Convocation and Direct Enrollment Webinar Links
Thank you to all who attended NOVA’s Fall 2021 Convocation! This year’s event was the largest on record, with over 1,000 participants from across the college. Links to the recorded Convocation program and Direct Enrollment Webinar are below, along with some tips for creating a holistic teaching and learning environment.
Fall 2021 College Convocation Recording
The direct link to the Video on Demand Faculty & Staff Library can be found here.
Please enter your MyNOVA/VCCS credentials to view the 2021 Fall Convocation recording and slides.
Convocation Program Schedule
- Opening Welcome – Dr. Anne Kress
- Update on NOVA’s Inclusive Excellence DEI Strategic Plan & Introduction of Keynote – Dr. Nathan Carter
- Keynote – Dr. Tia Brown McNair – From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Utilizing Data for Equity-Minded Sense-Making
- Student Perspectives on Equity – Dr. Frances Villagran-Glover
- SACSCOC Visit Update – Dr. Pam Hilbert
- NOVA’s Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) – Dean Jen Daniels
- President’s State of the College Address – Dr. Anne Kress
- Closing Inclusive Excellence video
- Covid-19 Update and Planning – Thomas Mayhew
From Equity Talk to Equity Walk: Utilizing Data for Equity-Minded Sense-Making
How do we accelerate broad-scale innovation and institutional change to advance evidence-based educational strategies that prioritize the creation of equity-minded environments where students can thrive? How can educators ensure that students are fully prepared for life, work, and productive global citizenship? What changes need to be made in an institution’s policies, practices, partnerships, and culture to make excellence inclusive for ALL students? This presentation will discuss the practical strategies outlined in From Equity Talk to Equity Walk for examining and establishing equity goals to promote student engagement and success, and to strengthen data-informed continuous improvement efforts.
Direct Enrollment Webinar
The VCCS has implemented a new Direct Enrollment placement process for students enrolling in English and Math courses. The goal of Direct Enrollment is to maximize the opportunity for success in college-level Math and English by allowing students to enroll in Math and English courses for which they are most adequately prepared. The process for Direct Enrollment starts immediately after a student applies to NOVA. Students receive a congratulatory admissions letter and are then directed to fill out the advising survey using their MyNOVA credentials.
Recent high school graduates within the past 5 years are placed based on their high school GPA and standardized test scores (SAT/ACT/GED). Students who graduated from high school more than 5 years ago will use an informed self-placement survey which provides the student with examples of English and Math problems that will assist them in evaluating their academic readiness.
Direct Enrollment Recording
Access Passcode: fZ.S@gX4
10 Tips for Returning to the Classroom
- Be patient with the ever transitioning procedures, mask mandates, and social distancing policies affecting students, faculty and staff.
- Stay open and empathetic. Accept students where they are now and be sensitive to varied challenges and needs during and after the pandemic.
- Rise to the challenge of equity and inclusion. The disruptive impacts of the pandemic have exposed an urgent need to address pervasive achievement and opportunity gaps.
- Provide timely, constructive, formative and summative feedback. Optimize the use of academic tools like Canvas to provide up-to-date information and timely feedback on progress/grades to students.
- Recognize and report concerning behavior. Share information on holistic student support services offered at NOVA.
- Incorporate active learning assignments and authentic assessments to engage students more fully in the teaching and learning process.
- Embrace free and open tools and resources that promote and support more and diverse voices and perspectives.
- Model healthy practices that support a safe learning environment and promote a culture of care.
- Collaborate. You are part of a team of colleagues, and a community of learners who contribute to a diverse and resilient institution.
- Your classroom environment matters. Create a shared sense of belonging in the classroom by encouraging social interaction while being conscious of social anxiety.
Please join me in thanking everyone who supported and helped with this year’s Convocation program.
Submitted by:
Preston Davis, Interim Associate VP for eLearning, wdavis@nvcc.edu