Biographical Sketch Julie S. Alexander

Julie serves as the primary staff contact for training and support on using the Foundations of Excellence Faculty/Staff and First-Year Student Surveys and self-study software platform, FoEtec®. In keeping with the Center’s mission, she conducts participant satisfaction evaluations and analyzes existing self-study tools such as the Current Practices Inventory, Performance Indicators, reporting templates and related software tools to develop or recommend new content or modifications. To facilitate interactions with the Policy Center staff members and colleagues at participating campuses, Julie coordinates conference calls, webinars, and cohort meetings. In addition, she is responsible for electronic communications concerning time-sensitive self-study processes and other Center initiatives.

Julie manages collaborative projects with other organizations such as regional accrediting agencies to encourage the integration of first-year policies, practices, and procedures with accreditation-related assessment measurements. She provides leadership for a wide array of short-term initiatives associated with the self study and with other activities undertaken by the Policy Center. Julie also serves as an advisory committee member to the Pathways to College Network, an alliance of 38 national organizations and funders committed to advancing college access and success for underserved students.

Julie has authored/co-authored several publications including a 2006 essay for the First-Year Assessment Listserv entitled “It Takes a Village: A Task Force-Based Assessment Model for the First Year of College,” a 2007 Journal of the First-Year Experience and Students in Transition article entitled “Investigating a First-Year Seminar as an Anchor Course in Learning Communities,” an upcoming 2008 New Directions for Student Services monograph chapter entitled “Technology that Enhances Institutional Enrollment, Communication, and Student Success Efforts,”and an upcoming 2008 University College Monograph chapter entitled “University College Structures and Functions:  Having it ‘Your Way.’”She also authored the new online portfolio assignments for the Wadsworth Cengage Learning textbook Your College Experience: Strategies for Success, Eighth Edition.

Julie holds a M.A. in College Student Development and a B.S. in Psychology from Appalachian State University. While at Appalachian, Julie worked in the Freshman Seminar Office where she was involved in teaching the three-credit hour seminar, faculty development and support, peer leader recruitment and training, and planning and implementing Appalachian's residential summer bridge program.

To contact Julie, please email her at alexander@fyfoundations.org.