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: Monday, August 17, 10:00 am – 11:00 am OR Monday, August 24, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
- FLC Meeting 1: Friday, September 25 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
- FLC Meeting 2: Friday, October 30 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
- FLC Meeting 3: Monday, December 14 | 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm
- Office Hour 1: Monday, September 28 | 12:00pm
- Office Hour 2: Monday, November 2 | 12:00pm
The FLC meetings are for exploring student survey data, understanding student experiences, and targeting learning conditions for intervention.
Office Hours are to check in with any questions about ASCEND surveys, student engagement, or potential interventions.
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 2026 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
August 14, 2026, by 12:00 pm
Outcomes
By participating in the Faculty Development Center's ASCEND FLC, faculty will be able to:
- Utilize student surveys that capture non-academic, socio-emotional student experiences (e.g. belonging, connectedness, safety) in the classroom.
- Access to data and support interpreting data about student experiences
- Discuss best practices for improving student experiences in classrooms
- Receive support for choosing or creating interventions that respond to student data
- Apply strategies/interventions to shape and improve student experiences
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.
Teaching for Social Justice
This FLC provides space for new and veteran faculty to explore, design, evaluate, and conduct research about social justice-oriented teaching. Now in its seventh year, this FLC has engaged faculty from 6 of CSUF's colleges, and resulted in multiple conference presentations, grant proposals, and published articles.
The Teaching for Social Justice FLC is a collaborative learning space where faculty 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 social justice-oriented Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). The Teaching for Social Justice FLC meets monthly, with online support available between meetings, and qualifies for the INCLUSIVE certificate. Open to full-time, part-time, and adjunct faculty from all colleges.
The FLC meets monthly on campus (Friday mornings), and hosts virtual “drop in and write” sessions other Fridays (August 21, October 2, and November 20, 2026). We welcome new faculty every spring. The upcoming meetings are as follows:
-
Friday, September 18, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
-
Friday, October 16, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
-
Friday, November 13, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
-
Friday, December 4, 2026 | 10:00 am to 12:00 pm, PLS 240
For more information or to express interest for Spring 2027, please contact Alison Dover at [email protected] or signup online.
Learn More about this FLC and the upcoming Mini-Conference in Spring 2027
The Google AI Design
Offered by the Dr. Shelli Wynants, Faculty Development Center | Sept 2026 – April 2027. A virtual Faculty Learning Community (FLC), with monthly professional development sessions focused on using Google Gemini and NotebookLM to strengthen your approach to course design and expand how you think about student engagement. Once registered, you’ll be enrolled in a dedicated Canvas course where all Zoom session links and post-session handouts live in one place — easy to access whether you attend live or want to review what was covered. Getting started Google resources provided.
The Google AI Design FLC meets monthly on Zoom as follows:
-
day, September x, 2026 | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
-
day, October x, 2026 | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
-
day, November x, 2026 | 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Deadline to Apply
September 18, 2026