ASCEND
ASCEND, Advance Equity & Student Success, is a data-driven professional learning program that enables college instructors and administrators to learn how students are experiencing courses and what they can do to make those experiences more equitable, more engaging, and more supportive of student success.
CSUF Faculty have commented the following about ASCEND:
- "It’s invigorating to be around faculty from around campus interested in improving their class! What a joy it is to learn from other dept. Love the intentional nurturing of student-centered teaching!"
- "Great experience! This really made me think about my teaching and understand more about my students."
- "More helpful than SOQs because you can see it in real time."
Imagine if every classroom at Cal State Fullerton could be a catalyst for student success for all Titans. Right now, these students face persistent gaps in graduation and retention. But what if faculty could change that by transforming the climate of their classrooms?
The classroom is where Cal State Fullerton’s mission to transform lives through education becomes real—and it’s our dedicated faculty who bring that mission to life every day through their teaching, mentorship, and commitment to student success. Yet, we know that student engagement—so critical to success—remains a challenge, particularly for those who have been historically marginalized. Research and our own CSUF course data show that when students feel they belong, when their identities are affirmed, and when they believe their instructors see their potential, they are more likely to stay, succeed, and graduate.
ASCEND (Advance Equity & Student Success) is a confidential, online survey tool—completed in just 5–10 minutes, three times per semester—where results are seen only by the faculty member teaching the course. The survey collects data on key elements of classroom climate—belonging, identity safety, growth mindset, self-efficacy, social belonging, and trust. Faculty get immediate, class-specific feedback—not just broad demographic trends - so they can identify and address the unique needs of their students. ASCEND includes a repository of evidence-based pedagogical strategies, allowing faculty to respond and track improvements before the end of the semester.
The ASCEND tool is delivered within a Faculty Learning Community (FLC). Full-time and part-time faculty from across CSUF are invited to participate. This structure allows faculty to connect with other educators committed to equity and learn from their experiences and strategies for creating engaging and supportive classrooms. Gordon Capp, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Social Work, and Shelli Wynants, Ed.D., Lecturer of Child and Adolescent Studies, with expertise and experience in using ASCEND, will facilitate the FLCs.
The ASCEND FLC will meet on the following dates during the semester:
- Orientation: Wednesday, January 21, 9:00 am – 10:00 am OR Thursday, January 22, 1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
- FLC meeting 1: Tuesday, Feb 17, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
- FLC meeting 2: Tuesday, March 17, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
- FLC meeting 3: Tuesday, May 12, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Each faculty member who participates in all ASCEND FLC meetings and completes the following will receive a $500 stipend and an FDC certificate of completion.
- Participate in the online ASCEND program orientation
- Participate in all ASCEND FLC meetings (listed above)
- Identify and incorporate a new strategy into their current course based on ASCEND survey results
- Submit a brief reflection at the end of the FLC about the strategy they incorporated.
Please complete the form linked here, indicating your interest in participating and acknowledging availability for the required sessions. Space is limited. Faculty Learning Community workshops, activities, and resources are open and available to all who are interested in applying and/or participating, regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, or any other protected status. Priority is given to faculty teaching courses with traditionally high transfer enrollment.
Eligibility: All faculty (tenured, tenure-track, lecturers) are eligible to participate. Part-time lecturers must be on contract this fall 2025 to receive funding. Note: This is a professional development opportunity; thus, a funding award does not guarantee course assignment by your department. Please note that faculty who are FERP-ing or retired annuitants are not eligible to receive compensation for this course; specifically, CalPERS retirees are not eligible to receive payment for any professional development or training classes.
Deadline to Apply
January 16, 2026, by 5:00 pm
Science of Learning and Equity (SOLE)
The Science of Learning and Equity Faculty Learning Community (SOLE-FLC) framework is centered on empirically-based strategies for learning and support of faculty with the goal of improving student learning outcomes and decreasing equity gaps. Specifically, this framework focuses on student assets rather than deficits, utilizing competency-based assessment (e.g., exams, grading), best practices in equity-minded pedagogy, and active learning. The community members will work together to consider how the science of learning research can be incorporated into their teaching and student learning.
The SOLE-FLC program is a collaborative community. Full-time and part-time faculty from across CSUF are invited to participate in a cohort comprising up to 15 faculty. This structure allows faculty to connect with other educators committed to improving pedagogy and creating engaging and supportive classrooms. Nancy Watkins, Ed.D., Associate Professor and Director of the Educational Doctorate Program, and Gary Germo, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Human Services.
The SOLE-FLC participants will be asked to:
- Participate in the Kick-Off Session
- Participate in 6 in-person collaborative workshops – lunch is provided
- Participate in 3 in-person collaborative Math 110 working group sessions – lunch is provided
- Demonstrate one course-design/pedagogy change related to the science of learning and equity (e.g., assignment, grading criteria, rubric changes, etc.)
- Participate in one online module
- Participate in one additional FDC workshop
- Participate in pre- and post-assessment
The Science of Learning FLC will meet on the following dates during the semester and includes lunch:
- Kick-off event: Friday, January 30, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in PLS-256
- FLC meeting 1: Friday, February 6, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in PLS-240
- FLC meeting 2: Friday, February 20, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in TBA
- FLC meeting 3: Friday, March 6, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in PLS-240
- FLC meeting 4: Friday, March 20, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in PLS-240
- FLC meeting 5: Friday, April 10, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in PLS-240
- FLC meeting 6: Friday, April 17, 12:00 pm - 1:15 pm in PLS-240
- Online Module due Friday, May 8
Each faculty member who participates in all FLC meetings and submits the deliverables specified above will receive a professional development stipend of $1,000. Please complete the form linked here, indicating your interest in participating and acknowledging availability for the required sessions. Space is limited to 15 faculty.
Deadline to Apply
January 23, 2026, by 5:00 pm
Teaching for Social Justice
Are you interested in centering equity and social justice in your classes and scholarship? The Teaching for Social Justice Faculty Learning Community provides space for faculty to explore, design, and reflect upon their approach to social justice-oriented teaching. In addition to nourishing community and professional growth among diverse CSUF faculty, the FLC also provides support for faculty scholarship. To read more about how the FLC has impacted CSUF faculty, check out the article “Learning our Way Through: Critical Professional Development for Social Justice in Teacher Education,” in which 3 CSUF faculty write about how their participation shaped their trajectory at the university.
The Teaching for Social Justice FLC is a collaborative learning space where faculty together to:
- Explore various approaches to teaching for social justice within and beyond our disciplines
- Design, share and get feedback on equity and social justice-oriented learning experiences, modules, and assessments
- Set goals and evaluate the effectiveness of our approach to teaching for social justice
- Receive support with action research design and IRB submission
- Explore possibilities for presenting, publishing, and funding our work.
The FLC meets monthly on campus (Friday mornings), and hosts virtual “drop in and write” sessions on alternating weeks. We welcome new faculty every spring. The upcoming meetins are as follows:
-
Friday, January 23, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
-
Friday, February 20, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
-
Friday, March 13, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
-
Friday, April 17, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
For more information or to enroll for Spring 2026, please contact Alison Dover at adover@fullerton.edu or signup online.
Learn More about this FLC and the upcoming Mini-Conference on February 6, 2026