Tuskegee University Title III Program

The Title III Program is a United States federal grant program to improve education. It began as part of the Higher Education Act of 1965, which sought to provide support to strengthen various aspects of schools through a formula grant program to accredited, legally authorized Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).

The purpose of this program is to provide financial assistance to Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to establish or strengthen their physical plants, financial management, academic resources, and endowment-building capacity. Activities may include student services, education equipment acquisitions, facility construction, and faculty and staff development.

Tuskegee University receives funding through three programs under the Title III Strengthening HBCUs Grant Programs: (1) Part B - Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs); (2) Part B - Historically Black Graduate Institutes (HBGIs); and (3) Part F - SAFRA (Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act), to assist in meeting various University Strategic Goals.

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For further information on the Title III Strengthening HBCUs Grant Program at Tuskegee University, please see the information below:

Program Administration

Program Administration is the executive arm of the Title III Strengthening Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Program. The Title III Director supervises all aspects of the Program. The Director reports directly to the President of the University ensuring that the program's operation is consistent with the goals of the overall institutional development as described in the HBCU plan providing a holistic focus on all University Strategic Planning Goals. The Title III Project Coordinators assist in monitoring each component of the program to ensure compliance with federal, state and university regulations.

Staff:

Mrs. Jeanette Moss-Smith, MSM
Title III Director
John A. Kenney Hall, Room 70-220
334.724.4548 (office)
jmoss@tuskegee.edu

Ms. Genece Blackmon, MSPSE, MA
Title III Project Coordinator (HBCU & SAFRA) & Office Manager
John A. Kenney Hall, Room 70-219
334.724.4648 (office)
gblackmon@tuskegee.edu

Ms. Cynthia Flakes-Kitt, MHR
Title III Project Coordinator (HBGI) & Budget Analyst
John A. Kenney Hall, Room 70-216
334.724.4748
ckitt@tuskegee.edu

HBCU Activities

Activity 1: Enhancing Student Success through Tutoring, Counseling and Student Academic Skills Programs

The vision for Enhancing Student Success through Tutoring, Counseling and Student Academic Skills Programs, in alignment with the University's mission, is to actively support and provide an environment for students that will assist in their skills development as learners, thereby, leading to success in coursework, careers and life. The mission for Enhancing Student Success through Tutoring, Counseling and Student Academic Skills Programs will embrace academic enrichment efforts and augment specific general education courses through academic advising counseling, academic skills development, first-year orientation courses, and 504 ADA Accommodations for undergraduate student enrolled at Tuskegee University during the 2017-2021 academic years. Each area will pursue to develop and implement program activities and/or services that will positively influence our student's success in coursework and matriculation among program of discipline.

TU students will have an opportunity to engage in a host of activities as it relates to tutoring (onsite and online), application enrichment of subject-based and/or topic specific course content, critical thinking and concept application, academic skills workshops, one-on-one counseling with academic advising, ADA accommodations and academic success, etc.

In an effort to ensure comprehensive involvement for student success, quality services, and improvements within support operations and interactions, reporting of efforts and trainings among faculty, staff and students, the following objectives will measure to:

Increase student's participation in utitlizing activities and services related to student success
Improve student's knowledge, skills and learning abilities through various ancillary tools conducive for student success
Improve the quality of services and interactions among faculty and/or staff personnel of student support services and provide a plethora of professional development opportunities (on-and-off-site)

Over the next five years, the expected outcomes for students utilizing T-CAEIL services are measurable increases in:

Course completion rates of students, especially first-year and at-risk students, and achievement of competency in mathematical and quantitative reasoning and communication skills (verbal and written)
First-year students' overall performance
Successful student enrollment and matriculation within academic colleges and programs
The number of students continuing matriculation with financial aid assistance (scholarships, loans, etc.)
Academic performance on standardized testing (EPE, CAAP, GRE, etc.) and ultimately,
Retention and graduation rates

Activity 2: Enhancing Academic Instruction through Faculty Development

Over the next five (5) years, Tuskegee University plans to implement a robust schedule of faculty development with the primary goal of enhancing academic instruction. This effort will be accomplished through four broad thrusts or objectives. Objective one (1) is to identify outside speakers to educate faculty regarding best practices and new instructional methods. Driven by institutional data, objective 2 is to identify strong teaching faculty to offer seminars to other faculty members through a “lunch and learn” series. Objective 3 is to offer instruction in order to increase the use of Blackboard Learn, the learning management system at TU, in order to improve student learning and overall retention. The final objective, objective 4, is to support opportunities for independent faculty development. This is a critical area for new faculty, who can benefit from aggressive professional development, and outstanding faculty, who are at the forefront of developing best practices nationally and are equipped to guide their own continued development.

For objective one (1), on average, at least fifty percent of full time faculty will participate in workshops and webinars by non-TU presenters on instructional strategies that promote student engagement and success. Workshop facilitators will be identified through a variety of mechanisms, including but not limited to, faculty suggestions obtained through surveys, national organizations like the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), and regional accreditors like the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Outcomes data will be collected through both surveys and direct assessment of student performance as voluntarily reported by participating faculty.

For objective two (2), Tuskegee University faculty will be identified to serve as peer instructors based on recommendations from Deans, other faculty members (including self-nomination), and student evaluations of teaching and other institutional data available. These faculty members will conduct lunch and learn sessions scheduled throughout the school year. Similar to objective one (1), outcomes data will be collected through surveys and direct assessment of student performance as voluntarily reported by participating faculty.

For objective three (3), the goal is to increase the use of Blackboard Learn, the learning management system. Faculty use of Blackboard will be benchmarked through a survey and/or information from the Tuskegee University Office of Information Technology. Once benchmark data is obtained, faculty incentives will be identified and communicated for increased use of the LMS. Additionally, training sessions will be scheduled in conjunction with IT and the Office of Distance Education and Online Learning (ODEOL) to increase faculty proficiency with the tool. The overall goal is to increase use of the LMS by 25% over the performance period of the grant.

Finally, for objective four (4), faculty members will receive support to engage in independent development activities. Faculty will self-select for these opportunities and provide plans to improve instruction based on their participation in the development activities they have chosen. Both indirect (student surveys) and direct assessments will be allowed to demonstrate the success of the faculty member.

Activity 3: Enhancing Institutional Effectiveness and Improving Student Retention through Increased Engagement and Data-Informed Decision-Making

Tuskegee University supports the belief that adopting a culture that embraces the use of data in decision making will not only improve institutional decision-making, but positively impact student achievement.

Strategies for integrating data into the Tuskegee University decision-making culture includes an updated fact book, submission of external surveys to support benchmarking activities, trend analysis on enrollment, retention rates and graduation rates to help identify best practices to increase the numbers in all three areas, and dissemination of accurate and timely information to

Campus stakeholders by using collaboratively designed and regularly delivered reports to decision makers.

Assessment, analysis, and accreditation co-exist to provide a strong support for continuous availability of information useful for data supported decision-making while developing capacity to effectively assess and document quality programmatic improvements and support academic departments preparedness for discipline-specific specialized accreditation.

Ongoing assessment will be conducted via assessment plans that include action plans based on assessment findings. An academic program self-study report conducted on a five-year rotation cycle tracks the trend of assessment activities and improvement strategies.

Tuskegee University recognizes that multiple measures are necessary to establish the validity (are we measuring what we think we are measuring) of our assessment. Each type of assessment provides valuable information that can be useful for improving programs. Not every method will be used for every activity. Tuskegee University activities for Enhancing Institutional Effectiveness and Improving Student Retention through Engagement and Data-Informed Decision Making, over the next five years are as follows:

• To strengthen institutional effectiveness through implementation of a comprehensive assessment professional development program for faculty, staff, and administrators

• To collaborate with academic and administrative units across the university to enhance institutional capacity to collect, analyze and disseminate evidence-demonstrating effectiveness in fulfilling the university’s mission and strategic plan.

• To provide analytical tools and strategies to leverage internal and external data sources to develop predictive models to support the strategic goals of enrollment growth and improved retention and graduation rates.

Activity 4: Development and Implementation of Expanded Library Resources

From the beginning of Tuskegee University, access to library materials has been essential to students and faculty. The Tuskegee University Library Services continue to provide access to resources for needed research and teaching.

Title III funding has been used to enhance library services by:

Purchasing library materials (books, journals, databases, e-resources) so that programs that require specialized accreditation is strengthened, especially in the sciences, humanities and engineering and to ensure that we are in compliance with the requirements of SACS and other accrediting agencies.

Ensuring that library staff is provided opportunities to attend conferences and workshops to stay current in the latest developments and trends in the field of library science.

Providing Information Literacy classes to facilitate positive student learning outcomes by enhancing the students learning – research capacities.

Providing access to the library’s management system. SIRSIDYNIX serves as the library’s management system. This system allows library users to check out books, check account status, renew books online and make online requests.

As technology continues to expand and the need for instant information is required, it is essential that we continue to provide access to library resources that support the curriculum for the undergraduate and graduate students.

Over the next five years:

We will develop resources to continue to enhance and strengthen the library's collections to ensure that all students and faculty have access to current, reliable and scholarly information.
Provide Information Literacy classes for students to develop skills needed to find, analyze, and use information.
Maintain a qualified staff to meet the needs of the students and faculty.
Ensure that all library resources are accessible on and off campus.

Activity 5: Renovation/Construction of Instructional Facilities

The leadership at Tuskegee University is committed to providing physical resources that effectively advance achievement of the educational goals, research and public service mission of the institution. We recognize the imperative of providing a physical plant, including attractive, well-maintained buildings, state-of-the-art equipment, technological infrastructure, housing, administrative support and recreational facilities that satisfy the reasonable expectation of our students, faculty, staff and other stakeholders.

Facilities is responsible for the planning, development, and construction of all facilities on Tuskegee University's campus. Because of the unit participating in the annual strategic planning process, a 10-year facilities campus master plan was developed. The university’s mission, strategic goals, and the reasonable expectations of stakeholders (students, faculty, staff, alumni, visitors, government agencies and others) guided the plan. The plan was approved by the Board of Trustees at the March 2017 Board of Trustees Meeting.

Tuskegee University’s 5-year plan for renovation/construction needs, under this activity, will be contingent on the buildings that house the professional programs who will be seeking reaccreditation. In the next five (5) years, the following programs will be reviewed for reaccreditation:

Taylor School of Architecture and Construction Science (Architecture Program): National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB) – 2017
College of Business and Information Science: The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, International - 2018
College of Arts and Sciences (Social Work Program): The Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) - 2018
College of Engineering: Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) – 2019
College of Business and Information Science (Computer Science): Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) – 2022
School of Nursing (Occupational Therapy): Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) - 2022

HBGI Activities

Activity 1: Academic Reinforcement & Instruction

This activity is directed towards strengthening the academic foundation of all CVM professional students, with emphasis on minority students, through faculty-directed tutorials, self-directed instructional review modules, self -assessment study guides, collaborative learning techniques and structured enhancement sessions.

The personnel included under this grant are faculty, staff and guest lecturers. There are six faculty personnel in this activity who are responsible for providing a learning environment that engages students in the traditional classroom and online instruction. The guest lecturers are brought in each semester to help to enhance the student learning experience. Two staff members are responsible for preparing teaching specimens and materials. Four technicians assist in teaching practical portions of core courses and review sessions as well as collecting and maintaining accessions data in the teaching hospital and clinic.

Activity 2: Student Support Services

Because academic difficulties often have underlying unaddressed problems at their source, which contributes to evident stressful situations for student academic performance: this activity is directed at meeting some of the financial challenges facing students. Funding in this activity is used to support programs to include financial counseling to educate students on financial literacy through workshops and information technology. Students are given awareness and satisfaction surveys to assess unmet needs and are to participate in at least three scheduled face-to face meetings with first and second year CVM students and at least two face-to-face meetings with third and fourth year students. Tuition and stipend assistance is given to need based students. Fourth year students are also supported travel reimbursements to any nation-wide veterinary clinic (precentorships) in the summer for an on-hand veterinary experience before graduation from the veterinary program. Two staff personnel are in this activity to help support implement programs in this activity.

Activity 3: Advancing the Use of Information Technology-Based Academic Resources to Support Health Sciences Education and Services

This activity has three major objectives to enhance the use of information technology:

Development of Database Tracking System: to assess the productivity and accountability of the CVM and enhance the college’s mission at all stages.
Clinical Competency Tracking System (a relational database system to measure the clinical competency of students and
Disseminate Science and health disparity information that includes web-based health geographic information systems.

Through this activity, the CVM will embrace the advanced technology to increase and measure the effectiveness and outcomes of teaching, clinical management and support of public health sciences services. This activity has a database manager, two administrative staff personnel and a clinical information technician to support this activity programs.

Activity 4: Strengthening the Infrastructure in Graduate and Research Education

This activity requires funding for student recruitment and educational infrastructure as well as funds for hosting a variety of seminars and the Annual Biomedical Research Symposium. The graduate seminar series and the annual biomedical research symposium have proven to be an effective method for information dissemination and have been a valuable teaching/learning tools for graduate and professional students. This activity assists students in the Graduate program in Veterinary Science and Inter-Disciplinary Pathobiology (IDPB) a PhD program with tuition and stipend assistance. There are no personnel funds assigned to this program however, one staff personnel who is currently listed a staff in Activity two (Student Services) is being used also to carryout this program activities.

Activity 5: Development of Teaching Module for Computer-Assisted Learning

This activity exploits IT to strengthen and advance distance learning and online resources by creating and fueling new and more innovative approaches to higher education. It uses distance-learning software Media site as a medium for conducting conversations and dialogues. Lectures, seminars and presentations can be embedded in any web page using URL addresses in a catalog of the media site system. Live lectures can be viewed while simultaneously auto-publishing to Media site catalogs on preferred course/learning management systems or any portal of the instructors choosing. Advance distance education online resources give students, faculty and busy learners the most engaging and flexible experience to watch classroom lectures, seminars, and clinical related events and web casts. Pivotal to accomplishing these objectives is the continual maintenance of a highly qualified technical staff in this unit. There are two personnel in this activity with a service maintenance budget.

Activity 6: Maintenance & Renovation of Instruction Facilities

Funds in this activity are used to maintain and improve classrooms, teaching laboratories and the teaching hospital so as to be in compliance with AVMA-COE regulations for a veterinary teaching institution. Specifically, funds will be used to improve functional areas with renovations and repairs in the veterinary teaching hospital used for clinical instruction and research. In concert with the Comprehensive Development Plan (CDP) and the College of Veterinary Medicine, and with the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) accreditation report, these maintenance, renovation remodeling and construction projects are essential in maintaining and improving the facilities of CVM in order to continually increase the quality and outcomes of our professional and graduate programs. A budget of $400,000 is set aside each grant year for renovation, repairs and construction on this activity. There is one staff personnel in this activity and he does works with the outside construction vendors on behalf of the college. He also does minor repairs and maintenance of the facilities that require quick fixes.

Activity 7: Purchase and Installation of Laboratory & Classroom Equipment

In order to provide excellent veterinary medical education, the CVM must acquire and maintain needed state-of-the-art veterinary medical equipment.

Funds for this activity are used to supplement computer and laboratory equipment needed for classroom instruction. We have started the replacement of this equipment with the purchase and installation of the anatomy classroom monitors and the computers in the Rosenwald computer lab. There are no personnel assigned in the activity.

Activity 8: Improvement and Maintenance of Public Relations

Effective and organized development and public relations are vital to the very survival of the College of Veterinary Medicine.

The purpose of this activity is to maintain and continually improve the CVM development/Public Relations office. The goals are to (a) increase contributions from alumni and the private sector; (b) to constantly raise the public’s awareness and visibility of CVM through various forms of media. Accomplishing these goals will contribute greatly in assisting the CVM to achieve financial independence. The CVM Office of External Affairs is currently staffed with an assistant director, administrative assistant (keeps alumni and donor databases which are stored and maintained in FileMaker Pro), a media production/computer technician and a (TBN) medical photographer. The two main forms of communication with students, faculty, staff, alumni and prospective donors are the Veterinary Medical Perspective Magazine and Weekly Calendar of Events. Both publications include news and updates for the CVM. Additional communications are in the form of promotional brochures, public service announcements, interviews (telephone, television, and the internet) photo captures, commercial, press releases, acknowledgements, journal articles for the Alabama Veterinarian, alumni website, emails; and collaboration with TU’s Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing to promote CVM. $20,000 is also allocated yearly for endowment in compliance with the granting request.

Activity 9: Strengthen Academic and Administrative Infrastructure and Capabilities

The Title III HBGI grant is critical in strengthening and advancing the tripartite core missions of the CVM, which are teaching, research, and service. In keeping with the University’s Strategic Plan, as well as that of the CVM, the efficient management and professional accounting of grant funds in compliance with federal, state and university policies, rules and regulations is imperative. Equally important is the optimal allocation of scare resources such as the funds from Title III (HBGI), which are vital to the success of the academic programs. An integral component of this activity is the provision for staff to reinforce their administrative and management skills by attendance at appropriate conferences, training workshops, and seminars. The Project and Financial coordinators will attend these annual conference and workshops and bring back pertinent information to disseminate to the activity directors. The Program Director in cooperation with the financial and activity directors will submit annual reports to the granting agency and other reports as requested by the Director. This activity has four (4) staff personnel with the Director being in-kind.

SAFRA Activities

Activity 1: Office of Distance Education and Online Learning (ODEOL)

The objectives for this activity are as follows:

Increase total online enrollments, increase distance education student headcount and the number of revised distance education courses.
Increase rates of course completion and training program completion for all faculty, in order to create a comfortable online teaching culture
Work to ensure that the online education courses and programs are of a consistently high quality

Activity 2: Renovation of Instructional Facilities

The objectives for this activity are as follows:

Oversee and implement the planning, designing and construction of renovation and capital improvement of campus educational facilities
Analyze and evaluate new facilities concepts for new extension learning programs

Activity 3: Enhancing Academic Success for 21st Century Learners through Technology Advancement in Classrooms and Laboratories

The objectives for this activity are as follows:

To foster a culture that produces students with specialty areas of competency, the university will upgrade the computer labs to provide student with 21^st century technology
To assure student achievement, the university will increase student-learning outcomes by upgrading the classrooms with 21^stcentury technology
To increase student awareness of the usage of 21^stcentury technology and incorporating experiential learning experiences by updating the WiFi in academic buildings
To encourage the use of a data-driven organization enterprise, data share software licenses will be provided

Policies and Procedures Handbook

Title III Success Stories

Architecture Center of Design, Willcox A, second floor

At the core of the Center’s mission is to target community projects that address historic preservation, environmental conservation, mixed-income affordable housing, mixed-use development and the integration of buildings. The Department of Architecture’s immediate goals are to identify revenue opportunities for scholarly research and hands-on activities for student learning at a range of levels. Strengthening ties with alumni firms and funding agencies to increase enrollment and support for scholarships, internships, and faculty development outcomes are additional funding needs. These efforts build coherence around the basic premise of the Center of Design and build on the following revenue categories to support student learning and scholarship opportunities.

The Center has visual and digital stations – A Smartboard, Microsoft Surface Pros, digital scanner, and a Microsoft Surface Studio – that accommodates room for the beginning stage of a full Center of Design Excellence. Space will support professional education in architecture, design and digital representation, and extra-curricular learning for students.