I wrote in a recent letter to the campus communityand Kentucky State University constituents andsupporters on the potential impact to KSU ofGovernor Matt Bevin’s proposed 2016-2018 biennialbudget and current fiscal year 2016 budget cut.Since that correspondence, we have had additionaltime to analyze in detail what the Governor hasproposed. Though we understand what theGovernor is trying to do, his budget efforts asproposed (to this date) will be detrimental toKentucky State. It is not that we do not want toparticipate, cooperate and help advance the state,but we, KSU, do not have the resources available tomeet the many current needs as we move forward toaddress correcting years of improper processes,procedures and in some instances, yes, negligence,as to duties and responsibilities. For the past 19months, our work has focused on correcting many ofthose problems. But many remain.

The major remaining issue is enrollment. On entryI took the position that a student who enrolls andmatriculates in the institution should pay his or herbill. This was not done to be harsh but was necessarybecause the University had $17 million in studentreceivables outstanding and the chances ofrecovering those funds were bleak. Taking that actionimpacted enrollment. Enrollment has also beenaffected by following and enforcing the University’sadmissions standards. Those two things incombination have placed the University in the veryprecarious position the Governor’s budget poses if

enacted. Kentucky State cannot withstand what isbeing proposed in the budget. If the budget asproposed is enacted, our options would be to declarefinancial exigency and/or prepare a closure plan. I donot like either one of those options and I am workinghard to make certain we can do our work smarter,logically and effectively to ensure that Kentucky StateUniversity is here for another 130 years. (We arecurrently celebrating our 130th anniversary.) This willrequire a great deal of work by all of us and we mustmeet and be ready, willing and able to face andovercome the challenge. No one is declaring defeat.For while it is day, we must work to make KSU apremier institution.

Working to make KSU a premier institution isexactly what the Math and Sciences Division is doing.The Math and Science Division has been led by Dr.Fariba Bigdeli-Jahed for the last 12 years. When onereviews that division, how it operates, the issues thatit addresses, the attention provided to students,tracking their graduates successes and achievementsand helping their students get into professionalschool, and ensuring that their students graduate,there are good things happening. And because shehas led this process and these programs to thesuccess noted Fariba Bigdeli-Jahed is this letter’s GEM.

Raymond M. BursePresident, Kentucky State University

February 8, 2016

To My Kentucky State University Colleagues:

The instructors meet weekly todiscuss content and teachingstrategies. They try to minimize thelecture and maximize the studentclasswork, so there is a lot of studentengagement,” she said. “When wesee students who are not attendingclass, we will contact that student.The CAP advisors also will follow upwith the students. We monitorattendance and assignments veryclosely.”

These procedures have made aprofound effect with students at KSUboth academically and emotionally,she said. Developmental coursesused to cause delays in somestudents’ graduation because itwould take one to three semesters

before they could enroll in 100-level math and Englishclasses. The lower-level courses also reduced the retentionrate because the students had expected to participate incollege-level studies. As a result, some of the studentswould become frustrated and discouraged and eventuallyleave the University, she explained.

The accelerated courses, however, have madeconsiderable improvement with students’ academicperformance, and Dr. Bigdeli-Jahed credits themathematics department for its educational outcomes.The University’s model also is receiving high marks fromthe Council on Postsecondary Education (CPE) and otherinstitutions, she said.

“The success rate in accelerated college algebra was 82percent in fall 2015. In the past, when we had thedevelopmental courses, our college algebra success ratewas around 50 percent or 56 percent. It was pretty low,”she explained. “CPE is using us as a success example. Wehave had calls from other universities and they’ve wantedto learn about our model.”

Dr. Bigdeli-Jahed emphasized that the Englishdepartment’s faculty also has played an integral role in themodel’s success.

“When you have a team of smart, committed, student-centered and hardworking faculty, you can do magic,” shesaid. “The real gems are the math and English faculty.”

Last fall, Kentucky State’s mathand English faculty went “full force”with accelerated courses, andAssociate Mathematics ProfessorFariba Bigdeli-Jahed is proud of theresults. The University hasabandoned lower-leveldevelopmental coursework,previously given to students whodidn’t meet the academicrequirements for 100-level classes.

“We piloted one acceleratedcourse in the fall of 2014 – and thenin the spring of 2015, we pilotedmore courses,” says Dr. Bigdeli-Jahed.“In the fall 2015, we went full forcewith it. Meaning that, we did notoffer any developmental courses.Students were placed in eitheraccelerated college algebra or accelerated contemporarymathematics.”

Dr. Bigdeli-Jahed was born in Iran and moved to theUnited States in August 1975. She knew as a young girlthat she wanted to become a teacher.

“I’ve always loved teaching,” said the University ofKentucky grad. “I have two younger brothers, so with myyounger brothers and their friends, I would make apretend classroom.”

After teaching at KSU for more than 24 years, Dr.Bigdeli-Jahed continues to enjoy interacting with herstudents in her own classrooms.

She is pleased with faculty’s success with theaccelerated courses. The faculty researched alternativemeans of preparing the students who did not meet thebenchmark scores for the college credit-bearing math andEnglish courses. They studied various models and startedoffering the redesigned courses in fall 2014. Themathematics faculty offered one paired MAT115/MAT 097course in fall 2014, and two sections of AcceleratedCollege Algebra and one section of AcceleratedContemporary Mathematics in spring 2015. Math andEnglish departments stopped offering developmentalcourses in fall 2015.

“The accelerated courses meet four or five days a weekand are co-taught by faculty and instructional counselors.

Dr. Fariba Bigdeli-Jahed

Associate Professor of Mathematics Fariba Bigdeli-Jahed: Accelerated courses are making a difference at KSU