and economy of the Bronx. We aspire to accomplish this by developing a culture of evidence, continuous improvement, and strategy. Lehman can build on its reputation for academic innovation by serving the higher education needs of our community’s diverse and evolving demographics to prepare graduates for the challenges of a knowledge-based economy. Recommendations

1. Over the past decade, Lehman College’s current Mission has been a driver and inspiration. In fact, based on a recent study by a Stanford University team of economists led by Raj Chetty, Lehman College ranked fourth nationally among colleges with the highest social mobility rate, moving students from the bottom 40% of the economic ladder to the top 40%. However, given compromised educational attainment levels in the Bronx, our work is far from complete. Responding to President Cruz’s 90x30 initiative, the College must charge a Task Force to refresh its mission to more effectively respond to our values, passion, and commitment – as well as external challenges.

2. Following from this, all departments and units should review and adjust their existing Mission Statements to align with this revised document.

3. The College must attain 100% compliance in published Mission Statements for each department and administrative unit.

4. CUNY’s Performance Management Process (PMP) should be restructured to align with MSCHE’s Seven Standards.

5. Compiled Recommendations from this Self-Study should become roadmap to develop 2020-2025 Strategic Plan.


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STANDARD II: ETHICS AND INTEGRITY Introduction Ethics and integrity are essential to the mission and identity of Lehman College. Both are reflected in daily institutional operations, and guided by federal and state laws and University policies and procedures. Lehman College ensures ethics and integrity are embedded in all practices related to research and instruction, administration, financial operations, and student achievement. Effective communication of expectations for ethics and integrity are relayed to all stakeholders through campus documents such as: Faculty Handbook (II.C1.11); Student Handbook (II.C1.12); college website; and student achievement/consumer information, where students and their families can find reports, policies, and data to make an informed decision about attending Lehman College. In addition, certain designated faculty and administrators are required to complete ethics training in compliance with New York State Joint Commission of Public Ethics (JCOPE) regulations. Academic Freedom (II.C1) Lehman College’s academic freedom policies adhere to principles established by the American Association of University Professors in its 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure. The College Senate endorsed University of Chicago’s 2015 Statement on Academic Freedom on March 8, 2017, and approved Lehman’s own revised Statement on Academic Freedom on November 15, 2017. The latter statement was also approved by the General Faculty on November 29, 2017. At its May 9, 2018 meeting, the College Senate passed a resolution that official College responses to inquiries about statements or opinions by members of the Lehman community be guided by the College’s Statement on Academic Freedom, and by specific wording adopted by the Senate:

Lehman College is deeply committed to upholding the values of Academic Freedom, and does not attempt to control the personal opinions, or the public expression of the opinions, of any member of the Lehman community. Public colleges have an important role in society as institutions where novel and even controversial ideas can be proposed, tested, and debated by members of the community. [Name] does not speak for Lehman College; however, the College will continue to assert vigorously the rights of all members of the Lehman community to publish and discuss their ideas freely, within the law.

In the future, the Senate Academic Freedom Committee resolves to promote general understanding of academic freedom by prominently posting its recent Statement on the college website. The Committee plans to invite speakers to give public lectures to the college community on related issues. Sources used to inform this document are as follows, with full representation in the Appendix:

a. Statement of the Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, AAUP, 1940/1970: https://www.aaup.org/file/1940%20Statement.pdf

https://www.aaup.org/file/1940%20Statement.pdf


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b. University of Chicago Report of the Committee on Freedom of Expression, January 2015: https://provost.uchicago.edu/sites/default/files/documents/reports/FOECommitteeReport.pdf

c. Report of the Lehman College Senate Committee on Academic Freedom, November 15, 2017: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/academic-freedom.php

Academic Freedom Committee e-mail records provided to the Working Group, 2017. Respectful Campus Climate (II.C2) The College is committed to a campus climate that fosters respect and understanding among students, faculty, staff, and administration, providing the highest quality education in a caring and supportive environment where respect, integrity, creativity, and diversity contribute to individual achievement and the transformation of lives and communities. The Office of Compliance and Diversity, part of the President’s Office, serves as a community resource for diversity, equal opportunity, and affirmative action. The Strategic Plan for Faculty Diversity advances initiatives for three goals: Goal 1: Foster a campus climate that respects and values diverse perspectives and identities, and where all members of the community experience a remarkable sense of belonging. Goal 2: Refine and strengthen the search process to recruit an excellent and diverse faculty. Goal 3: Retain diverse faculty and maximize the likelihood of tenure and promotion. Lehman offers a variety of campus resources to build community among our diverse student body. This includes Safe Zone training (LGBTQ+ awareness), as well as a wide array of cultural events and performances in the Performing Arts Center. The Office of Campus Life sponsors over 60 student clubs and organizations ranging from academic societies to co-curricular, social, social justice/advocacy, and pre-professional groups. The Office of Campus Life works with student groups, academic departments, and student support offices to coordinate events and activities that celebrate the history, culture, and contributions of diverse groups. Women’s History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Ramadan, Disability Awareness Month, and African American History Month reflect some of the major events recognized and celebrated during the academic year. Further, Lehman is currently participating in a special University-wide effort sponsored by the Chancellor’s Office to promote interfaith dialogue. Responding to requests to support the needs of faith-based student groups, the College is completing renovation of a multi-use Reflection Room in the Library to provide a designated, quiet space for all to rest, reflect, and meditate. Lehman’s Study Abroad Program fosters respect for cultural diversity and offers students opportunities to participate in Lehman faculty-led academic exchanges to many different parts of the world. The College currently hosts four international programs (New York/Paris Exchange Program; Institute d’Administration des Entreprises at Universite de Montpellier II; School of Business Management of Nanyang Polytechnic; Sungshin Women’s University (Seoul, South Korea) and has sponsored service-learning projects through the Office of Community

https://mail.lehman.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=RL3fKyQpos6zRBQQjkdwEedOVFfdXNlIgwvXhSidZ1Jk0dDtCf7VCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fprovost.uchicago.edu%2fsites%2fdefault%2ffiles%2fdocuments%2freports%2fFOECommitteeReport.pdf

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/academic-freedom.php


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Engagement. The College is currently launching a fifth Study Abroad program in conjunction with Bronx Community College at Wroxton College, Oxfordshire, UK. The service projects supported by the Office of Community Engagement bring students to different parts of the country and the world. Students who participate are exposed to many different kinds of people, cultures, and situations. These experiences improve students’ ability to understand the needs and motivations of others, and empathize with those who lead very different lives. Along with breaking down stereotypes, community service work helps students recognize that those they are helping and working with share a common humanity, and in the most important ways are no different from themselves. Title IX Training and Compliance The work of the Title IX Compliance Officer is supported by the Office of the Vice President for Student Affairs. The Student Affairs Office coordinates training and education for students to prevent sexual harassment, gender harassment, and sexual violence. University policies, Students’ Bill of Rights, community resources, information on where to seek help and complaint forms are available at http://www1.cuny.edu/sites/title-ix/campus/lehman-college/. Staff has received special training to help students facing issues related to sexual harassment and sexual violence. The following chart identifies student satisfaction rates regarding interactions with other students and college staff, and with members of the campus community of different races, religions, economic backgrounds, or political views.

Table 2: 2014 National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Results

NSSE Survey Items

% Satisfied

First-year Students Seniors

Quality of interactions with students 61% 63%

Quality of interactions with academic advisors

51% 47%

Quality of interactions with faculty 49% 60%

Quality of interactions with student services staff (career services, student activities, housing, etc.) 43% 45%

Quality of interactions with other administrative staff and offices (Registrar, Financial Aid, etc.) 41% 34%

http://www1.cuny.edu/sites/title-ix/campus/lehman-college/


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Discussion with people from a race or ethnicity other than your own 88% 78%

Discussion with people from religious backgrounds other than your own 79% 69%

Discussion with people from economic backgrounds other than your own 83% 67%

Discussion with people with political views other than your own 68% 62%

Source: 2014 NSSE Survey Results (pp. 8-9; 12-13)

The College is implementing policy and procedural steps to improve satisfaction rates for student interaction with faculty and staff. Both first-year students and seniors consistently report a fairly high satisfaction rate for discussions with individuals from a race, ethnicity, religious background, or economic status different from their own. Complaint Procedures (II.C3) Faculty, staff, students and, in some instances, visitors to the campus can learn more about CUNY/Lehman policies and procedures from the website’s College Policies page: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/policies.php. Each policy provides guidance to ensure members of the campus community direct concerns to the appropriate offices/individuals.

o Ethics The University Office of Legal Affairs (http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-

affairs/ethics/) issues the CUNY Ethics Bulletin and provides guidance on ethics-related issues such as: outside activities; financial disclosure for faculty; honoraria; CUNY faculty and expert testimony; or other services. The New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics tip line is used to report misconduct, with a link prominently displayed on the CUNY Legal Affairs website. The University Office of Legal Affairs also handles ethical complaints. At Lehman, ethics training and guidance are under the purview of the Office of Special Counsel (http://www.lehman.edu/special-counsel/index.php), which provides a range of legal services and support to the President, College officials, departments, and related entities. Counsel to the President/Labor Designee is the College’s Records Access Officer, Ethics Officer, and secretary to the College Senate and Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget. The Office handles labor relations complaints for faculty and administrative staff. In conjunction with Human Resources, it addresses labor relations complaints for civil service titles. Special Counsel responds to Freedom of Information (FOIL) requests, oversees financial disclosure and compliance regulations, and serves as College liaison to the New York State Attorney General’s Office.

http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/documents/2014-NSSE-Engagement_Indicators_Lehman.pdf

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/policies.php

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/ethics/

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/ethics/

http://www.lehman.edu/special-counsel/index.php


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All New York State employees required to file an annual Financial Disclosure Statement must complete a Comprehensive Ethics Training Course (Executive Law section 94). The Agency Ethics Officer is responsible for entering training completion dates for employees into the JCOPE FDS Filing system. Lehman’s Ethics Officer conducted training workshops in October and November 2017. A total of 156 employees attended campus onsite training; two others attended offsite training. All learned about conflict of interest rules and regulations, including specific reference to the statutory language used. This was in response to New York State Inspector General’s investigation of financial practices and record keeping throughout The City University of New York system. Individuals who do not administer grants or hold policymaking or decision-making positions can file for an exemption from all JCOPE requirements. The Joint Commission on Public Ethics grants these exemptions.

o Complaints of Infringement on Academic Freedom The Senate Academic Freedom Committee (http://lehman.edu/college-senate/academic-

freedom.php) monitors and investigates allegations regarding infringement of academic freedom. After examination and deliberation, the Committee makes recommendations to the appropriate individuals. Lehman’s Office of Ombudsman may also provide support as an impartial forum for academic freedom and other disputes. Equal Opportunity The CUNY Policy on Equal Opportunity and Non-Discrimination, applicable to all colleges and units, is to “recruit, employ, retain, promote, and provide benefits to employees (including paid and unpaid interns) and to admit and provide services for students without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, age, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, marital status, partnership status, disability, genetic information, alienage, citizenship, military or veteran status, status as a victim of domestic violence/stalking/sex offenses, unemployment status, or any other legally prohibited basis in accordance with federal, state, and city laws.” It is the University’s policy to provide reasonable accommodation when appropriate to individuals with disabilities, individuals observing religious practices, employees who have pregnancy or childbirth-related medical conditions, or employees who are victims of domestic violence/stalking/sex offenses. The Policy prohibits retaliation for reporting or opposing discrimination, or cooperating with an investigation of a discrimination complaint. Important human resources practices that assure fairness are reflected in sections of the collective bargaining agreement between: Professional Staff Congress and the University; Blue and White Collar collective bargaining agreements; CUNY Civil Service Rules and Regulations; University Board of Trustees Bylaws; and University Higher Education Office guidelines. These function as key documents in the employer-employee relationship.

http://lehman.edu/college-senate/academic-freedom.php

http://lehman.edu/college-senate/academic-freedom.php


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Fair and Impartial Human Resources Practices (II.C5) The final language in the Memorandum of Agreement for the 2010-2017 collective bargaining agreement between Professional Staff Congress and the University has not been incorporated into the contract and published as of this date. However, there are final published collective bargaining agreements between the University and the unions representing white collar and blue collar staff, which contain no changes to processes for hiring, promotion, or separation. In 2017, the University adopted a policy in compliance with New York City and State law to address salary equity for hires and promotions. Previous salary history is no longer factored in the salary offered to new faculty and staff, or in their promotions. This effectively ends the practice of salary suppression based on previous employment history. The most recent agreement between Professional Staff Congress and CUNY provides more opportunities for Higher Education Officer (HEO) series staff to seek salary advancement and promotional opportunities. These processes address concerns of salary inequity.

o The Office of Compliance and Diversity Contained in the President’s Office, Compliance and Diversity serves as a resource to the college community for issues of diversity, equal opportunity, and affirmative action. It implements the CUNY Policy on Sexual Misconduct, Policy on Non-Discrimination, and Title IX protocols. In addition, it advises search committees how to bring recruitment to a successful conclusion. The Office prepares the annual Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Report, as well as progress report on the Strategic Plan for Faculty Diversity. All discrimination and sexual misconduct complaints are addressed in accordance with governing policy. The Office provides briefings and professional development training to facilitate comprehension of the University’s policies and complaint procedures.

o Grievances Faculty complaints are handled promptly by Human Resources and the Chapter Chair of Professional Staff Congress (PSC-CUNY; faculty union). More serious ones, such as violation of the contract, are handled by the Chapter Chair and College officials. Complaints by employees in the classified service are handled by their union representatives and Human Resources. In cases of formal grievances, such as denial of tenure or promotion, non-reappointment, or disciplinary action, the Professional Staff Congress (http://www.psc-cuny.org/rights/grievance-

process) (Article 20 of the contract), CUNY, and Office of Special Counsel are involved.

o Student Complaints Lehman’s written policies and procedures are fair, impartial, and transparent, and address complaints and issues in a timely and equitable manner. A number of CUNY and Lehman policies address student-related issues. Each academic department and administrative unit has been requested to develop its own form, follow consistent procedures, and maintain written documentation of the process.

http://www.psc-cuny.org/rights/grievance-process

http://www.psc-cuny.org/rights/grievance-process


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o Grade Appeals If no resolution is reached after discussion with the instructor, grade grievance appeals are submitted to the Department Chair. Appeals must be filed within nine weeks after the start of the following semester in which the grade was given. The final decision is binding. (Student Handbook, http://www.lehman.edu/student-affairs/documents/Student-Handbook-Lehman-College-9-24-18.pdf).

o Other Appeals

The Office of Academic Standards and Evaluation approves all academic modifications to official student records, including grade changes, permits, course substitutions, waivers and exemptions, credit by examination, and requests for Study Abroad equivalencies. The Committee on Admission and Standing, housed in the Office of Academic Standards and Evaluation, hears appeals and adjudicates decisions on readmission and dismissal appeals, CUNY F Policy variance substitutions, tuition refunds, withdrawal after the posted deadline, medical withdrawals, TAP (New York State) waivers, and SAP (federal financial aid) appeals.

o Academic Integrity The CUNY Policy on Academic Integrity covers cheating, plagiarism, obtaining unfair advantage, and falsification of records or official documents. Complaints alleging violation of the Academic Integrity Policy are processed by the Academic Integrity Officer. If the College resolves to pursue disciplinary action, the case is processed under Article XV of the CUNY Bylaws. When the case is not resolved through mediation, it is referred to the College’s Faculty-Student Disciplinary Committee.

o Student Judicial Issues Lehman College maintains clear policies regarding the University student code of conduct and procedures for adjudicating complaints and violations based on University regulations detailed in the following websites: http://policy.cuny.edu/bylaws/article-xv/ http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/ovsa/policies/

o Student Complaints About Faculty Conduct in Academic Settings

Lehman College observes CUNY’s Procedures for Handling Student Complaints About Faculty in Academic Settings in cases other than those protected by academic freedom: https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/la/PROCEDURES_FOR_HANDLING_STUDENT_COM

PLAINTS.pdf. Students should first discuss their complaint with the Student Affairs Officer, who can advise them on applicable procedures. While informal resolution with the faculty member is encouraged, assistance from the academic Chair may also be sought. If the student doesn’t wish to pursue informal resolution, or if it fails, the complaint may transition to a formal complaint. The Department Chair then becomes the Fact Finder following strict procedures described in the policy to attempt to resolve the complaint. Assistance might also be enlisted from the Office of the Ombudsman.

http://www.lehman.edu/student-affairs/documents/Student-Handbook-Lehman-College-9-24-18.pdf


http://policy.cuny.edu/bylaws/article-xv/

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/ovsa/policies/

https://mail.lehman.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=OPbRcmR6jqUPRbkF8BJ4PG1fdHy3ojgAJdl5yxCq4uAkthC5-v3VCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cuny.edu%2fabout%2fadministration%2foffices%2fla%2fPROCEDURES_FOR_HANDLING_STUDENT_COMPLAINTS.pdf

https://mail.lehman.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=OPbRcmR6jqUPRbkF8BJ4PG1fdHy3ojgAJdl5yxCq4uAkthC5-v3VCA..&URL=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cuny.edu%2fabout%2fadministration%2foffices%2fla%2fPROCEDURES_FOR_HANDLING_STUDENT_COMPLAINTS.pdf


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Further steps handling the formal complaint and bringing the matter to resolution include deliberations with the parties, timelines, written reports, and appeals. Conflict of Interest (II.C4) The CUNY Conflict of Interest Policy is Article VI Legal, Section 6.01 of the CUNY Manual of General Policy. The Conflict of Interest Policy consists of six sections: Section 1 is the General Statement of Policy. Section 2 (General Standards of Conduct) is based primarily on provisions in NYS Public Officers Law §§ 73 and 74 (NYS Joint Commission on Public Ethics, http://www.jcope.ny.gov). Section 3 explains rules regarding hiring, employment and contracting decisions, and supervisory responsibility involving family members. Section 4 applies to all research projects regardless of funding source and sets forth situations that require disclosure. Section 5 is the Policy on Faculty Assigning for Purchase Their Own Works in Classrooms. Section 6 Miscellaneous outlines records retention requirements and sanctions for failing to comply.

The Policy also describes responsibilities of the University Conflicts Committee (review and management of financial conflicts of interest, composition of the committee, meetings, authority, and decisions), and defines various terms used in the Policy.

o Research Compliance Effective August 1, 2012, all CUNY faculty members, post-Doctoral researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students involved in research-related activities are required to complete the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative’s (CITI) Responsible Conduct of Research training module prior to conducting research. In continued efforts to ensure CUNY is in compliance with all federal, state, and city regulations regarding responsible conduct of research, the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research has mandated that all new internal and external grant proposals be accompanied by a valid CITI Responsible Conduct of Research training certificate. The National Institutes of Health mandates that “each Investigator must complete training prior to engaging in research related to any PHS-funded grant or contract and at least every four years, and immediately under the designated circumstances: institutional Financial Conflict of Interest (FCOI) policies change in a manner that affects Investigator requirements; an Investigator is new to an Institution; an Institution finds an Investigator noncompliant with Institution’s FCOI policy or management plan.” To comply with this requirement, current Principal Investigators or prospective Principal Investigators must complete the Conflict of Interest training module in the CITI portal. In order for grant proposals submitted on behalf of Lehman College to receive due consideration, the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs urges all PIs to submit proposals

http://www.jcope.ny.gov/


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at least five business days in advance of the deadline. The Provost’s Office hired a Research Program Manager to certify that all grant-funded projects at Lehman are in compliance with the Institutional Review Board (IRB), Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC), Institutional Biosafety Committee (IBC), and Responsible Conduct in Research policies and procedures. Honesty and Truthfulness in Public Relations and Communications (II.C6) Lehman College is committed to communicating accurate information to internal and external audiences in all communication vehicles – web, social media, press releases, advertisements and job postings, print materials, and videos. During development of these materials, all content is reviewed by senior administrators to guarantee accuracy and congruence with Lehman policies. All student testimonials (in brochures, videos, and social media) are delivered by students who volunteer to participate. Appropriate releases permitting Lehman to use student likenesses and testimonials for college purposes is secured. Responses to media inquiries are routed through a chain of command within the unit, and then reviewed by senior administrators. The Office of Media Relations and Publications immediately contacts a news outlet if inaccurate information is reported, and amends incorrect social media and web posts. Students are provided with vital information regarding Student Achievement/Consumer Information/Student Right to Know: http://www.lehman.edu/students/consumer-information/index.php

Affordability, Value Received, and Student Financial Literacy (II.C7, C7a.) The Financial Aid Office takes the lead in helping students procure necessary funding to undertake their education at Lehman College. Their website (http://www.lehman.edu/financial-

aid/index.php) provides comprehensive information clearly stating tuition and fees, government loans, and formulas for anticipated expenditures. This is essential reading for all students: new, continuing, out of state, and transfer. The Financial Aid Office offers several FAFSA application filing workshops for new and continuing students, along with participating in all College events for incoming students such as Orientations and Information Sessions. These events include discussion of the application process for Federal and New York State aid (FAFSA and TAP), scholarships, and Work-Study. The Office manages a designated computer lab with trained staff to assist students with the financial aid application process. Financial Aid counselors advise prudent and responsible borrowing when necessary to facilitate persistence and reduce time to degree. Lehman ranked in the top 25 colleges in the country with low debt, according to new research published by Forbes based on data collected from College Scorecard (Lehman ranked 21st, one of only three public institutions to make the list). The average loan indebtedness of a Lehman graduate is $12,441. In New York State, the average student loan burden is more than $30,000. The loan default rate is 6.6%. Information

http://www.lehman.edu/students/consumer-information/index.php


http://www.lehman.edu/financial-aid/index.php



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about loan repayment options is provided during individual counseling sessions and on the Office website, currently being updated to include more detailed information about workshops and events. In terms of value, the most compelling evidence of Lehman’s success is National Bureau of Economic Research’s 2017 report, Equality of Opportunity Study, that commends the College’s high economic mobility rate for moving 36.8% of our graduates into the top 40% of income earners. Lehman ranks #4 nationwide as an engine for moving students into the middle class. This is a remarkable achievement, considering that 64.5% of our students come from families in the bottom 40% of income distribution (New York Times, January 8, 2017). Lehman’s tuition cost is the lowest of the senior colleges in the Bronx and much more affordable than private colleges such as Fordham University and the (for-profit) Monroe College. Scholarships

o Office of Prestigious Awards The Office of Prestigious Awards (OPA), established in 2016, supports students as they apply for nationally competitive scholarships and fellowships funded by foundations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies to help underwrite graduate school, research, and other scholarly pursuits. In 2016-2017, 28 students won 34 awards totaling $607,534. During 2018 (through May), 40 students were offered 58 awards totaling over $1.1 million to facilitate graduate school, language acquisition, study abroad, research, and related scholarly activities. Students who avail themselves of OPA’s services actively engage in critical discussion about their scholarly pursuits, which aids them in developing comprehensive career and academic goals. As a result, they are better equipped to: articulate their career goals; apply this knowledge to plan next steps in their academic journey; pursue professional development opportunities to explore academic interests; work with mentors and peers to further clarify academic interests; improve essay writing, interview, and presentation skills; and identify funding opportunities to pursue scholarly and creative interests. This year students accessing the Office’s services won awards such as the Fulbright Fellowship, Jeannette K. Watson Fellowship, Benjamin A. Gilman Scholarship, National Science Foundation Undergraduate Research Award, Public Policy and International Affairs Fellowship, and fellowships to fully fund Doctoral studies, as well as awards to fund other graduate and professional schools. Since OPA’s inception, an unprecedented number of students have applied to prestigious and nationally competitive awards. While no students applied for Fulbright grants in 2015, by 2018, fifteen students had applied for them. Similarly, applications for Jeannette K. Watson grants increased from three in 2015 to 92 in 2017.


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The Office of Prestigious Awards has changed the culture of awards on campus by starting the conversation on nationally competitive and prestigious awards even before students start as freshmen. It conducts application workshops with incoming freshmen through the SEEK and Pathways to Student STEM Success programs during the summer before matriculation. Further, OPA hosts annual winter and summer break application boot camps where students learn about prestigious and nationally competitive awards and are supported through the application process. As an example, in 2017, fifteen students attended the winter boot camp and applied for summer development grants, including National Science Foundation research experiences for undergraduates (REUs), summer pre-medical preparation opportunities like MonteHOP and NERA, and business and economics opportunities like SEO and Inroads. In 2018, 27 students attended the winter boot camp. OPA also helps students prepare for graduate school, specifically pursuing funding that students need to make attendance possible. In 2018, the Office worked with four students who were accepted into fully funded PhD programs. It also supported students who applied to professional school and Master’s degree programs with varying degrees of funding. Accordingly, OPA assists students apply for funding for programs like the CUNY Pipeline PhD prep program and PPIA, among others. The Office hosts admissions personnel from graduate programs and professional schools, which helps demystify the process for juniors and seniors, as well as provides freshmen and sophomores with understanding of the various eligibility requirements they need to successfully apply to graduate and professional schools. In Fall 2018, OPA launched its first mentorship program, which pairs incoming freshmen with upper class mentors who have already won awards in various disciplines. So far, 55 students have registered for mentors and 20 mentors have volunteered to participate. Students in the mentoring program must apply to at least five awards each year to work towards meeting eligibility of their respective graduate or professional programs as they progress through college. To support mentees, OPA hosts graduate school test prep workshops, outstanding Lehman alumni, skills workshops, networking events, writing programs, and panels with directors and program staff from nationally competitive and prestigious awards. Students are required to attend at least three events each semester. Students, faculty, and staff who contribute to the program’s success and win awards are recognized at the end of the Spring semester.

o Macaulay Honors Program and Lehman Scholars Macaulay Honors Program and Lehman Scholars students, entering directly from high school, receive four-year scholarships and benefit from an academic environment founded on excellence and a spirit of collaborative learning. Core curricula are seminar-based. Semi-annually, full-time Lehman faculty submits seminar proposals selected by a board of readers. Students value learning from world-class faculty, and may take any course for one additional credit, allowing them to study in enhanced depth.


35

o Excelsior Scholarships New York State’s Excelsior Scholarship Program, initiated by Governor Cuomo, functions as a further positive indicator of Lehman’s affordability: https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior-

scholarship.html. The State extends free tuition to full-time students living in households with incomes below $110,000. Other funding qualifications include: mandated annual 30 credits/year; projected graduation within four years; and post-graduate residency in New York State. Nevertheless, in Fall 2017 149 Lehman students were awarded Excelsior Scholarships, receiving $282,294.45. As of Spring 2018, 122 students received a total of $231,428.21 through the Excelsior Program. Beyond other financial aid prospects, this scholarship incentivizes students to complete their degrees on time, lighten their future student loan debt, and ease the path to employment and economic autonomy.

o Aid for Part-Time Study (APTS) APTS is New York State-funded campus-based tuition grant assistance for part-time students. Students apply for APTS by filing a FAFSA and CUNY Supplemental Form. Eligibility criteria for APTS parallels that used by the TAP Program.

o Open Educational Resources The high cost of textbooks serves as a deterrent to student achievement and completion of their studies. An initiative proposed in Fall 2016 is development of Open Educational Resources (OER). These resources include free and open textbooks, modules, simulations, quizzes, etc. With Strategic Initiative Funding from Academic Affairs, the Library invited faculty to apply to redesign their courses with OER. Three faculty members were selected and trained to curate, adapt, and adopt OER. In Spring 2017, Governor Cuomo announced that the CUNY and SUNY systems would each receive $4 million for Open Educational Resources. These funds were distributed through CUNY Office of Library Services. A formula was included to fund faculty incentives, professional development, and hiring of library adjuncts to either work on OER initiatives or relieve full-time library faculty from workplace responsibilities to allot time to this program. Selected faculty replaced costly textbooks with materials that are more accessible and less costly to students and relevant to their courses. This initiative has potential to reduce costs for students, and increase student retention and persistence. In the first year of implementation (AY2017-2018), savings are calculated at nearly $150,000. Savings to students will continue to compound as faculty continues to implement courses using OER and encourages OER adoption among peers

https://www.hesc.ny.gov/pay-for-college/financial-aid/types-of-financial-aid/nys-grants-scholarships-awards/the-excelsior-scholarship.html




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Table 2: Open Educational Resources – Participation and Savings

Semester Total Students Total Savings

Fall 2017 841 [57 sections]

$52,417.49

Winter 2018 48 $6,015.87

Spring 2018 1144 [64 sections]

$90,894.97

Total 1042 $149,328.33

(Cost savings are calculated by taking the sum of costs of textbooks used in courses that switched to OER multiplied by enrollments in those courses).

All faculty members who adopted OER in 2017-2018 are planning to continue. This year’s proposal has been approved for redesign of 20 courses using OER (some with multiple course sections), as well as creation of three new original OER courses. Other courses will be converted to a Zero Textbook Cost Model. Being able to access low-cost course materials needed for their studies positively impacts student success and enhances faculty pedagogy. The Library was also able to repurpose one of its faculty lines into an Open Resources Librarian.

o Carroll and Milton Petrie Grant The Carroll and Milton Petrie Student Emergency Grant Fund has been awarded to Lehman College for the purpose of providing emergency grants that enable matriculated students in good academic standing experiencing short-term financial emergencies to remain in school. Students who demonstrate need and face a current emergency may apply for this grant: http://lehman.edu/carroll-milton-petrie-student-emergency-grant-fund/. During 2017-2018, the Division of Student Affairs received an allocation of $100,000 through this grant, and was able to assist approximately 300 students. (Information related to discussions above was derived from the following sources: Financial Aid (http://www.lehman.edu/financial-aid/faqs.php); Lehman College Ranked No. 4 in Mobility Rate for Students in the U.S. (http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/lehman-college-ranked-no-4-in-mobility-

rate-for-students-in-the-u-s/); Excelsior Scholarship (http://www2.cuny.edu/financial-

aid/scholarships/excelsior-scholarship-faqs/); Prestigious Scholarships (e-mail July 11, 2018); Excelsior Scholarships (e-mail July 16, 2018); Open Educational Resources (e-mail July 3, 2018); Petrie Emergency Grant (e-mail July 18, 2018). Compliance (II.C8) City University of New York has a detailed policy and well-defined process for protecting faculty, administrators, staff, and students from sexually inappropriate behavior, with which Lehman is fully in compliance. The College maintains a committee of faculty, staff, and students trained by CUNY to hold hearings on any sexual harassment complaints. In the wake of widespread reporting of societal sexual harassment and misconduct during Fall 2017, on December 14th Lehman College’s senior leadership team sent an e-mail to the community reaffirming the College’s commitment to a “safe, respectful, and affirming campus

http://lehman.edu/carroll-milton-petrie-student-emergency-grant-fund/

http://www.lehman.edu/financial-aid/faqs.php

http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/lehman-college-ranked-no-4-in-mobility-rate-for-students-in-the-u-s/

http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/lehman-college-ranked-no-4-in-mobility-rate-for-students-in-the-u-s/

http://www2.cuny.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/excelsior-scholarship-faqs/

http://www2.cuny.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/excelsior-scholarship-faqs/


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community.” This communication declared, “Sexual misconduct has no place at Lehman,” and that “anything less contradicts who we are as an institution and diminishes our collective vision for the college.” The e-mail provided a link to the College’s policy page, which references CUNY’s sexual misconduct policy and a list of contacts for compliance-related responsibilities. CUNY is in the process of implementing the Sexual and Interpersonal Violence Prevention and Response Course (SPARC) to educate students about sexual misconduct and ways to prevent it. SPARC will run as a module in Blackboard (course management system), and CUNYfirst will track each student’s completion of it. Student Affairs Officers, in conjunction with Title IX Coordinators, will be responsible for ensuring that all incoming students (including new transfer students) complete this training. Further, each year all CUNY employees are required to complete online Workplace Violence Prevention training. Public Safety offers an A.L.I.C.E. workshop to demonstrate most effective strategies in responding to an active shooter emergency. Institutional-wide Assessments, Graduation, Retention, Certification, and Licensing Board Pass Rates (II.C.C8a)

Assessments conducted annually at Lehman College to assure compliance with regional, state, federal, and City University of New York guidelines have garnered national recognition. o Federal and financial assessments: Department of Education audits, annual external

independent financial audit o Institutional-wide assessments: Prioritization, learning objectives, Academic

Momentum Initiatives (degree-mapping, credit accumulation, Math and English Gateway courses, faculty advisement, Student-Faculty Ratio (at school level), inventory of programs, academic program and student service areas).

Enrollment and graduation data is listed in the Institutional Research Fact Book (http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/interactive-factbook.php). Most notably, Lehman experienced the highest growth and graduation rate in comparison to other CUNY senior colleges.

Lehman has won national awards for its Freshman Year Initiative, top honors for SEEK with Excelencia, and Garner Excellent Grant in Transfer Initiatives.

Certification and licensing pass rates for Nursing and Social Work are monitored on CUNY’s Health and Human Services webpage under Research: http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/health-human-services/

and Lehman’s School of Education Annual Reporting Measure: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/education/documents/LC-School-of-Education-Annual- Reporting-Measures.pdf

8b) Compliance of Affiliation

Lehman College fulfills all MSCHE requirements of affiliation and maintains ongoing compliance fulfilling these conditions.

http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/interactive-factbook.php

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/health-human-services/

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/education/documents/LC-School-of-Education-Annual-%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20Reporting-Measures.pdf

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8c) Substantive Changes Affecting Mission, Goals, Programs, Operations, Sites in a Timely and Accurate Fashion CUNY and Lehman College have been acutely aware of the need to address issues of discrimination and sexual harassment, which in recent years have particularly received extensive national coverage. Such policies have been vetted, discussed, established, and posted to Lehman’s website. The campus community is well informed on these issues. It is apparent we’re promoting a campus culture of respect for diversity and inclusion. All these values are necessary for sustaining a respectful, free exchange of ideas in our educational environment. 8d) Institutional Compliance with Commission’s Policies The College embeds principles of ethics and integrity in its mission and all operations and practices that impact students, faculty, and staff. It honors these in its contracts and commitments, as well as its dealings with external constituencies. It complies with the Commission’s policies. Further, it observes applicable federal, state, and city legal requirements and follows all related CUNY policies and procedures. 9) Periodic Assessment of Ethics and Integrity as Evidenced in Institutional Policies and Practices In accordance with policies stipulated by CUNY and practices at Lehman, the College assigns responsibility for ethics and integrity to staff in the offices most closely associated with those requirements (see Appendix A, Table 4). Recommendations

1. Recognizing the centrality of ethics and integrity to Lehman’s mission, all new hires and incoming students should be oriented to the College’s expectations about honesty and honorable behavior.

2. All employees participate in professional development training to foster a diverse and inclusive climate and enhance their cultural competencies.

3. When appropriate, principles of ethical and respectful behavior be discussed in the classroom setting for the purpose of understanding and inculcating values that will sustain our students in a global society.

4. To promote consideration and respect, customer service training will be provided to all Lehman staff who interact directly with students or supervise direct reports.

5. Review multiple communication outlets to ensure students are informed in a timely manner about availability of scholarships.

6. Campus Climate Committee should be reinstated and survey faculty, staff, and students.


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STANDARD III: DESIGN AND DELIVERY OF THE STUDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE Introduction Lehman College provides students with rich and diverse learning experiences that represent the main goals identified in the Strategic Plan of the College, specifically:

Ensure that liberal arts and sciences remain the core emphasis of the College, while strengthening professional programs

Strengthen general education and provide a curriculum and resources essential to an outstanding liberal arts and sciences and professional curricula.

As a minority, Hispanic-serving institution in the Bronx, Lehman’s academic programs provide important avenues for economic advancement in a borough with some of the poorest zip codes in the State and nation. In a borough plagued by economic challenges, Lehman serves as an engine of opportunity through its high-quality degree programs and certificates. We offer nothing short of a transformational educational experience to students who are held to high standards and a rigorous curriculum, competing with graduates of more prestigious and economically advantaged schools and programs. The path towards completion of an undergraduate degree (III.C1, III.C3) for Lehman students is mapped out in three major categories identified in the diagram below, clearly detailed on the Lehman website, and in the Undergraduate Bulletin: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/info-undergraduate-students.php#general

Figure 1: Pathways – Completion of Undergraduate Degree

Support of Programs of Study and Academic Progress The General Education program, major academic programs, and other educational offerings are supported by well-maintained learning support facilities described in the Evidence Inventory such as Lehman College’s Instructional Support Services Program (ISSP), home of the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE), Science Learning Center (SLC), and Disability Services. These programs and centers continue to expand the scope and services available to students as our

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/info-undergraduate-students.php#general

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/academics/instructional-support-services/index.php


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burgeoning enrollment and dynamic student demographics evolve. They also serve the broader campus and local communities of the College. In the five years since our Periodic Review Report (PRR), the College has developed improvements in student navigation for course and program information and related services. Through the website, use of DegreeWorks, and now through the innovative new platform, Lehman 360, students have streamlined access from their computers or mobile devices to information related to grades, academic standing, and other information needed to enhance steady progress towards graduation (http://www.lehman.edu/itr/). (III.C3.10) Freshmen and transfer students are guided by their designated advising office and academic advisors in their chosen program of study as soon as they declare and are accepted into a major. The CUNYfirst system, implemented in 2013, facilitates student enrollment, course registration, and access to financial aid. Faculty accesses CUNYfirst to verify enrollment, advise students, and post grades. Further, Lehman strives to assess the quality of academic programs and the student learning experience through a multi-layered approach to curriculum development and assessment that begins at the course level, encompasses the program level, and includes assessment of effectiveness at the institutional level as well. The College has established a range of resources that support implementation of assessment activities and a clear process that facilitates reporting and sharing assessment findings. In turn, these have created an evidence-based culture on campus that now guides programmatic changes. Evidence of assessment practices is provided in the Taskstream database and in documents submitted to the Assessment Office. Analysis of Key Issues Related to Meeting the Standard and Criteria General Education: Institutional Learning Goals and the Characteristics of a Lehman Graduate Since the 2014 Periodic Review Report, the most important change is adoption of a new General Education program. Prior to 2013, Lehman maintained a robust General Education program that provided many skills emphasized under Pathways [link to the map in Appendix comparing pre-2013 General Education Requirements and Pathways Requirements]. In 2011, the CUNY Board of Trustees passed the CUNY Pathways initiative (CUNY Pathways) (Appendix) to provide transfer credit guarantees for all three components of the curriculum (General Education, majors, and electives). These guarantees apply to all students, regardless of type of degree program from which they are transferring, type of degree program they are entering, and whether or not they have earned a degree prior to transfer. CUNY Pathways defined the General Education requirements (http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/pathways/gened/)

for all Lehman and CUNY students, and went into effect in Fall 2013. First, a standard General Education, consisting of a 30-credit Common Core for all campuses across the University and 12-credit College Option for students enrolled in Bachelor’s programs,

http://www.lehman.edu/itr/

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/pathways/gened/


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was created through discipline groups who vetted all courses submitted by colleges from their own faculty-led curriculum groups. Second, disciplinary committees in CUNY’s largest transfer majors were convened to identify between three and six courses that would be accepted as entry-level courses for beginning the major at any college offering that major. Third, all colleges were required to accept for credit all courses completed for credit at any CUNY college. Fourth, Lehman’s General Education curriculum had required that students complete a minor in a subject different than their major concentration. Under Pathways, this requirement is no longer permitted. The second and third components of CUNY Pathways required only minor adjustments to Lehman’s policies and curricula, as it already was one of the most transfer-friendly colleges within CUNY. However, the replacement of Lehman’s General Education program by the new CUNY Pathways framework required more campus-wide discussion. The CUNY Pathways General Education curriculum allows students to acquire and demonstrate essential skills. The 30-credit Common Core framework (III.C5a and III.C5b) is: Required Common Core (12 credits/4 courses):

English Composition (6 credits/2 courses)

Mathematical and Quantitative Reasoning (3 credits/1 course)

Life and Physical Sciences (3 credits/1 course)

Flexible Common Core (18 credits/6 courses):

World Cultures and Global Issues (3 credits/1 course)

U.S. Experience in its Diversity (3 credits/1 course)

Creative Expression (3 credits/1 course)

Individual and Society (3 credits/1 course)

Scientific World (3 credits/1 course)

One additional course from one of the above Flexible Common Core areas. Required Core courses enable students to develop written communication, scientific, and quantitative reasoning skills. All Flexible Core courses have three skill-based learning outcomes. Students will: (1) gather, interpret, and assess information from a variety of sources and points of view (information literacy); (2) evaluate evidence and arguments critically or analytically (critical analysis and reasoning); and (3) produce well-reasoned written and oral arguments using evidence to support conclusions (written and oral communication). In addition, Flexible Core courses must meet at least three of the learning outcomes specific to an area. Thus, the Flexible Core exposes students to the study of values, ethics, and diverse perspectives through courses related to world cultures and global issues, U.S. experience in its diversity, the individual and society, and the arts and scientific method:


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http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/assessment/CommonCoreStructureFinalRec.pdf

Although each college selects courses to populate the Common Core areas, all courses must be approved by a Common Core Course Review Committee (CCCRC). (W48) Consisting entirely of faculty from across CUNY, CCCRCs ensure that all Common Core courses meet the learning outcomes established by the Task Force that developed Pathways. The 12-credit College Option permits colleges to add a unique component to their General Education curriculum. However, transfer students can fulfill up to six of these credits before transferring (and in a recently enacted CUNY policy, some students can fulfill all 12 credits before transferring). Lehman College’s response to the CUNY Pathways General Education Curriculum was to convene an ongoing series of open meetings conducted by the Chair of the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and Associate Provost for Undergraduate Studies and Online Education. A Blackboard site enrolling all faculty members was launched to include minutes of meetings and proposals. Analyses of the learning objectives of Lehman distribution areas and new CUNY Pathways areas indicated areas of overlap. Thus, courses from specific Lehman distribution areas were modified to fit specific CUNY Pathways areas, and were subsequently approved by the CCCRCs for those areas. Lehman’s Common Core therefore reflects in large measure the former Lehman General Education Curriculum. When CUNY Pathways was implemented in 2013, Lehman was ready with a full slate of approved courses in all eight areas. We divided the College Option into two parts. A lower division option (6 credits) was used to retain the College’s foreign language requirement since faculty believes acquisition of a second language an essential component of General Education. An upper division option (6 credits) preserved the College’s post-60 credit commitment to General Education. Lehman was already in the vanguard for extending General Education beyond the first two years. Prior to Pathways, after completing 60 credits, students were required to complete two multidisciplinary courses. These courses were designed as capstones to students’ General Education experiences, and served as “boot camps” for transfer students to integrate them into Lehman and acquaint them with the College’s expectations. In the CUNY Pathways curriculum, the original two courses were replaced by five, from which students choose two in areas outside their major. The requirement thereby maintains the capstone and boot camp objectives, as well as adds upper division experiences outside the student’s main area of expertise. The Board Resolution (Appendix) required that all Pathways policies and processes, including the Common Core, be reviewed and evaluated each year for three years beginning in 2013, and every three years thereafter. Thus, the University conducts programmatic review and assessment annually, tracking student success indicators, course enrollment patterns, and course transfer patterns. Pathways program evaluation data sets are posted on the CUNY




http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/pathways/about/ccrc/


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Pathways website for easy access and review (http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/pathways/. Each college continues to conduct student learning outcomes assessment at the course and skill level. Adoption of Institutional Learning Goals: Collaboration and Innovation (III.C5b) In keeping with City University of New York’s goals for maximizing credits earned by transfer students, Lehman College’s General Education program was revised to align with the system’s Pathways plan. Although still emphasizing tenets of a liberal arts and sciences education, Pathways’ curriculum review process mandated key elements of all General Education offerings that standardize student experiences to some extent throughout the system. Evidence for this is provided in the Strategic Planning Council Report of 2009: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/documents/Strategic-Planning-Council-Report-2009-2019.pdf

The report states, in part, that Lehman College is:

A liberal arts college resting upon rigorous liberal (“general”) education for every undergraduate, including: - instilling an ability to analyze and master complex ideas and materials - critical thinking - mastery in the writing of English, including the ability to communicate effectively in a coherent and well-ordered manner - mathematical competency - quantitative fluency, including competency in statistics - competent oral communication skills - civic understanding and engagement, including government, history, economics, and geography - ability to use information technology effectively - scientific literacy - appreciation of the arts - understanding and appreciating diversity.

Although the General Education program successfully supported the requirements of Pathways – with the system-wide map intending to afford streamlined, successful transfer for community college students to senior colleges – it was clear to faculty and administration that more specificity was needed to assure General Education successfully produced a Lehman College graduate. In his 2014 Convocation remarks, President Fernández addressed the “need for change” at Lehman, and to focus on “what makes Lehman unique.” Subsequently, at the request of the Provost, Lehman faculty and administration participated in a workshop and symposium sponsored by American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) in July 2014 and January 2015. The group was charged with developing a draft set of characteristics of a Lehman graduate to serve as starting points for a broader discussion with the entire College community. They were asked to establish how these characteristics could be applied to facilitate interdisciplinary and integrative student learning across the College. The proposed characteristics are based on national models and have as their foundation the legacy of Herbert H. Lehman and AAC&U’s

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/pathways/

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/documents/Strategic-Planning-Council-Report-2009-2019.pdf


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LEAP (Liberal Education and America’s Promise) initiative for education in the 21st century. In Spring 2016, the Provost initiated and the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee appointed the Integrative Learning Council (ILC) to consult with faculty and governance leaders, and to advise and help develop strategies to strengthen integrative learning at Lehman. At a high level, the set of characteristics recommended for Lehman graduates can be summarized as Educated, Empowered, and Engaged (Appendix – Lehman College – Institutional Learning Goals). The group identified ways to align pedagogy and curriculum with these proposed characteristics. This includes active learning classes, collaborative learning classes, overlay classes (intensive writing and service-learning integration), interdisciplinary minors, and undergraduate research. From 2014 to 2016, the proposed Institutional Learning Goals were discussed extensively at the College. They were presented and deliberated at Provost’s Council, President’s Cabinet, and the General Faculty meeting. Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and members of the extended Lehman community were invited to engage in a conversation about the proposal. For this purpose, the goals were made available online (http://www.lehman.edu/engage/) and received feedback from 19 contributors (http://www.lehman.edu/engage/join-the-conversation.php). Additional feedback was received from the Student Leadership Association (23 individual responses) following a retreat and in-depth discussion in August 2015. Based on all this input, the final version of Lehman’s seven Institutional Learning Goals was submitted to the College Senate, where they were unanimously approved at the March 9, 2016 meeting. While still complying with City University of New York’s Pathways plan, these significant learning goals – Lehmanized to respond to the local culture – now guide the renewed General Education program that provides the foundation for undergraduate education, and helps instill students with the values and behavior identified as embedded in the Lehman College identity. Unpacking Institutional Learning Goals into Learning Objectives After adoption of Institutional Learning Goals by Lehman College, the Office of Academic Programs and the Integrative Learning Council facilitated unpacking learning goals into learning objectives. In Spring 2016, the Integrative Learning Council contacted faculty members and requested them to provide feedback on which concrete, manageable, and assessable learning objectives best represent our broadly-defined learning goals. They suggested applying the widely accepted AAC&U VALUE Rubrics to guide the process. Faculty members received detailed information on the AAC&U Rubrics. Table 2: Mapping Lehman College’s Learning Goals to AAC&U VALUE Rubric

Lehman College’s Learning Goals Corresponding AAC&U VALUE Rubric

Critical thinking skills Critical Thinking

Skills in quantitative reasoning, information literacy, and research

Quantitative Literacy Information Literacy

http://www.lehman.edu/engage/

http://www.lehman.edu/engage/join-the-conversation.php


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Outstanding communication skills in diverse media Oral Communication Written Communication

Multicultural, global, and ethical awareness of diverse peoples and communities

Intercultural Knowledge and Competence Civic Engagement

Ability to work collaboratively as part of a team Teamwork

Potential for leadership N/A

ILC requested faculty to grade importance of particular learning objectives of the various rubrics based on the following scale: 3 = Very Important; 2 = Important; 1 = Somewhat Important; 0 = Not Important

One-hundred faculty members and administrators submitted feedback regarding the proposal to use the AAC&U VALUE rubrics. Figure 2 illustrates that the Lehman community overwhelmingly confirms that the objectives spelled out in the AAC&U VALUE Rubrics represent our broad learning goals. Analysis of the detailed responses allowed concluding which of the numerous objectives we consider to be most relevant and significant. Responders overwhelmingly regarded almost all objectives of the different rubrics important or even very important. More than 80% of responders – in many cases, more than 90% – arrived at that conclusion for almost all objectives. On the opposite side, the percentage of responders who consider individual objectives unimportant is less than 5%. This resulted in the finding that differences in responders’ approval of the objectives are statistically insignificant, and should therefore not lead to exclusion of particular objectives.


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Figure 2: Learning Goals Reflected in AAC&U VALUE Rubrics

Percentage of 100 responders who consider the AAC&U learning objectives either Very Important or Important (blue bars) or Not Important (red bars) Analysis of Institutional Learning Goals Across the Curriculum Lehman College conducted a curriculum grid exercise to assess how its curriculum is connected to its Institutional Learning Goals:


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Figure 3: Connecting the Curriculum to Institutional Learning Goals

In Spring 2016, the Office of Academic Programs, together with the Integrative Learning Council, launched a large-scale survey to investigate which of the courses taught at Lehman addresses Institutional Learning Goals. We communicated to all instructors that every course might serve to develop students’ skills or knowledge regarding none, one, or several of these goals. All instructors were requested to explain for each course if/how students get the opportunity to develop skills, abilities, knowledge, or awareness regarding each of the Institutional Learning Goals. To further facilitate curricular analysis and revision, instructors were asked to respond whether Institutional Learning Goals were included in their syllabus, and whether they would be willing to use AAC&U Rubrics for assessment. Information for approximately 600 courses regularly taught at the College was compiled in the curriculum grid. The chart shows an example of which Institutional Learning Goals are addressed in courses required for the BBA degree. Based on this information, this program appears to address most Institutional Learning Goals throughout the curriculum. However, a more detailed analysis of how instructors claim to address goals in their courses, in conjunction with discussions with Chairs and faculty, revealed there is some inconsistency regarding perceptions and practices.


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In Fall 2016, the Office of Academic Programs started to work with departments and instructors to resolve these inconsistencies, gain improved understanding how Institutional Learning Goals are addressed in particular courses, and work towards a curriculum that will afford students ample opportunities to progress in development of 21st century learning skills. The initiative has stimulated meaningful discussion about programs becoming more conscious and intentional regarding implementation of Institutional Learning Goals into the curricula. Information Related to General Education General Education guidelines and expectations are communicated by means of numerous webpages containing links that are continually updated (http://www.lehman.edu/academics/general-education-requirements.php). Web content is also expressed through a series of videos detailing how General Education courses – Required Core, Flexible Core, College Option; major concentration courses; and elective courses – create a path to a Bachelor’s degree. The Results: Characteristics of a Lehman Graduate Once adoption and analysis of learning outcomes was completed, the General Education program established an overarching set of characteristics that Lehman graduates should share. These reflect the Lehman College mission and needs of our students and community. Upon graduation from Lehman College, students will expand the legacy of Herbert H. Lehman as an educated citizen devoted to: lifelong learning; honesty and integrity, including the strength to follow one’s conscience; civic engagement, based on the belief that everyone has a responsibility to help others; collaboration and empathy with others; and willingness to address complex problems. A narrative breakdown of the graphic below is in Appendix. Figure 4: Characteristics of a Lehman Graduate

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/general-education-requirements.php


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Assessment in Academic Programs (III.C8) In 2012, Lehman College codified the job description for Assessment Coordinators. They are faculty members from each academic department responsible for leading student learning outcomes assessment efforts, collating assessment findings/data, and relaying these to the Department Chair and faculty. Coordinators meet with their School Deans and Associate Deans to share best practices and actionable information related to student learning outcomes findings. In collaboration with the Assessment Director or Associate Provost for Academic Programs, some Schools facilitate workshops for their coordinators. Findings are applied to inform department and School strategic plans and support resource requests for faculty, equipment, technology, space, and co-curricular/extracurricular experiences for students. Alignment of these requests with strategic plans is demonstrated through the OTPS expenditure workbook (Appendix), and in graphic representations of academic strategic plans (Appendix). Program assessment is accomplished through: (1) Departmental reviews: All academic departments develop short- and long-term strategic plans. They review teaching effectiveness from student evaluations, surveys, and assessments. (2) External Reviewers: Program effectiveness is assessed by external reviewers. Discipline-specific accreditation is regularly conducted by agencies and professional associations. Lehman College’s clinically or professionally accredited programs include: Chemistry, Education, Health Sciences, Nursing, Social Work, and Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences. List and dates of reaccreditation: http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/accreditation.php

(3) Alumni Surveys: In 2010 and 2017, the College attempted to contact Lehman alumni after completion of degrees. The surveys canvased a variety of topics including academic program feedback. Unfortunately, with a low response rate of less than .05, the value of information collected was limited. In addition, several academic departments conduct individual studies, but data cannot be cross-referenced between departments. Therefore, the College has not been able to develop an effective baseline academic study. (4) The Master Plan to review academic programs and refine courses to make certain they remain relevant to professional careers is listed on the Provost’s webpage: http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/academic-masterplan.php

This plan includes strategic and operational goals to prepare students for successful careers. The prospective Master Plan encompasses ideas for interdisciplinary programs. (5) Assessment Data. The Assessment Office developed the following chart: http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/assessment/

http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/accreditation.php

http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/assessment/


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Figure 5: Assessment Cycle

The Assessment Office’s core mission is to provide students with the highest quality education by supporting assessment processes that improve student learning. Through facilitation of planned, meaningful, and ongoing assessments, the Office aspires to foster a culture of continuous evaluation to help support academic program improvement, student learning, and accreditation. Mission-Centric, Strategically Designed and Supported Academic Programs In order to guarantee our goals for student achievement resonate with our institutional mission and identity, academic programs are supported by co-curricular services staffed by well-prepared professionals and informed by academic goals. To ensure continuity and sustainability of these efforts, the Office of the Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs had previously been expanded to include Student Affairs with key leadership (Vice President for Student Affairs) included in Provost’s Council. This expanded and integrated function assures more effective exchange of information and more efficient alignment of shared resources in support of student achievement. Figure 6 below visually articulates the comprehensive, mission-centric, and engaged approach to academic programming and support services at Lehman College:


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Figure 6: Academic Programming and Support Services

Program Offerings (III.C1) In Fall 2018, Lehman College offered 76 undergraduate degrees and 63 graduate degrees through its School of Arts and Humanities (A&H); School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS); School of Education (SOE); School of Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing (HS2N); and School of Natural and Social Sciences (NSS). The College also offers three undergraduate Certificates and 33 graduate Advanced Certificates. All degree programs, minors, and individual courses, along with official academic and other policies, are included in the Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletins, as appropriate. Many Lehman faculty also serve on the Doctoral faculty at CUNY Graduate Center, creating a robust research culture on campus that vertically integrates students from high school through Doctoral and post-Doctoral education. Degree Maps for Undergraduate Degrees Each academic department and certificate program has developed a Major Academic Plan chart (MAP) downloadable in PDF format: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/degree-maps.php. The

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College has generated 154 undergraduate academic plans and 98 graduate study academic plans. Degree Maps are detailed, four-year undergraduate academic plan outlines that inform students about core required courses they must take and how best to sequence them. They are updated annually or when changes are made to the major curriculum. Lehman has made a commitment to develop Degree Maps for all majors, where they will be prominently posted on department webpages, the Academic Programs webpage, and the Undergraduate Bulletin: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/academic-programs.php. However, Degree Maps are simply intended to provide guidance and not replace active and ongoing advising.

All academic departments have posted articulated programmatic learning goals on their websites. Departments create courses offered in logical sequence that allow students to acquire skills and knowledge in a meaningful way. This is evident from the course number and prerequisites in the course catalog, as well as in the degree maps. Programmatic and Pedagogical Excellence: Data Driven Decision-making, resource allocation and stewardship are driven by strategic goals, data, and assessment. Across Academic Affairs – from School Deans to Department Chairs – requests and allocations are supported by analysis and application to strategic goals and student success initiatives. Graphic examples of Strategic Plans and initiatives are located in Appendix. Administrative units have also developed Strategic Plans to guide activities toward integration of teaching, learning, and research. Conversely, the College’s academic operations must simultaneously be practical, student-centered, and responsive. This pragmatic, synergistic strategy to resource allocation is directly in line with MSCHE guidelines and best practices in institutional effectiveness. Graphic examples of non-academic and administrative Strategic Plans are located in Appendix. Lehman College Faculty Faculty Qualifications and Preparation Of 370 full-time faculty members: five are Distinguished Professors; 79 Professors; 118 Associate Professors; 101 Assistant Professors; 67 Lecturers/Instructors. Part-time faculty includes 433 Adjuncts and 154 Hourly Instructional Staff. Two hundred sixty-five full-time faculty has earned terminal degrees in their respective discipline. Adjunct faculty are held to the same expectations for degrees and academic accomplishments at each of the academic ranks. Faculty credentials are listed on department websites and in the Graduate Bulletin. Distribution of full-time and part-time faculty by rank is located in this table that shows the trend between 2006 and 2015: http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/documents/F16_S7_draft_p74_01.pdf http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/interactive-factbook.php

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/academic-programs.php

http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/documents/F16_S7_draft_p74_01.pdf



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Building a Diverse Faculty As part of City University of New York, Lehman College strives and plans for diversity and effective representation in its faculty. All faculty search processes are overseen by the Office of Compliance and Diversity, which mandates advertising and recruiting faculty as diverse and culturally rich as our student body. For more information related to faculty diversity: http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/fact-book-pdf-format.php#section7

Faculty Evaluation (III.C2e) Each semester faculty is provided with student feedback about their instruction. After a multi-year review process with multiple campus stakeholders, Lehman was able to transform its Student Evaluation of Teaching and Learning (SETL) form into a more effective and user-friendly assessment instrument. The form asks: why the student selected a given course; whether a syllabus was distributed and followed; how many classes the student missed; how many hours the student spent outside class completing assignments; student perception of the workload; student self-evaluation of their knowledge and skills as related to the course; grade expectations; instructional design (assignments, readings, objectives); course management skills (instructor availability, whether assignments are returned promptly); assessment of the instructor’s pedagogical skills; and an overall course rating. To facilitate completion and boost percentage of participation, the SETL is now distributed in electronic format. SETL results are made available to each instructor after the end of the semester. Students have also recently requested that this data be made available to them. As of Fall 2018, numerical results of SETLs will be shared with students on Lehman 360. Faculty is regularly informed of criteria applied to evaluate their progress and productivity by Department Teaching and Scholarship Statements (Appendix) and through in-class peer written observations during their pre-tenure years. Department Chairs incorporate all relevant evidence to complete annual evaluations of each faculty member’s progress in teaching, scholarship, and service. Further, School Deans complete a review of each non-tenured faculty member at the end of the third year in a seven-year tenure clock. All faculty information, including teaching evaluations and pedagogical materials, is uploaded into the Digital Measures database for annual review by Department Chairs and periodic review by School Deans. Faculty Scholarship and Creative Work Lehman College’s faculty engages in significant scholarly and creative activity. During the July 2017-May 2018 period, 193 faculty members contributed a broad range of such activity, producing an average of nearly 4.2 works per participating faculty member. (Appendix) The statistics for this period are as follows:


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Table 3: Scholarly and Creative Works – 2017

Faculty is encouraged to upload their open access scholarship to Academic Works, CUNY’s institutional repository, in order to share Lehman’s intellectual output with the global community: https://academicworks.cuny.edu/le/

Support for Teaching Excellence (III.C2b) Lehman College provides a variety of professional development opportunities that support teaching excellence to faculty at all levels.

A. Support for Faculty Development in Writing Lehman is proud of its strong WAC (Writing Across the Curriculum) program, led by writing leaders from the English Department (which includes both Writing Studies scholars and professional writers) and from other departments. Representing 25 different departments, the College’s over 170 WAC alumni teach writing-intensive and writing-infused courses at all levels of undergraduate education. These faculty members have participated in year-long WAC training. WAC also offers shorter workshops and institutes including: college-wide faculty development workshops and institutes for teaching; Freshman Year Initiative/English Gateway professional development; Writing Intensive (WI) and General Education courses; Spring seminar on WAC and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL); and the Writing Fellows Program:

Count of Work Type 2017 Column Labels Row Labels Mandatory Optional Grand Total

Book, Authored 14 2 16

Book, Chapter 39 12 51

Book, Edited 2 2 4

Book, introduction, preface, etc. 1 1

Conference Presentation – published as proceedings 1 1

Conference Presentation, other 266 82 348

Conference Presentation, published as proceedings 52 13 65

Direction/Choreography/Dramaturgy/Design (dance, theater, film) 6 7 13

Exhibited at Curated Art Show 22 6 28

Journal Article, other 29 16 45

Journal Article, peer-reviewed 131 11 142

Lecture (Invited) 33 7 40

Music Composition Published/Performed 65 65

Newspaper/Magazine Article 8 15 23

No works to report for 2017 74 126 200

Other 8 10 18

Patent 2 2

Performance (music, dance, theater) 21 6 27

Play or Screenplay Produced/Performed 2 2

Review/Commentary (including Blogging) 105 8 113

Technical/Policy Reports, other 3 3

Technical/Policy Reports, peer-reviewed 2 2

Grand Total 885 324 1209

https://academicworks.cuny.edu/le/


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http://www.lehman.edu/academics/wac/what.php

B. Support for Faculty Development in Quantitative Reasoning (QR) Lehman’s Quantitative Reasoning (QR) initiative is committed to infusing numerical literacy across all curricula. Its foundational belief is that Quantitative Reasoning is essential to teaching students how to think critically and apply basic mathematics skills to interpret data, draw conclusions, and solve problems within a disciplinary and interdisciplinary context. The QR team often offers workshops for faculty throughout the year and provides other support initiatives. This is ordinarily done in collaboration with a Quantitative Reasoning Fellow (CUNY Doctoral student): http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/quantitative-reasoning.php

C. Support for Teaching with Technology The Office of Online Education offers faculty development programming and resources to faculty teaching with technology, hybrid and online. Facilitated and self-paced faculty professional development and training is offered onsite and online (synchronous and asynchronous). Some of these initiatives include:

- A Blackboard Basics Course is designed for faculty developing an essential skillset with the learning management system, Blackboard, to teach with technology and online. The course provides an introduction to the Blackboard Learn course environment. It highlights instructional tools that enhance student learning and equip faculty with educational technology competencies to support communication, collaboration, engagement, and assessment in their instruction. - Preparation for Teaching Online: A Foundational Workshop is a two-week program designed for faculty new to online and hybrid instruction, or who has not completed this program. It models effective design and facilitation skills, and addresses design issues, pedagogical approaches to teaching online, as well as organization and management of an online class. - Online Course Readiness Review Program is designed to address quality assurance of online courses. Faculty reviews their online courses using this assessment tool. It allows faculty and Online Education to ensure that courses are ready for delivery and contain required and essential course design elements for a successful online teaching and learning experience. - Online Exemplary Course Development Program is a semester-long program planned to assist faculty in course development and redesign. By the end of the program, faculty produces a completed and redesigned online course site that meets the guidelines for an exemplary online course, and has gained increased fluency with new technologies and familiarity with strategies for effective teaching online guided by research-based national standards. - Office of Online Education offers quick guides, video tutorials, and recorded training to faculty wishing to learn about effective use of technology to support student learning, or to review selected features and functions after training. - The Bronx CUNY EdTech Showcase is an annual conference that brings faculty and administrators together to share and exchange best practices in teaching with

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/wac/what.php

http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/quantitative-reasoning.php


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technology. This is a collaboration of CUNY’s three Bronx campuses (Lehman College, Bronx Community College, and Hostos Community College) that promotes and highlights innovative use of technology to support teaching and learning. - CUNY Online Education Conference meets annually to showcase CUNY faculty and administrators sharing best practices in online learning. - The Office of Online Education offers consultations (in person and online) for faculty teaching with technology and online. Consultations involve topics on: effective online teaching; establishing online presence; motivating and retaining online students; continuing to engage online learners; learner-centered course design; pedagogically sound use of emerging technologies; and best practices for teaching online. - Blackboard Training Workshops are offered by the Information Technology Division (ITR) to ensure faculty is equipped with the necessary technical skillset. Workshops focus on various Blackboard tools covering topics of course content creation and organization, collaboration, communication, and assessment tools.

D. Additional Support for Faculty Development in Teaching and Learning In Fall 2017, Lehman College established a peer faculty mentoring program that pairs new faculty members with experienced instructors. Online resources are available that provide a growing portfolio of timely, professional development products and services on teaching and learning. Lehman subscribed to Magna Publications (https://www.magnapubs.com/), which supplies a large number of videos in which successful instructors present concepts and methods to make face-to-face or online teaching more relevant and engaging. The Library and Online Education licensed Kanopy (https://lehman.kanopy.com/welcome/frontpage), an online video repository that can be seamlessly embedded into Blackboard course sites. The Office of Academic Programs hosts faculty conversations about developing teaching skills and exploring best practices. Further, the College recently joined National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (https://www.facultydiversity.org/), which provides resources, training, and professional development to support faculty research and writing. Undergraduate and Graduate Program Information The Undergraduate Bulletin and Graduate Bulletin are kept current. Their academic portions are updated six times a year after publication of the Chancellor’s University Report (CUR; https://portal.cuny.edu/cms/id/cuny/documents/informationpage/010255.htm), which contains actions approved by the CUNY Board of Trustees at meetings in February, March, May, June, October, and December. The CUR is divided into sections: Academic Personnel, Fiscal Matters, and Academic Matters. The Academic Matters section contains program and course approvals. Curricular changes are implemented regularly in order to maintain current and relevant information for students. When new programs or revisions to existing programs are approved by the New York State Education Department (NYSED), changes are subsequently entered in the Bulletins. The bulletins are archived every two years following publication of new editions. Links below show the Undergraduate and Graduate Bulletins over the past ten years:

https://www.magnapubs.com/

https://lehman.kanopy.com/welcome/frontpage

https://www.facultydiversity.org/

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http://www.lehman.edu/academics/undergraduate-bulletin-archive.php http://www.lehman.edu/academics/graduate-bulletin-archive.php Office of Academic Programs To better serve students, the Office of Academic Programs is involved in: planning, direction, and coordination of academic curriculum, programs, and policies for undergraduate and graduate education; General Education; online education; assessment of learning outcomes; institutional and program accreditation; program performance reviews; and various other University programmatic initiatives. The Office of Academic Programs’ Strategic Plan focuses on three key components:

1. Revision of General Education requirements to provide adequate opportunities for students to acquire 21st century skills and facilitate integrative learning campus-wide: http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/general-education.php

2. Expansion of Online Education to create a holistic approach to development, delivery, and assessment of online education: http://lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/online-education.php

3. Renewal of academic programs to assure that existing programs will remain or become current and relevant, providing students with an education that will prepare them optimally for successful careers: http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/academic-masterplan.php

Curricular development is generated at the department level, and reviewed and approved by the Schools’ Curriculum Committees and College Senate before being published in the Chancellor’s Report: http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/curriculum-development.php The Office of Academic Programs works with faculty to develop and refine courses and academic programs that support student success not only in the classroom, but also in their professional careers. Strategic goals include developing new, career-oriented programs attractive to students: http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/academic-masterplan.php

(page 50) Lehman College offers 76 major fields of study. In addition to consulting undergraduate and graduate bulletins, students can be informed regarding program requirements through Major Academic Plan (MAP) charts: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/degree-maps.php Students can meet with an academic advisor by visiting their designated advisement area or by scheduling an appointment online. Information regarding General Education requirements can be found in the Bulletins or online: http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/academics/general-education-checklists.php

Graduation Reports and Rates: http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/interactive-factbook.php

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/undergraduate-bulletin-archive.php

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/graduate-bulletin-archive.php

http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/general-education.php

http://lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/online-education.php

http://lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/online-education.php

http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/academic-masterplan.php

http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/academic-masterplan.php

https://mail.lehman.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=Z1HQhLqkDaFasxSBYbw8gETpjcXFkZERFt9XfnIB97op4YuDqzHVCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lehman.edu%2foffice-academic-programs%2fcurriculum-development.php

https://mail.lehman.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=Z1HQhLqkDaFasxSBYbw8gETpjcXFkZERFt9XfnIB97op4YuDqzHVCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lehman.edu%2foffice-academic-programs%2fcurriculum-development.php

https://mail.lehman.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=EaGxd20zqEsLzgXbiFXyNPUY7yEs1todqFSpjB6YV3Ip4YuDqzHVCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lehman.edu%2foffice-academic-programs%2facademic-masterplan.php

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/degree-maps.php

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High Impact Practices and the Lehman Curriculum (III.C5a) The College offers numerous high impact practices to advance students’ learning outcomes, which are discussed below. Practicum Learning – Experiential Learning Opportunities (ELO) Lehman strives to engage students in practical applications of academic knowledge. Spearheaded by the Associate Provost for Academic Programs, the Integrative Learning Council, in consultation with Continuing and Professional Studies, clarified the practical meaning and relationship of this directive to incorporate experiential learning into Lehman courses. Academic Chairs are in the process of plotting courses to these Experiential Learning categories. While designated Experiential Learning course content typically comprises the bulk of the course and meets specific guidelines, experiential learning happens in virtually every classroom in both minor and significant ways. At Lehman, experiential and applied learning opportunities should be a transformational component of the undergraduate experience. Educational research indicates that high impact practices that transport ideas and concepts beyond the classroom can increase rates of student engagement and retention, and be beneficial in shaping their longer-term personal development as critical and creative thinkers. These Experiential Learning Opportunities (ELO) assume many different forms that allow “learners to have direct experience and focused reflection in order to increase knowledge, develop skills, clarify values, and develop individual capacity to contribute to their communities.” (Association for Experiential Education) In coordination with a CUNY-wide initiative mandated by New York State, in Spring 2016 Lehman conducted a survey to investigate campus ELOs. A CUNY Task Force incorporated our survey results into a report approved by the Board of Trustees and submitted to New York State. (Appendix) The Integrative Learning Council: collaborated with faculty across all Schools to develop guidelines based on CUNY standards for ELOs; conducted discussions with Chairs and Program Directors to identify courses that should receive an ELO attribute; vetted courses based on syllabi; and submitted the list of courses to the Registrar via the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee and College Senate. Based on our findings, 3,559 Lehman students took courses with ELOs during 2017-2018.


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Table 4: Curricular Experiential Learning Experiences Curricular Experiential Learning Experiences Fall 2017 Spring 2018 AY2017-18 Internship 475 433 908 Cooperative Education Service-Learning/Community Service Clinical Preparation/Practicum 953 1071 2024 Research/Field Study 276 331 607 Campus- or University-Based Work and/or Leadership Civic Engagement 8 5 13 International Applied Learning Opportunities 1 6 7

TOTAL 1713 1846 3559

Note: A visualization of the curricular experiential learning data is located in Appendix A, Figure 1. A prime ELO example is the School of Continuing and Professional Studies’ Augmented and Virtual Reality and Development Academy, which provides students with a ten-month applied course of study that includes animation, 3D graphics, and web design with links to employment. In addition to curricular experiences, 2,564 students availed themselves of extracurricular ELOs at Lehman during 2017-2018. Students regularly enter the workforce through campus and off-campus internships, working with the Careers Discovery and Exploration Center, Experiential Learning Portal, department faculty and alumni. Examples and resources regarding experiential learning at Lehman College: http://lehman.edu/experiential-learning/

Learning Communities Essentially, learning communities (or blocks) are clusters of courses taken by the same group of students. This structure assists students in developing peer support networks that contribute to promoting social learning experiences and overall academic success. FYI functions as the learning community component of Freshman College. The learning community structure permits a multitude of components to work together to provide students with a supportive academic environment. Since faculty within each block teaches the same cohort of students, they can collaborate with each other to integrate course materials and assignments, as well as discuss student progress. Each block produces a unique, thematic, and coherent interdisciplinary integration plan that enriches students’ first-year experience. Students interested in Accounting, Business Administration, Education, Nursing, Pre-med/Pre-health, and STEM can participate in specialized blocks of study. Lehman’s learning communities serve over 70% of the incoming class. Students are placed in a maximum of four-course learning communities. In Fall 2018, approximately 50% of the learning communities represented meta-majors – the remaining are liberal arts learning communities

http://lehman.edu/experiential-learning/


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situated within the same School. Learning communities extend into the second semester of the freshman year, where students are blocked for two courses. The retention rate was 79% for students participating in learning communities from Fall 2017 to Spring 2018. Internships Students are supported and encouraged to seek internships (http://www.lehman.edu/career-

services/index.php) Career advisement is available either online or by meeting with an advisor. Recruitment activities include on-campus and off-campus interviews and seminars arranged with companies and agencies interested in hiring Lehman students. During these recruitment activities, students have the opportunity to speak with and submit a resume to representatives from many different businesses. The Office of Community Engagement aims to educate members of the Lehman community on the importance of responsible citizenship through New Student Orientation, community development programs, service efforts, practical application of knowledge, and an awareness of global issues impacting local communities: http://www.lehman.edu/student-affairs/community-engagement/

Coordinated Undergraduate Education (CUE) CUNY’s Office of Undergraduate Studies convenes Deans and Directors of Undergraduate Education from across CUNY’s 18 undergraduate colleges to share expertise, resources, and high impact practices. The ultimate goal is to better coordinate the undergraduate experience in support of student success: http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/coordinated/

Annual Reports on use of CUE strategic initiative funds at Lehman College, and the success of these initiatives are provided in Appendix. Freshman Year Initiative (FYI) http://www.lehman.edu/academics/freshman-programs/index.php

Freshman Year Initiative is a two-semester model offering first-time, full-time students a supportive structure that promotes an interdisciplinary curriculum, faculty collaboration, and peer support through a strong foundation of meta-major learning communities. Advising FC uses a caseload approach where students are assigned dedicated advisors to guide them through their General Education curriculum. Students have access to a dynamic community of support consisting of career services, financial aid, personal counseling, and tutoring. As CUNY’s first comprehensive learning community program, Freshman Programs has served Lehman students for 25 years. Our award-winning, nationally recognized program model has been adopted at other institutions within and outside of CUNY. Some key benefits of the program are: Improving academic performance

http://www.lehman.edu/career-services/index.php

http://www.lehman.edu/career-services/index.php

http://www.lehman.edu/student-affairs/community-engagement/

http://www.lehman.edu/student-affairs/community-engagement/

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/coordinated/

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/undergraduate-studies/coordinated/

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Building skills essential for academic success Providing a diverse interdisciplinary curriculum Fostering student-faculty relationships Keeping students well-grounded in campus activities Teaching students how to utilize helpful campus resources Raising overall student satisfaction. Freshman College – Mission, Vision, and Goals In Fall 2017, Lehman established Freshman College to provide holistic student services for a larger freshman class. This program offers services such as academic advisement, career exploration, personal and financial aid counseling. It works in close collaboration with the FYI program. Mission Statement The Mission of Freshman College is to provide a foundational academic experience that actively engages students in their intellectual, personal, and professional development. Freshman College will foster a supportive environment leading to a successful college transition, overall academic achievement, and retention of students toward graduation. Vision Statement Founded in the Lehman College tradition of access to excellence, Freshman College will be a leader in development and assessment of a dynamic and enriched learning environment of student achievement through the first two years of college. Goals Provide a successful transition into the Lehman College community:

Promote an environment that fosters interdisciplinary studies, collaborative teaching and learning, and enhanced student services

Foster connections between students and collaborative support services, including academic advising, career counseling, financial aid planning, academic support, and personal counseling

Encourage academic momentum towards degree completion. Comprehensive Writing Instruction The College takes writing instruction seriously and following best practices in the field, offers students a comprehensive writing program. The first step for all incoming first-year students are two consecutive English Composition courses as part of the First Year Initiative. Building on this experience, students then take four required writing-intensive courses. They can do so in General Education or in the majors. Guidelines and standards for writing-intensive courses were set by the Lehman College Senate in 2014, and are posted on the College website: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/general-education/writing.php Many majors offer and require Writing in the Discipline (WIC) courses. These courses are developed and taught by faculty of the respective department with WAC (Writing Across the

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Curriculum) training or by members of the English Department, which includes both Writing Studies scholars and professional writers, among other writing-trained faculty. CUNY Writing Fellows, PhD students from CUNY Graduate Center, support WAC professional development and programming, which aims to improve the quality of writing instruction across the curriculum. Transfer students have often taken one or both of their English Composition classes as well as writing-intensive courses at their community colleges. They must take at least two writing-intensive courses at Lehman, and are frequently required by their department to take Writing in the Discipline courses within their majors. The College is currently working with the School of Arts and Humanities, the English Department, and the disciplines across campus to develop better strategies to support transfer students in writing development. Improving Mathematics Readiness Another student success initiative relates to how students are admitted to the College’s math sequence. Historically, new students who fail to demonstrate readiness for college-level work by meeting specific SAT, New York State Regents, and other testing criteria are required to take a CUNY assessment test in the summer prior to entry. Based on their score, the student is placed into the appropriate college-level mathematics course, most often College Algebra. In 2016, by means of a National Science Foundation grant, the College adopted a program known as ALEKS (Assessment and LEarning in Knowledge Spaces; https://www.aleks.com/about_aleks). ALEKS is a six-week summer program that provides students interested in STEM-related disciplines with intensive online and in-person tutorials intended to enable them to pass the Math Department’s algebra test at the program’s conclusion. Passing this test is the gateway to the College’s math sequence, which permits entry into a STEM major. Initial analyses of the program suggest it is a resounding success. In 2017, of the 73 students who participated in the program, 47 of them (64.38%) passed the MAT104 final and received credit for the class. This allowed them to advance into the following MAT classes: MAT132 Statistics, MAT172 Pre-Calculus, and MAT171 Elements of Pre-Calculus. Four students were eligible to take the MAT172 exam, and all four passed and were able to advance into MAT174 Elements of Calculus or MAT175 Calculus 1. During 2018, 79 students were eligible to take the MAT104 exam and 72 passed (91.13%), and of the 34 students eligible to take the MAT172 exam, 26 passed (76.47%). The majority of Lehman students complete their Quantitative Reasoning graduation requirement by taking MAT132: Introduction to Statistics. In Fall 2018, the Math Department developed a uniform curriculum for MAT132, which includes uniform online homework assignments and a uniform course final, both linked to course learning objectives. In addition, arithmetic and algebra supports were added to review basic math skills needed for success. A full assessment will occur in Spring 2019. In Spring 2018, Math created a two-credit course in Trigonometry, which will help bridge a content gap for many students and provide alternative pipelines to Calculus 1, required for many students majoring in a STEM field.

https://mail.lehman.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=BcN1gKN3XSKUkXdpK6F8JwKao90EF2QRDh7FNSj_Av-zPk4hgS_WCA..&URL=http%3a%2f%2fwww.lehman.edu%2fstudents%2ftesting-scholarships%2fassessment-tests.php%23actexempt

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In Spring 2018, Mathematics redesigned its Quantitative Reasoning course, so that all students regardless of math placement can enroll. The course meets in a computer lab to allow for active learning, individual and group problem solving. It is capped at 20 students to facilitate more student-instructor consultation. This course experienced an above 90% pass rate in its first semester, running three separate sections with three different instructors. Pre-Health Professions Program Lehman offers a vibrant program for students interested in a career as a physician, dentist, pharmacist, optometrist, physical therapist, occupational therapist, physician assistant, or veterinarian. While this program has a distinguished history, dating back to Lehman’s earliest years, it was completely restructured in 2016 to better serve pre-health students across the curriculum and building on past successes to further improve student outcomes. Formerly a standalone office co-located with the Biology Department, Pre-Health advising was relocated as part of the Office of Academic Advisement. This has resulted in better integration between pre-health and general advising, as well as increased engagement with pre-health students outside Biology. In addition, a Pre-Health Advisory Board was constituted to provide oversight for pre-health initiatives. This board includes students, faculty, staff, and external stakeholders such as medical and professional schools. The Pre-Health Evaluation Committee was also established, along with a process for producing high-quality committee letters for students interested in medicine, dentistry, or optometry. These changes, among others, led to rapid development and expansion of the program, and have already yielded noteworthy outcomes. The number of active registrants in Lehman’s pre-health program increased from 483 at the end of 2017 to 834 as of September 2018, a 73% increase. Moreover, the number of committee letters increased from 17 in 2017 to 36 in 2018, or 112%. The number of Lehman applicants to medical school also increased significantly. In the 2017-2018 medical school application cycle, 25% more Lehman students applied than in the previous cycle. The success rate for admission to at least one United States allopathic or osteopathic medical school increased from 45 to 51%, with underrepresented students showing significant gains. CUNY2XTech Initiative The NYC Tech Talent Pipeline (TTP) is a $955,530 industry partnership designed to support growth of the City’s technology sector by delivering quality jobs to New Yorkers and quality talent for New York’s businesses. Launched in 2014 by Mayor de Blasio, TTP, run out of the New York City Office of Small Business Services (SBS), is working hand-in-hand with the City’s leading businesses, education and training providers, and communities, leveraging industry insight, expertise, and resources to define what works, deliver solutions, and drive the systems and policy change critical to long-term success. In October 2017, Lehman College was awarded a $1 million CUNY2XTech Initiative grant from the Mayor’s Office. CUNY2X is a companion grant to the $2 million Tech Talent Pipeline Residency grant Lehman was awarded in January 2017. It


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aims to double the number of Computer Science majors through 2022, and place Lehman students in high quality, market-rate internships. CUNY2XTech helps the College achieve these goals by providing at least two years of funding to cover the costs of hiring two new full-time faculty in Computer Science, a full-time career and academic adviser for Computer Science majors, and technologists-in-residence (industry practitioners) who will bring their expertise into Computer Science campus classrooms. Lehman will sustain these two faculty positions beyond the lifetime of CUNY2XTech. TTP@Lehman has distinguished the campus in New York City’s tech world and allows our graduates increased access to this burgeoning industry. The program is responsible for delivering pre-internship training, recruiting host businesses, and supporting students’ connection to employment post-graduation. Starting with an intensive four-week pre-internship training program in software application engineering, students receive the project-based technical and professional skills they need to succeed in their internships and subsequent job searches. Following training, employers with a demonstrated capacity to hire entry-level tech talent provide meaningful work experiences to students and ongoing feedback to the College. Students commit to part-time internships (up to 19 hours a week) in Spring cohorts and full-time internships (35 hours per week) in summer cohorts. Throughout the program, students attend workshops, delivered by the training provider, to further advance their job readiness skills, including preparing for technical interviews, pair programming, and presenting technical projects. By engaging directly with employers, committed faculty advisers inform recommendations for aligning the School’s technology curricula with industry demand. Sophomore Year Initiative (SYI) http://www.lehman.edu/sophomore-year-initiative/syi-program.php

The purpose of Title V, known as the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Program, is to expand educational opportunities and improve academic attainment of Hispanic students. Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) are defined as institutions having at least 25 percent of full-time enrollment (FTE) identify themselves as Hispanic. Title V assists institutions that help large numbers of Hispanic students and low-income individuals complete post-secondary degrees by expanding and enhancing their academic offerings, program quality, and institutional stability. All First-time, Full-time Freshmen (FTFTF) admitted as of Fall 2012 or after were eligible to participate in SYI. Despite successful programming to increase freshman retention at Lehman, many sophomore students experience great challenges including: (1) maintaining the grade point average (GPA) needed to remain at Lehman; (2) achieving the minimum GPA needed to enter desired majors; (3) seeking and finding help when needed; (4) choosing a major by 45 credits; (5) identifying a

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career of interest compatible with skills and abilities; (6) balancing work and family with college; and (7) managing financial resources to complete their baccalaureate degree in a timely fashion. The challenges Lehman sophomores experience may be attributed to a variety of factors, including a sense of personal or academic indecision as coursework becomes more demanding, and students are faced with declaring a major. Further, many Lehman students work full- or part-time jobs, care for loved ones or dependents, manage personal relationships, and are frequently the first in their families to attend college. At times students may experience a “sophomore slump” when pressures of indecision combine with pressures outside of school, which in turn can have a negative impact on students’ level of adjustment, commitment, and academic performance. The SYI program addressed these challenges and helped students overcome the sophomore slump by providing direct support services including academic and career advisement, counseling, and tutoring support, as well as offering holistic programming focused on student persistence, momentum, and success. Program Evaluation Lehman College contracted with Applied Research and Evaluation to evaluate implementation and development of the Sophomore Year Initiative (SYI) program: http://www.cobblestoneeval.com/

External evaluation of the first half of the first program year was primarily formative in focus. This evaluation centered on monitoring program implementation, assessing early outcomes, and determining any changes for improvement in Year Two. This evaluation was designed to answer six major questions: What is the project impact on at-risk students’ likelihood of graduation? What is the project impact on students’ short-term and long-term persistence/retention? What is the impact of the Early Warning Referral System (EWS) on student GPA? What is the impact of EWS on faculty early assessment practices? How does the project impact First-Time Full-Time Freshmen (FTFTF) and transfer students? How do the attained outcomes compare when disaggregated by race/ethnicity, gender,

socioeconomic status, or disability status for students?

Evaluation of the SYI program was conducted to assess its implementation, and provide some comparison of outcomes through a mixed methods longitudinal evaluation design that included both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods and analysis. Baseline data established in Year One was used for comparison across semesters and years, and to document project progress. Evaluation included analysis of internal program records to assess how program participation affects student academic success. It also monitored and tracked: output data on Early Warning System (EWS) implementation; use of EWS and academic advising

http://www.cobblestoneeval.com/


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services; number of departments hosting career/major fairs and workshops; and number of these events held. During the five-year duration of the program (2012-2017), SYI was effective in enhancing retention and graduation rates for freshmen and sophomores at Lehman. Many of SYI’s programs and services are currently being institutionalized in the Freshman College program. SEEK Program Since 1968, Lehman College’s Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program (Search for Education, Elevation, and Knowledge) has been an integral part of the community. SEEK is a New York State mandated and opportunity program for CUNY senior colleges. It is one of the largest, most active, and most productive student support organizations on campus: http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/seek/ The Program is guided by the College’s mission, values, and goals, as well as the requirements of CUNY Office of Special Programs (OSP). The Program’s mission is threefold: provide an alternative admission pathway for low-income, talented, and motivated applicants who do not meet traditional admission criteria; provide institutional leadership and advocacy; and facilitate specialized, intensive support services including advisement, counseling, limited financial assistance, and tutoring and supplemental instruction to support academic development, performance, persistence, and progress toward graduation. Each year SEEK supplies comprehensive admission and academic support services to a mandated number of SEEK students (974 in Fall 2018, including 220 new freshmen). SEEK’s innovative support initiatives include a pre-freshman summer program for all entering SEEK freshmen and a federal grant-supported program, TRiO Student Support Services, secured to provide supplemental activities including tuition- and fee-waived winter and summer courses. Other programs include peer mentoring, student engagement projects, internship placement assistance, and critical thinking instruction. Lehman’s SEEK students have paralleled or exceeded much of the success of their non-SEEK counterparts in academic performance, persistence, and graduation rates. (CUNY Office of Special Programs, Student Success Measures: Fall 2016 Status Report) In 2010, the program’s six-year graduation rate of 51.7% was slightly higher than the six-year graduation rate of about 49.5% for students not enrolled in the program. During 2017-2018, the number of SEEK student graduates rose to an all-time high of 225 over the recent years’ average of about 175. (Lehman College Office of the Registrar, April 2018) In 2015, Excelencia in Education, the prestigious national education advocacy organization, recognized the Percy Ellis Sutton SEEK Program at Lehman College as one of the country’s top twenty programs at increasing Latino success. Macaulay Honors College Students enrolled in the William E. Macaulay Honors College at Lehman are chosen from a highly competitive field of applicants who demonstrate exceptional academic skills. They are

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/seek/


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rewarded for their hard work and achievement with a complete package of financial benefits including: full tuition scholarship for four years of study; expense account for study abroad or other academically enriching experiences; free laptop computer; and cultural passport for special entrée to concerts, theaters, museums, and other cultural events and institutions in New York City. Macaulay students are expected to pursue a broad-based liberal arts education, maintain a high grade point average, and graduate in four years. As freshmen and sophomores, they participate in semester-long seminars with University Scholars from other CUNY colleges. These seminars focus on special aspects of New York City and integrate experiences associated with the cultural passport and traditional academic study. They include The Arts in New York City, The Peopling of New York, Science and Technology in New York City, and New York in the 21st Century. Lehman was selected as the senior college in the Macaulay Bridge Scholars Program, an experimental project designed to increase the number of minority Macaulay students across CUNY. In Fall 2017, 18 first-year CUNY community college students were recruited to participate in this pilot program. Bridge participants will enroll in Macaulay seminars (summer between the students’ first and second year; summer after graduating from community college), and complete Honors courses during their two years at a community college. Post-Associate’s degree, Bridge students transition to Lehman for their junior and senior years. We anticipate that the addition of Bridge students will result in doubling the number of graduates from historically marginalized populations by enacting programs that seek equity in representation. Lehman Scholars Program Founded in 1980, the Lehman Scholars Program admits twenty students each Fall directly from high school. They are given partial tuition scholarships from the Lehman College Foundation. Lehman Scholars entering in their first year accrue the benefits of the program for the entirety of their careers at Lehman, paralleling the pattern followed by Macaulay Honors College. Lehman Scholars select four interdisciplinary seminars, complete the intermediate year of a foreign language, and develop and produce a capstone project. Lehman Scholars have access to faculty members serving as their dedicated academic and experiential advisors throughout their undergraduate careers. Macaulay Honors Scholars interact with Lehman Scholars, fulfilling the MHC requirement of an additional three honors-level seminars, a new menu of five faculty-designed offerings each semester. During the Fall, the Lehman Scholars Program offers honors sections of entry-level courses comprised solely of first year honors students in both programs, through the Philosophy, Political Science, and Psychology Departments to provide enhanced academic enrichment, social bonding, and intellectual community.


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Undergraduate Research

Lehman College’s 2015-2019 Strategic Plan for Research includes promotion of undergraduate student research by: (1) increasing the number of students engaged in research by appointing faculty ambassadors for undergraduate research from each School; (2) introducing a research capstone requirement for graduation by piloting an LEH300 capstone course; and (3) engaging LSAMPS participants (minority students) in the research enterprise by means of graduate assistantships in LEH300 capstone courses: http://www.lehman.edu/research-at-lehman/documents/Research-strategic-plan.pdf

Lehman College’s Student Research Advisory Board (SRAB) is committed to promoting student-faculty research collaboration within and across disciplines (http://www.lehman.edu/orsp/undergraduate-advisory-board.php). SRAB develops and manages initiatives increasingly embedded in the College infrastructure. Its subcommittees oversee two main areas of activity: support for students engaged in hands-on production of research, scholarship, and creative activities; and support for faculty collaborating with students on both faculty- and student-led projects. Undergraduate research in the School of Natural and Social Sciences is an integral part of each of the majors. In the table below, the number of students formally enrolled in research courses is enumerated. Table 5: Undergraduate Research in the School of Natural and Social Sciences (tutorials, independent studies, research)

Academic Year Number

2014-2015 194

2015-2016 268

2016-2017 324

2017-2018 361

Research and Scholarship Resources Lehman offers a variety of scholarship opportunities for students. The Scholarship Office is dedicated to assuring that scholarship funds are enabled to recruit, retain, and support students to graduate. In 2016, the College established the Office of Prestigious Awards, which guides students through the process of applying for high-profile scholarships such as the Fulbright, Gilman, and National Science Foundation. In 2016, the Office assisted students in procuring approximately $607,546 in funding. Students may also work in Lehman faculty’s laboratory facilities. Over the past five years, faculty garnered between $14-22 million to pursue sponsored research. Grant funding between the years 2006-2016 is reported below:

http://www.lehman.edu/research-at-lehman/documents/Research-strategic-plan.pdf

http://www.lehman.edu/research-at-lehman/documents/Research-strategic-plan.pdf

http://www.lehman.edu/orsp/undergraduate-advisory-board.php


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The College’s Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) helps students in pursuit of extramural funding. It is committed to cultivating an environment of research and scholarship that facilitates and supports Lehman faculty, staff, and students: http://www.lehman.edu/orsp/

Lehman College-based centers and institutes that serve both research and scholarship needs of students and faculty include: Bronx Institute, Center for Human Rights and Peace Studies, Jaime Lucero Mexican Studies Institute, Institute for Irish-American Studies, and Institute for Health Equity: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/centers-institutes.php

Department websites feature prominent examples of student/faculty research projects: http://www.lehman.edu/academics/chemistry/documents/Poster-Lehman_final_1.pdf http://www.lehman.edu/academics/health-human-services-nursing/speech-language-hearing-sciences/auditory-perception-lab.php School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) The School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS), one of five Schools at Lehman, provides an array of educational options that increase the College’s footprint. In 2016-2017, over 13,000 community residents: completed certified training programs; took classes, workshops, and tests; benefitted from business counseling; and pursued degrees through SCPS. (W178) In addition to providing undergraduate and graduate studies for credit in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education within a dynamic research environment, the College offers an extensive array of non-credit and non-traditional courses and programs. For over forty years, the School of Continuing and Professional Studies (SCPS) has responded to emerging training and education needs of adult workers, helping thousands complete certificate programs and prepare for college, and providing credit and non-credit services to Lehman’s other four Schools. (W18) SCPS offers non-traditional and innovative programs and provides many possibilities for renewal and growth including industry certification, customized training, high school equivalency preparation, English as a Second Language, personal development, business assistance, and professional advancement through five programs: Adult Degree Program (ADP) (W101); Continuing Education (W104); Workforce Education (W102); Bronx Small Business Development Center (W103); CUNY on the Concourse. These departments are located on the Lehman College campus and an offsite location, CUNY on the Concourse (COTC, 2501 Grand Concourse, Bronx, New York). Mostly self-funded, the School is supported through grants, contracts, and tuition. It works with external partners such as community-based organizations, colleges, unions, and both large and small businesses. Many courses, workshops, and auxiliary services are offered at the COTC location, which covers 26,000 square feet and comprises the following:

1. Twelve classrooms and a conference room, including six state-of-the art computer classrooms


http://www.lehman.edu/orsp/

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/centers-institutes.php

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/chemistry/documents/Poster-Lehman_final_1.pdf

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/health-human-services-nursing/speech-language-hearing-sciences/auditory-perception-lab.php

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/health-human-services-nursing/speech-language-hearing-sciences/auditory-perception-lab.php

http://www2.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/oira/institutional/data/current-student-data-book-by-subject/#Enrollment

http://www.lehman.edu/continuing-professional-studies-school/

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/adp/index.php

http://lehman.edu/academics/continuing-education/index.php

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/workforce-education/index.php

http://www.lehman.edu/bronx-business-bridge/small-business.php


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2. Testing Center for Pearson VUE, CLEP, TOEFL, CELSA, National Headquarters Association (NHA), PROMETRIC, CERTIPORT

3. Human simulation/medical assistant lab 4. Pharmacy technician lab and two CNA nursing labs 5. Bronx Business+Tech Incubator offers the following: 11 small businesses and startups;

Immigrant Entrepreneur Center; SCORE NYC (Bronx Chapter); New York Hispanic Cosmetology and Beauty Chamber of Commerce; Bronx Business Bridge collaboration with NYCEDC

6. Innovation Lab offers: Small Business Consulting Practice; SCPS Social Media; Technology Traincubes [web development]; Computer Science After School and Summer Program; 4 tech startups

7. Small Business Development Center has a satellite office at the heart of the business Incubator

8. Virtual Reality Training Academy and Development Lab. Aligned with CUNY’s access/completion goals are a non-traditional undergraduate program (Adult Degree Program) and an interdisciplinary graduate program (Master of Arts in Liberal Studies). Both programs (W101) offer an exceptional array of services and opportunities to adults seeking their Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Lehman’s Adult Degree Program, one of the CUNY system’s original and most active programs, provides the opportunity to earn college credit for prior learning from life, work, volunteer experience, or U.S. military service. It offers academic and career advising specially designed for adult students with office hours until 7:00 PM three nights a week. ADP gives students the option to design their own concentration through the Self-Determined Studies program, or select from over 50 majors offered at the College. This program currently serves over 1200 adult students. A faculty advisory committee oversees curricular offerings, with changes corresponding to the same approval process as for other College courses and programs. In Spring 2018, revisions of credit-bearing courses offered through the Adult Degree Program were approved through College and University governance procedures. The new MA in Liberal Studies Program (MALS) is an interdisciplinary, 36-credit degree program that allows students to design and pursue an individualized course of study among several different departments at Lehman College. Students take a 12-credit core of Liberal Studies courses and 18 credits of graduate electives from various departments. The final requirement is to write a Master’s thesis or complete a capstone project under supervision of a faculty adviser (students who choose the second option must take an additional three-credit elective). More than 20% of Adult Degree Program students and alumni have been recognized for their academic and professional achievements. They have: made the Deans’ List; been named Presidential Scholars; received prestigious honors such as Golden Key Honor Society,

http://www.lehman.edu/academics/adp/index.php


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fellowships, and grants including the LCU (Ladies’ Christian Union) Fund for Women’s Education, and the Women’s Forum Fellowship. In terms of impact on the local community, between October 2017-September 2018 the Small Business Development Center received a $500,000 grant from Small Business Administration that resulted in a $5 million economic impact, including 133 jobs created or saved, and more than 450 business owners served. The Workforce Education Program serves over 600 people per year with both credit and non-credit training and education. Graduate Education Lehman College currently enrolls 2,152 students for graduate study. The Office of Graduate Studies is comprised of four key dimensions: knowledge management; engagement and collaboration; innovation for excellence; and sustaining products of change. The Office conducts Knowledge Management initiatives to facilitate creation, understanding, and transfer of information useful to stakeholders in the graduate community. It engages in ongoing review of policies and procedures to ensure existing academic policies are consistently comprehended and reinforced across degree programs. Academic advisement for graduate students occurs at the program level within Schools. The Office works collaboratively with graduate advisors. The Office of Institutional Research maintains a list of graduate-declared majors by Schools and department from Fall 2006 to Fall 2015: http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/documents/F15.S5.Grads-Declared-Majors.pdf

In Fall 2018, the School of Education enrolled a total of 1,335 graduate students, about 62% of total graduate students matriculated at Lehman College. The Graduate Bulletin lists admission requirements for each major: http://lehman.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2015-2017/Graduate-Bulletin/About-Lehman-College/

The College has made concerted efforts to stabilize and increase our graduate student headcount. In order to encourage more minority students to pursue graduate studies, Lehman developed a Dual Credit Program allowing high performing undergraduate students to earn up to 12 credits of graduate coursework to satisfy undergraduate elective credit. These courses are then transferrable to the graduate degree upon admission. This program benefits Lehman students both academically and financially, as they are able to advance to graduate study early in a familiar environment where they are more likely to thrive. Saving time and money advancing towards their graduate credential, they receive consistent faculty support at the institution, thus creating seamless transfer between programs. In Fall 2017, a new Master of Science in Organizational Leadership was launched with a focus on not-for-profit leadership. This program has been well-received, enrolling over 40 students in its first cohort. In 2018, NYSED approved the Master of Science in Organizational Leadership, which will be offered online in Fall 2019 for flexibility and to increase enrollment.

http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/documents/F15.S5.Grads-Declared-Majors.pdf

http://lehman.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2015-2017/Graduate-Bulletin/About-Lehman-College/


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The Online Advanced Certificate in Gifted and Talented Education was approved by NYSED in 2016 and launched in 2017. The program offers candidates with initial teaching certification the opportunity to earn an extension in Gifted and Talented Education, which will enhance their teaching skills in the classroom. The modality of the program enables students to continue working while pursuing their degree. The College recently received approval to offer the Master of Science in Health Education and Promotion online. We anticipate the flexibility of this program, coupled with a streamlined application and registration process, to increase enrollment. Beginning in Fall 2019, the Master of Science in Business will extend an additional presence of their Human Resources Management concentration online. Looking forward, the College is confident that these enhancements to offerings, in conjunction with improvements in program promotion, will result in graduate enrollment that reflects the diversity of our undergraduate population, empowers minority students to advance in their careers, and contributes in a meaningful way to improvement of lives in the Borough. In Spring 2015, Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences’ graduate program developed a Bilingual Extension certificate, which currently enrolls 30 students (35% of total graduate enrollment in Program). Students are assigned to educational and clinical settings for clinical externships in the New York City metropolitan area to serve bilingual children and adults with communication disorders. School of Education The School of Education (SOE) offers Master’s degree programs leading to New York State certification in Early Childhood Education, Childhood Education, English Education, Science Education, Mathematics Education, Social Studies Education, TESOL, Special Education in Early Childhood, Special Education in Childhood, and Special Education in Adolescence. SOE collaborates with the School of Arts and Humanities and School of Natural and Social Sciences to offer initial preparation programs in Music Education, Art Education, Spanish Teacher, and Health Education. SOE also makes available two advanced preparation programs in Literacy Studies and Educational Leadership. The School of Education is nationally accredited by the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP, formerly known as NCATE), and all its programs are approved by NYSED. SOE has been continuously improving through transformation of its educator preparation programs to meet CAEP and Specialized Professional Association (SPA) standards. Results from CAEP/SPA about our program reports indicate that more than 80% of our educator preparation programs have been nationally recognized with conditions in the first round of review. SOE also offers a Master’s degree in School Counseling and Counselor Education, which is nationally accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The program is currently going through a self-study process of reaccreditation by CACREP.


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Student Candidate Success Educative Teacher Performance Assessment (edTPA) results indicate that out of 137 candidates who took edTPA during the 2016-2017 academic year, 108 candidates (79%) passed the assessment. Candidates did better by two percentage points as compared to results in the 2015-2016 academic year. Improvement was due to continuing efforts to provide support such as: opening the edTPA Lab; offering online modules on edTPA topics; providing workshops and training on edTPA days when student teachers return to campus; as well as embedded tutoring for students needing support in writing. In order to promote student success on their way to becoming certified teachers, the Department of Early Childhood and Childhood Education (ECCE) designed unique programs referred to as Minor to Masters (MTM) that recruit undergraduate students into pathways to teaching by offering a seamless transition from a sequence of undergraduate courses into a fast-track Master’s degree in Education that leads to New York State initial teaching certification. Preparing Teachers of Underrepresented Groups for Students with Diverse Needs Despite a national trend that a decreasing number of students are attracted to pursue the teaching profession, the number of students admitted to the School of Education has been steady. For Fall 2018, 427 students were admitted to graduate degree programs, comparable to the number admitted in Fall 2017. The following is a portfolio of programs designed to attract minority students from underrepresented populations to become teachers in high-needs schools with support of funding from federal, state, and city government agencies. In Summer 2018, a total of 128 Teaching Fellows were admitted to Master’s degree programs such as English Education, Math Education, Science Education, TESOL, and Social Studies Education. New York City Teaching Fellows (NYCTF) is an alternative teacher preparation program leading to NYS teacher certification. A collaboration among NYCDOE, CUNY, and certain private universities in the City, Teaching Fellows teach full-time in high-needs public schools while studying at Lehman and participating in continuous supervision and professional development. Faculty in Early Childhood Education and Childhood Education developed a six-credit course sequence for the Para Bridge Program in partnership with NYCDOE to prepare paraprofessionals to become qualified candidates for graduate programs leading to teaching certification. In addition, SOE is continuing to implement CUNY Murphy Institute’s Leap to Teach, a program that helps paraprofessionals become teachers. Lehman currently has 67 candidates enrolled in undergraduate programs, of which eleven are males of color. The ALPHA (Academic Language Produces Higher Achievement) program offered by Bronx Institute is designed to reverse bilingual and ESL teacher shortages. ALPHA has recruited 30 content area teachers to take five TESOL classes within one year. By the end of the grant, 150


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participants will have attended classes in the TESOL program in the Middle and High School Education Department. The New York City Men Teach program, part of Mayor de Blasio’s Young Men’s Initiative, has 84 students enrolled in its third year. A partnership between the Mayor’s Office, NYCDOE, and CUNY, it aims to improve diversity of the NYC teaching workforce by adding 1,000 male teachers of color by 2018. Currently, Lehman has the largest cohort among all the CUNY colleges. The Lehman Urban Transformative Education-Teacher Opportunity Corps (LUTE-TOC) program successfully completed its second year. NYSED provides funds to support the program designed to attract underrepresented minority male students to become teachers for high-needs schools. LUTE-TOC supports 50 participants at both undergraduate and graduate levels. In order to recruit underrepresented minority students, SOE faculty actively engages in successfully securing funds at national, state, and local levels to provide support for teacher candidate training. Over the past decade, Lehman College’s School of Education:

Received its first Noyce Scholarship grant of $870,000 from National Science Foundation (NSF) to launch an innovative program designed to prepare diverse STEM teachers for high-needs urban middle schools. Out of 23 students admitted to the scholarship program, 22 Noyce Scholars are practicing teachers of mathematics or science in New York City high-needs schools.

Received a second, five-year $1.2 million Robert Noyce grant from National Science Foundation (NSF) to support its proposed Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics for English Language Learners (STEMELL) Program. The STEMELL Program has a special focus on preparing highly qualified and diverse science and mathematics college students to gain teacher certification to teach English Language Learners (ELLs) in mainstream middle and high school classrooms within high-need Bronx schools. To date, 16 of 21 Noyce Scholars have acquired the knowledge base, found employment, and are teaching in high-needs public schools.

Developed a clinically-rich teacher preparation program (MATH UP), which received $7.6 million of federal funding as a TQP (Teacher Quality Partnership) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, an additional $800,000 from NYSED, and $45,000 from the JPMorganChase Foundation. MATH UP participants engaged in a one-year teaching internship in a South Bronx elementary school while taking courses toward a BA/MSED in Childhood Education with the option of a bilingual extension. In collaboration with five high-needs Bronx schools, the MATH UP program prepared 79 certified elementary teachers (70 females, 9 males) with proficiency in teaching mathematics to English language learners or students with special needs.

Prepared a total of 80 mathematics teacher leaders through Math Teacher Transformation Institutes (MTTI), funded with $5 million from National Science Foundation’s Math and Science Partnership (MSP) program for six years (2008-2014). Mathematics teachers from Bronx high-needs public secondary schools came together


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to build leadership skills by enhancing their knowledge of mathematics, mathematical and educational research, pedagogy, and student assessment.

Received several TRiO Student Support Services grants, Careers in Teaching Program (CIT) that give first generation and economically disadvantaged students opportunities for academic development, tuition-waived courses, and personal counseling. The CIT Program began in 2009 and serves 140 students annually.

Offered the Pre-K for All Scholars Program, designed to prepare high quality early childhood teachers. All fourteen students who began the program in 2014 were hired as UPK teachers for the 2015-2016 school year.

Lehman College Graduates in New York City Schools According to the 2016 NYCDOE Teacher Application Report, about 75% of the hires from Lehman’s School of Education graduates are teaching in the Bronx. Our most recent alumni survey results (2018) indicate that the majority are schools teachers or administrators (88%), while about 70% teach in schools in the New York City area. About 65% are teaching in their certification areas, with more than 84% earning more than $50,000 annually. Doctoral Education – Consortium with CUNY Graduate Center The Graduate Center of The City University of New York was created in 1969, and has evolved considerably. Most of the Doctoral degrees awarded in CUNY come from the Graduate Center (GC). Currently, it offers 31 programs with approximately 1,870 faculty. One hundred seventy faculty members are housed exclusively at the GC (located in midtown Manhattan). The remainder hold primary appointments at one of the affiliated CUNY campuses while simultaneously serving on the Doctoral faculty. CUNY colleges have a consortial relationship with the Graduate Center that enables participating faculty to: teach; contribute to GC administrative work; mentor Doctoral students; serve on Doctoral student committees; and – in the case of bench sciences – mentor Doctoral students on the local college campus. Until recently, all research laboratories in the natural sciences were located only on college campuses. However, in 2014 CUNY opened the new Advanced Science Research Center (ASRC), the Graduate Center’s first bench science facility located at City College. ASRC is a truly state-of-the-art facility with research focused in five interdisciplinary areas: photonics, structural biology, nanoscience, neuroscience, and environmental science. Campus faculty have research opportunities at ASRC and – in the case of the nanoscience initiative – can also be affiliated with ASRC (two Lehman Chemistry faculty are allied with CUNY Nanoscience faculty). The consortial relationships of the colleges with GC and ASRC at times can be cumbersome, but allow college faculty to actively participate with Doctoral programs in their discipline, which widens the breadth and reach of CUNY Doctoral opportunities. Colleges are compensated for work by campus faculty at a CUNY-wide rate that enables faculty to be actively engaged (as part of their normal workload) in Doctoral education.


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Currently (Fall 2018), 103 Lehman College faculty out of 302 tenured/tenure-track faculty (Fall 2017) are members of the Doctoral faculty in one or more Graduate Center programs. Through participation in the consortium, Lehman College can attract active scholars who seek a strong research career coupled with the undergraduate teaching mission of the institution. Affiliation with Doctoral programs brings state-of-the-art research to the campus, enabling undergraduates (and even high school students) access to discovery and knowledge creation alongside Doctoral students. Faculty from four of Lehman’s Schools are involved in the Doctoral program in slightly different ways. School of Natural and Social Sciences Tables 6 and 7 summarize the metrics used in the School of Natural and Social Sciences to assess productivity of participation in the Doctoral program on both Doctoral and undergraduate education. Most of the undergraduate affiliation occurs with faculty members who are also on the Doctoral faculty, demonstrating synergy between the undergraduate (Lehman) and Doctoral (GC) missions of the two institutions. Table 6: Direct Participation of Lehman College Faculty in Doctoral Education (past five years)

NSS Total

Criteria Number or fraction

Doctoral faculty 61

PhD students mentored in past five years 111

Classes taught at Graduate Center in past five years 86

Defense committees served on 143

Administrative committees served on 101

Graduate Teaching Fellows 48

Table 7: Participation in Graduate Center and Scholarly Impact with Undergraduates (past five years)

NSS Total

Criteria Number or fraction

Doctoral faculty 61

Undergraduates participating in research with Lehman College mentors in past five years

436

Talks given to national/internal meetings with undergraduates 87

Papers published with undergraduate authors 66

School of Health, Human Services, and Nursing (HS2N) Faculty from three programs within this School participate substantially in programs at the Graduate Center.


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Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences: The Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences Department has an ongoing relationship with its Doctoral counterpart at the Graduate Center. Several faculty hold appointments as Doctoral faculty, and one has recently been appointed Executive Officer of this program. Faculty involvement includes: serving as committee members on PhD students’ pre-dissertation and dissertation projects; serving as outside readers for the written examination and dissertation defenses; and as campus representatives on the program’s committees (curriculum and examination). Faculty also has an opportunity to teach a seminar in the PhD program. The department provides teaching opportunities for Doctoral students as Graduate Center Fellows (GCF) in the undergraduate program. Currently, the department has one GCF teaching at the undergraduate level. The GCF is assigned to a senior faculty member who serves as teaching advisor and mentor to assist developing course content and effective pedagogy. Table 8: SLHS Faculty Involvement at CUNY Graduate Center (past five years)

PhD students mentored in past five years 5

Classes taught at Graduate Center 4


Administrative committees served on 3

Graduate Fellows assigned to SLHS 9

Nursing: The Graduate Center’s Doctoral program in Nursing is primarily focused on students who wish to become nursing faculty. CUNY’s Board of Trustees approved that Lehman can offer a Doctoral in Nursing Practice program. Nursing faculty will draw on their experiences at the GC as they develop this new program. Table 9: Nursing Faculty Involvement at CUNY Graduate Center (past five years)

Doctoral faculty 7


Administrative committees served on 1 EO

Social Work: As part of its development into a research department, in the past two years two Social Work faculty have joined the Doctoral faculty in Social Welfare, and are beginning to mentor and teach at the Graduate Center. Table 10: Social Work Faculty Involvement at CUNY Graduate Center

Doctoral faculty 2

Classes taught 1

School of Arts and Humanities At least 24 faculty from the School of Arts and Humanities, representing seven departments (Africana Studies, Art, English, History, Languages and Literatures, Latin American and Latino


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Studies, and Music, Multimedia, Theatre, and Dance) participate in the Graduate Center. They are involved with a number of PhD programs, including Urban Education, Art History, French, History, Music, and Theatre, as well as certificate programs for students matriculated in Doctoral programs, including Medieval Studies. In addition, faculty participate in the Master’s in Liberal Arts (MALS) program, as well as Graduate School of Journalism and School of Professional Studies. Faculty teach courses or supervise and advise on dissertations and Master’s theses. Table 11: Arts and Humanities Faculty Involvement at CUNY Graduate Center

Doctoral faculty 24

MALS faculty 2

Graduate School of Journalism faculty 1

School of Professional Studies faculty 1

Total 28

School of Education Eight faculty from School of Education participate in Doctoral programs, mostly in Urban Education. One faculty member participates in the Linguistics Department’s PhD program, where she teaches and supervises Doctoral students’ work on sociolinguistics dissertations. The Urban Education PhD program affords Lehman Education faculty the occasion to conduct theoretical and applied research in educational foundations and practices. Faculty serves on a variety of committees, including executive, membership, and admissions. In addition, they regularly sit on dissertation committees, present at a variety of seminar series, and participate on panels during annual open houses. Lehman’s Science Education faculty have spearheaded and co-sponsored presentations by internationally recognized education scholars, and have made inroads in facilitating collaborative interdepartmental activities between Lehman faculty and those of Urban Education. Table 12: School of Education Faculty Involvement at CUNY Graduate Center

Doctoral Faculty 8

Total 8


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Recommendations 1. Continue cycle of program assessment for ongoing reflection and renewal of General Education. 2. Standardize data collection on alumni career and professional outcomes. 3. Given its success, augment resource funding for SEEK Program, and extend as model for related College advising and support initiatives. 4. Double enrollment in Macaulay Honors College through the Bridge Program. 5. Apply multiple strategies to identify and remove barriers to timely graduation for both Lehman natives and transfer students. 6. Expand research opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students. 7. Evaluate the role of minors and certificate programs in undergraduate, graduate, and workforce programs. 8. Support recruitment, retention, and empowerment of faculty from historically underrepresented groups. 9. Strengthen the College and NYCDOE partnership to offer improved clinical experiences for Teacher Candidates. 10. Improve quality of Graduate Teaching Fellows program. 11. Successfully implement the Doctorate of Nursing Practice program and explore additional practice-oriented opportunities for Doctoral education. 12. Lehman’s productive relationship with CUNY Graduate Center should be enumerated and incorporated into the College’s Strategic Plan.


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STANDARD IV: SUPPORT OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE Introduction Lehman college supports the student learning experience by providing robust academic programming; administrative, educational, and student support services that enhance teaching, learning, and advising; and a slate of policies and procedures that are designed to enable student success. As highlighted in Lehman’s mission, and based on its role as a community anchor, the college plays a vital role promoting upward mobility by focusing on the academic, personal, and professional development of its students—from cradle to career. This is especially important considering the number of Bronxites who live in poverty. In fact, recent data provided by the CUNY Office of Institutional Research and Planning, which examined unemployment insurance wage record data (see Appendix A, Table 5), determined that the median income of someone who earned a baccalaureate degree from Lehman was $38,534 one year after graduation. This is more than double the per capita income in the Bronx, and higher than the median household income in the Bronx ($35,302). Three primary ways that Lehman tries to help its students get the highest value from a Lehman education include a dynamic cross-divisional community of support, a proactive division of enrollment management, and a unique approach to using technology. Lehman College clearly states ethical policies and processes to admit, retain, and facilitate student success. Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs are available online (http://lehman.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2017-2019/Undergraduate-Bulletin; http://lehman.smartcatalogiq.com/en/2017-2019/Graduate-Bulletin)

The College continues to meet the six criteria and applicable sub-criteria of Standard IV through our policies and procedures around Admissions (Appendix IV.1), Financial Aid (Appendix IV.2), Registrar (Appendix IV.3), and Testing and Scholarships (Appendix IV. 4), and the Student Handbook (http://www.lehman.edu/student-affairs/documents/Student-Handbook-Lehman-College-9-

24-18.pdf). Additional CUNY and Lehman policies including CUNY Copyright, CUNY Security/Privacy Policy, Lehman IT, and Accessibility are available online (http://www.lehman.edu/academics/policies.php)

– as well as Student Achievement, Consumer Information, and Student Right to Know Information (http://www.lehman.edu/students/consumer-information/index.php).These policies and procedures are clearly stated and aligned with Standard IV ethical and legal standards in compliance with University, State, and Federal government regulations. (IV.C1) To ensure adherence to these standards, faculty and staff are regularly notified and trained regarding new and augmented policies, via e-mail, meetings, and training. Lehman College’s 2014 Periodic Review Report indicates that “the readers suggest that Lehman College document evidence of its efforts to respond to the causes of low retention and graduation rates, expanding best practices developed in its Sophomore Year Initiative to

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additional at-risk populations.” The College has embraced these recommendations as discussed in Lehman’s Dynamic Community Support model below. Since the Periodic Review Report visit, Lehman has improved freshman (Appendix IV.37) and transfer (Appendix IV.38) graduation rates, and improved credits attempted/completed (Appendix IV.39). Freshman admissions criteria (Appendix IV.40) has been evaluated and adjusted to allow Lehman to admit students with potential to succeed. Transfer credit policies have been adjusted to limit loss of credit in transfer. (Appendix IV.32) Figure 1: Lehman’s Dynamic Community of Support

Lehman College has formed a dynamic community of support which engages students from pre-admissions to graduation and across departments, programs, and divisions. The model is comprised of six integrated components that shape the student experience before and while on campus: pre-admissions; admissions and recruitment; onboarding and advisement; student engagement; student support; and celebrating success. Over the past ten years, new offices have been created and existing offices restructured to improve burdensome administrative processes and to design experiences that meet the needs and engage our student population. Staff has been cross-trained to respond to this objective. Currently, we are in the process of integrating staff across programs. Lehman is highly ranked in nationally normed surveys: NSSE (cite 5); Noel Levitz (cite 6); Student Experience (cite 7); and CUNY Satisfaction Surveys (cite 8). These results reflect the College’s collaborative efforts since the last MSCHE visit to deliver a quality experience that will enhance the academic and professional lives of our students. We will continue to assess and make changes to improve the student experience.


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Pre-Admissions Partnerships impact our ability to engage students early. Through partnerships with high schools, CBOs, and feeder community colleges, Lehman has developed a significant awareness campaign. We have leveraged technology to provide students with virtual campus access through the YouVisit Virtual Tour. (Appendix IV.9) Further, we have formed partnerships with Yonkers Partners in Education (IV.Cb, Cd), and increased the footprint of College Now, a transition program for qualified New York City public high school students. (IV.C1.b) (Appendix IV.11) Concurrently, the Urban Male Leadership Program is creating a high school-to-college pipeline to increase the number of young black and Latino men enrolled in higher education. (IV.C1b) (Appendix IV.12) College Now is a free dual enrollment program and major partnership between City University of New York and NYC Department of Education (NYCDOE). It enlists all 18 CUNY campuses and serves over 420 public high schools to help students successfully transition from high school to college. High school students can take college credit courses aligned with first year study at CUNY, pre-college courses that increase academic readiness, and college awareness workshops. During 2016-2017, the College Now program served over 22,000 students. Lehman’s College Now program assists over 1800 students from over 60 high schools in the Bronx. The program focuses on college credit courses that mirror the Freshman Year experience. Over 80% of students who enroll successfully complete their courses with grades of C or above. Most recent data indicates that students from College Now who matriculate at Lehman complete their first semester with 18 credits. The campaign to supplement transfer student awareness of Lehman College is equally robust. We have devised blanket articulation (IV.C2) (Appendix IV.13), and guaranteed admissions agreements (IV.C2) (Appendix 14) with regional community colleges. Following our assessment of loss of transfer credits by transfer students, Lehman completed 56 program-to-program articulation agreements (including three blanket articulation agreements under CUNY Pathways) (IV.C1.c), and updated transfer policies to eliminate loss of credits at the point of transfer. (IV.C2) To further ensure a smooth transition and assist students in early engagement with the College, Lehman hired an academic advisor to coordinate with students onsite at several community colleges. This function serves to minimize loss of credits and encourage Associate degree completion (IV.C1.c d) in order to further enhance community college collaboration and transfer student success. Lehman’s Admissions Office is a one-stop, integrated structure which addresses undergraduate recruitment, admissions processing, transfer credit, and graduate admissions. Prospective students (freshman, transfer, and graduate) are meaningfully engaged in person through traditional outreach methods such as recruitment events on and off campus, Information Sessions, campus tours, and counseling sessions.


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Admissions recently enhanced the admissions process by deploying multiple technologies in coordination with the Strategic Communications Office: Virtual Direct Admissions; automating transfer credits in CUNYfirst (IV.C2) for freshmen, transfers, and readmits; Hobsons Connect to provide a strategic on-time communication plan through a personalized online MyLehman Page for undergraduate students and a MyMasters Page for graduate students; and research-based behavioral nudging initiatives. These coordinated efforts have, in part, resulted in the College meeting or exceeding its enrollment targets consistently, culminating in 17% growth in overall enrollment since 2013. The Office of Academic Standards and Evaluation upholds academic standards and ensures integrity and enforcement of academic policies and procedures. To improve institutional effectiveness and promote student success, the Office serves as a resource for professional faculty advisors by supporting their work through timely approval of grade changes and recommendations towards fulfillment of students’ graduation requirements. As a resource to students, the Committee on Admission and Standing hears appeals and adjudicates decisions expeditiously and equitably on readmission and dismissal appeals, CUNYFPolicy variance substitutions, refunds of tuition, withdrawals, New York State TAP waivers, and federal financial aid appeals. (IV.C1) With an eye towards further improving the student experience, multiple campus offices have implemented technological and design improvements in their facilities. Additional Admissions efforts include a renovated office with electronic sign-in and tracking, and the Office of Testing and Scholarships has implemented structural changes to incorporate on-demand placement testing. Academic Advising has instituted electronic notetaking and appointment scheduling, and the Office of the Registrar has automated the major declaration process. The Office of Graduate Admissions has implemented an online application and paperless system, and offers virtual information sessions for prospective students. As the College commits to increasing the number of traditional age students, it is concurrently investing in the Adult Degree Program, which serves approximately 10% of our undergraduate population. (IV.C2) The Graduate Admissions Office has rolled out several strategic changes designed to deliver students just-in-time communication, leveraging data obtained from student needs assessments. Lehman hired an admissions counselor to improve our recruitment presence at in-person and virtual recruiting events. Graduate Studies has developed a Dual Credit Program allowing high performing Lehman undergraduate students to earn up to 12 graduate credits in order to satisfy both undergraduate and graduate degree requirements. (IV.C2) Through varied cohort programs, Lehman has developed targeted programming to assure that new first-year students get on board quickly and receive the advisement they need for transition to college. These programs include the PTS3 Program (a collaborative Title III grant) (Appendix 9.29), Urban Male Leadership, SEEK, CUNY2X (Appendix 9.40), TRiO Careers in Teaching, and our newly-created Freshman College. (IV.C1b c d) These programs strive to offer seamless transitions from high school to college with a focus on timely degree completion.


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In terms of external recognition, Lehman’s Freshman Year Initiative Program (FYI) received the 2015 Best Practices in Student Retention Award from the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange (CSRDE) at University of Oklahoma. During the same year, Lehman’s SEEK program was identified as an example of excelencia, accelerating Latino student success by Excelencia in Education. The PTS3 Program leverages innovative computer-based mathematics instruction, which has resulted in 78.28% of students accelerating their own math placement. These programs have increased the College’s breadth of academic support, and enabled new first-year students to surmount obstacles to their success. Lehman transfer students benefit from similar targeted programming from the Urban Male Leadership Program, Adult Degree Program, online academic advising, and the Academic Advising Office, which now focuses primarily on transfer students. Improvements to the Academic Advising Office include: implementation of multi-modal communication plans; ensuring students are supported through the advisement, registration, and payment funnel, and are encouraged to take early action and stay informed about important College events and deadlines. The Office recently added staff through institutionalization of Lehman College’s Title V-funded Sophomore Year Initiative (Appendix 26). It has designated an advisor to serve the pre-nursing cohort, a population particularly vulnerable to attrition. Further, it introduced a group advising program to increase the number of students served. These enhancements have helped advisors connect more with students and provide more individualized advising. We’re acutely aware of the importance advisement plays in retention and graduation. The School Associate Deans engaged in an assessment of faculty advising needs, which resulted in the College completing a year-long environmental scan of advisement at the College. As a result of these findings, students are benefitting from enhanced and increased advisement. The College has taken steps to guarantee that advisors are readily available to students by: increasing the number of Common Departmental Advising Days to include evenings and weekends; embedding a full-time professional advisor in the Math and Computer Science Departments to oversee appropriate math placement for all undergraduates; adding a second advisor to Economics and Business, our largest major; and providing a dedicated Academic Advisor to Health Sciences, which has grown into our second largest program. Lehman has actively pursued external resources that not only directly support student experiences in their chosen field on campus and beyond, but also address wider concerns for the Bronx and the greater New York metropolitan area communities to which our students and their families belong. External resources have been received to address: increases in male teachers in New York public schools through the NYC Men Teach Initiative; math teacher shortages through the Robert Noyce Scholars Program; IT needs of the metropolitan area through the CUNY2X Grant; shortages of underrepresented students in STEM through Title III, HSI STEM grant; and graduation rates through the Senior Success Initiative. (IV.C1b c d)

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Between 2015 and 2016, the Senior Success Initiative increased four-year graduation rates from 22.2 to 26%, and the six-year graduation rate from 38.3 to 41.1%. (Institutional Research Fact Book) To provide the opportunity for students to engage in experiential learning, the Office of Prestigious Scholarships evolved from Beyond the Bachelors Program (Appendix 29) to increasing the number of students awarded scholarships and fellowships. (IV.C1 d) During 2016-2017, 28 Lehman students secured 34 awards totaling $607,534. (Appendix 30) Re-Up, a pay-for-performance organization funded by the Gates Foundation, recently awarded funds to formalize our grassroots Stop-out campaign. Strategic investments have been leveraged to advance Lehman’s growing population, particularly through onboarding and student advisement. To supplement our coordinated onboarding process, Lehman created an Office of Student Success Initiatives to bridge academic and support units. This Office leads all advising-related development, communication, outreach, and data mining. Further, Lehman leads the Bronx Transfer Affinity Group, which facilitates smooth transitions among our principal feeders, Bronx Community College, Hostos Community College, and Guttman Community College in Manhattan. The College participates in the CUNY Academic Momentum Campaign (Appendix 9.45) to encourage four-year graduation from the point of admission. A college-wide collaborative led by the Associate Provost for Academic Programs and the Senior Registrar has developed Degree Maps, providing clear pathways to completion. To encourage degree completion, five Graduation Specialist positions were created. Assigned to each of the Schools, they have been tasked with monitoring students’ academic progress, providing timely interventions as needed, as well as uncovering and resolving systematic issues preventing completion. The evolution from Graduation Auditor to Graduation Specialist will provide a pathway to improve persistence, retention, and graduation rates. Following the launch of several new fully online programs in Nursing (RN to BSN), Health Education and Promotion (MA), Economics and Business (MS), and Organizational Leadership (MS), an online academic advisor was hired to facilitate student integration and success. (IV.C1 c d) Lehman is presently exploring joining CUNY’s ACE Program, a systematized graduation support initiative for 300 students (150 freshmen and 150 transfer students). The Robin Hood Foundation recently committed $4.6 million to underwrite it. Understandably, graduate students are an integral component of Lehman’s student success. Significant changes have been effected to attract, onboard, and integrate graduate students into college life. An all-day Graduate Student Orientation program is conducted at the start of each semester to make certain they receive comprehensive information about campus facilities and services. Students have the opportunity to meet each other and participate in meaningful skills workshops such as library research, citation management, and information systems. The Office of Graduate Studies recruited a Deputy Director charged with improving the graduate


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experience through targeted communication, updating policies, implementing an at-risk student advisement program, and conducting assessment of student satisfaction and ongoing needs assessment. (IV.C1b c d) Ongoing assessment of programs has been pivotal to improving student services. Assessment has been undertaken about appeals processes, advisement wait times, and the workflow process for students who transfer with or without an Associate’s degree. This has resulted in better delivery of services, improved transfer student experiences, and increased graduation rates. Some closing the loop measures have resulted in: increase of community college transfer credits from 60 to 70; shift from individual to group advising of new transfer students during peak advising periods; increased graduation rates through audit of students at the 105th credit; launch of a new Freshman College with wraparound services as a result of the SYI Program; and new bridge programs. (IV.C6) Student Engagement Engagement at Lehman College is key to our dynamic community of support. The College provides multiple opportunities for students to engage and become part of our diverse, dynamic campus. Accordingly, the academic year is structured to encourage participation and engagement at every level. One stage of student engagement derives from outreach from the Urban Male Leadership Program (UMLP) with local high schools. UMLP works with pipeline high schools in the surrounding area and local CUNY and SUNY community colleges. Once those students begin matriculating at Lehman, they are offered the opportunity to enroll in a LEH section specially designed for UMLP students. (IV.C1b c d) Engagement Through Orientation Lehman makes a deliberate effort to engage students prior to enrolling by means of orientation sessions. These are offered so all new freshman and transfer students can learn about existing programs and resources. Continuing high achieving students serve as orientation leaders through the Orientation Workshop Leader (OWL) Program. Student mentors are granted leadership opportunities and play a vital role in developing the College’s student-centered orientation program. (IV.C1c) (Appendix 9.43) Promoting a Sense of Belonging from the Beginning Lehman recognizes that the first weeks of the semester are critical to student success. During the Fall semester’s first six weeks, Weeks of Welcome programming lays the foundation for early engagement and beyond. This campaign is an initiative from Student Affairs and other campus partners to engage students early in the semester by providing occasions to participate with multiple campus partners. To this end, the Office of Community Engagement and New Student Programs has enhanced its communication and marketing strategies for students to become better acquainted with campus programming and support systems. This promotes


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awareness about events and programs across multiple traditional and social media platforms. In the future, IT’s Lehman 360 mobile app will play a leading role to support Weeks of Welcome. (IV.C1 c) The Division of Student Affairs, in tandem with other areas of the College, offers students programs to be engaged in beyond the first few weeks of the semester. By coordinating with student clubs, organizations, and student government, the Office of Campus Life actively solicits students to pursue academic, professional, and personal development. During 2017-2018, over 600 students were registered or affiliated with student clubs. In Fall 2017, 57 clubs were registered, which rose to 62 in the Spring. Club leaders tend to be high achieving students with an average GPA of 3.344. Renovated in 2013, the Student Life Building has become the hub of student involvement with over 47,000 visits from September 2017- March 2018 (Campus Life Annual Report). (IV.C4) Campus Life offers students prospects to develop leadership skills through the Herbert H. Lehman Center for Student Leadership Development. The Center offers programs to empower responsible, ethical student leadership in order to enrich the community and promote proactive citizenship. The Center conducts the following programs, open to all Lehman students:

Introduction to Leadership Certificate Program

Advanced Leadership Certificate Program

Leadership Retreats

Leadership Conferences (IV. C1d, C4) (Appendix 43) In 2013, the advanced Leadership class drafted a proposal and piloted a small food drive focused on addressing hunger on campus. This project evolved into a larger proposal submitted to campus administration. It resulted in the opening of the Lehman College Food Bank, with support from Student Affairs and the Food Bank for NYC. Between March 2017-March 2018, Lehman’s Food Bank provided 8,190 meals (Campus Life 2017-2018 Annual Report Data Sheet). Food Bank visits increased by 40% over this period. We’re proud of the vision and follow through of Lehman students in driving this important, timely initiative. Engagement Through Experiential Learning The College is focused on helping students develop a deeper understanding from theoretical knowledge they gain in the classroom. Through expansion of experiential learning, students are able to become more reflective and conscious about society and their role in sustaining and supporting their communities. This potentially inspires students on a lifelong journey as engaged, caring global citizens. Experiential Learning occurs in multiple ways: (1) service-learning; (2) paid and unpaid internships; (3) civic engagement; (4) on-campus paid positions; and (5) volunteering and mentoring activities. (IV.C1c d, C4, C5, C6)

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The College’s service-learning programs have a local, national, and global reach. The Office of Community Engagement and CUNY Service Corps support local impact. During the 2017-2018 academic year, Lehman students participated in over 30 service-learning projects at over 25 sites on campus, in the Bronx, and within the City. As a result, Lehman students completed over 6,800 hours of community service during that year (Community Engagement 2017-2018 Annual Report Data Sheet). Since its inception in 2013, hundreds of our students have participated in CUNY Service Corps, serving 119 community sites in New York City, contributing over 110,000 hours of completed service-learning opportunities to local community and not-for-profit organizations. Currently, 79 students completed pre-service training and 68 students completed the program. Unlike the ELOs course initiative, students do not earn credit for their work, but gain real-world work experience, along with a wage to supplement their income. (IV.C1 c d, C4, C5, C6) CUNY-wide feedback about CUNY Service Corps has been overwhelmingly positive, with 95% of participating organizations indicating they would partner with the program again, and 84% of students reporting that the program increased their career knowledge/readiness. In Summer 2018, Governor Cuomo’s office partnered with CUNY Service Corps to support recovery efforts in Puerto Rico. Lehman College was selected to host this initiative. We created a course for all 138 participating CUNY students, who deemed this service experience transformative. Lehman L.I.F.E. (Leaders Involved for Everyone) conducts national and global service-learning, which has become City University’s model program. Its service-learning opportunities raise student awareness of issues and needs in local and international communities by fostering effective action through volunteer work. This cycle of service is ongoing and expands as students bring their unique experiences back to benefit their own communities in the Bronx and beyond. Students participating in Lehman L.I.F.E. must raise 100% of their program fee, volunteer for a minimum of 25 hours locally, and attend multiple trainings including grassroots fundraising and cross-cultural education. During 2017-2018, 343 Lehman students participated in 35 service programs, providing a total of 6,719 hours of community service. Using metrics recommended by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Lehman students provided $196,127 of service to the community. Students provided service beyond New York City at: Hope Community Center, Apopka, FL; Global Medical Brigades in Jinotega, Nicaragua; and Build On in Kasungu, Malawi. (IV.C1c d, C4, C5, C6) (Appendix 41) In conjunction with the Center for Global Engagement, Lehman College was accepted as the first Peace Corps Prep College Program in New York City, providing students the opportunity to gain credentials as global citizens, as well as an advantage when applying to the Peace Corps.


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Center for Career Exploration and Development (CEDC) The Career Exploration and Development Center (CEDC) assists Lehman students and alumni with all phases of career development to help transition from college to professional positions. This includes career exploration and preparation, counseling, choosing a major, and employer connections and internships. The office intends to provide the highest standards of comprehensive and specialized services, so students may successfully meet the challenges of a globally competitive job market. Students build a competitive edge for internship and employment opportunities with CEDC by participating in personalized career counseling sessions, career development workshops, internship and recruitment programs, and Symplicity, the online career management system used by colleges and employers across the country. In 2017-2018, nearly 1,400 students attended 144 workshops and classroom presentations conducted by CEDC, clocking over 6,400 student visits. Employer are engaged using a range of approaches including: opportunities to post internship and employment openings through Symplicity; on-campus interviews; annual Career Fair; annual Internship Fair; information sessions; mentoring career conversations; site visits to employer workplaces; and selective recruitment where CEDC screens resumes of qualified candidates. Over 4,500 employers have registered to utilize Symplicity, which posted 3,916 new jobs. In 2017-2018, over 141 Lehman students found internships through CEDC. CEDC’s First Destination Survey provides an overview of the post-graduation experiences of Lehman graduates: Figure 2: CEDC’s First Destination Survey


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2016 CUNY Student Experience Survey responses from Lehman students indicate 52% are very satisfied or satisfied with Career Services. For the third year, Lehman College remains one of the highest scoring CUNY senior colleges. It also earned the lowest dissatisfaction rate of 8% among CUNY senior colleges. More than 75% of respondents state they participated in some form of Experiential Learning Opportunities. (IV.C1c d, C4, C5, C6) Longitudinal data indicates graduates continuing their education beyond Lehman College to attend top local institutions. Continuing students report admission to prominent institutions such as Columbia University Teachers College, Fordham University, New York University, and Stony Brook University. (IV.1c d, 4, 5, 6) (cite 44) Campus Student Support Resources Over the past decade, the College has established a number of services to support student success, celebrate diversity, and protect student rights. To achieve this, the Office of Student Affairs frequently collaborates across the College with Enrollment Management, Academic Affairs, and other divisions. The goal is to foster intellectual and emotional development through clubs, leadership activities, and various community events. Students are encouraged to view the entire campus and surrounding community as a classroom or laboratory. The College is committed to effective delivery of outcomes-based student support services. All offices and services are regularly assessed and tracked. As a Minority Serving Institution (MSI) and Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI), Lehman College students are diverse with respect to age, ethnicity, national origin, home language, college preparedness, and economic status. College services must be targeted specifically to meet the needs of historically underserved and at-risk populations. Some areas of focus include but are not limited to students who transact with the following offices:

1. Academic Support Lehman’s Instructional Support Services Program (ISSP) is home to the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) and Science Learning Center (SLC). ISSP provides students with the opportunity to achieve academic success through guidance and encouragement of peer tutors and professional staff. These services provide in-person and online tutoring. Services emphasizing writing are offered to all matriculated students: http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/academics/instructional-support-services/index.php

Lehman also offers the Mathematics Lab and SEEK Tutoring Center.

2. Leonard Lief Library The Library is committed to student success by offering an active program of library instruction, where students are guided to access and critically evaluate online information resources. The Library features both onsite and remote access to 246 electronic databases (http://libguides.lehman.edu/az.php) covering all subject fields and particularly strong in supporting professional programs.

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Lehman’s Library has distinct advantages participating in consortial licensing agreements for major resources through CUNY’s Office of Library Services, providing access to broad resources that would ordinarily not be available on the limited budget of a public university tasked with primarily supporting undergraduate and growing graduate programs. Responding to recent student demand, the Library is now open 24 hours during Midterms and Final Exams. Library website: http://lehman.edu/library/

3. Information Technology IT provides the following helpful services to students: Blackboard support, “Get IT” and software workshops, CUNYfirst assistance, e-mail and wireless access, Help Desk services, access to the computer center and multimedia technologies, and a variety of resources to support the student academic journey, most notably Lehman 360: http://www.lehman.edu/itr/it-students.php

4. Student Affairs Student Affairs encompasses a variety of offices and facilities to enrich and support the quality of the student experience. It functions to assist students in their social and personal development by encouraging exposure to new experiences through leadership activities, clubs, and community events: http://www.lehman.edu/student-affairs/

5. Athletics, Student Life, and Other Extracurricular Activities

Co-curricular and extracurricular activities complement and are extensions of formal learning experiences. Being involved in co-curricular activities allows students to pursue interests in a community that shares the same passion. Through this involvement, students develop a sense of community and engagement with the College, as well as life and career skills that facilitate academic and post-graduation professional success. These skills include problem solving, public speaking, budget management, project management, negotiation, teamwork, conflict resolution, and appreciation and respect for diverse cultures, lifestyles, and spiritual affiliations. Some of these developmental opportunities are provided by student participation in the following areas managed by the Student Affairs Division: Athletics Lehman College varsity athletics participates in the NCAA Division 3 program. The Athletics program is part of the CUNY Athletic Conference (CUNYAC). Athletics works to ensure integration of student-athletes into the institutional life of the College, and supports success in the classroom and on the field. Staff provides support necessary to create leadership role models and encourages student-athletes to develop a sense of teamwork, institutional pride, and commitment to the athletic tradition and values of sportsmanship. Adherence to NCAA and CUNYAC regulations is strictly maintained. Student-athletes are encouraged by coaches and administrators to:

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Manage time appropriately, so that academic, athletic, family, and work commitments can realistically be accomplished

Communicate and resolve conflicts effectively with teammates, coaches, and game officials

Demonstrate responsible academic behavior and request help when needed

Demonstrate responsible, healthy behavior consistent with NCAA regulations.

The APEX athletic facility houses faculty and staff offices, classrooms, dance/aerobic studios, as well as specialized facilities that support athletic training, competition, and general recreation opportunities. Specific information on athletic teams and scholar-athlete achievement can be found in Appendix. Office of Campus Life The Office of Campus Life engages and supports students with academic, personal, and professional development through co-curricular and extracurricular activities. It works closely with Student Government and student clubs and organizations, involving over 240 students who hold leadership positions and over 1,000 active club members. The staff manages the Student Life building, which provides an environment that promotes collaboration, innovation, engagement, and social space for community building. During 2017-2018, there were over 64,000 student visits to the Student Life facility, and 975 student- sponsored activities on campus. An important role of the Office of Campus Life is coordination of the Herbert H. Lehman Center for Student Leadership Development. The Center runs a coordinated leadership training program and individual workshops that facilitate various leadership models and practices that help develop empowered, responsible, and ethical student leaders. It also serves as a learning community where students share resources and networks. During 2017-2018, 246 students participated in the formal Leadership Training Program. The Center sponsors workshops, retreats, and conferences on socially and culturally relevant topics for the general student body. Over 2,850 students engaged in one or more Student Leadership Center program activities. In support of the College’s efforts to develop Characteristics of a Lehman College Graduate, Campus Life coordinates voter registration initiatives and workshops on the role of government policies on city, state, and local communities. The goal is to help foster civic-minded graduates who play an active role in public policy decision-making processes that impact their lives.

6. Financial Aid The Financial Aid Office plays a critical role supporting the student experience. The most recent CUNY Student Experience Survey indicates that approximately 59% of Lehman’s undergraduate students come from households with a family income of less than $30,000 a year.


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Consequently, the availability of federal and state aid is critical to the ability of new and continuing students to enroll and persist to graduation. The Financial Aid Office is responsible for administering all areas of the Title IV Federal Financial Aid programs (Pell Grant, SEOG Grant, Work-Study, Perkins Loans, Stafford Loans, and TEACH Grant). These services include: helping students and their families complete the FAFSA and loan applications; collecting required documents to complete Federal Verification requirements or resolving conflicting information; correcting application data; and ensuring correct award amounts are disbursed. The Office is responsible for administering the application and disbursement portion of all New York State Financial Aid programs (TAP Grant, TAP waiver, SEEK awards, APTS, CUSTA, and all other NYSHESC Scholarships). This involves helping students and their families complete applications and counseling students on program requirements. The Office also administers numerous additional financial aid programs such as: Macaulay Honors Program; New York City Merit Scholarship; private loans; and many other scholarships both disbursed through the student information management system (CUNYfirst) or that require manual processing. The Office provides individual and group counseling for prospective, new, and continuing students, and participates in all new student orientations and open house programs. During 2017-2018, the Office processed nearly 20,000 FAFSA applications and disbursed over $91 million in federal, state, and scholarship support. Approximately 56% of Lehman full-time undergraduates have their tuition fully covered by federal and state grants, 37% pay some portion of their tuition out of pocket, and only 7% pay tuition completely out of pocket. In 2017-2018, the Office successfully implemented the New York State Excelsior Scholarship Program. More timely FAFSA completion has been accomplished via utilization of targeted outreach to students using social media, texts, e-mails, phone calls, and high profile, in-person events. Another innovative approach has involved implementation of a new online, mobile virtual queuing system (LehmanQ), which allows students to schedule appointments with Financial Aid counselors. It has been particularly effective during peak enrollment periods. Student feedback on this new system has been quite positive. The Office website provides accurate and comprehensive information about expenses, grants, loans, and state and federal financial aid programs: http://www.lehman.edu/financial-aid/index.php Students receive important financial assistance through the Carroll and Milton Petrie Emergency Grant Fund, made available to matriculated students in good academic standing experiencing short-term financial emergencies. Approximately 300-350 students receive awards each year. The retention rate for these students the semester following financial need




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is 83%, and more than 91% complete the semester with at least a 2.0 GPA. Grants provided ranged from $112-$1500. Students are supported with funds provided by the LCU Foundation for female students needing assistance with housing expenses. Each year close to 40 awards are made from the $80,000 annual allocation. Community of Care and Support Lehman has invested in creating and enhancing communities of care and support to maintain the physical and mental health of our students. The Health Cluster, under the Division of Student Affairs, includes the Counseling Center, Student Disability Services, Student Health Center, and Wellness Education and Promotion, all providing physical health, mental health education, and supportive services in integrated and holistic ways. Lehman students experience academic, financial, health, and social problems as the integrated summation of their life circumstances, not as discrete and unrelated issues. Improving graduation rates depends on three pillars of support: Academic, Financial, and Health and Social. These offices provide direct clinical and educational services, and promote self-care that considers the needs and backgrounds of our students. Counseling Center The Counseling Center provides psychological and emotional support to students as they pursue academic and personal goals. It offers free and confidential therapy in a safe environment where students can address issues that may be preventing them from attaining their academic goals. Individual counseling sessions are offered by appointment, along with walk-in, crisis intervention, and emergency services for students who need to be seen immediately. An extensive range of support groups are coordinated to assist students in emotional distress. As is the case nationally, the demand for campus mental health services continues to increase. The Office provided over 4,000 individual counseling sessions in 2017-2018. Increasingly, students come to the Center seeking assistance with anxiety, depression, family/relationship concerns, self-esteem issues, and loneliness. Through a newly formed collaboration with the NYC Thrive project, we have been able to engage full-time Counseling Interns to supplement existing staff and meet current demand for services. (IV.C1c,d) Student Disability Services The Office of Student Disability Services works to ensure access for students with disabilities to all curricular and co-curricular activities at the College. Staff assures that individuals with disabilities receive appropriate academic adjustments in a climate that is welcoming and supportive. The Office promotes independence, self-awareness, and self-advocacy that is consistent with Lehman's values and commitment to inclusion.


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Services provided include exam accommodations, notetakers, readers, scribes, Sign Language Interpreters, alternate formatted materials, technology assistance/training, and referral to community resources. With the IT Division and Library, the Office developed and manages the Lehman Assistive Technology Center (ATC). The ATC provides students access to a range of equipment and assistive technology software. In 2017-2018, the Office provided services for close to 650 students. (IV.C1c,d) Student Health Center The Health Center provides direct ambulatory clinical care including: emergency healthcare; medical consultations; health-related referrals; health education; and advisory and preventive health services. Over-the-counter and prescription pharmaceuticals are available onsite at low cost. Each individual’s lifestyle, stress factors, and cultural indicators are part of the specifically developed treatment plan. Care and treatment are confidential. Medical records are maintained securely, and files only released with a student’s written authorization. When a student’s treatment requires more than the office can provide, they are referred to community-based health care services. In collaboration with community-based organizations, the office provides assistance to students seeking health insurance through the Affordable Care Act. (IV.C1 c,d) Wellness Education and Promotion The Wellness Education program works closely with the Student Health Center to promote a culture of health and well-being through delivery of evidence-based educational programs and activities that empower students to manage existing health issues and make healthy life decisions that prevent development of acute health challenges. Students are given tools to manage a healthy and balanced lifestyle during both their academic career and in preparation for post-graduate life. Over the past four years, student participation in workshops and other programs increased by 23%, and involves close to 1500 student participants. (IV.C1c,d) Support for Targeted Populations The College maintains a supportive environment for certain identified communities. The Office of Veterans and Military Affairs provides specialized support services for the College’s veteran community in pursuit of higher learning by identifying, addressing, and advocating for their evolving needs. Unique programming and mentoring ensures compliance with College, University, and Veteran Affairs’ educational benefits regulations. (IV.C1cd, C4) The International Student and Scholars Office provides visa and non-immigrant status services, cross-cultural engagement opportunities, and student affairs support to new and continuing international students and scholars. The Office supports international students to become active participants in classes and extracurricular activities. International Student Affairs provides comprehensive advising services, as well as social, cultural, and co-curricular programming. (IV.C1a b c d, C2, C3, C4)


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The Urban Male Leadership Program (UMLP) is focused on recruitment, retention, academic success, and graduation of underrepresented black and Latino males in higher education. It fulfills its mission to support high achievement through monthly academic intervention and success workshops and leadership development training. UMLP also welcomes female students. Each interested UMLP student can participate within Circle of Support Mentorship sessions by being paired with another student, faculty or staff member, or senior administrator. Since the program’s founding eleven years ago, hundreds of first-year students, transfer students, and those at risk of dropping out have been given access to resources to help make their classroom and personal lives more manageable and productive. (IV.C1b c d, C4) Part of the Urban Male Leadership Program, the CREAR Futuros Program facilitates successful transition of Latino first-year, second-year, and transfer students at the College. The program supports students through peer mentoring, academic workshops, and external volunteer opportunities through partnership with the Hispanic Federation and City University of New York. These programs strengthen academic skills, personal development, and character enrichment of its cohort. Based on CREAR Futuros data for the Fall 2016 and Spring 2017 semesters: 44% of CREAR Futuros students have a GPA of 3.5 or above; 27% have an average of 3.0 to 3.49; 22%, an average of 2.0-2.99; and 7%, an average of 2.0 or less. In 2017-2018, eleven CREAR Futuros students received $6,000 in scholarships and grants. (IV.C1b c d, C4) (Appendix 58) The College’s Reentry Committee recently received a grant from THRIVE to help facilitate smooth transition of the formerly incarcerated from correctional facility to college. Many Lehman students are parents, who must balance their academic workload with child care responsibilities. Lehman’s Child Care Center offers early care and education programs for children of Lehman students. The Center’s philosophy is to provide a stimulating and safe environment to support a child’s growth. To accommodate student demand, the Center is currently open six days a week. In response to recent student surveys, the College is exploring increasing hours of operation. (IV.C1b c d, C4) After opening its new facility in 2013, the Center has been able to double capacity of the number of children it can accommodate. It has received positive feedback about quality of its service through student representation on its board, Student Government Association, and CUNY Student Experience Survey. Since Lehman students largely come from low-income households and first-generation immigrant families, many have to work full-time jobs to help provide for their families. According to the CUNY Student Experience Survey, a significant number face severe financial obstacles to completing their education. To address these, since 2010 the College has secured almost $1 million of emergency grant funding from the Carroll and Milton Petrie Foundation. This fund provides emergency grants to matriculated students in good academic standing experiencing short-term financial emergencies.


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Some examples of emergencies that qualify for a Petrie Grant include but are not limited to: (1) homelessness or sudden loss of housing; (2) fire in living quarters; (3) travel expenses due to illness/death in immediate family; (4) overdue utility bills/turn-off notice; (5) theft of computer, books, clothing, or other essential belongings; (6) medical/dental emergencies; (7) uninsured necessary procedures; (8) food or transportation needs; (9) temporary loss of job or income; (10) transportation card; (11) loss of childcare; and (12) victims of domestic violence. (IV.C1a b c d, C4) Progress Since Last Visiting Team Since the last Middle States Commission on Higher Education Evaluation Team visit in 2009, the College has made concerted efforts to strengthen support for student success initiatives. We have overseen improvements in enrollment, retention, graduation rates, and access to a variety of employment opportunities after graduation. While there has been progress, the College continues to work assiduously to assess student support outcomes, and apply these findings to allocation of resources for continuous improvement. To address this, the College has launched a pilot Student Success Dashboard (SSD), modeled on a similar platform used by the California State system. The SSD provides actionable information to Deans, Department Chairs, and student success advisors. It was built for Lehman by CUNY Central, and is now being expanded to other CUNY colleges. This system combines information from the CUNY student information system, degree audit information, and student cohort data to facilitate focused approaches to increase retention and graduation rates. Lehman recognizes the importance of celebrating student success. To this end, numerous departments sponsor mid-year and end of year celebrations. Some of these activities include award ceremonies acknowledging students for their achievements inside and outside the classroom. At the end of each semester, a list of matriculated students who meet the qualifications for placement on the Dean’s List is denoted on the students’ transcript. The Presidential Scholars honor is bestowed on students who have met all qualifications for the Dean’s List and have earned a GPA of 3.9 or higher. At the College’s annual spring Honors Convocation, students graduating with at least 60 credits completed in residence at Lehman College (of which at minimum 42 credits/units are indexable with a cumulative GPA of 3.4 or higher), students receive the following College Honors: Cum Laude Index of 3.4-3.59 Magna Cum Laude Index of 3.6-3.79 Summa Cum Laude Index of 3.8-4.0 Other instances of celebrating student success include Golden Key, Phi Beta Kappa, Tau Sigma Transfer Induction ceremony, UMLP Inaugural Awards and Scholarship Brunch, and Community Engagement Recognition Day.


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Celebrating the successes of student achievement manifests a greater sense of belonging and promotes an environment where success is embedded within the culture of the institution. Promoting best practices of achievement can ultimately lead to degree completion and career success. Recommendations 1. Work with CUNY Central to add capabilities to the Student Success Dashboard and expand its use within the College. 2. Harness use of data to foster student well-being, success, and completion across all units. 3. Continue to adapt and develop innovative strategies to support student success from nationally-normed best practices. 4. Develop a strategic plan for Online Education to address instructional and administrative support for faculty and students. 5. Seek private sources of emergency funding to support students in temporary crisis.


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STANDARD V: EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS ASSESSMENT Clearly Stated Educational Goals (C1) At the heart of Lehman’s educational effectiveness, assessment efforts are the learning goals and expected learning outcomes in place at both the institution and the degree/program levels. At the institution level, educational goals have been codified into a learning framework known as Characteristics of a Lehman Graduate. Developed by a team of faculty and administrators and adopted by the College Senate in 2016, this framework underscores Lehman’s continued commitment to its liberal arts tradition articulated in its mission, while also emphasizing the need for students to develop broadly applicable skills necessary for success in the 21st century. The framework is divided into three areas with seven learning goals embedded in each of the areas. These areas and goals are:

I. Educated: Independent thinkers who actively and skillfully cultivate the capacity to conceptualize, analyze and evaluate, synthesize and communicate. o Utilize critical thinking skills o Demonstrate competence in at least one discipline o Demonstrate skills in quantitative reasoning, information literacy, and research

II. Empowered: Confident thinkers who recognize the power of informed inquiry to solve problems. o Demonstrate outstanding communication skills in diverse media

III. Engaged: Citizens who contribute to their local, national, and global communities using reason, integrity, empathy, accuracy, humility, and civility. o Demonstrate multicultural, global, and ethical awareness of diverse peoples and

communities o Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team o Demonstrate the potential for leadership.

Not coincidentally, the framework closely resembles American Association of Colleges and Universities’ (AAC&U) Liberal Education and America’s Promise (LEAP) campaign, which is a set of robust Essential Learning Outcomes to help guide students’ cumulative progress through college. Lehman believes the LEAP outcomes are not only well aligned with its mission, but also help provide us with valuable points of comparison when assessing our Institutional Learning Goals (ILGs). Degree/Program Level For almost a decade, educational goals at the program/degree level have been in place for nearly all academic and educational support units of the College. Following MSCHE’s last decennial review in 2009 when the College was cited for not adequately assessing student learning, Lehman responded swiftly to develop a plan to implement a structured and sustained assessment process to evaluate and improve student learning and educational effectiveness.

http://www.lehman.edu/office-academic-programs/general-education.php

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/about/mission.php

https://www.aacu.org/leap


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The first step in the process was hiring two individuals – College Assessment (2009) and Institutional Effectiveness (2010) Coordinators – to oversee assessment of academic and non-academic programs. These individuals work closely with programs to develop meaningful educational goals, map these goals to course offerings and activities, and conduct valid assessments of one or more of these goals each year. Within the first year of implementing the multi-year assessment plan, educational goals were posted to each program’s public website. Educational goals for academic programs are available on the Assessment Office’s website: http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/assessment/majors-programs.php. Additional details about evolution of Lehman’s assessment process are discussed on page 54 of Lehman’s 2014 Periodic Review Report. In early 2017, with recent adoption of Characteristics of a Lehman Graduate, the College spearheaded an effort to ensure that program learning outcomes were aligned with the College’s learning goals. Representatives from each department participated in workshops incorporating Lehman College's New Institutional Student Learning Outcomes. Organized and Systematic Assessments (C2) Assessment of student learning and achievement is systematic, ongoing, and occurring at all levels of the institution. However, this had not always been the case. Prior to 2016, assessment of student learning at the institutional level was episodic. Before this time, institutional assessments were focused on several of the General Education program’s “core fluencies,” as learning goals for General Education were then known. Assessment of these fluencies was undertaken in 2011 and 2014. While these efforts were marginally successful, they did not result in widespread faculty participation, nor lead to any noteworthy curricular changes or enhancements to pedagogy. Assessment of Learning Outcomes The goal of the assessment initiative is to evaluate students’ accomplishments related to Institutional Learning Goals at various stages in their studies. The Office of Academic Programs aims to conduct assessments for incoming freshman 100-level courses, mid-career students in 300-level courses, and seniors in 400-level courses. All assessments will use the AAC&U VALUE Rubrics, and targeted faculty development will ensure preparedness. The following figure illustrates the strategic plan for assessment of Institutional Learning Goals. Lehman expects that freshmen will perform at Level 1 (Benchmark, Basic), sophomores at Level 2 (Milestone, Intermediate), juniors at level 3 (Milestone, Advanced), and seniors at Level 4 (Capstone, Expert).

http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/assessment/majors-programs.php


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Figure 1: Institutional Learning Goals – Strategic Plan for Assessment

Assessment of General Education As indicated in the Strategic Plan, Lehman College is in the process of assessing the renewed General Education outcomes on the following timetable:

Assessment of revised written communication skills began in Fall 2016

Assessment of quantitative reasoning skills began in Fall 2017

Assessment of information literacy levels began in Fall 2018. All assessment initiatives are ongoing, and assessment regarding the outstanding Institutional Learning Goals will be rolled out from Fall 2018 onward. Aligning institutional goals throughout the curriculum is ongoing, but over the past two years, the College has made significant progress in determining how well students are achieving these goals. In Fall 2016, the Office of Academic Programs spearheaded an initial effort to assess goal IIa: Outstanding Communication Skills in Diverse Media. Considered a pilot, the goals of this initial assessment were threefold: (a) involve as many instructors as possible (including adjuncts) in the assessment; (b) work out any process-related kinks in the assessment’s implementation; and most importantly, (c) provide the College with baseline data that could then be used to determine whether student learning is improving.


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The foci of initial assessment efforts were the first-year English Composition I course (ENG111) and five courses in the College Option component of the General Education curriculum. The latter includes LEH351-355 (Studies in Science, Literature, Arts, History, and Philosophy), two of which must be passed by both native and transfer students beyond the 60-credit (mid-career) mark. These latter courses are selected not only because all undergraduate students are required to take them, but also because they all share the common objective of having students, “Produce an essay or written piece of research, in ‘scaffolded’ stages, demonstrating both an ability to express complex ideas for an educated audience, as well as the ability to evaluate and utilize a variety of information which uses the scientific method.” To facilitate assessment of this goal, the College agreed to use AAC&U’s VALUE Rubric: Outstanding Communication in Diverse Media. This rubric is well-aligned with learning objectives for each course, and its use provides a standardized tool to assess this goal across many diverse sections. Over the course of Fall 2016, faculty was provided training on how to use this rubric to score students’ work, as well as with technical training on how to use the rubric in Blackboard (course management system), a requirement for participation. Results of this initial assessment suggest students are writing at fairly high levels. On average, students scored near the top of the rubric scale, with just small differences between each of the criteria. The scores seem very high. This could either indicate that more norming is necessary, or could be related to scaffolding of assignments in these classes. Future initiatives involving LEH351-355 instructor professional development and collaborative review of student artifacts will provide us with a sharper picture of General Education student success. The complete report can be found in Appendix. Table 2: Results by Criteria for Written Communications – Fall 2016

Capstone Milestone

2 Milestone

1 Benchmark Mean

(Level 4) (Level 3) (Level 2) (Level 1) (M)

Context of and Purpose for Writing 48% 34% 14% 4% .82 Content Development 59% 29% 9% 3% .76 Genre and Disciplinary Conventions 42% 39% 16% 3% .71

Sources and Evidence 47% 31% 14% 8% .72 Control of Syntax and Mechanics 40% 38% 17% 5% .71

47% 30% 19% 5% Note: Mean scores are based on following scoring (0=Benchmark, .3=Milestone 1, .7=Milestone 2, 1=Capstone)

While this initial effort was deemed a success, improvements to this process are needed. More faculty training was recommended on how to apply the rubric appropriately, and more importantly, the need was identified for additional faculty professional development on how to create effective assignments to foster the type of writing to meet course objectives. Although


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broad participation in this assessment was evident (29 instructors participated), more involvement was necessary to verify that the sample was representative of students enrolled in these courses. Based on lessons learned in the pilot, a second assessment of writing was undertaken in Spring 2017. Additional training sessions were held, and with the help of Lehman’s Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC) program, a workshop titled, Demystifying the Rubric: Approaches to Assessing Your Student Writing Using the AAC&U Written Communication Rubric, was conducted to assist instructors to create more useful assignments. Results from this assessment are provided in Table 3.

Table 3: Results by Criteria for Written Communications – Spring 2017

Capstone Milestone

2 Milestone

1 Benchmark Mean (M)

N

(Level 4) (Level 3) (Level 2) (Level 1)

Context of and Purpose for Writing

74% 21% 5% 1% .90 488

Content Development 57% 32% 9% 1% .83 485 Genre and Disciplinary Conventions

51% 41% 6% 2% .82 452

Sources and Evidence 55% 29% 13% 3% .79 450 Control of Syntax and Mechanics

54% 37% 7% 1% .83 486

Averages 58% 32% 8% 2% 4.14 461 Note: Mean scores are based on interval scoring (0=Benchmark, .3=Milestone 1, .7=Milestone 2, 1=Capstone)

Corresponding to the pilot of the previous semester, students performed exceptionally well. In fact, on average, they outperformed students in the pilot. In some respects, these results are not surprising – i.e., student have an additional semester under their belt – but the results contradict anecdotal evidence from faculty suggesting that student writing quality is poor. A third assessment of written communication was undertaken during Fall 2017. Writing has not been the only institutional learning goal recently assessed. In Spring 2017, the College explored its first assessment of Quantitative Reasoning (Goal IC). Using the same procedures adopted for the writing assessments, a sample of courses in Economics and Business, Education, and the social sciences were selected for review. Faculty was instructed to use the AAC&U’s VALUE Rubric for Quantitative Literacy to score students’ artifacts. Results of this initial assessment appear below, and suggest students are performing reasonably well. However, unlike the writing assessments, there is much more room for improvement. Assessment of quantitative literacy will be repeated in the Fall 2018 semester with a larger sample of courses. The complete report is available in Appendix.

http://lehman.edu/academics/wac/

http://lehman.edu/academics/wac/


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Table 4: Results by Criteria for Quantitative Literacy – Spring 2017

Capstone Milestone

2 Milestone

1 Benchmark (Level 4) (Level 3) (Level 2) (Level 1) M SD

Interpretation (N=191) 35% 28% 27% 9% .63 .34 Representation (N=191) 43% 26% 21% 10% .67 .35 Calculation (N=183) 55% 23% 14% 8% .75 .36 Application Analysis (N= 191) 30% 31% 28% 11% .60 .34 Assumptions (N=136) 34% 21% 15% 31% .52 .43 Communication (N=190) 37% 33% 17% 13% .65 .35

Average criteria score 39% 27% 21% 13% .64 3.65 1.12

Note: Mean scores are based on interval scoring (0=Benchmark, .3=Milestone 1, .7=Milestone 2, 1=Capstone)

Closing the Loop: Incorporation of Assessment-Informed Changes In order for the College’s Institutional Learning Outcomes to be included effectively in all General Education courses, a number of action items were implemented, including:

Reenvisioning LEH courses. Courses serve to develop students’ 21st century skills as reflected in Lehman’s Institutional Learning Goals.

o All courses are required to support development of students’ written communication skills based on scaffolded assignments, and assessment of student learning outcomes based on the AAC&U Rubric.

o A self-paced Blackboard module on Information Literacy was developed in Summer 2018 and incorporated into all LEH courses in Fall 2018.

o To address students’ elementary writing problems, a self-paced Blackboard module on the mechanics of writing (consolidated rules for punctuation, capitalization, spelling, and grammar) literacy will be developed in Summer 2019 and incorporated into all LEH courses.

o Planning for the creation of LEH450 as a capstone course for the General Education component of Lehman undergraduate studies.

Infusing development of students’ 21st century skills into programs and courses beyond Pathways and LEH courses.

Increasing high-impact practices (experiential learning opportunities) to General Education courses.

Designing effective faculty professional development through collaborative workshops and other experiences offered by the Office of Academic Programs, Office of Online Education, Writing Across the Curriculum (WAC), and Quantitative Reasoning (QR) teams. These opportunities focus on enabling instructors to offer meaningful assignments and assess students’ skills based on AAC&U Rubrics.

The creation of LEH450: Advanced Studies in General Education.


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Each LEH450 course section will focus on a culminating experience in one of the following General Education study areas: World Cultures; U.S. Experience in its Diversity; Creative Expression; Individual and Society; Scientific World. The course is structured on development, completion, and presentation of a research-based project at a scholarly level appropriate for a Lehman student at the final stage of their undergraduate studies. Intended as a capstone course, its core goals, objectives, and assessments are based on the College’s Institutional Learning Goals. The General Education Council conceives of LEH450 building on the 100- and 300- level LEH courses and 200-level General Education courses offered by departments to help Lehman undergraduate students consider General Education as an integrated and progressive whole. Program Level Assessment Every degree-granting program at the College is expected to adhere to a long-established four-phase, two-year assessment cycle. In phase one, each program is requested to collectively develop an Assessment Plan that addresses one or more faculty-approved student learning outcomes at the start of the academic year (by October 1st). The plan describes: methods employed to assess learning; individuals who will participate; courses involved; expected and ideal levels of performance; and a timeline for implementation. During this phase, programs ordinarily consult with the College’s Assessment Coordinator for feedback on their plans. Timing of the second phase of the cycle varies, but generally occurs throughout the course of a semester or complete academic year. During this period, program faculty gathers direct evidence of student learning, such as writing samples, tests, portfolios, etc. These materials are often supplemented with indirect evidence of learning, such as surveys and focus groups. At the conclusion of this evidence-gathering period, the program submits their Assessment Findings, including a brief description of results, recommendations/reflections, indication whether targets were met, and any other supporting documentation. This report is due at the end of the Spring semester. The third phase is referred to as the Action/Operational Plan. This plan is due at the start of the following Fall semester. Here programs describe actions (strategies) that will be implemented to improve planning, teaching, and learning resulting from assessment findings. Actions may refer to curriculum revision, faculty development, changes in pedagogy, new student services, resource allocation, or any other activity associated with improving student learning and success. Programs are also given the opportunity to request funding to make improvements. The fourth and final phase of the cycle is the Status Report – the proverbial closing the loop phase. Due at the conclusion of the second academic year, the Status Report describes how strategies employed in the Action Plan have impacted student achievement of targeted expected learning outcomes.


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Figure 2 graphically displays each phase of the assessment cycle. In year two, as the program develops an action plan and implements it, faculty begins to work on a new assessment plan for a different expected learning outcome. Figure 2: Academic Program Assessment Cycle

The College’s 23 Assessment Coordinators function as a crucial component to success of academic program assessment. These full-time faculty members are provided one course release each academic year to facilitate assessment initiatives within a department or program. Their duties include working closely with faculty colleagues to develop new assessment plans each year, gathering data and reporting results, and certifying that findings are applied to improve teaching and learning. Coordinators are also expected to consult regularly with the Assessment Coordinator and their respective Dean, as well as attend professional development activities offered periodically throughout the year. The College utilizes Taskstream, an online assessment management system, to document coordinators’ efforts and ease communication within departments. Taskstream allows departments to upload their plans, results, and recommendations. This, in turn, permits Deans, Department Chairs, and the Assessment Coordinator to review them in real time and run reports to determine which outcomes are addressed and which departments have not complied with the College’s assessment protocols. Criterion 3 – Use of Assessment Results for the Improvement of Educational Effectiveness Assessment results are used regularly to improve educational effectiveness at all levels of the institution. Several examples are included in Appendix. As noted above, all academic programs are expected to produce an annual report on how they repurpose their assessment findings to improve teaching and learning. Compliance with these expectations has improved due to cooperation between the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment, and the Assessment Coordinators.


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The Chemistry Department has received several accolades for its assessment efforts. Like many college students, Lehman students struggle with General Chemistry, a gatekeeper course required for many science and medical-related majors. In fact, nationwide average passing rates are less than 60%. However, at Lehman they were even lower, hovering around 35% prior to 2015. In Spring 2015, two Chemistry faculty members implemented a restructured one-year course designed as a lectureless hybrid, which they had developed the previous year at Hunter College. Instead of the traditional three-hour weekly lecture, the new model consists of two hours per week of iClicker-based classes and a one-hour workshop. Using a “flip” from the traditional-style course, students complete most of the instruction outside of class through a set of short instructor-made videos, podcasts, an online homework system, and WordPress website. During class time, the instructors quiz students via iClickers (personal handheld response devices) to ascertain the extent of comprehension of the video material. This new model places the burden of learning responsibility on students, who are encouraged to work together to formulate their responses. The results are dramatic: more than 80% of students in the new course passed, exceeding the College’s passing rates for even its most effective lecture classes. Students polled after the courses reveal that 90% approve of the new model. As an added benefit, students do not have to purchase textbooks for the flipped course. All materials are embedded in the learning platform, reducing student costs by 50% or more. Assessment activities undertaken by academic units are closely correlated with those performed by administrative and student support units. Consistent with this perspective, assessment of administrative and student support units contributes to the overall assessment of the College’s educational effectiveness. One example is the Office of Academic Advising (OAA), which recently increased and intensified its contact with students nearing graduation to maximize prospects of their completing academic work in time to graduate. This effort has required expanding the Office’s capacity to serve students. During the 2016-2017 academic year, OAA assessed its ability to serve a growing number of students. The Office surveyed 151 students and collected weekly data to monitor student demand for advising services. Initial data reveals that nearly 30% of surveyed students experience wait times of a week or longer to schedule advising appointments. Further, the data identified that fewer than half of incoming transfer students are consulting an academic advisor, despite having completed Transfer Credit Evaluations. Based on this data, OAA expanded its office hours to twelve hours a day and increased the number of group advising sessions offered to students. As a result, it was able to expand its advising capacity by nearly 600 students. This increased capacity substantially alleviates the advising bottleneck observed in survey results and weekly data.

http://www.cuny.tv/show/edcast/PR2005469


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Other Initiatives Designed to Improve Educational Achievement Monitoring of Key Performance Metrics In addition to ongoing assessment of student learning, the College regularly tracks and endeavors to improve key indicators of student success. The Office of Institutional Research, Assessment, and Planning (OIRPA) closely monitors the College’s graduation rates, retention rates, credits attempted/earned, grade point averages, and other key metrics of various constituencies. This data is shared widely with the College community and compiled into a Fact Book published online each Spring. OIRPA works closely with the Office of Enrollment Management to develop new reports that examine admissions criteria and enrollment yields. It conducts regular stop-out studies designed to evaluate why students leave before graduating. As part of CUNY’s Performance Management Process (PMP), the University tracks each campus’ performance as related to the University’s Strategic Framework. The PMP’s metrics are perused by Lehman administration to help inform decision-making. The 2016-2017 PMP demonstrates that Lehman outperformed most of its peer CUNY senior colleges on numerous metrics. New Technologies to Enhance Strategic Use of Data Another significant change has been the paradigm shift in the way the College uses data. Like many institutions, data has historically been applied to satisfy mandatory reporting requirements and track key performance metrics. Universities have less frequently used data strategically to identify potential roadblocks to student success, and correlate student participation in particular activities and programs with positive student outcomes. The College has recently begun to pilot use of smart data discovery tools to identify variables associated with graduation. We are now more easily able to identify factors associated with college success. As mentioned previously, we have implemented a new platform, Lehman 360, which will empower students and faculty advisors with contextual, relevant information from multiple systems in a user-friendly format. Recent updates include early alerts for Freshman College, student evaluations of teaching and learning (SETLs), and digital ID cards, among others. Lehman 360 was recognized as an “exemplar” in the 2018 NMC EDUCAUSE Horizon Report. In a related development, the College recently piloted a new online tool known as the Student Success Dashboard (SSD). The SSD allows users to easily determine how many students within a given cohort are enrolled, have graduated, or have stopped-out. SSD provides administrators and advisors with the ability to drill down, enabling targeted messages to students close to completing their degrees, but failing to reenroll. Using data more strategically has been a contributing factor to an eight-point increase in graduation rates from 2015 to 2017. Given President Cruz’s interest in and commitment to metrics and data management, the College recently hired a new Assistant Vice President for Strategy, Policy, and Analytics to oversee Institutional Research.



http://www2.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/oira/institutional/data/current-student-data-book-by-subject/PMP_University_Data_Book_2017-Final_2017-07-05.pdf


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Assessment Summary Periodic Review Report Recommendations The reviewers were impressed with the process and procedures that Lehman put into place following the last decennial review in 2009. They noted the “impressive progress” made and “strong examples” provided as evidence that Lehman College has “established a culture of assessment.” The protocols adopted prior to the PRR have remained largely unchanged with one notable change: establishment of the Assessment Council. While the Assessment Council has not met since 2013, its work of coordination between departments is now being accomplished through cooperation between the Office of Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment and the Assessment Coordinators. Assessment reporting compliance has increased since the introduction of Taskstream. After an initial phase of familiarization with the system during 2011-2012, departments are now actively using it for their reports. Admittedly, use is not yet universal, and there still remains a range of quality in reporting. Nevertheless, assessment plans and reports related to AES have grown more robust. Greater detail is provided in terms of follow-up based on assessment findings. This demonstrates that assessment findings have become both more useful and more regularly applied. Therefore, Taskstream has led to greater organization of assessment activity. Further, Student Affairs created its own internal assessment group, which meets periodically to discuss development of annual assessment plans, assessment practices related to the Division, and assessment findings. Recommendations 1. Reinvigorate Assessment Council, determine structure and governance, as well as how to integrate it more fully into Academic Affairs’ planning and programs. 2. Undertake a cost-benefit analysis of return on investment related to course release time for faculty serving as Assessment Coordinators. 3. Evaluate future use and utility of Taskstream. 3. Consider forming Faculty Assessment Advisory Board. 4. Institute robust and ongoing assessment professional development training. 5. Task School Deans with responsibility for supporting and reinforcing compliance of assessment activity through Executive Committees of academic chairs. 6. Transform Institutional Research Office into a more proactive education and training facility in order to engage and empower faculty and staff with increased access to actionable data.


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STANDARD VI: PLANNING, RESOURCES, AND INSTITUTIONAL IMPROVEMENT Introduction Lehman has typically undertaken strategic planning in ten-year cycles. (VI.C2) The current ten-year plan is articulated in Advancing the Vision (2010-2020), which organizes planning into four distinct components: Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Learning; Enhanced Student Success; Greater Institutional and Financial Effectiveness; Commitment to Engagement and Community Service. This Strategic Plan emphasizes student empowerment and faculty achievement, within the context of a sustainable financial structure, and also supports our valued, longstanding relationship with Bronx County. (VI.C1, VI.C2, VI.C3, VI.C4) As part of a broad planning process – with particular focus on institutional and financial effectiveness – in Fall 2013 the campus embarked on a Prioritization initiative modeled on Robert Dickeson’s Prioritizing Academic Programs and Services, but adapted to Lehman College’s unique administrative structures and academic programs. (VI.C2 and VI.C9) Prioritization led to development of the Advancing the Vision Report. Major developments associated with Prioritization are discussed under Standard VII. On August 15, 2016, Lehman College welcomed Jose Luis Cruz as its third President. At the Fall 2016 Convocation, President Cruz announced six major strategies for the academic year (VI.C1, VI.C3) (listed under Standard I) These strategies correspond closely to Middle States Accreditation Standards, particularly those related to student success and achievement, aligning sustainable financial resources to major identified goals, thereby resulting in increased institutional effectiveness. The Lehman community responded immediately and embraced these stated tenets, which have become a roadmap for the College’s practices. For example, they were embedded into the Student Technology Fee Proposal in order to identify and prioritize funding. Shortly thereafter, the President and Interim Provost launched Strategic Initiative Funds, allocating $10,000 to each of the Schools, the Library, and Online Education to support these six strategic goals. The administration requested that the Deans map proposed expenditures to these specific goals. Further, these Funds were also allocated to the non-academic side of the house. Progress is being monitored closely through regular assessment. In March 2017, President Cruz delivered his first State of the College address. He used this occasion to announce a major strategic goal to double the number of degrees, certificates, and other credentials awarded from 2017 through 2030 to 90,000 – or 90x30 – while preserving the College’s academic quality. (VI.C1) Dr. Cruz quantified the challenges Lehman faces by projecting the increase in the number of quality degrees and credentials earned at the Bronx’s only public senior college. This aspirational initiative galvanized the Lehman community to work cooperatively towards shared goals, moving the needle on student success by collectively addressing systemic roadblocks and barriers to student academic achievement.


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Responding to these new initiatives – as well as President Cruz’s stated focus on strategic planning – the College introduced new templates where annual goals of all academic and administrative units are mapped to CUNY’s Strategic Framework [Connected CUNY], Lehman’s Master Plan, and 90x30 Initiatives (templates can be found in Appendix). Resource allocations are assigned, annually assessed for effective outcomes, then adjusted accordingly. (VI.C1, VI.C3, VI.C5) Analysis of Key Issues Related to Meeting the Standard and Criteria Financial (VI.C3 and VI.C6) New York State provides funding for CUNY’s senior colleges using line item appropriations. The appropriated budget includes line items for each senior college, as well as for central administration/shared services, information technology, fringe benefits, building rental, and various University programs. Each year, the University submits a tax levy budget request to New York State for the entire system of colleges. The request is comprised of mandatory (baseline needs) and programmatic requests for increases in the operating budget. The mandatory request includes contractual salary increases and Other Than Personnel Services (OTPS) inflationary increases. It also includes solicitations for rent increases, fringe benefits, and operating costs for new buildings. The programmatic request is based on University program initiatives outlined in CUNY’s Strategic Framework and its Master Plan. Both the Framework and Master Plan are developed by the University’s central leadership in consultation with CUNY constituencies, including members of the Board of Trustees, College Presidents, and faculty and student representatives. The State budget for the senior colleges includes an appropriation for special revenue accounts, including the Income Fund Reimbursable (IFR) Account, City University Tuition Reimbursement Account (CUTRA), and City University Stabilization Account. The IFR is made up mostly of self-supporting adult and continuing education programs. Colleges can spend what they collect. IFR programs, however, are subject to a 12% cost recovery target. The CUTRA account enables colleges to roll over into subsequent fiscal years excess tuition revenue. It gives campuses the ability to plan more effectively for use of additional revenue and, in effect, grants the colleges additional appropriation authority, albeit limited due to the non-recurring nature of these resources. University guidelines call for CUTRA balances to be between 1% and 3% of total excess tuition revenue. The Stabilization account enables the colleges and University to carry over into subsequent fiscal years unexpended tax levy appropriations. Overview of the CUNY Operating Budget Process and CUNY Budget Timetable can be found in Appendix.


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Lehman College’s operating budget, which consists of State funding and anticipated student tuition, is allocated by CUNY Central at the beginning of every fiscal year, which begins on July 1st. The College’s annual base budget is determined in advance, and then supplemented by a series of New York State Budget Certifications throughout the fiscal year. These adjustments are specifically tied to new expenses, such as CUNY programs or mandatory contractual obligations. As the College awaits its initial operating budget allocations, Lehman begins the following budget process: (1) Office of Budget and Planning issues baseline reports to the President and senior administrators, who review and request baseline adjustments for their respective divisions, as needed; (2) Divisions prioritize their requests within the goals and objectives of their respective area, which are formulated by the Performance Management Process (PMP) and the College’s Strategic Plan; (3) Divisional submissions are reviewed and analyzed by the Office of Budget and Planning, as well as Vice President for Administration and Finance. A report of the analysis is submitted to the President and the President’s Cabinet for review and approval; (4) Lehman College receives its initial operating budget allocations from CUNY, which include baseline as well as new funding; Office of Budget and Planning verifies the funding distribution received and prepares a summary report for the Vice President for Administration and Finance. In turn, the Vice President makes recommendations to the President and Cabinet; (5) President reviews, approves, and/or rejects priorities for any new funding requests; and (6) Office of Budget and Planning updates all budgets in the budgeting systems, sends budget allocation letters, and monitors budgets throughout the year. In order to satisfy the College’s annual tuition revenue target, Lehman collects student tuition revenue; in turn, these funds are transferred to CUNY Treasury and then to New York State. If the College collects revenue in excess of the target amount, the College can either spend the excess revenue, or deposit these funds into the College’s CUTRA account to be carried forward and spent in future years. Every year, the College must submit to the University a multi-year financial plan, which must be made in consultation with elected faculty and student leaders. Once the plan is approved and implemented, College and University personnel monitor spending, allocations, and tuition revenue on a quarterly basis. Financial plan updates are presented to the Joint Senate and FP&B Budget and Long Range Planning Committee on a regular basis. These reports are also posted to the Lehman Connect intranet website. At the end of each year, CUNY issues consolidated audited financial statements that combine all College tax levy activities, which are posted on the CUNY website. Lehman College’s capital budget is funded from New York State and New York City allocations. Bonds issued by the Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) generate financing for major state-funded capital projects. Minor state-funded capital projects are managed through the CUNY Construction Fund, and New York City capital funds are bonded by the City’s Office of Management and Budget, and managed by CUNY. The College, through CUNY, submits to New York State a five-year capital improvement plan based on activities either


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critical to its mission, central to its Strategic and Facility Master Plan, and/or essential to facility preservation and infrastructure upgrade. Requests to New York City for capital funds are made annually and submitted to the Bronx Borough President and Bronx Delegation of the New York City Council. Fiscal Challenges Over the past four fiscal years (FY2016-FY2019), Lehman College managed effectively through a total $5.592 million base budget reduction from New York State and City University of New York. This funding decrease was offset by personnel and non-personnel cost savings, tuition increases, and stringent fiscal management. Personnel reductions were largely achieved by a combination of attrition, strict vacancy control, and delays in filling non-faculty positions. Table 2: Base Budget Allocation Reductions (FY2016-FY2019)

FY2016 FY2017 FY2018 FY2019 Total

Reduction of State Funding

($2.542)

($1.699)

($0.892)

($0.459)

($5.592)

Despite these challenges, the College maintained a positive year-end balance throughout these years. It was also able to finance a range of strategic and operational initiatives to advance strategic priorities and improve institutional outcomes, including student achievement outcomes. (Please refer to Appendix A, Table 6, labeled Financial Report and Forecast (000’s), which illustrates the College’s tax levy operating budget and year-end financial condition for the past five fiscal years and projections for the next three years). Fiscal Situation and Financial Forecast The FY2019 New York State Enacted Budget for the senior colleges totaled $2.53 billion, an increase of $97.3 million, or 4% over the prior year. The senior college increase of $97.3 million included: $43.5 million to fully fund the projected fringe benefit cost increase; $31.3 million in revenue and appropriations to accommodate the $200 annual tuition increase to resident undergraduate tuition, and proportionate increases to other tuition categories; a technical adjustment of $21 million to accommodate existing NYC funding for CUNY programs; and a $1.5 million investment to transitioning the Joseph S. Murphy Institute for Worker Education and Labor Studies to CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies. Additionally, $4.7 million is allocated for SEEK, $250,000 for the graduate pipeline program, and $50,000 for Community Legal Resource Network. Funding for contractual mandatory increases is not included, which for Lehman represents about $800,000. The College’s Operating Budget is projected at $160.2 million for fiscal year 2019, which represents an increase of about $27.7 million or on average 4.1% per year since fiscal year 2014. In addition, the operating budgets for fiscal year 2020 and 2021 are projected at $162.9M and $165.4M, respectively. Total increase amounts to $5.2M over fiscal year 2019, and is based on revenue generated from the approved increase in tuition, and projected 3%


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enrollment growth. The overall increases in expenditures represent $2.4M for FY2020 and $2.5M for FY2021. Projected expenditures include hiring ten new faculty lines to support: the College’s commitment towards the 90x30 goal; mandatory increase related to the 2009-2017 collective bargaining contracts; and 2% mandatory labor reserve for future collective bargaining settlements. Projected expenditures also include recurring strategic and operational investments of about $1.3M per year [see Attachment 1]. Resources and expenditures represent projections as of September 2018, where the year-end balance for fiscal year 2019, 2020, and 2021 is expected to be $4.8M, $2.8M, and $.7M, respectively (see Appendix A, Table 6 for Lehman’s most recent financial picture with projections through Fiscal Year 2021). CUNY Compact and Tuition Increases The CUNY Compact, negotiated in 2011 between New York State and CUNY, provided for a five-year tuition increase plan to fund improvements and new education initiatives across CUNY. Compact revenues were directly linked to financing CUNY’s Master Plan, committed to increasing full-time faculty, student services, and enhancing student financial support. As part of this agreement, CUNY colleges agreed to self-fund a portion of planned investments by increasing enrollment, philanthropic support, and creating savings through restructuring and efficiencies. The tuition increase was implemented in Fall 2011. From Fall 2011 to Spring 2015, Lehman received approximately $11 million in Compact funds, which supported hiring 64 personnel, consisting of 44 faculty and 20 non-faculty members. Strategic Investment Initiatives Given the absence of Compact dollars or new operating funds, Lehman College created its own Strategic Fund by setting aside dollars from its revenues and reserves to be invested in non-recurring strategic initiatives that demonstrate commitment to continuous improvement, revenue generation, and advancement of the College’s mission. In September 2016, initiatives from each of the Schools and Divisions were reviewed and approved by President Cruz and Cabinet members. Approved investments in teaching and experiential learning amounted to about $200,000. These included initiatives in the areas identified in Achieving the Vision: Excellence in Teaching, Research, and Learning; Enhanced Student Success; Greater Institutional and Financial Effectiveness; and Commitment to Engagement and Community Service. Approved investments in improving operational efficiencies amounted to about $600,000. These encompassed: upgrades of faculty office space; computer lab upgrades; painting program; replacement of outdated computers for faculty and staff; improvements to wireless access in Shuster Hall; funding for online student orientations; funding for initial scriber training (primary tool advisors use to guide student in course planning and degree requirements); Retention Management software; Lehman 360 consulting services; Digital Store Front Program


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software; and additional funding for IT to develop automated workflows and support organization of Degree Maps on the Web. On September 27, 2017, during President Cruz’s Inauguration and Convocation ceremony, he announced additional strategic investments of hiring ten new faculty lines for fiscal year 2019 and 2020. These strategic hires will allow us to sustain the projected enrollment growth as it relates to the 90x30 goal. In October 2017, another set of Strategic Investment Initiatives was approved and funded in the amount of $1.3 million. These included: funding to hire an advisor and financial aid counselor to support Freshman College; hiring an academic program coordinator for the Adult Degree Program; funding for Registrar to transition the graduation audit unit to a graduation specialist; funding for IT to support hiring an application developer and new part-time staff for the Multimedia Center to work on video production; additional funding for IT to underwrite workflow and organization of all Degree Maps; admission revenue invested in enhancing marketing and recruitment efforts; funding for Media Relations to design, print, and install banners across the College to promote awareness and engender student pride in Lehman; funding for a new technical director of the Performing Arts Center. The 2016 and 2017 Strategic Initiatives can be found in Appendix. Resource Allocation Improvement – Smart Budgeting Prior to July 1, 2016, the budget allocation model used to allocate OTPS resources was based on the prior year’s base budget, plus an increase determined by establishment of new initiatives and/or projects (i.e., Accreditation, memberships, contractual services increases, new programs, etc.). Base budgets were allocated to School Deans, who could disburse funds to their respective programs on a case-by-case basis. As a result of the Prioritization process – in an effort to promote transparency and engage stakeholders in budgeting decision-making – a committee of faculty and staff was established to formulate a new OTPS allocation methodology for FY2017, resulting in a better aligned distribution of funds to academic departments and the Library. The revised budgetary formula considers the number of students and total faculty (full-time and part-time). Consequently, the new OTPS allocation methodology resulted in academic departments and the Library receiving approximately $100,000 more from the FY2016 base budget allocation than in prior fiscal years under the previous OTPS allocation methodology. This increase in OTPS funding helped: the Early Childhood-Childhood Education Department expand their educational video collection; Economics and Business purchases to facilitate integration of materials from the Internet to lectures; support faculty research and scholarship activities; and purchase of faculty furniture, among others. (Please see Appendix A, Table 7 for the most recent OTPS Budget for Academic Affairs). Historically, resource allocation for part-time faculty (Adjuncts) was directed based on the prior year’s actuals without additional dollars to support enrollment growth. Every year,


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departments were informed to increase courses due to enrollment growth only one or two months before the beginning of the semester. This led to departments rushing to recruit faculty and find classroom space for these courses. In an effort to improve coordination of scheduling and appropriate resource allocation, during AY2018 President Cruz, former Provost Harriet Fayne, and the former Vice President for Administration and Finance charged a committee to evaluate the Fullerton Model with the possibility of adapting this methodology or a modified version to Lehman College. The committee was comprised of members from the Offices of the Deans, Institutional Research, Enrollment Management, Budget, and Information Technology. The expected outcome is to empower departments to make smarter decisions about class size, scheduling of full-time and part-time faculty, modes of instruction, course scheduling, space, etc. In addition, it is expected that this new methodology will provide the appropriate level of funding to cover increases in enrollment at a time when the full-time teaching load is being reduced and new financial resources are limited. Additional Funding Sources Lehman College has related entities that provide additional support to various College operations beyond the tax levy budget, including Auxiliary Enterprise, Student Association (Lehman College Association for Campus Activities), and Student Technology Fees. Auxiliary Enterprises Funds are derived from contractual income from beverage and snack vending, the Bookstore, Cafeteria, royalty commissions, parking fees, facility rentals, student housing, Lehman Stages, and Motorcycle Safety School facility use license agreement. Operations that fall under Auxiliary Enterprises must be self-sustaining. Any excess funds from these operations can be used by approval of the Budget Committee and the Board to support other college operations that do not generate enough income or their own income to operate. Examples would be support of the Theater and Dance program, as well as for campus ceremonies, scholarships, and public relations activities supportive of the College’s mission. Student Association Funds are largely derived from Student Activity Fees, and can only be used to support student-related services. Student Association fees include locally approved earmarked revenues that are designated to specific purposes as approved by referendum of the student body and subsequently the CUNY Board of Trustees. Allocation of the funds to these specific purposes is based on prescribed dollar amounts, then applied to each purpose based on student enrollment. These allocations cannot be adjusted without a student referendum and approval from CUNY Board of Trustees. In addition, allocation of all Student Activities Fees must be consistent with purposes stated in Section 16.2 of the CUNY Board of Trustees Bylaws. Users of Association funding must submit itemized budgets to the Association’s Budget Committee demonstrating how requested funds will be spent. Budget allocations and any changes to them must be approved by the full Association Board. Funds are provided to various student services, including Student Health Center, Student Government Association,


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student clubs, Urban Male Leadership Program, Veterans and Military Affairs, Disability Services, Athletics, Meridian (student newspaper), Commencement, music performances, Career Expo, Theatre and Dance workshops, and other relevant student services. Auxiliary Enterprises and Student Association Funds are managed by Lehman’s Campus Activities Office. Its main purpose is to protect the integrity of funds and ensure that adequate internal controls are in place to provide sufficient fiscal accountability and oversight. The Office is responsible for receiving all revenues on behalf of these entities, as well as providing all record-keeping functions, including accounts payable, payroll, budget reporting, and preparing all financial statements. These entities are 501(c)(3) under the Internal Revenue Code and have a separate Board of Directors. Each year the Campus Activities Office, in collaboration with the Treasurer and Secretary of the respective Boards, distributes budget requests to departments and programs with Association or Auxiliary funding seeking their budget requests for the subsequent fiscal year. At this time, programs not funded in previous years can submit requests for consideration. Funding requests are routed through the respective budget committees of related entities for review and recommendation to the full board for final approval. Budgets are traditionally adopted by May 31st of each year, as they must be fully approved in time for the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1st. Student Technology Fees were adopted through a resolution from the CUNY Board of Trustees in 2002. Revenue from these Fees is retained by the College to improve computer services for students and faculty. These funds are managed by a special Student Technology Fee Committee comprised of students, faculty, and administrators. The committee is responsible for seeking campus-wide community input, assessing technology needs of the College, and developing recommendations on allocating Student Technology Fees to meet student-oriented technology requisites. Since FY2015, a total of $7.645 million of Technology Fee funds has been invested across the College. Annual Independent Audit (VI. C7) The annual financial audit is coordinated by CUNY’s Office of the University Controller. The College’s audit liaison coordinates all audit activities and supplies appropriate college-specific information. Year-end financial results are reported on a consolidated format with the rest of the University system. CUNY’s audited financial statements appear in Appendix. Periodically, the College will also be audited by CUNY Internal Audit, New York State Comptroller, Internal Revenue Service, and other outside entities to ensure compliance with City, State, and Federal requirements. As part of CUNY’s internal audit program, the University Office of Internal Audit and Management periodically sends each campus internal control self-assessment questionnaires. The questionnaires are functional, activity-specific, and intended to measure effectiveness of an administrative area to assure proper internal controls are in place. Based on these results,


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CUNY develops policies and procedures to improve internal controls. If necessary, it undertakes an internal audit of a functional area or institution. During the 2016-2017 academic year, the U.S. Department of Education conducted a financial aid audit of Lehman College. The audit yielded a number of findings related to assignment of course grades. In response, the College conducted an internal review of students who had received Title IV Federal Financial Aid assistance and were assigned grades of WU, F, and/or Incomplete (INC) for the 2012-2013 through 2015-2016 academic years. Data collection was conducted in September 2016 through an electronic questionnaire, along with supporting documentation addressing students’ participation in DOE-defined “academically related activities” in their classes. A committee comprised of faculty and administrators reviewed questionnaires and supporting documents, conducted additional outreach to faculty when necessary, and helped finalize the College’s response to the Department of Education (more details are provided in the Verification of Compliance report and in Appendix). A new electronic process has since been instituted to ensure faculty verification of WU, F, and INC grades. Human Resources (VI.C4 and VI.C8) People are essential to Lehman College’s ability to advance its mission and achieve its strategic goals. Academic faculty (full-time and adjunct instructors) and non-academic staff work collaboratively to promote student success. The number of full-time faculty has remained relatively stable since Lehman College’s last Self-Study Report (373 full-time faculty and 593 part-time faculty in FY2009). In FY2017, Lehman had 370 full-time faculty. After having fallen sharply and bottomed out at 415 in FY2013, the number of part-time faculty rebounded to 595 in response to the College’s rising enrollment. Since FY2013, the College has been engaged in a strategically focused hiring plan for full-time faculty. Each School Dean maintains a three-year Hiring Plan that anticipates and addresses School and program needs, and accounts for expected growth or decline in specific program areas. Each Spring semester these plans are reviewed, prioritized by the Deans, and then discussed at monthly Deans’ Council meetings led by the Provost. The Deans review available replacement faculty lines in conjunction with their prioritized needs, and then discuss and vote as a collective where lines will be allocated by School and program. This hiring approach allows for group discussion and consensus concerning the strategic location of replacement faculty lines. In the past two years, this approach has led to growth of faculty lines in the School of Natural and Social Sciences (NSS) and School of Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing (HS2N) in response to increased student demand in majors housed in these Schools and program-specific accreditation requirements. Even as the number of full-time faculty has remained relatively constant, the College has pursued a strategic alignment and placement of full-time faculty lines based on areas experiencing enrollment growth and program accreditation requirements.


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Twenty-five full-time faculty replacement lines have been approved for search during FY2018. Documentation can be found in Appendix. Institutional Advancement Lehman College is at the beginning of important transformational change in its Institutional Advancement efforts, reflecting the College’s 90x30 initiative and engaging hosts of new donors and friends to participate in the life of the College. Admittedly, Institutional Advancement efforts have been mixed over the past several years, due to transitions in leadership and a development strategy that was not as acute and attuned to current fundraising trends and not sufficiently assertive in reaching out to individuals in the Tristate and greater New York City area. With institutional development efforts throughout the CUNY system being less than twenty years old, the Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation, the non-profit vehicle that receives philanthropic gifts, has been a nascent organization that has yet to establish a baseline of support with predictable financial projections from year to year. It should also be noted, however, that the Foundation: serves as fiscal agent for many small funding initiatives across the campus; has broad fiscal responsibilities to this expansive array of smaller development efforts; and at times has been overwhelmed by its fiscal duties to these sub-entities and less focused on cultivation of new sources of revenue, stewardship of long-term supporters, and engagement of alumni and friends in the academic life of the College. Table 4: Giving at Lehman College

Income Fiscal Year 2014-2015

Fiscal Year 2015-2016



Alumni $ 635,515 $ 450,305 $ 1,168,535 $220,234.26

Other Individuals

$ 2,684,419 $ 966,523 $ 1,538,810 $684,922.45

Foundations $ 1,395,557 $ 2,090,149 $ 3,624,947 $883,226.00

Corporations $ 801,709 $ 823,645 $ 1,193,242 $607,834.81

Fundraising Consortia

$ 130 $ 200 $ 2,291 $7,297.64

Other Organizations

$ 2,867,397 $ 5,352,660 $ 2,957,458 $3,551,185.88

Deferred Gifts

$ 325,000 $ 50,000 $ 485,000 -

New Pledges - $ 59,404 $ 65,000 $300,000.00

Gifts-in-Kind $ 612,462 $ 521,950 $ 543,105 $549,506.00

Grand Total $ 9,322,189 $ 10,314,836 $ 11,578,388 $6,804,207.04

Under the inspired leadership of a visionary President, Lehman will claim a new course of action – at the moment of what is defined as the Bronx Renaissance – when the poorest of counties in


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New York State, and among the poorest counties in the United States, is beginning to experience increased government and business investment, a proliferation of new small businesses and major corporations establishing strongholds, as well as exciting new alignments between non-profits, large healthcare institutions, and cultural organizations in the Borough. Likewise, the College, through its reconstituted Division of Institutional Advancement and Herbert H. Lehman Foundation, seeks to bring new opportunities, commitments, and philanthropic investments to ensure student success, programmatic expansion, an increased endowment, and capital funding for its campus. An impactful event that will propel Lehman’s student success and give agency to a renewed Advancement effort is expansion of the Accelerate, Complete, and Engage (ACE) Program by City University of New York to Lehman College. One of the most promising baccalaureate attainment programs fully modeled on CUNY’s nationally recognized Accelerated Study in Associate Programs (ASAP) was piloted at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. It was resolved that Lehman College will be the next senior college to participate in this powerful student success program. Initiated by CUNY with deep support from a group of leading private foundations and individual funders, this program is also now likely to be the recipient of support from the New York State Senate. When this imprimatur group of private and public grants has been finalized and announced, it will provide a platform for other funders and individuals to consider Lehman College in a new way: as both a great experiment and unfolding lead model of urban public higher education for the future, thereby accelerating progress in advancement and attracting new donors from every sector who will help establish an evolutionary environment of philanthropic support. The advent of this revenue stream further clarifies Advancement staff’s commitment to core funding that will support the goals of the President’s revolutionary 90x30 initiative throughout the next twelve years and the College’s commitment to securing: equity access to higher education in the Bronx; student success; faculty excellence; exemplary artistic programs; and a contemporary campus that accommodates arenas of innovation, faculty research, and growth of its student body. Campus Facilities (VI.C6) New Facilities, FY2009-Present In September 2008, Lehman College broke ground on a 68,000 square-foot Science research and teaching facility. The project, the first new lab building in what was hailed as CUNY’s Decade of Science, was the first CUNY project to be designed and submitted for LEED certification. Science Hall was dedicated in October 2012, opened for classes in Spring 2012, and was awarded LEED Platinum by the U.S. Green Building Council: http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/science-hall-first-cuny-building-to-achieve-top-green-building-rating/


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In 2010, the College opened the 28,000 square-foot Multimedia Center, a state-of-the-art, multi-purpose teaching, learning, and production facility. The Center supports the educational needs of Lehman students pursuing a wide range of disciplines, and provides faculty with access to the latest tools for exploring technological innovation, including development of new educational media. This facility established Lehman as one of the most technologically advanced campuses in the CUNY system, and put the College in the forefront of multimedia facilities in the region. In September 2011, Lehman broke ground on the new 13,000 square-foot Child Care Center, and opened this new facility in September 2013. The modular construction edifice was built in a factory in Pennsylvania, then delivered and erected on the Lehman campus. It doubled the College’s capacity to provide affordable child care services to Lehman students: http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/lehman-child-care-center-gets-built-one-18-ton-module-at-atime/ http://wp.lehman.edu/lehman-today/doors-open-for-young-minds-lehman-and-cuny-dedicate-unique-new-child-care-center/

Master Plan Update 2010 Since enrollment had greatly exceeded 2002 Facility Master Plan projections, in FY2008 CUNY commissioned Perkins & Will Architects to complete a Master Plan update, the 2010 Swing Space Planning Study [Appendix] to:

develop a detailed implementation plan for program relocation and associated swing space needs

support increased enrollment and resultant space needs

support programs identified as areas of growth in the Health Sciences

support new programmatic initiatives such as Master’s in Social Work and MS in Business.

The 2010 Swing Space Study provided the opportunity to align the Facility Master Plan with the Achieving the Vision Strategic Plan. The new nursing facility – Nursing Education, Research, and Practice Center – is the first major capital project identified in the 2010 planning study to receive funding. The facility has completed design and 100% contract documents have been submitted for review, with a planned late winter/early spring 2019 public bidding for construction. The new facility is slated to open in 2021. Capital Funding for Facility Renewal and Minor Repair, FY2009-Present Starting in FY2008, each CUNY campus provided data for a facility renewal and backlog model to develop a financial paradigm to predict annual funding requirements, and thereby realize a funding plan for ongoing capital reinvestment. Commencing in FY2009, this resulted in capital funding for Critical Maintenance Projects and provided funds to reduce the backlog of deferred maintenance. From 2009-2017, the College received a total of $81 million in critical maintenance funding that was used for: campus-wide infrastructure upgrades; major building system replacement; roof replacement; rehabilitation of building envelopes; and elevator upgrades.


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In addition, from FY2009-2013, $240,000 in capital funds were allocated annually ($1.2 million in total) for minor repair projects completed by the College to reduce its deferred maintenance backlog. This funding was used to make repairs, replace equipment, and upgrade systems. It allows the College to complete smaller upgrades and replacements that do not qualify for larger capital funding. This allotment led Lehman to take a proactive, predictive approach to equipment replacement, repairs, and upgrades that would otherwise have waited for emergency replacement when equipment ceased to operate. The College’s Capital Funding FY2009-2019 are located in Appendix 7.12. Energy Fund, FY2013-Present Beginning in FY2013, under an initiative called CUNY Conserves, CUNY transferred management of each senior college’s energy budget to the College. In FY2014, Lehman College used its initial energy-related savings to implement additional energy saving measures including: replacing higher wattage lighting with lower wattage LED lamps; changing the cleaning schedule on three high-energy use buildings to ensure buildings are unoccupied, completely turned off, and locked down after the College closes each evening; and installing occupancy sensors in all campus bathrooms to turn off lighting when not in use. Annual energy savings have provided a source of funding for enhancements and renovations throughout the campus including: hallway, stairway, and classroom painting; window shades and new furniture; faculty office window shades; and campus site furnishings. Sustainability, FY2009-Present Incorporating sustainability at a college campus presents a unique opportunity to: reduce operating costs; improve efficiency in using resources; develop new curricula; simplify maintenance; and reduce the campus’ environmental impact, among other benefits. Whether it comes to recycling, energy conservation, composting, or implementing green cleaning and procurement policies, Lehman College has a proud history of integrating sustainability into the campus. The CUNY-wide Sustainable CUNY program began in June 2007. Long before CUNY’s program, Lehman had implemented a variety of sustainability initiatives. Lehman was the first CUNY institution to test environmentally friendly and effective cleaning products, and to implement their use. Similarly, we were the first CUNY institution to compost its leaves and yard trimmings, followed by composting food waste from the food service kitchen operation. The College replaced conventional toilet flushing systems with automatic flush-o-meters to reduce overall water consumption. In the area of recycling, the College recycles cardboard, nickel cadmium and lead acid batteries, oil, fluorescent lamps, heavy metals, silver, e-waste, furniture, plastic, aluminum, glass, and metal. In 2012, the College began converting from fluorescent to LED lamps, and as of 2018, all hallways, restrooms, and stairwell lights have been converted to LED. Rooms have been equipped with motion-activated lighting sensors, with a resulting 3% drop in electricity usage.


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In 2008, Lehman was awarded the first CUNY Sustainability Award for our long and ongoing sustainability initiatives. In keeping with its history of environmental stewardship, in 2012 Lehman became the site of the first USGB LEED Platinum Certified building in CUNY. In 2017, the College’s new energy efficient central heating and cooling plant went into full operation, further reducing energy usage and our carbon footprint. Assessment (VI.C9) Lehman College has nurtured a deepening culture of assessment across its campus and activities. Academic, non-academic, and institutional assessment is regular and recurring. The majority of academic and non-academic units establish annual goals and targets, assess these goals and targets, and then discuss and incorporate their findings into development of subsequent goals and targets. Much of this assessment is discussed in earlier sections of this report, especially Standard III (Design and Delivery of the Student Learning Experience), Standard IV (Support of the Student Experience), Standard V (Educational Effectiveness Assessment), and Standard VII (Governance, Leadership, and Administration). Assessment results guide the College’s planning, resource allocation, and institutional renewal practices and processes. Academic and non-academic unit assessment schedules, the budgeting cycle, OTPS funding requests, Performance Management Process (PMP) cycle, and the President’s annual State of the College addresses highlight the comprehensive and continuous nature of Lehman College’s assessment activities. In a development that reflects intensifying linkage between planning, resource allocation, and assessment, the College embedded assessment into all resource allocation requests beginning in 2016. Consistent with good assessment practice, the College’s assessment activities cover all of its internal stakeholders.

Stakeholders

Assessment

Leadership/ Administration

Academic Leaders/ Personnel

Non-Academic Leaders/ Personnel

Students CUNY Central

Academic Assessment X X

Budget Cycle

X X X

X

Non-Academic Assessment

X

X

PMP

X X X

X

State-of-the-College X X X X

Surveys

X X X X

The College’s budget cycle requires continuing assessment of the effectiveness of its resource allocation to academic and non-academic programs, services, and activities. (VI.C8 and VI.C9) Particular attention is given to strategic allocations and their impact on advancing Lehman


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toward realizing its long-term goals. Strategic allocations have included investments in developing online student orientation and strengthening academic advising. The College believes that such activities contribute to its improving retention and graduation rates. In its annual PMP process, Lehman College has consistently achieved or exceeded most of its annual targets. For example, in its 2015-2016 year-end report, Lehman reported that it had: achieved its target of maintaining an 80% or higher one-year retention rate for first-time freshmen; surpassed its target of maintaining a 37.1% six-year graduation rate; exceeded its target that 60 students would participate in Study Abroad (119 final count) ; and exceeded its goal of deploying its electronic AdvisorTrac appointment scheduling system to increase the number of scheduled advising appointments by at least 1.5% to 11,660 (achieved 11,704) during the academic year. Among other factors, the 2016-2017 PMP Report revealed that Lehman has the highest four-year graduation rate for its transfer students (58.6%) among all CUNY’s senior colleges. Between 2012 and 2016, the number of STEM majors has increased 53.6%. Its three-year rolling average of received research award funding has risen 70% over the past five years. The College’s PMP Reports are provided in Appendix. Lehman’s academic and administrative units establish annual goals and objectives, and evaluate progress toward these goals and objectives. President Cruz highlights progress toward these goals in his annual State of the College address. In his March 27, 2017 State of the College address, President Cruz reported: grant revenue rose 64% to $22 million; the College had secured a $5.7 million grant for its Pathways to STEM Success initiative; graduation rates for freshmen and transfer students had continued to increase; and four new multi-modal computer classrooms had been completed. President Cruz’s March 2017 State of the College Address: http://lehman.edu/president/documents/State-of-the-College-Lehman-College-March-27-2017.pdf In addition to annual PMP- and budget-related assessment activity, an average of 80% of the College’s non-academic units have completed yearly assessment reports during the past five years. Assessment outcomes have included: the Library introducing a flipped classroom model; Human Resources implementing an online onboarding system for new hires; expansion of Sophomore Year Initiative’s Student Tracking Early Alert Retention (STEAR) early warning system beyond that program; and Career Services’ development and introduction of an internship workshop to better position students to apply for and attain internships. Assessment of student learning is an ongoing, systematic process. At the start of each academic year, every degree-granting program at the undergraduate and graduate levels is expected to develop a detailed plan to assess one or more faculty-approved expected learning outcomes. These plans indicate how each expected learning outcome will be assessed, who will participate in the assessment, and expected performance targets.

http://lehman.edu/president/documents/State-of-the-College-Lehman-College-March-27-2017.pdf


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Assessment Coordinators manage assessment efforts at the program-level. They have been selected by Department Chairs and approved by the Deans to not only develop plans, but work closely with colleagues to gather evidence and develop a report at the conclusion of the academic year. Coordinators work closely with the College’s Assessment Coordinator, who trains them to conduct assessment effectively and ensure their programs’ assessment produces reasonably reliable and valid results. All academic assessment plans, reports, and supporting evidence are housed in the College’s online assessment management tool, Taskstream. Currently, three out of every four academic programs-majors has clearly developed, measurable goals-outcomes that are periodically assessed. All these goals-outcomes are posted on the College website (http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/assessment/majors-programs.php). In conjunction with President Cruz’s 90x30 initiative, assessment is being embedded into all new academic activities. Lehman College also tracks student sentiment as an indirect barometer of effectiveness of its programs and services based on results of CUNY’s biennial Student Experience Survey. According to the 2016 Survey, 77% of Lehman students are very satisfied or satisfied with their overall academic experience (68% CUNY senior college average), and 72% would definitely or probably choose to attend Lehman if starting over (60% CUNY senior college average). In 2010, those respective figures were 74% (68% CUNY senior college average) for overall academic experience, and 72% (72% CUNY senior college average) for college selection. Conclusions The institution has documented that its planning, resource allocation, and assessment are integrated and well-aligned with the College’s mission and strategic goals. This integration and alignment have contributed to the College’s improving student retention and graduation outcomes since the last Self-Study and its more recent Periodic Review Report. The College has fostered a campus-wide culture of assessment. All of its academic and non-academic activities, senior leadership, and strategic planning are assessed periodically. The College’s culture of assessment is reinforced and sustainable. It is a driver that informs planning, guides resource allocation, and promotes institutional stability, improvement, innovation, and renewal.

http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/assessment/majors-programs.php


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Recommendations Even though the College’s planning, resource allocation, and assessment processes are linked and well-aligned with mission and strategic goals, several measures would enhance these practices and processes: 1. Transition planning, budgeting, and assessment cycles to three-year intervals with continued annual reporting. A three-year cycle would allow for more purposeful and strategic decision- making. 2. Further align the overall budgeting process with revenue streams (OTPS, Auxiliary Enterprises funds) to increase efficiency and improve mapping to strategic goals. 3. Develop a proactive mechanism within the College’s budget cycle to broaden stakeholder input into the budgeting process. 4. Assess effectiveness and future prospects for Smart Budgeting. 5. Undertake a Facility Master Plan update to align with the College’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, when completed. 6. Resource and adequately staff Data Group to provide ongoing, real-time, actionable data to foster data-driven decision-making for academic and administrative units. 7. Increase institution-wide Assessment compliance rate to 100% by 2020. 8. Complete feasibility study to market Multimedia Center to commercial clients as revenue source. 9. Institutional Advancement and Lehman College Foundation must become fully staffed and operational. 10. Identify key philanthropic projects to be achieved in next three-five years. 11. Expand membership of Herbert H. Lehman College Foundation Board. 12. Implement strategic and sustainable Annual Fund. 13. Secure grant and private funding to underwrite new and endowed faculty positions.


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STANDARD VII: GOVERNANCE, LEADERSHIP, AND ADMINISTRATION Introduction The narrative below demonstrates that Lehman College is governed and administered in a way that allows it to fulfill its mission and which benefits the institution, its students, and the community. Lehman College is a senior college within The City University of New York. As such, the governance structure of Lehman College is multilayered, involving the overall governance system of which Lehman is a part and the internal governance system of Lehman. Consequently, the governance structure is complex and involves multiple layers of governance and accountability. The overall governance structure of The City University of New York is established by the New York State Education Law, which creates the Board of Trustees of The City University of New York. The Board includes 16 voting members, including ten appointed by the Governor of New York State, five by the Mayor of New York City, and the chair of the University Student Senate, who serves ex officio. The Chair of University Faculty Senate is a non-voting, ex officio member. The Board of Trustees, in turn, has adopted the CUNY Bylaws. The Bylaws spell out the structure and organization of the Board including: its committees and their membership; the duties and responsibilities of the University Chancellor; and the duties and responsibilities of the CUNY Presidents, including the President of Lehman College. In accordance with the CUNY Bylaws, College Presidents report to the Chancellor, acting as the executive agent of the Board of Trustees through the Chancellor. The current Lehman College President, Dr. Jose Luis Cruz, was appointed by the Board of Trustees effective August 2016 upon the recommendation of the CUNY Chancellor following a national search by a Board committee that included Trustees and faculty representatives from Lehman College. [See CV in Appendix]. The College has benefitted greatly from continuity in its leadership during the half century of its existence as a separate college within CUNY. President Cruz, already in his third year of service, is only the third president of Lehman, with the founding president, Dr. Leonard Lief, having served 22 years, and his successor, Dr. Ricardo Fernandez, having served 26 years. The President’s duties and responsibilities are set forth in Section 11.4 of the CUNY Bylaws, and the President’s performance is reviewed annually by the Chancellor. The President is assisted by a number of well-qualified administrators in the President’s Office, and by a group of well-qualified senior administrators serving as Vice Presidents and in other senior administrative titles. The chart reflecting the usual organizational structure coupled with CVs and an interim Organizational Chart can be found in Appendix A, Table 8.

The President participates in University governance as a member of the Council of Presidents, chaired by the Chancellor, which meets monthly, and includes several key committees. President Cruz currently chairs the Council of Presidents’ Committee on Fiscal Affairs and serves


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as the presidential representative on the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Fiscal Affairs (including its Audit Subcommittee). He also sits on the Council of Presidents’ Facilities Committee and co-chairs the Chancellor’s Diversity Working Group. The President and the College are accountable to the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor, and the several Vice Chancellors, charged with oversight responsibilities in key areas such as fiscal affairs, facilities, academic affairs, student affairs, and faculty and staff relations. Other New York State and City governmental agencies exercise oversight responsibilities in key areas, including the New York State Inspector General, New York State Division of the Budget, and New York City Office of Management and Budget. In addition to the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, many of the College’s programs are accredited by other bodies, as described in earlier Standards. The College is also subject to provisions of several collective bargaining agreements, negotiated by University central administration with a number of unions representing various employee groups (including Professional Staff Congress/CUNY, which represents members of the instructional staff, including the faculty). The President, in turn, recommends to the Board of Trustees the appointment of key College administrators including the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, the other Vice Presidents, and Deans of the College’s five Schools. As described below, there has been some recent turnover among senior leadership – some of whom form part of the President’s Cabinet – for a variety of reasons, not unexpected during the first few years of a new President and consistent with patterns seen in colleges and universities nationally. Nevertheless, the College’s core governance structures – including the College Senate and Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget, comprised of the College’s academic chairs – have demonstrated remarkable continuity, and the recent administrative appointees have brought many years of experience at the College and within CUNY to their positions. The College’s internal governance structures – including the College Senate, General Faculty, Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget, and the College’s student government – operate in accordance with the Bylaws and written policies of the Board of Trustees, the College’s Documents of Governance, and administrative direction received from CUNY Central administration. Their structure and responsibilities are described below. Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget The CUNY Board of Trustees Bylaws (BOT Bylaws) stipulates that each college will have a “committee on faculty personnel and budget or equivalent committee,” which is responsible for recommending to the President the appointment, reappointment, tenure and promotion of persons in faculty titles. The College Committee on Faculty Personnel and Budget (FP&B Committee) fulfills this function. FP&B is comprised of the 28 Department Chairs, as well as the President and Provost. Academic Deans attend meetings as non-voting members. It generally meets monthly during the academic year, except for January. In addition to providing a venue for review and action on personnel matters, the President and Provost also report on College


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and University-related subjects, and Department Chairs share information with each other and senior administration. The FP&B Committee has several subcommittees whose membership is elected from among members of FP&B. Subcommittees are charged with reviewing and recommending actions to the full FP&B Committee on matters such as tenure and promotion, and fellowship leaves. An example of collaboration between college governance bodies is evidenced in the work of the Budget subcommittee of FP&B and the College Senate Committee on Budget and Long Range Planning. Members of both committees meet regularly, as required by the Bylaws of the Lehman College Senate, “for the purposes of exchange of information and joint deliberation.” Academic Departments The BOT Bylaws provide that the department chairperson serves as the executive officer of the department. Department chairpersons are elected for three-year terms from among members of the instructional staff in the department who have faculty rank or faculty status, as provided by the College Governance Structure. The chairperson and four other faculty members serve on the Department Personnel and Budget Committee (P&B). This committee makes recommendations to the FP&B Committee on personnel matters related to faculty titles. Academic departments also have committees charged with making curriculum and other recommendations through established governance processes. Academic chairs play a crucial role as leaders of their departments and as a fulcrum between the faculty in their departments and the academic leadership of the College. As an affiliate of The City University of New York, Lehman College is administered by the University’s Board of Trustees, subject to the Board’s Bylaws and policies and procedures (http://policy.cuny.edu/bylaws/#Navigation_Location), as well as the Lehman College Governance Documents. Lehman College Senate Over its fifty-year history, Lehman College has followed the principles of shared governance. Power traditionally exercised by a college faculty, such as authority over admissions, curriculum, and academic standards, resides in the College Senate, which includes faculty, students, and administrators. The Lehman College Governance Documents stipulate that the Senate “shall be responsible for the formulation of academic policy and for legislative and advisory functions related to the programs, standards, and goals of the College”: http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/college-senate/documents/governance-structure.pdf

The College Senate’s inclusion of students, faculty, and administrators on its committees facilitates its crucial role in defining, approving, and implementing the mission of Lehman College to “provide undergraduate and graduate studies in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education within a dynamic research environment, while embracing diversity and actively engaging students in their academic, personal, and professional development.” (http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/about/mission.php) Further, the Senate will play a crucial role in implementing President Cruz’s vision of 90x30.

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/college-senate/documents/governance-structure.pdf

http://www.lehman.cuny.edu/about/mission.php


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Since the Senate had grown to an unwieldly number of representatives, in 2010 College Governance Documents were amended, reducing the body to 102 members: twelve administrators, 51 faculty, five non-teaching instructional staff, and 34 students. Faculty representatives include an elected representative from each department, three representatives of part-time faculty, and faculty elected at-large. At least one-third of the faculty at-large seats are reserved for Assistant Professors without tenure, instructors or lecturers. The Senate utilizes an active committee structure to conduct its business. Faculty, students, and administrators are represented on all committees. Students originally enjoyed equal representation with faculty on all committees, but irregular student attendance at meetings often makes it difficult for committees to obtain a quorum. Consequently, in 2015 the Senate Bylaws were amended to reduce the number of students on Senate committees from five or six to three. Following are the Senate’s Standing Committees:

Governance Committee

Committee on Admissions, Evaluation, and Academic Standards

Undergraduate Curriculum Committee

Committee on Graduate Studies

Library, Technology, and Telecommunications Committee

Budget and Long-Range Planning Committee

Committee on Campus Life and Facilities

Committee on Academic Freedom (http://www.lehman.edu/college-senate/documents/senate-bylaws-2017.pdf) On occasion, special or ad hoc committees have been established, including an Ad Hoc Committee on Academic Structure and Ad Hoc Committee on Student Evaluation of Teaching. As a senior college of The City University of New York, Lehman College is governed by the CUNY Bylaws and laws of New York State, including New York State Open Meetings and Freedom of Information Laws. The Senate and most of its committees meet monthly. These meetings are open to the Lehman community and general public. Senate meeting dates are announced at the beginning of the academic year, posted on the college website, and distributed to a local newspaper. Minutes of Senate meetings and committee meetings are available on the Senate webpage and at the Library. Non-members of the Senate can request floor rights to address the body, a privilege routinely granted. With the exception of the Governance Committee, one does not have to be a member of the Senate to serve on a standing committee. Student Government Association The Student Government Association (SGA) is the officially recognized elected body that represents students at Lehman College. It consists of the Executive Board and includes the Student Legislative Assembly, whose 34 members are student representatives in the College

http://www.lehman.edu/college-senate/documents/senate-bylaws-2017.pdf


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Senate. All members of Student Government Association are elected in annual Spring elections conducted by the Lehman College Board of Elections, which follows CUNY guidelines for Student Elections. The Lehman College Board of Elections is independent of Student Government Association, and administers general elections in the Spring as well as any Special Elections to fill vacancies. The Elections Board contracts with an independent external vendor for voting machines and a technician who operates and supervises balloting for annual elections. Once the Board of Elections has certified the annual Spring Elections, results are sent to the President for final approval. Positions in Student Government Association are: President; Vice President of Internal Affairs; Vice President of External Affairs; Vice President of Legislative Affairs; Chief Financial Officer; Student Services Officer; Research and Development Officer; Events Coordinating Officer; Public Relations Officer; Technology and Design Officer; Campus Facilities and Planning Officer; Community Activities Officer; and Student Activities Officer. General Faculty The roles and responsibilities of the Lehman College General Faculty are articulated in the Documents of Governance and the General Faculty Bylaws. However, for many years the General Faculty has not functioned according to this structure. Among other functions, the General Faculty may: consider any matter related to faculty interests or welfare not specifically assigned to another body; make recommendations to the College Senate, and to any agent, department, committee, or organization of the College; and review actions taken in pursuance of its recommendations. The General Faculty meets twice a semester, and has the power to pass resolutions and make recommendations. Since the College Senate exercises most of the traditional faculty prerogatives, General Faculty serves primarily as an information-sharing body. An elected Faculty Executive Committee sets the agenda for these meetings. The College has appointed the long-time Senate Parliamentarian and Chair of the Senate Governance Committee to review Governance Documents, including General Faculty Bylaws, to propose revisions to better align documents with current practice. Structure Many structures are utilized for decision-making at Lehman College. In addition to Senate committees, many administrative bodies, units, and committees across the College contribute to these efforts. Academic Divisions As Chief Academic Officer of the College, the Provost presides over Provost’s Council, Deans’ Council, and Student Success Council, which meet monthly. These meetings serve both informational and policy-making functions for the academic Schools and administrative units


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(Enrollment Management, Student Affairs) that report directly to the Provost. Following these meetings, minutes including action items and submission deadlines are shared with members. As a voting member, the Provost also enables an important function on the College-wide Faculty Personnel and Budget Committee (FP&B), a policy-making body comprised of academic chairs, chaired by the President. The Deans also attend as non-voting members. FP&B meets monthly and undertakes many significant responsibilities, primarily making recommendations for appointment, reappointment, tenure, Certificate of Continued Employment (CCE), and faculty promotion at the College. Lehman College’s Schools of Arts and Humanities, Education, Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing, and Natural and Social Sciences each have an Executive Committee, comprised of the Chairs from each of the School’s departments. Monthly meetings serve both informational and policy-making purposes. It is expected that Chairs will share information disclosed with their faculty. While the School of Continuing and Professional Studies does not have an Executive Committee, its directors meet weekly. Both CUNY and the College’s Bylaws require each academic department to elect a Chair and a Personnel and Budget Committee (P&B), all members of which must have faculty rank and a majority of whom must be tenured. The Department Personnel and Budget Committee makes initial recommendations on all hiring, reappointment, tenure, and promotion actions. When a recent survey revealed that most departments were not complying with the provision in College Governance Documents that “students shall serve the departmental Personnel and Budget Committees in advisory capacity, with the method of service and number of students to be determined by the respective departments,” Student Legislative Assembly, the Senate Governance Committee, and the Provost intensified their efforts to ensure such compliance.

Non-Academic Divisions Lehman College consists of five non-academic divisions, administered by Vice Presidents who serve on the President’s Cabinet: Administration and Finance; Enrollment Management; Information Technology; Institutional Advancement; Student Affairs. Each of these divisions has its own administrative and governance structure set by its leadership. Regular meetings are conducted at each level of the unit and with division leadership. While a good portion of the governance structure in the non-academic units focuses on implementing CUNY-wide policy, many set certain local policies that affect the entire campus. COACHE Survey: Faculty Satisfaction The 2015 COACHE (Collaborative on Academic Careers in Higher Education) Faculty Job Satisfaction Survey contains useful indicators of how Lehman faculty views issues of governance and leadership at the College. The COACHE Survey studied the governance structure, interviewed dozens of stakeholders, drafted a questionnaire, solicited feedback on the instrument, and piloted a survey module to determine whether academic governance is working well from the perspective of faculty. Its analysis of scholarship and interview transcripts produced five “ingredients” of effective academic governance:


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Trust

Shared sense of purpose

Understanding of the issue at hand

Adaptability

Productivity The chart below indicates that in 2015, on issues of Shared Governance, Lehman faculty rated the College in or near the bottom 30% of all cohort institutions in terms of trust, understanding of issues faculty faces, and a shared sense of purpose. Higher rankings (middle 40%) were given for productivity and adaptability. Figure 2: COACHE Survey 2015

On issues of leadership, faculty rated senior (Vice Presidents) and divisional (Deans) leadership in or near the bottom 30% of all institutions. Departmental leadership was rated in the top 30% of all institutions, while faculty leadership was found to be somewhere in the middle.


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Figure 3: COACHE Survey 2015

It should be noted that the COACHE Survey was administered, gathered, and analyzed during the 2014-2015 academic year; therefore, many of its findings may be outdated. Since that time, Lehman College installed a new President and Provost, and new Deans in all five Schools. New college leadership has brought with it a new mission, fresh approach, and genuine sense of optimism for the future direction of the institution. This has resulted in an atmosphere of higher morale, improved relations between faculty and administration, and a more positive outlook on issues of shared governance and transparency. Another factor to consider in evaluating COACHE Survey data is that in 2014-2015 a number of faculty members were dissatisfied due to factors beyond the College’s control: the contract between the faculty union and the University had expired in 2010, meaning that many had gone without a raise since 2009. It is conceivable that the signing of a new labor contract in 2016 has improved faculty morale and prompted job satisfaction. As mentioned, an updated COACHE Survey will be administered in 2019. Nevertheless, the COACHE Survey is instructive in that it indicates that the College faces real challenges in bridging divides that exist between faculty and administration on the issues of governance and leadership. The Standard VII Working Group has found that both the academic and non-academic divisions of the College have clearly defined governance structures. However, the product of these governance structures – whether related to policy issues or


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dissemination of information – are not always clearly and effectively communicated. It is significant that faculty rates the productivity and adaptability of the administration higher than levels of trust, shared sense of purpose, and understanding problems the College faces. On the whole, faculty has responded favorably to the administration’s ability to “get things done,” and adapt to the changing environment in which the College finds itself. Of fundamental concern is whether both sides of the house (faculty and administration) are actually communicating with each other clearly and effectively. Thus, while governance documents clearly chart roles and responsibilities of the Senate and its committees, the structures, functions, and actions of administrative offices (both academic and non-academic) are not always as transparent. When these units make or change policy, a more effective and consistent form of communication to the campus community is necessary. To the extent they can be provided, agendas, reports, and minutes should be made available. The new President and Provost, in their regular curated e-mails to the Lehman community, should be commended for their concerted efforts to keep the College community informed. Moreover, Senate and General Faculty requests for information from the administration on specific issues have always been promptly and respectfully addressed. Therefore, the College should work to sharpen engagement, participation, and accountability in both process and outcomes. To accomplish this, it should: 1) clearly define the roles and responsibilities of administrative committees and bodies involved in decision-making that have not yet been publicly defined; 2) make an effort to engage the campus community in deliberation over policy changes and decision-making; and 3) find more effective ways to communicate outcomes. The goal of shared governance is to engage the college community to the fullest extent possible before decisions are made. Participatory decision-making leads to both an investment in resolutions and shared accountability for their consequences. If the college community is duly informed about issues being considered by administrative and related committees – and is provided an avenue to respond and supply input – the circle of engagement and accountability is widened when initiatives are brought to fruition, or when new issues arise. Staffing Patterns and Reporting Lines Changes The most significant recent personnel change at Lehman College was the 2016 retirement of Dr. Ricardo R. Fernández, who served as President for twenty-six years. In August 2016, Dr. Jose Luis Cruz assumed the presidency. Over the past five years, there have been changes in the President’s Cabinet in the positions of Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success, Vice President of Institutional Advancement, and Special Counsel. The position of Vice President for Continuing Education and Workforce Development was recast as Dean of the School of Continuing and Professional Studies. As Lehman College enters its exciting next half-century, we are encountering unprecedented challenges and opportunities. In August 2018, our Vice President for Administration and Finance, Vincent W. Clark, was tragically killed in an automobile accident. Over his tenure, Mr.


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Clark stewarded the campus’ financial resources to stability, sustainability, and even the ability to reinvest in flagship strategic initiatives. A few weeks later, Harriet Fayne, our new and highly regarded Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Success, unexpectedly resigned. For these reasons, President Cruz requested an extension for submission of our Middle States Self-Study Report, which was generously granted. Dr. Cruz immediately put a transition plan in effect. During Fall 2018, Lehman will fast-track searches for these two pivotal positions in the hope of recruiting outstanding talent for appointment in February 2019. In the interim, he appointed Executives-in-Charge for both Academic Affairs and Administration and Finance. CUNY Central has volunteered its expertise by assigning its Deputy Chief Financial Officer to the Lehman campus two days a week. Effective October 1, 2018, President Cruz appointed a veteran CUNY academic leader as Interim Dean of Academic Affairs to further enhance coordination and administration in the academic division. Further, while we successfully recruited new Deans for the Schools of Arts and Humanities and Continuing and Professional Studies, Lehman’s Associate Provost for Academic Programs and three additional Deans departed (one for a college presidency, one for a provost position, another returning to full-time teaching). Over the summer, the Provost was able to recruit a strong team of Interim Deans from the campus’ broad existing pool of academic leadership. As a consequence, President Cruz assumed temporary oversight of the School Deans. He also instituted a new President’s Council consisting of his Cabinet, School Deans, campus governance leaders, and student representatives to strengthen communication and linkages across the institution. To respond to evolving programmatic and pedagogical needs of students, the College has effected a number of changes to its administrative structures and reporting lines. In Fall 2013, the new School of Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing became operational including the Departments of Health Sciences, Nursing, Social Work, and Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences. Following anticipated approval of Lehman’s Doctorate in Nursing Practice program, we are conducting planning discussions to create a separate School of Nursing. The College has secured $54.2 million for a new building to house the future School. Plans are also underway to create a School of Business from the current Department of Economics and Business. An ad hoc committee submitted a feasibility study for a stand-alone School of Business, currently under review, though this will entail considerable investment, aggressive fundraising, and specialized faculty recruitment. Note: Information on Staffing Patterns included in Appendix A, Supplement 1.


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Communication Across Administrative Units While the College is developing new mechanisms for communicating information and significant campus issues, several challenges remain in communicating across administrative units:

Administrative functions are frequently carried out across multiple offices without a clear flow of authority or information.

A number of administrative units have undertaken initiatives and expanded the scope of their activities, but not necessarily including a coherent workflow plan or the flow of information between units.

Since the College has recently experienced unprecedented turnover in high-level administrative positions – in the Provost’s Office and the School Deans – this discontinuity in leadership can sometimes result in a disconnect with changes in policies and procedures.

Although recent administrative positions, such as the Associate Deans, have been created in response to stated needs in the Schools, their roles and responsibilities have not always been clearly delineated to the campus community.

Complex interactions between different campus units – pertaining to adjunct hiring, course scheduling, and faculty workload reporting – should be more effectively coordinated with lines of authority for these functions clearly defined. One specific example of concern is Human Resources – involving hiring, compensation, and benefits – where workloads and communication channels are not clearly defined. As a consequence, the Office of Human Resources worked with Academic Affairs and the School Deans’ Offices to achieve payment of 90% more adjuncts on the first eligible paycheck for the past two academic years. To increase that number, Human Resources staff is meeting with Deans' staff to identify outstanding issues. The School of Natural and Social Sciences spearheaded an initiative with Human Resources and Information Technology to create a workflow for efficient hiring and onboarding of new adjuncts. One problem identified by academic departments is delay in adjuncts submitting their signed workload forms in a timely manner. This delay leads to subsequent delays in processing, placement into payroll, and access to Blackboard and other electronic systems. During 2016-2017, the Provost charged Department Chairs with drafting or updating individual Scholarship Statements to clarify expectations for tenure and promotion. Ideally, these Statements should be approved by the Departmental Personnel and Budget Committee and distributed as part of tenure review packets. The Scholarship Statements are already proving beneficial to the Tenure and Promotion Subcommittee, as well as for Chairs and Deans providing commentary. Most importantly, tenure candidates will gain a clearer understanding of expectations for scholarship, teaching, and service. This initiative is currently being challenged by the faculty union in a grievance. Subject to the outcome of this challenge, the Chairs’ Handbook will be updated accordingly to incorporate these new practices.


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Assessment of Leadership and Governance Lehman College conducts ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of its leadership and governance structures, encompassing all major units of the academic enterprise. These components include: the Performance Management Process (PMP); academic unit assessment; academic program reviews; administrative unit assessment; program accreditation; and Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) accreditation. This report will consider the PMP and administrative unit assessment in particular, as this is most closely associated with assessment of leadership and governance. The Performance Management Process The Performance Management Process (PMP) is the foundation of Lehman College’s planning and assessment activities. First initiated by CUNY administration during the 2000-2001 academic year, the PMP establishes goals and targets linked to the College’s mission and the larger mission and goals of City University of New York. Anchored in CUNY’s Master Plan, the PMP is organized around five broad areas aligned with the University’s mission: access and completion; college readiness; career success/knowledge creation; innovation and research; and funding. At the end of every academic year, each CUNY college measures its performance against PMP targets established in the previous year and formally reports results to CUNY’s Chancellor. Based on these outcomes, appropriate program and service changes are developed and implemented at each CUNY college. Lehman College’s ability to meet or exceed the majority of its targets offers a broad proxy for assessing the effectiveness of its leadership and governance. To the extent that its leadership, initiatives, and governance decisions impact overall institutional performance, the College’s success in achieving or exceeding its targets provides insight into these activities. PMP Outcomes The College’s performance is described as “Not Having Met,” “Partially Achieved/Substantially Achieved/In Progress,” “Achieved,” or “Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed” its targets. As indicated by the chart below, the latest PMP data reveals that Lehman College is generally meeting its goals. Its ability to meet specific and measurable targets on a consistent basis reflects, in part, an effective governance structure that fosters accountability and ongoing improvement.


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Table 2: Performance Management Report Outcomes (Annual Figures)

Academic Year

Data Not Available

Target Changed

Not Met

Partially Achieved/ Substantially Achieved/In Progress

Achieved Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed

2008-09 3% 0% 13% 14% 53% 17% 2009-10 6% 1% 6% 12% 64% 12% 2010-11 4% 0% 11% 10% 60% 14% 2011-12 2012-13

3% 4%

0% 0%

8% 16%

19% 12%

44% 53%

25% 15%

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

0% 3% 0% 0%

0% 0% 0% 0%

15% 33% 28% 10%

15% 10% 10% 10%

59% 40% 25% 55%

10% 15% 38% 25%

Note: Data Not Available includes fiscal items for which final results are not in. Not Met: Target not met, not achieved/target changed going forward, target deferred, target delayed, target postponed. Partially Achieved/In Progress includes items for which progress or substantial progress has been made. Achieved also includes items listed as Achieved/Continuing and Achieved/Ongoing. Items excluded from the figures were contingent targets and indicators no longer in use.

Table 3: Performance Management Report Outcomes (Three-Year Moving Averages)

3-Year Period Ended

Data Not Available

Target Changed

Not Met

Partially Achieved/In Progress

Achieved Achieved or Exceeded/Surpassed

2010-11 4% 0% 10% 12% 59% 14% 2011-12 2012-13

4% 4%

0% 0%

8% 12%

14% 14%

56% 52%

17% 18%

2013-14 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17

2% 2% 1% 1%

0% 0% 0% 0%

13% 21% 25% 20%

15% 12% 12% 10%

52% 47% 41% 40%

17% 13% 21% 26%

Note: Data Not Available includes fiscal items for which final results are not in. Not Met: Target not met, not achieved/target changed going forward, target deferred, target delayed, target postponed. Partially Achieved/In Progress includes items for which progress or substantial progress has been made. Achieved also includes items listed as Achieved/Continuing and Achieved/Ongoing. Items excluded from the figures were contingent targets and indicators no longer in use.

Assessment of Institutional Effectiveness Lehman College has developed a culture of continuous assessment integrated into the College’s academic, administrative, and governance activities. The PMP and strategic planning process engage the entire campus community, including faculty, administrators, staff, and students. The College’s assessment outcomes are incorporated into planning, resource allocation, and decision-making at the unit, divisional, and institutional levels.


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Lehman College’s assessment of institutional effectiveness is a component of the Middle States Commission on Higher Education’s (MSCHE) four-step planning-assessment cycle: Table 4: Middle States Planning-Assessment Cycle

5. Defining clearly articulated institutional and unit-level goals 6. Implementing strategies to achieve those goals 7. Assessing achievement of those goals 8. Using the results of those assessments to improve programs and services and

inform planning and resource allocation decisions

Source: Middle States Commission on Higher Education, Assessing Student Learning and Institutional Effectiveness: Understanding Middle States Expectations

The College’s annual institutional effectiveness assessment process is carried out as follows: Table 5: Institutional Effectiveness Assessment Timeline

August • Written administrative unit assessment plans are collected by the Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator • The plans should provide the unit mission statement (if that has changed), the unit goal(s) that will be assessed, a specific reference to Lehman College’s goal(s) to which the unit’s goal(s) are linked (i.e., the specific PMP target or objective from the Strategic Plan), the related unit objectives, assessment methods that will be deployed, and any targets or benchmarks that will be referenced • Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator will provide assistance and suggestions to units in advance of their assessment plans and will meet with relevant unit heads

August • Assessment Reports from prior academic year are submitted • Unit assessment plans are submitted • Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator maintains copy of the plans

September – May

• Units conduct their assessment activities

May – August

• Units provide the assessment outcomes/findings • Units explain how results were used or will be used • Units identify decisions/changes that resulted from assessment findings • Units develop assessment plans for next academic year

Prioritization Initiative In 2013, Lehman launched a campus-wide planning and Prioritization process in response to a number of factors including:

• Continuing long-term trend of decreasing public (State and Federal) funding in real terms for higher education

• Changing national demographics • Evolving global competition for talent


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• 2014 expiration of the CUNY Compact, which had allowed CUNY institutions to increase tuition by $500 per year and obligated New York State to cover mandated salary increases and energy costs

• Uncertainty about future tuition increases and State funding. The Prioritization process involved considerable numbers of Lehman College faculty, staff, administrators, and students. The process examined 65 academic programs and 88 administrative programs based on criteria including centrality to institutional mission, assessment, efficiency, and vision. Extensive cost, student, and other resource-related data was gathered and reviewed with a focus on integrating planning and resource allocation. The process resulted in a number of recommendations aimed at guiding the institution into its 50th anniversary year in 2018. The Prioritization Steering Committee submitted its report to President Fernández in May 2015. The College’s Vice Presidents developed and shared their divisional action plans with President Fernández in August 2015. They were charged with developing improvement plans for each of their programs in consultation with their respective Chairs/Directors during Fall 2015. A final report was shared with the college community on July 27, 2016. President Jose Luis Cruz directed the College to examine these recommendations, identify the most promising ones, and then move to implement them. Based on this work, at the February 3, 2017 Convocation, the President announced a six-point plan. Since that time, this initial plan culminated in the President’s 90x30 initiative, under which the College will seek to double the number of students expected to receive degrees and high-quality credentials by the year 2030. IT Initiatives The delivery of basic IT services is essential to day-to-day operations and forms the basis for providing value-added services that advance institutional and student success. The IT Division strives to work in partnership across the College to create more fluid, streamlined services that increase Lehman’s effectiveness. In this regard, the metrics for basic campus IT services such as network availability and server uptime are greater than 99.9%. As such, Lehman’s IT Division is becoming a trusted ally and leader across CUNY in fostering institutional and student success. Examples include:

Business Process Automation – Since 2011, more than 16 manual processes have been automated in partnership with the Divisions of Administration and Finance, Enrollment Management, Student Affairs, and the Office of the Provost. This resulted in speeding up and providing increased transparency to more than 75,000 transactions. Automated processes include personnel action requests, student declaration of majors, electronic course scheduling, and eGrade corrections. Lehman’s process automation system has been adopted by six other CUNY campuses and received the 2016 CUNY IT Award for Innovation.

Business Intelligence/Smart Data Discovery – Lehman was the first CUNY school to implement business intelligence to provide increased reporting capabilities, as well

http://lehman.edu/news/President-Cruz-Announces-His-Six-Point-Plan-for-Lehman-College.php

http://lehman.edu/90x30/index.php


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as the first to pilot smart data discovery tools. This spirit of inquiry led to development of the Student Success Dashboard and Lehman 360. Lehman 360 is an evolving platform that uses web services and other tools to pull relevant and contextual data from a variety of sources into a highly usable, singular view for students, faculty, and advisors. Students appreciate the ease-of-use and the value-add Lehman 360 brings to their academic journey. Faculty now have a better view of the student for advising purposes, and have one platform for much of their administrative work. Most recent additions to this platform include student evaluations of teaching and learning (SETL) and an early alert system for Freshman College instructors.

The journey from business intelligence to Lehman 360 was the subject of an article in EDUCAUSE Journal (October 2016). Lehman 360 was awarded the 2017 CUNY Excellence in Technology Award for Collaboration.

Crowdsourcing – Lehman 360’s adoption has been based, in part, on valuable input from students and faculty in the design process. The IT Division met with student leadership groups during development of Lehman 360. A Lehman Computer Science graduate student developed the user interface. At the request of President Cruz, the College has adopted an innovative crowdsourcing tool that generated significant interest among pilot faculty users. As a result, Lehman 360 incorporates the ability for faculty and Department Chairs to better manage student wait lists. The crowdsourcing tool also generated need for an improved administrative calendar and dashboard.

LehmanQ – Lehman students requested better ways to reduce wait lines during the beginning of the semester at various campus locations. In fact, our review identified at least five different scheduling systems used across College offices. Accordingly, the College invested in an online appointment scheduling and queue management tool. Working with the Division of Student Affairs, the LehmanQ system has been implemented in Financial Aid in addition to the IT Help Desk. The tool allows students to schedule themselves for services with their phone or at a kiosk. While waiting during busy periods at the beginning of the semester, students can go to the Library or get a cup of coffee, and will receive text-based reminders about their appointment time. The tool has received positive reviews from both students and administrators. In a small sample, 92% of students were extremely or very satisfied when responding to the question, “The new Financial Aid Scheduling system saved me time.” Over the next year, LehmanQ is slated for expansion to Admissions, as well as other academic and administrative units.

Digital Badges/Microcredentials – A primary opportunity for colleges and universities is to leverage digital technologies to deliver increased value to students, faculty, and staff. Digital badges or microcredentials are visual, online representations of student accomplishments issued by the College based on verified mastery in discrete content areas. Thus far, Lehman has issued eight badges for students who have received: Dean’s List honors; Presidential Scholar status; mastery of the Bloomberg Market Concepts Online course; Human Library, and others. Badges are portable and can be shared on social and professional sites.


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Seventy-five percent of claimed badges have been posted to LinkedIn by students, where they have been viewed more than 22,000 times by prospective employers and others in their social network. The badge pilot will expand over the next year and will ultimately support students in addressing the lower rates of educational attainment in the Bronx region.

ID Cards as an example of continuous improvement – A major goal of the College is to reduce “friction” and make it easier for the campus community to access services. In 2014-2015, IT worked with the Division of Administration and Finance to eliminate long lines at the beginning of each semester where all students, faculty, and staff were required to obtain a sticker to validate their Lehman ID card. This led during the following year to implementation of a swipe system at key facilities including the Library, IT Center, Campus Life, etc. The swipe system not only authorizes access for the College community, it provides data regarding facility utilization for planning purposes. In 2018, the College introduced Lehman 360 digital ID cards – similar to an electronic boarding pass – where students can now enter facilities by simply scanning their phone. Finally, at the behest of the former Vice President of Administration and Finance, the College implemented a new system whereby incoming students can now submit online ID card photos, eliminating yet another line.

Multimedia Center (MMC) – In 2009, Lehman debuted a state-of-the-art Multimedia Center that supports a variety of academic departments and campus events as a critical component of expanding media literacy among our students. Several programs produced by the facility have won Emmy awards or Silver Tellys, including Best of the Bronx and Edcast. With grants from the New York City Mayor’s Office, the MMC has collaborated with faculty and students to provide rich experiential learning and project-based assignments that include master classes with industry professionals and hands-on learning both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, developing graphics and music scoring.

Student Experience Survey – In the 2016 CUNY-wide Student Experience Survey, Lehman led all CUNY senior colleges with regard to student perceptions concerning “my college offers adequate wireless on campus,” and the College “offers help desk services during the hours I need.” Of note, 88% of Lehman students report they are satisfied or very satisfied with campus computers.

IT Roadmap – To facilitate availability of information regarding IT’s strategic direction and how it is aligned with the goals of the College, the two-year IT Roadmap is posted on the IT website, along with the Division’s mission statement (http://wp.lehman.edu/newsletter/it/?p=1116). Development of the Roadmap is formulated in consultation with students, the Senate’s Library Technology and Telecommunications Committee, Provost’s Council, and Cabinet, among other stakeholders. Professional Development for Faculty and Staff Several administrative units offer a wide range of professional development workshops for the Lehman community. These initiatives are channeled through a number of offices.

http://wp.lehman.edu/newsletter/it/?p=1116


144

Office of the Provost The Provost and Provost’s Council sponsor several initiatives that support faculty development. Recent restructuring has created many enhanced opportunities including onboarding, supplementing faculty research, and improving teaching competencies. Making additional travel funds available is critical to underwrite faculty research. The Provost’s Office sponsors and encourages the following:

Weekly e-mail digests distributed to the Faculty-Staff-RF list, which include timely announcements of professional activities, events, and achievements.

The proposed Center for Innovation in Research and Pedagogy to enhance research, scholarship, and teaching is being planned by the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Faculty Research Advisory Boards, and the Student-Faculty Research Advisory Committee.

Incentive funds for Experiential Learning, Internationalization and Global Partnerships, Seamless Transfer, and Open Educational Resources.

The Lehman Faculty Retreat, which serves as both orientation and professional development, was attended by 69 faculty and 30 administrators in January 2017 at Wave Hill. Attendees engaged in important discussions about faculty and student success, focusing on the theme of academic momentum. Faculty was encouraged to develop professionally by using “intentionality,” drawing on the College’s existing data as well as evidence of best practices from the professional literature to articulate goals and make periodic assessments.

The Retreat’s morning sessions concentrated on Research and Scholarship, Learning Outcomes Assessment, and Grading Practices. Lunchtime was informed by a Middle States Self-Study Update. The afternoon offered options for faculty to explore either Assessments of Scholarship, Strategies to Improve Student Writing, or Role of Faculty in Improving Student Success.

In September 2017, the Provost convened a retreat for Department Chairs including: updates on academic plans; workshops designed to orient new Chairs to challenges inherent in departmental leadership; and a formal address from an outside speaker discussing national trends in academic leadership and pedagogy.

In the future, regular retreats will be scheduled on relevant themes to identify broader issues challenging campus leaders.

Provost Office Hours have been held regularly in 2017 with professional development topics related to: Student Evaluations; Advising; Teaching Excellence; Faculty Development; Mentoring New Faculty; Working Across Disciplinary Boundaries; Scholarship of Engagement/Becoming a Public Scholar; and Leadership in the Division of Academic Affairs.

Support for a variety of faculty development initiatives including: Quantitative Reasoning; Writing Across the Curriculum; New and Early Career Faculty Mentorship.

Support for adjunct faculty professional development, with a "passport" program that provides new adjuncts with access to training and workshops.


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Lehman recently assumed new membership in National Center for Faculty Development and Diversity (https://www.facultydiversity.org/).

Office of Online Education The Office of Online Education supports an array of faculty professional development activities to help design challenging and engaging courses through continuous programming, consultations, and other initiatives. Online Education oversees all facets of online instruction, from web-enhanced learning experiences to hybrid course development and fully online programming to ensure student success. Unfortunately, there is currently no mechanism in place to govern online classroom teaching observations. The University and Professional Staff Congress have not developed contract language related to assessing this key aspect of learning. President’s Office The President’s Office: monitors initiatives; oversees administrative units responsible for faculty and staff professional development, regularly reviewing the College’s strengths and challenges; assesses faculty and department needs; issues reports; and coordinates communication and structures of the administrative staff. Office of Research and Sponsored Programs (ORSP) The Office of Research and Sponsored Programs oversees grant administration and conducts faculty professional development workshops. Beginning in 2017-2018, ORSP staff has attempted to attend individual academic department meetings to further connect faculty with available opportunities. Through the George N. Shuster Fellowship Fund, ORSP makes modest grants available to support scholarly work in progress, particularly that nearing completion, by full-time faculty. Professional Staff Congress

The contract between Professional Staff Congress and City University of New York provides for the PSC-CUNY grant program of modest funding to endow faculty research and professional development. These grants are administered through the CUNY Research Foundation.

The contract provides untenured faculty with a total of 24 contact hours of reassigned time during their first five years to engage in scholarly or creative activities related to their academic discipline.

PSC offers a professional development fund for administrative and technical staff with HEO and CLT titles, and provides professional development grants to adjuncts and continuing education instructors.

CUNY

CUNY makes available Book Completion grants for which faculty can apply.

CUNY Academy for the Humanities and Sciences administers award programs, such as the Stewart Travel Award and Feliks Gross Award, which support faculty development.

https://www.facultydiversity.org/


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The Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs’ Office started an initiative supporting faculty movement from associate to full professor, which has been adopted by Lehman Provost’s Office.

The Office of Compliance and Diversity regularly informs faculty of diversity resources and related tools.

Staff The Office of Human Resources hosts a series of workshops and webinars for staff professional development. CUNY and Lehman organize related conferences, workshops, and seminars to enhance skills and promote networking. College Senate In recent years, the Chair of the Senate Governance Committee and Office of Special Counsel have conducted an orientation session for new Senate members. City University and Lehman College provide a wide variety of professional development opportunities for faculty and staff. However, these have seemingly been developed and supported on an ad hoc basis by a number of offices without much planning or coordination. An organizational plan for professional development and effective means of communicating available opportunities would be helpful. Either Human Resources or the Provost’s Office could develop a central clearinghouse for faculty development. Recommendations 1. As part of Lehman’s forthcoming 2020-2025 Strategic Planning process, charge a working group with facilitating a campus-wide conversation on best practices in shared governance. The working group should recommend: possible changes to Lehman’s governance documents; identify ways to improve communication and transparency between Lehman administration and its governance bodies; explore ways to reinvigorate the leadership role of School Deans within the College’s governance process, etc. 2. Establish a cross-divisional working group to evaluate workflow and best practices of administrative procedures between Human Resources and academic departments. 3. Develop new mechanisms to solicit student input into academic programs and campus affairs. 4. Evaluate and reorganize online system of information sharing. 5. Develop a unified, integrated campus-wide faculty and staff professional development plan.


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CONCLUSIONS Lehman College has appreciated the challenges and opportunities inherent in this Middle States Self-Study process. At the important juncture of this institution’s 50th anniversary, it has provided the necessary and salubrious occasion to reflect on past successes, identify current strengths, and chart a roadmap towards a promising and rewarding future. Recent changes in senior academic leadership have engendered a cross-campus dialogue about how to reshape Lehman College for our next fifty years – and beyond. In many respects, 90x30 has served as a major organizing principle, as it creates an aspirational – though achievable – goal in the best service of our Bronx community and its residents. By positioning ourselves as the largest contributor to public higher education degrees and credentials in the Bronx, we are excited by the potential transformational impact Lehman can have on our community’s cultural, economic, psychic and physical health. Lehman is poised as an economic engine to empower the diverse communities of New Yorkers and new Americans we are honored to serve. The recent arrival of President Jose Luis Cruz has energized and galvanized the campus to embrace his commitment to social justice and student success. That said, we recognize that 90x30 can only be achieved by full alignment and integration of all campus constituencies working towards this shared vision, in conjunction with top-to-bottom reevaluation of all internal systems and processes. Clearly, this involves transforming the campus culture to one that is intentional, strategic, and data-informed, mindful of the context of the very real budgetary and resource challenges we face. Further, we have valued the opportunity this Self-Study provides to review our current assessment practices in order to reconceive this function to better promote continuous improvement moving forward. It has inspired us to begin a deeper conversation regarding the future of assessment which – coupled with ongoing gains in our data infrastructure and analytics capacity – will serve as a solid foundation for enhancing teaching, learning, research, and advisement. Ultimately, we believe the series of recommendations generated by this Report provides a strong platform to develop our 2020-2025 Strategic Plan, once these are mapped to 90x30 and CUNY’s Performance Management Process – as well as matched to existing financial resources. Corresponding to our student learning outcomes, Lehman College’s future success is dependent on engagement and empowerment of students, faculty, staff, administration, and community members.


APPENDIX A

i

Table 1: Standard Working Groups Standard I Working Group:

Carl Mazza (Co-Chair), Chair, Social Work Ediltrudys Ruiz (Co-Chair), Assistant Vice President, Information Technology Ronald Banks, Director, Strategic Persistence Initiatives Elhum Haghighat, Chair, Political Science Gina Harwood, Assistant Vice President for Financial Operations Elia Machado, Earth, Environmental, and Geospatial Sciences Abigail McNamee, Chair, Early Childhood and Childhood Education Pamela Mills, Chair, Chemistry

Standard II Working Group:

Dana Fenton (Co-Chair), Sociology Janet Munch (Co-Chair), Library Ira Bloom, Political Science Liliana Calvet, Director of Academic Standards and Evaluation Diane Clarke, Director of Administrative Operations Dawn Ewing-Morgan, Chief Diversity Officer Robert Valentine, History Eric Washington, Director, Human Resources

Standard III Working Group:

Stefan Becker (Co-Chair), Associate Provost for Academic Programs Christine Rota-Donahue (Co-Chair), Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences Salita Bryant, Interim Associate Dean, School of Arts and Humanities Stephen Castellano, Information Technology Marisol Jimenez, Associate Director, Instructional Support Services Program Joseph Medved, Information Technology Denny Santos, Assistant Director, Community Engagement and New Student Programs Mohan Vinjamuri, Social Work

Standard IV Working Group:

Dugeidy Ortiz (Co-Chair), Director, Wellness Education and Health Promotion Program Mark Tausig (Co-Chair), Associate Dean, Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing Laurie Austin, Director of Admissions Nancy Ann Cintron, Director of Career Services Joseph Fera, Mathematics David Fletcher, Middle and High School Education Janelle Hill, Student Affairs Ilona Linins, Director, Environmental Health and Safety Fausto Ramirez, Director, Public Safety Representative from Student Government Association

Standard V Working Group:

Raymond Galinski (Co-Chair), Assessment Coordinator Michael Bacon (Co-Chair), Music, Multimedia, Theatre, and Dance Claudia Case, Music, Multimedia, Theatre, and Dance


APPENDIX A

ii

Peggy Conner, Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences Merrill Parra, Director, Student Disability Services Penny Prince, Music, Multimedia, Theatre, and Dance Kevin Sailor, Chair, Psychology Steven Wyckoff, Director, English Composition/Freshman Year Initiative (FYI) Olena Zhadko, Director, Online Education

Standard VI Working Group:

Kenneth Schlesinger (Co-Chair), Chief Librarian Daniel Stuckart (Co-Chair), Middle and High School Education Haiping Cheng, Chair, Biological Sciences Deira Pereyra, Information Technology Melissa Kirk, Chief of Staff to the Provost Bethania Ortega, Director, Budget and Planning Rene Rotolo, Assistant Vice President for Campus Planning and Facilities Donald Sutherland, Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator Elin Waring, Interim Dean, Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing

Standard VII Working Group:

Davina Porock (Co-Chair), Associate Provost for Academic Personnel Duane Tananbaum (Co-Chair), History and Chair, College Senate David Badillo, Chair, Latin American and Latino Studies Vincent Clark, Vice President, Administration and Finance Robert Farrell, Library and PSC Chapter Chair Daniel Kabat, Chair, Physics and Astronomy Christopher Malone, Associate Dean, Natural and Social Sciences Mary Rogan, Economics and Business Donald Sutherland, Institutional Effectiveness Coordinator


APPENDIX A

iii

Table 2: Lehman College MSCHE Self-Study Steering Committee (AY2018-2019) Name Department/Office Title

Bloom, Ira (Chair) Political Science Professor

Schlesinger, Kenneth (Lead Writer)

Library Professor, Chief Librarian

Prohaska, Vincent (MSCHE ALO)

Academic Programs Interim Vice Provost for Academic Programs

Gagliardi, Jonathan (Secretary)

Strategy, Policy, and Analytics

AVP, Strategy, Policy, and Analytics

Maldoon, Gladys (Staff Coordinator)

President’s Office Director of Operations

Bergmann, Ronald Information Technology Vice President/CIO

Cheng, Haiping Biological Sciences Professor and Chair

Farrell, Robert Information Literacy and Assessment

Associate Professor and Chair, Lehman PSC Chapter

Fera, Joseph Mathematics Assistant Professor and Deputy Chair

Galinski, Raymond Institutional Research, Planning, and Assessment

Director

Gningue, Serigne School of Education Interim Associate Dean

Hurley, Dene Economics and Business Associate Professor and Chair

Jones, Jaye Health Sciences, Human Services, and Nursing

Interim Associate Dean

Loscocco, Paula English Professor and Chair

MacKillop, Jane School of Continuing and Professional Studies

Dean

Magdaleno, Jose Student Affairs Vice President

Mahon, James School of Arts and Humanities

Dean

Mazza, Carl Social Work Professor and Chair

Munch, Janet Library Professor

Ortega, Bethania Budget and Planning Director

Rice, Anne Africana Studies Assistant Professor, Chair of the General Faculty

Rosario, Yvette Registrar Senior Registrar

Rota-Donahue, Christine Speech-Language-Hearing Sciences

Assistant Professor

Rotolo, Rene Campus Planning and Facilities

AVP, Campus Planning and Facilities

Ruiz, Ediltrudys Information Technology AVP, Information Technology

Sarmiento, Reine Enrollment Management Vice President and Associate Provost

Tananbaum, Duane History Professor and Chair, College Senate


APPENDIX A

iv

Zhadko, Olena Online Education Director

Daisy Flores Student Government Association

President

Hector Bello Student Government Association

Research and Development Officer


APPENDIX A

v

Table 3: Crosswalk of School and Department Mission and Goals [Examples]

Strategic Initiatives Standard I: Mission and Goals

Lehman College

Strategic Initiative

Division/School Activity Outcome

90x30: Raising awareness

and sharpening the

message

Arts and Humanities Review of academic

programs and offerings to

combine performing arts

programming for fit with

the College’s mission, a

coherent message, and

effective recruitment

Completed: Resulting in

formation of new Music,

Multimedia, Theatre,

Dance Department, new

Journalism and Media

Studies Department, and

revised set of programs in

each.

Lehman as an anchor

institution

Administration and

Finance

Health Sciences, Human

Services, and Nursing

New Nursing Education,

Research, and Practice

Center Facility

Annual health equity

conference

Design development has

been completed. Project is

currently in the contract

document phase.

First annual conference

was held in Spring 2017

with 500 attendees

including health care

practitioners and social

service agency

representatives. More than

70 student research poster

participants.

Lehman as an anchor

institution; Lehman as a

catalyst for engaged

scholarship and knowledge

development

Administration and

Finance

New science facility

dedicated to research and

teaching

Science Hall dedicated in

October 2012, opened for

classes Spring 2012, and

awarded LEED Platinum

by U.S. Green Building

Council.

Research marketing

campaign

Research and Sponsored

Programs, Leonard Lief

Library, Multimedia

Center, IT, Media

Relations

Developed brochure and

website to elevate

visibility of faculty/student

research and scholarship

Marketing initiatives

ongoing as of Spring 2018.


APPENDIX A

vi

Table 4: Lehman Offices with Administrative Responsibility for Ensuring Compliance

Requirement Offices Responsible for Ensuring Compliance

Ethics, compliance, and conflict of interest Office of Special Counsel working in tandem with CUNY Office

of Legal Affairs and CUNY University Conflicts Committee

Labor Relations, bargaining agreements Office of Special Counsel, Office of Human Resources,

Professional Staff Congress

Affirmative action, diversity, sexual misconduct,

Title IX protocols, equal opportunity

Office of Compliance and Diversity

Academic freedom Senate Committee on Academic Freedom, Office of

Ombudsman

Complaints and grievances Academic Departments, Office of Human Resources, Office of

Special Counsel, Office of Student Services, Professional Staff

Congress

Denial of tenure, promotion, or non-

reappointment

Office of Special Counsel, Office of the Provost, Offices of

School Deans, Office of Human Resources, Professional Staff

Congress

Grade grievances

________________________________________

Student appeals regarding tuition and fees

Request for waivers

Academic Departments

____________________________________________

Bursar, Office of Assistant Vice President for Financial

Operations, Vice President for Administration and Finance,

Office of Academic Standards and Evaluation, and its

Committee on Admission and Standing

Student complaints about faculty conduct in academic settings

Office of Student Affairs, Academic Department Chairs, Office

of Ombudsman, Offices of School Deans, Office of the Provost

Academic integrity Academic Department Chairs, Offices of School Deans, Office

of Graduate Studies, Office of Academic Standards and

Evaluation, Office of Vice President for Student Affairs

Research compliance Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Research

Integrity Officer


APPENDIX A

vii

Assessment Academic Departments, Office of Institutional Research,

Planning, and Assessment

Affordability and financial literacy Office of Financial Aid, Office of Prestigious Scholarships,

Office of Institutional Advancement, Office of Student

Services, Library-Open Educational Resources initiatives

Public relations and communications Office of Media Relations and Publications


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Figure 1: Curricular Experiential Learning Experiences

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

STU

DEN

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Curricular Experiential Learning Experiences

Fall 2017 Spring 2018 AY 2017/18


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Table 5: Median Wages after Graduation of Baccalaureate Graduates, by Major: Lehman

Major Fall Enrollment1

Graduates2

Graduates to Enrollment One Year Three Years

Mean Mean Ratio Median Median

Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender, and Group Studies 72 29 0.40 $36,362 $39,856

Biological and Biomedical Sciences 270 38 0.14 $33,130 $34,648

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services 1,290 388 0.30 $39,203 $47,073

Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs 209 59 0.28 $28,374 $39,093

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services 385 82 0.21 $39,085 $49,101

Education 108 40 0.37 $36,192 $40,624

English Language and Literature/Letters 217 65 0.30 $34,986 $40,459

Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 77 18 0.23 $34,957 $40,212

Health Professions and Related Programs 2,280 589 0.26 $48,653 $58,690

History 78 27 0.35 $36,109 $46,374

Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities 2,403 7 0.00 $49,452 $48,175

Mathematics and Statistics 102 25 0.25 $38,842 $46,733

Natural Resources and Conservation 28 6 0.21 ns ns

Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies 211 30 0.14 $39,962 $43,092

Philosophy and Religious Studies 40 10 0.25 $35,096 $39,103

Physical Sciences 113 18 0.16 $26,822 $45,105

Psychology 576 144 0.25 $35,424 $39,578

Public Administration and Social Service Professions 479 141 0.29 $37,138 $44,566

Social Sciences 924 294 0.32 $36,316 $40,469

Visual and Performing Arts 252 58 0.23 $28,890 $37,859

Total4

9,911 2,009 0.20 $38,534 $45,427

Note: Majors are defined by two digit CIP code.

ns Income data based on less than 10 students are not shown.

Median Wages after Graduation of Baccalaureate Graduates, by Major: Lehman

Income after Graduation3

1Reflects the average fall enrollment between fall 2013 and fall 2017.

2Reflects the average number of graduates between academic years 2012-2013 and 2016-2017

3Consists of the income one year and three years after graduation for graduates from 2003 through 2013. If a graduate works for more than one employer the wages from all jobs are included

in the graduate's annual wage. Does not include records for the self-employed, those out of the labor force, or those who work outside NYS. Excludes records for graduates pursuing further

education. Wages have been inflation adjusted to 2017 dollars. 4Totals include enrollments of students who have not yet declared a major, data from unclassified programs, and data from programs based on less than ten students.

10/3/2018 CUNY Office of Institutional Research and Assessment Median_Income_by_CIP_College


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Table 6: Financial Report and Forecast (000’s)


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Table 7: OTPS Budget for Academic Affairs, FY2016-FY2019


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José Luis Cruz President

Executive Staff Dawn Ewing Morgan, Executive in Charge of Human Resources/Chief Diversity Officer

Jonathan Gagliardi Assistant Vice President for Strategy, Policy, and Analytics/Chief of Staff

Gladys Maldoon Chief of Operations

Esdras Tulier Interim Counsel to the President

Vice Presidents

Ronald Bergmann Vice President for Information Technology/Chief Information Officer

Susan Ebersole Vice President for Institutional Advancement/Executive Director of Lehman Foundation

VACANT Vice President for Administration and Finance

Academic Affairs

VACANT, Provost & Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs & Student Success

José Magdaleno, Vice President for Student Affairs

Reine Sarmiento, Vice President for Enrollment Management

Jane MacKillop, Dean, School of Continuing & Professional Studies

James Mahon, School of Natural & Social Sciences

Pamela Mills, Interim Dean, School of Natural & Social Sciences

Gaoyin Qian, Interim Dean, School of Education

Elin Waring, Interim Dean, School of Health Servises & Nursing

President's Direct Reports

Table 8: Lehman College Executive Organizational Chart


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Supplement 1: Staffing Patterns and Reporting Lines Changes

Over the past five years, the Office of the Provost has undergone reorganization in the areas of: Academic Personnel; Academic Programs; International Programs and Global Partnerships; and Research and Sponsored Programs. The Office of Academic Programs, formerly the Office of Undergraduate Studies, was reorganized in Fall 2013. It had previous oversight over the following functions: accreditation and program review; Honors College; International Programs and Global Partnerships; Online Education; Quantitative Reasoning; Teaching and Learning Commons; undergraduate curriculum development, and Writing Across the Curriculum. Individually and collectively, these programs suffered from lack of cohesiveness, strategic direction, and inadequate staffing. Several staff members were reassigned to other units, followed by additional reorganization after leadership changes in Fall 2014. The Associate Provost for Academic Programs is responsible for helping formulate Lehman’s academic master plan. The Office supports departments and Schools in preparation and submission of courses and curricula for undergraduate and graduate programs and their modes of delivery (face-to-face, online, and hybrid). It is tasked with developing additional educational opportunities for students, managing the academic catalog for currency and accuracy, and providing oversight and support in the institutional and disciplinary accreditation and academic program review process. The Office of Online Education, reporting to the Associate Provost for Academic Programs, originally was primarily focused on providing training services to faculty interested in teaching with technology, hybrid and online. Demand quickly outpaced the College’s ability to develop guidelines for assessing and ensuring faculty expertise, measuring student learning in various synchronous and asynchronous environments, and providing faculty support. Online Education supports integration of design, delivery, and assessment of teaching with technology, hybrid and online academic offerings. The newly-created position of Director of Online Education in 2016 provides guidance and oversight for online instruction and support, as well as professional development and instructional and course design support. The Office of Academic Personnel was created in Fall 2015 to serve as the locus for faculty advocacy, development, and advancement to support the scholarship of teaching and learning. An Associate Provost for Academic Personnel was recruited to assist in development of strategic hiring plans for academic units consistent with the College’s Strategic Plan. However, the incumbent resigned after one year, so the position was restructured to provide increased administrative support for faculty hiring and professional development. This office supports faculty recruitment, retention, tenure, and promotion. It also provides training and technical support for faculty in use of Digital Measures for preparation and maintenance of academic portfolios for reappointment, tenure, and promotion. Further responsibilities include monitoring faculty workload and promoting faculty advancement and recognition.


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The proposed Center for Innovation in Research and Pedagogy, intended to become “a hub for innovation and professional development,” has completed facility design. It will bring new purpose to the unoccupied, non-operational swimming pool in the Old Gym building. It represents a refreshed and expanded vision of the former Teaching and Learning Commons. The Office of International Programs and Global Partnerships (IPGP) was established in Fall 2013 as Lehman College’s academic bridge to the world. Efforts to internationalize the campus have continued and resulted in an invitation to participate in the first delegation of U.S. academics to visit Cuba in October 2015, sponsored by the Institute of International Education (IIE). This invitation was followed by another from American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) to attend another exploratory visit to Cuba in February 2016. These efforts have resulted in recently signed agreements between Lehman and two universities in Cuba to make classes accessible to Lehman and Cuban students, as well as provide experiential learning travel opportunities for Lehman students. The new Lehman in the Provinces program was launched during Spring Break 2018. Four interdisciplinary seminars were conducted at two Cuban universities for both Lehman and Cuban students, who were highly engaged in team-taught instruction and informal cultural exchange. Lehman’s engagement with international institutions is administered by the Office of the Provost with the Chief of Staff serving as administrative lead. Programmatically, it is faculty-led by an individual reassigned part-time to serve as faculty director of IPGP. This position is responsible for providing leadership to develop and enhance the internationalization of teaching, research, and scholarship through academic programs and partnerships. In addition to formulating exchanges and partnerships with international higher education institutions and organizations, the Office has administrative oversight over all globalization efforts including Study Abroad, international internships, and international student recruitment and retention. Moreover, the College recently signed Memoranda of Understandings with seven institutions of higher learning in Mexico to develop joint programs and academic exchanges, and is exploring similar initiatives with the Dominican Republic. In July 2017, reorganization of the Department of Journalism, Communication, and Theater and the Department of Music was approved through the governance process, transferring programs in dance, theater, and multimedia performing arts to the Music Department, resulting in a reconstituted Department of Music, Multimedia, Theatre, and Dance, and a new Department of Journalism and Media Studies. Since Lehman College has excellent venues such as the Performing Arts Center, Lovinger Theater, Lehman Stages, Studio Theatre, and the Multimedia Center, this consolidation of music, theater, dance, and multimedia performing arts programs into a single administrative unit will promote program synergy and creative collaboration, and provide students with opportunities to explore and develop the performing arts through multiple modes of expression. The Department of Journalism and Media Studies will be able to broaden its strategic efforts and better utilize resources in the age of multimedia and digital


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communication technologies. The former Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences officially became two separate departments in July 2017. While deeply rooted in mathematics foundations, modern computing has evolved into a distinct discipline. The new Department of Computer Science will play a key role in Lehman’s collaboration with New York City Tech Talent Pipeline and CUNY Tech Consortium. Computer science students will achieve career pathways in the City’s growing technology sector through experiential learning opportunities in the Bronx iTech Hub, campus technology incubators, and creation of a faculty-industry technology exchange and seminar program. The Division of Enrollment Management, reporting to the Provost and Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, has increased services to students and made greater use of technology through staff reorganization to key positions. Beginning in 2015, Enrollment Management initiated creating low-cost improvements to infrastructure and internal processes including: instituting class waitlists; common course cancellation day for low-enrolled courses; enrollment management and special population’s dashboards via Lehman’s Business Intelligence Tool; offering more sections of high-demand courses; and conversion from paper to electronic processes. These initiatives have contributed to an increase in headcount enrollment from 13,329 in Fall 2016 to 14,130 in Fall 2017, reflecting a 4.5% increase in degree-seeking continuing students (from 8,771 in Fall 2016 to 9,166 in Fall 2017), and an 11.3% increase in degree-seeking new students (from 3,455 in Fall 2016 to 3,846 in Fall 2017). (Institutional Research Fact Book; http://www.lehman.edu/institutional-research/interactive-factbook.php) Over the years, the Enrollment Research Office transitioned from a focus on enrollment research to student communications and enrollment management technology solutions. Renamed Enrollment Services and Communications to reflect this new focus, student communication is facilitated via Hobsons Connect, AdvisorTrac, and related technology tools. Additional staff will build capacity to develop coordinated communications, operational efficiencies, and deliver exceptional customer service. The Office of the Registrar has been reorganized for optimal functionality. The graduation unit was transformed into a Graduation Specialist Team by reclassifying staff to augment professionalization and promoting from within whenever possible. This restructuring will enhance students’ ability to graduate in a timely fashion by building School-specific expertise. In addition, a current professional staff member was reclassified as Associate Registrar with the functional title of Scheduling Officer. This individual oversees all course/class scheduling and room assignments using Resource 25 (room reservation software) to ensure classes are scheduled appropriately. Due to anticipated growth in graduate enrollment and expected approval of the new Doctorate in Nursing Practice program, the Office of Graduate Studies has been understaffed for many years. With increased hiring, the Office can more effectively serve the community, as well as



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implement a strategic plan to improve enrollment, retention, and student services. A senior academic advisor in Academic Standards and Evaluation has joined the Office as Pre-Graduate Advisor. The former Deputy Registrar assumed a new position as Deputy Director of Graduate Studies. The Division of Administration and Finance is responsible for the human, financial, and physical assets of the College. It provides a wide range of exceptional, essential, and customer-oriented services to support the College’s core academic mission. The Division’s overarching goal is to create and maintain a safe, secure, healthy, attractive, and fiscally stable environment which contributes to individual achievement of students, faculty, and staff. In addition to the annual PMP process and unit assessment goals and targets reporting, in Fall 2012, the Vice President for Administration and Finance introduced a two-step approach to divisional assessment (CVII.4f) by establishing:

Monthly performance metrics (KPI) for each department which establish goals for departmental processes and workflow, and tracks, monitors, and reports on progress toward accomplishing monthly goals.

The annual online Customer Satisfaction Survey distributed to faculty and staff, asking respondents to rate the quality of service provided by each department in the Division, and facilitating the opportunity to provide written feedback and suggestions, which inform each department about the college community’s opinion of the level and quality of service provided.

An online Student Feedback Survey where they can relay comments related to services received from the Bursar’s Office.

An annual Cafeteria Survey of the service, quality, and cleanliness of the facility providing an opportunity for students, faculty, and staff to give input and feedback on menu items and improvements.

Periodic Bookstore Surveys aimed at improving customer service and the student experience.

Results are reviewed by the management team and staff, and used as an indicator of which processes are working, and identify those that require improvement or change. They are also applied to establish future goals and objectives to improve service to the campus community. Student Financial Services merged with General Accounting to provide more streamlined, comprehensive, and timely financial reporting. This merger resulted in two positions moving to General Accounting. The Mail Room and Central Stores have been merged to produce one central department responsible for receipt and delivery of all mail and packages. It is not anticipated there will be any immediate staff reductions, but over time at least one position will be reduced. Campus Reservations has been integrated with Resource 25 (room scheduling software) to leverage an automated reservation system, which will reduce headcount from two full-time positions to 1.5.


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