Student Success Maximums Initiative (SSMI) Originally drafted in 1999, this initiative provides guidelines to faculty about how to observe class maximums. We return to this document this fall of 2003, to remind ourselves of the many reasons why we should not let any extra students into our classes.
Address to Board of Trustees (April, 1999) On February 8, 1999, the Negotiating Council approved an initiative that will assist you in your efforts to help students succeed in your classes. This initiative, Student Success Maximums (SSMI, pronounced sesame), protects the integrity of your classes in that your voluntary participation would require you to adhere to the optimum class size established for your class. In addition to sending a strong message to the Board of Trustees about the need to spend a greater percentage of the budget on instruction, your participation in SSMI will free you from the tremendous stress brought about by crashers pressuring you to over-add. | Clarify this for me please. Are you telling me not to add any students to my class? | No, your participation in SSMI is entirely up to you. You are the content expert, and only you know at what point the number of students in your class becomes a detriment to learning. However, SSMI has the potential to turn your classroom into a more positive teaching experience for you and a more effective learning experience for your students if you have ever found yourself in situations such as these: unreasonably pressured or unable to return ever increasing numbers of student phone calls and e-mail; unable to meet with all the students who would like to see you ouside of class; having to cut down on the number of assignments because you can't find the time to grade papers properly or promptly; converting your short answer and essay tests to Scantron format because you can't get them graded; telling students who need remedial help to find a tutor (instead of helping them yourself); unable to fulfill all the requests for student letters of recommendation for employment, transfer applications, and scholarships; cutting question-and-answer periods short because there isn't time to get to everyone; increasing the amount of time you lecture and decreasing the number of collaborative activities, oral presentations, small group activities, or brainsorming sessions in the classroom; doubling up on or having to stop using computers or other classroom equipment; etc. | | But I feel so sorry for students who can't get the classes they need. | We hear you; however, perhaps we should also feel sorry for the student whose educational experience is compormised when we succumb to the pressure of over-adding. In addition, we need to remember that a very simple and academically sound solution to this problem exists--classes can easily be added. The District has solved the facilities problem by holding classes at many high schools over the Southland, and adding additional classes would help the District come into compliance with the 50 percent law. Additional sections would provide employment for more part-timers and would also help your department make a stronger case for hiring additional full-time faculty. We should also keep in mind that the general rule of thumb is that, once a class has 11 in-state students, it has paid for itself (although the District routinely cancels classes under 18). Another conventionally accepted standard is that a class containing only 2-3 out-of-state or F1 students has paid for itself (2 for classes taught by hourly faculty; 3 for classes taught by full-time faculty). These numbers make it clear that, whether the maximum class size of your class is 25, 30, or 45, refusing to add more students is not going to place an undue burden on the District! | | Won't the District lose growth money if it has fewer students because they can't crash classes that are already at their maximum? | Yes, similar initiatives at other colleges show the District will lose growth money if a significant number of faculty participate in SSMI and if the District fails to add additional sections to pick up those students who must be turned away and if the District fails to make up enrollment by scheduling a much larger than normal summer session. However, VP Rocky Young has never missed his growth targets yet so the Faculty Association is confident the District will do the right thing by adding the additional sections students need in Spring and/or Summer. | | What do I say to the crashers I turn away? | After explaining to crashers briefly that you are not able to compromise the integrity of the class by over-adding, ask them to sign a list requesting an additional class (get names, phone and e-mail numbers, and addresses and give the list to your department chair). You might also want to give crashers a copy of this flyer so they can better understand the issue as well. | | How do I know what the maximum size of my class should be? | You can verify the maximum class size in two ways: by checking with you department chair or department secretary or by checking the class enrollment report in the Admissions Office. For classes with waiting lists, you cannot tell merely by looking at the number of students on your roster because, occasionally, others take it upon themselves to override contractual maximums, adding students to classes without your permission. | | Will participating in SSMI make me seem uncooperative to my department chair? | No. Department chairs at SMC are faculty, not administrators. As faculty, they are more in touch with what it takes to increase student success. They understand what takes place in the classroom and most have fought long and hard to optimize the learning experience of students in their departments. In fact, the maximum class limits that now exist were established by the chairs and the academic vice president.
However, the Association has assured the chairs and coordinators who schedule faculty that, if they know of particular clsses for which holding to the established maximum is not feasible or appropriate, they should feel free to meet with the faculty teaching those classes to work out a mutually acceptable limit for the semester. | | How will we know if SSMI is working, if it really is helping students succeed? | SSMI has been agendized for two 11 a.m. Representative Assembly meetings (April 8 & May 13, B144). Please join with other participants to discuss your gut feelings, your anecdotal evidence, and any statistical analysis you have comparing such things as retention rates, grades, etc. |
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