Rethinking Advisors in the First Year
Experience: Data, Accountability and Success
2012
CCCSE
Workshop
at NISOD
A FIRST LOOK:
Promising
Practices for
Community College
Student Success
Lone Star College-North Harris
Stephen Head,
President
shead@lonestar.edu
Marilyn Dement,
Dean, Student Development
Marilyn.C.Dement@
lonestar.edu
LSCS Overview
Lone Star College System
• 75,000+ credit students, total enrollment of
90,000.
• Fastest-growing college system in U.S.
• Largest institution of higher education in the
greater Houston area.
• 28 percent growth from 2009 to 2011, adding
16,000 students.
• 11 school districts, 1,400 square miles, population
of 2 million.
• 5,200+ employees, 5.6 million square feet.
• Added 1.2 million sq. ft. in new buildings in 2011
from May 2008 bond referendum.
Locations
LSC System Office
LSC-CyFair
LSC-Kingwood
LSC-Montgomery
LSC-North Harris
LSC-Tomball
LSC-University Park
Lone Star College-North Harris
 Fall 2011- 18,478 students
 35% Hispanic
 31% Black
 20% Anglo
 5% Asian
 3% International
 80% Low income
 80% First generation in college
How LSC-North Harris Thinks of
Retention, Persistence and Success
• Connection
• Entry
• Progress
• Completion
Destination College
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Bridge to College
Summer Bridge
Dual Credit
Shared Counselors
Early College
Accelerated College
Program
Black Male Summit
Latina Summit
Hispanic Male Summit
TRIO Programs
Admissions/Advising
Process
•
•
•
•
•
Financial Aid
Mandatory Orientation
HUMD 0330
FTIC Advisors
Intrusive Advising
SOAR
•
•
•
•
Recruiters
Outreach Events
College Applications
Elementary/Middle
School Visits
• Open House
• Campus Tours
Teaching and Learning Center
LSC-North Harris College
Connections Student Outreach
Enrollment Management
Review and Assessment of
Effectiveness
Internal
Communication
•
•
•
•
•
CCSSE
SENSE
FoE and FoE - Transfer
Visioning Process
AtD
•
•
•
•
•
Referrals
Math, English, Biology Labs
Supplemental Instruction
Student Involvement
Summits
The First Year Experience
COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUCCESS MODEL
High School
Outreach
P-K to High
School
SOAR Outreach
Marketing
Bridge Programs
Dual Credit, CARE Grant,
Early College, etc.
Destination College
Link to
Task Force
Marketing,
Community
Outreach
Link to
Task Force
Eng., Math,
Biology
Policy
Review
After
First
Day
Of
Class
Advisors Academic
Support
Enrollment
Process
Apps,
Assessment,
Financial Aid
Link to
Task Force
Link to
Task Force
Early/
Repeaters
Intervention
Teaching and
Learning Center
Student Activities
Student
Success
Initiatives
Link to
Task Force
Foundation
of Excellence
Visioning
HUMD 0330
Degree Plan
Initiated
Individual/Group
Orientation
Advising Session
Link to
Task Force
Special
Initiatives
Completion by
Design Gates
State Initiatives
Advising –
Next Term
Registration
After
First
Term
Registration
First
Day
Of
Class
Link to
Teaching and
Learning
Center
SEA CENTER
Transition to
Division
Counselors and
Transfer and
Advising Center
Academic Support
Successful
First Year
Experience
Learning Center
Early Intervention
System
No Late
Registration
Early Alert Referral
SEA Center - Success
Encourages Achievement
Success Coaches
Mandatory
Orientation
Open Computer Lab
Biology Learning Center
HUMD 0330
Division Specific
Initiatives
Tutoring
Lab assistance
Anatomy & Physiology
Majors & Non-Majors
Advising
Center
• Academic Advisor
• Veterans
• Foster Care
• Crisis-Personal
• Career Exploration
• Workshop Series
• Community Resources
and Referrals
•
Tutoring Services
Supplemental Instruction
Content Area - Targets
high enrollment/high
attrition courses
Writing Center
Math Lab
•English
•History
•Government
•Philosophy
•Sociology
•Psychology
•Economics
•Geology
•Chemistry
•College Algebra
Instructional Assessment
Summer Bridge with
Mentoring
Workshop Series
Assistive
Technology Lab
• Access services for
students with disabilities
and faculty to utilize
specialized ADA
approved software and
hardware
• Alternative formatting
• Magnification
• Scribes and Readers
• Tutoring
• Nursing Transition
Remediation Plan
MENS (Math, Engineering,
and Natural Science)
• Repeaters
• Advising
• HSI - STEM
• Career and Technology
Division (CTD) Advisor and
Tracking Database
• Medical & Health Sciences
Pre-Professional Program
• Honors Program
• Division counselors
Student Support
Services
•Focus on student success
•Friendly, college environment
•Intrusive Advising
•Student activities
•Child care
•Financial assistance
•Listening/talking
Goal: Graduation and/or
College Transfer
First Time In College (FTIC) Advisor Job Functions
• FTIC Advisor is responsible for providing academic advice to a
cohort of FTIC students. (FTIC is defined as students having
never taken college classes.)
• Advisors are the first step in creating a campus culture of
connection. Provides direction and referrals to a cohort group
to meet the students’ needs.
• Meets with students on a regular basis to track their success
and progress.
• Reports on progress and collects data of students and
involves others to assist with students’ success, persistence,
and completion rates.
10
FTIC Advisor Job Functions (continued)
• In addition to meeting with FTIC students, the FTIC advisors
also meet with students from their previous cohorts.
• In November 2011, Contactline was employed by LSC-North
Harris to call all FTIC Hispanic students. 24.4% of students
called indicated they would like to speak to an advisor. Advisors
contacted students to help resolve their issues.
• For fall 2011, advisors had an average size FTIC cohort of
245:1. FTIC advisors saw an average of 793 student
appointments for fall registration. This included FTIC students
with a GPA below 2.0, previous cohort students, and assisting
with peak registration.
11
LSC-North Harris Measurable Minimum Performers for Advisors
12
25 FTIC Advisors
•15 advisors in Admissions/Advising Area
•Advisors Assigned to Special Populations:
• Students with Disabilities
• Veterans
• Foster Care Alumni
• International Students
• New Student Orientations
• 1 advisor assigned to Workforce Programs
• 2 advisors assigned to HUMD 0330 as class advisors
• 7 advisors assigned to Satellite Campuses
13
HUMD 0330 – College Success Course: 1st
Year Experience
• Course serves as the freshman experience course.
• Mandatory for students placing into two or more areas of
developmental classes.
• Topics include transitioning to college, accessing campus
resources and support services, study skills, etc.
• Trained advisors are assigned to HUMD 0330 classes.
Advisors are available to assist instructor and student with
student services’ related questions such as degree
planning, schedule building, course selection, transcript
requests, etc.
LSC-North Harris FTIC Advised Students
Fall and Spring 2009 - 2011
2,500
2,363
2,000
1,782
1,500
FALL
1,150
1,000
500
SPRING
914
883
431
0
2009
2010
2011
15
New Student Completion Fall 2008 - Fall 2011
105%
100%
99%
97%
97%
96%
94%
95%
94%
92%
FTIC LSC-NH
90%
90%
87%
87%
87%
87%
87%
87%
87%
86%
87%
86%
88%
85%
LSC-NH Students
88%
86%
86%
85%
85%
SP/11
FA/11
80%
75%
FA/08
SP/09
FA/09
SP/10
FA/10
Average
LSCS
FTIC Persistence Compared to Other Enrolled Students
100%
93%
90%
81%
77%
80%
72%
70%
81%
76%
73%
78%
75%
68%
72%
72%
72%
72%
69%
60%
FTIC LSC-NH
LSC-NH Students
50%
LSCS
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
FA/08 to SP/09
FA/09 to SP/10
FA/10 to SP/11
FA/11 to SP/12
Average
Fall 2011 FTIC Special Populations
(Compared to FTIC Advised and Not Advised)
120%
100%
100%
92%
95%
94%
83%
80%
83%
76%
82%
78%
DISABILITY
76%
65%
60%
60%
FOSTER CARE
ESOL/INT'L
NH FTIC NOT
ADVISED
NH FTIC ADVISED
40%
39%
27%
20%
0%
Completion
Success
Persistence
Fall 2011 FTIC LSC-North Harris Completion, Success, and Persistence
90%
85%
80%
83%
78%
76%
71%
70%
63%
72%
65%
60%
58%
50%
Advised
Not Advised
40%
All LSC-North Harris
30%
20%
10%
0%
Completion
Success
Persisted
Fall 2011 Completion and Success for Developmental Classes
90%
82%
80%
80%
81%
75%
73%
70%
68%
60%
50%
51%
65%
61%
57%
52%
ADVISED COMPLETION
ADVISED SUCCESS
47%
NOT ADVISED COMPLETION
40%
NOT ADVISED SUCCESS
30%
20%
10%
0%
MATH
READING
WRITING
Persistence Fall 2011 to Spring 2012 by Demographics
(Ethnicity)
90%
81%
80%
79%
75%
75%
70%
73%
68%
63%
60%
50%
White
47%
Black
Hispanic
40%
Asian
30%
20%
10%
0%
Advised
Not Advised
Persistence Fall 2011 to Spring 2012
(Less Than 25 and Over 25)
90%
79%
80%
77%
67%
70%
64%
60%
50%
Less than 25
25 or older
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Advised
Not Advised
Persistence Fall 2011 to Spring 2012
(Females and Males)
90%
81%
80%
74%
70%
70%
60%
59%
50%
Female
Male
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Advised
Not Advised
2011 SENSE Survey Results – Key Findings (18 e, g, h)
(First Advising Meeting)
90%
82%
80%
71%
70%
70%
59%
60%
50%
Helped select program or major
Helped identify courses needed
40%
Discussed commitments
37%
30%
26%
20%
10%
0%
NORTH HARRIS COHORT
SENSE COHORT
2011 and 2011 SENSE Survey Results (20.1 a, 2a, 3a)
(Academic Advising Experience)
80%
74%
69%
70%
61%
60%
58%
58%
50%
55%
Knew about Academic Advising
Used advising 1 - 3 times
Satisfaction with advising
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
2010
2011
2011 SENSE Cohort Survey Results (20.1a, 2a, 3a)
(LSC-North Harris Cohort Compared to SENSE Cohort)
80%
74%
73%
70%
61%
60%
58%
50%
53%
52%
Knew about Academic Advising
40%
Used advising 1 - 3 times
Satisfaction with advising
30%
20%
10%
0%
NORTH HARRIS COHORT
SENSE COHORT
26
Student Activities and Success
•
•
•
•
•
Students involved in activities averaged:
5% higher completion
9% higher success
13% higher persistence
Developmental students persisted by 12%
more over three terms.
Meeting the Challenges
• Coordinate campaign with LSC-North Harris Public
Relations to improve awareness of academic advising
services through website updates, LCD monitors,
signage, and distinguish clear difference between
Admissions and Advising services.
• Decision making is data driven. Assigned an FTIC
advisor to collect data, generate executive summary
report, and lead advisors in consistency of data collection.
• Generating consistent reports with the Office of
Institutional Research and Effectiveness to be
created each semester to review for areas of
improvement and progress.
Measuring Effectiveness
Advisors make a difference!





Completion rates higher
Persistence rates higher
Student surveys positive
Especially when used in combination with
other initiatives
Bridge programs, Early Alert System, SEA
Center, Mentoring and Tutoring, Phone
Calls
Key Elements at Lone Star College-North Harris
•
•
•
•
Advisors for all FTIC Students
Mandatory Orientation for all FTIC
Student Success Course
Teaching and Learning Center
– Faculty centered
– Funded
– Supported
– Data/results driven