Undergraduate Student
Success and Retention
Board of Governors
Update
May, 2007
Purpose
To update the Board of
Governors on student
success and retention
initiatives implemented
Fall, 2006
Strategic Vision
• What We Teach
– Meaningful up-to-date curricula, based on
carefully articulated learning outcomes
• How We Teach
– Teachers use best practices in their teaching
• Enrichment
– Students engage outside the classroom in a
campus environment that encourages academic
success
• Student Support
– Services and programs geared to enhance
student success
Guiding Principle
SUCCESS
SUPPORT
Responsibility
Initiatives – F06
• President’s Faculty Task
Force on Retention
• Early Intervention – Advising
and Support
• Learning Communities
• Orientation and iStart
• Math Initiatives
• Policy Changes
President’s Faculty Task
Force on Retention
Charge
Develop recommendations to achieve
substantial increase in student retention and
graduation rates overall and for particular subgroups of students. Consider faculty issues,
policy issues, programmatic changes, and
other ideas as appropriate.
Make recommendations to the university in Fall, 2007.
Co-Chairs:
Dr. Joseph Dunbar, Physiology, School of Medicine
Dr. Lisa Rapport, Psychology, Liberal Arts and Sciences
President’s Faculty Task
Force on Retention
Organization
• College/school retention committees appointed to look at
actions that can be taken at the college/school level
• Liaison Committee (13 members representing all schools and
colleges and the Academic Senate)
– Coordinates the suggestions and input from the faculty,
schools/colleges, and Advisory Committee
– Develop the final report
• Advisory Committee (21 members – faculty volunteers)
– Central resource for generating ideas about problems and
potential solutions. Develop specific program, policy, and
action plan suggestions
Early Intervention – Advising
and Comerica Academic
Success Center
Outreach
• First-time students
June and July, 06 - Newly admitted first-time
students received personalized invitations
from advisors to come and meet with them
during Orientation and to set up individual
appointments to discuss their academic
plan at WSU
– positive response from students and parents
Early Intervention – Advising
and Comerica Academic
Success Center
Outreach
• Students on Academic Probation
WayneREACH – For students who fall below
a 2.0 GPA after their first term (Started June,
2006)
– Complete Motivated Strategies for Learning
Questionnaire (MSLQ)
– WayneREACH checklist (along with MSLQ) pinpoints
problem areas
– Special Advising sessions: study issues, course
selection
Early Intervention – Advising
and Comerica Academic
Success Center
Early Academic Assessment (Midterm notification
by faculty to students regarding academic
concerns: Homework, Exams/Quizzes, Lab work,
participation, Attendance)
Enhanced the existing EAA program for Fall,
2006, in several ways:
– 390 FTIAC students with EAA notices
received follow-up messages in October to
see their academic advisors
– Free Blackboard course: Success 101 put on
line for EAA students
– Student survey
EAA Survey Results
Self-reported Factors Contributing to Academic
Performance
Resource
availability
7%
Science
5%
Motivation
19%
Attendance
7%
Class content
8%
Scheduling
12%
Study skills
10%
Family
11%
Health
10%
Math
11%
EAA Survey Results
Things Students Said They Would Do Differently to Improve
Chances for Success
Work on health
6%
Different type of
class
6%
Prioritize
5%
Time on task
34%
Study skills
9%
Seek help
11%
Attend class
13%
Schedule differently
16%
EAA Survey Results
Academic Support Students Said They Sought
Educational
Accessibility
Services
4%
Reading and
Financial Aid
Study Skills
4%
6%
Tutoring
22%
Supplemental
Instruction
6%
Advisor
7%
Peer support
16%
Nothing
18%
Instructor
17%
Early Intervention – Advising
and Comerica Academic
Success Center
SUCCESS 101
•
•
•
•
Results for Pilot Program – Fall, 2006
Blackboard site includes modules on: testtaking, reading skills, time management,
concentration, note-taking, writing skills,
vocabulary, memory skills, professional exam
review, problem solving skills
4029 hits to Blackboard site
508 individual students
80% explored site beyond one contact
Learning Communities
What are Learning Communities?
“…communities organized along curricular
lines, common career interests, avocational
interests, residential living areas, and so on.
These can be used to build a sense of group
identity, cohesiveness, and uniqueness; to
encourage continuity and the integration of
diverse curricular and co-curricular
experiences; and to counteract the isolation
that many students feel.”
Astin, 1985, “Achieving Educational Excellence”
Learning Communities
Vision for WSU Learning Communities
To support Wayne State University’s
commitment to student learning and
retention, the Learning Community
Initiative seeks to enhance our
undergraduates’ experience by
providing all interested students
dynamic, focused communities in
which students, staff, and faculty
learn and grow together.
Learning Communities
All programs that are denoted as learning
communities must address the following:
•
•
•
•
having clearly delineated academic and
social goals
involving faculty and academic staff
having a well thought-out plan to assess
the achievement of both the academic and
social goals
having the support of the responsible
administrative unit(s) and a plan for
sustainability
Learning Communities
What’s new this year?
–
Expanded learning community concept to include a variety of
programs
2005: 12 LC’s (Approx. 950 students)
2006: 16 LC’s (Approx. 1500 students)
2007: 21 LC’s (Approx. 1800 students)
-
Introduced peer mentors for student learning teams of 15-20
students
2006: (37 peer mentors)
–
Expanded faculty participation in learning communities
2006: Faculty and staff coordinators in every LC
–
All LC’s have clearly delineated student learning outcomes
and an assessment plan – assessments to be implemented at
the end of Winter, 2007
Learning Communities
Fall 2006 – Winter 2007 Retention
Learning
Community
F06-W07 LC
Retention
Comments
Business
Administration
87.0%
(LC students - 44)
79.0%
(All Business students – 533)
Comerica Scholars
88.9%
(LC students – 27)
61.9%
(F05 cohort of 21 students)
Division of
72.5%
63.2%
Community Education (LC students – 177) (Non-LC students)
Educational Talent
Search LC (Trio
Program)
87%
(LC students – 23)
New LC in Fall, 06
Learning Communities
Fall 2006 – Winter 2007 Retention (Cont’d)
Learning
Community
F06-W06 LC
Retention
Comments
Engineering Bridge
88.7%
88.7%
(LC students – 115) (All Engineering students –
205)
Health Sciences
96.1%
(LC students – 51)
N/A
Project 350 – Math
LC (Trio Program)
86.8%
(LC students – 38)
89.3%
(All P350 students - 75)
Veteran’s Learning
Community
83%
(LC students – 18)
New LC in Fall, 06
Orientation and iStart
Continuum Approach – All students: full time, part
time, residential, commuting
Orientation
Testing →
Advising →
Registration
iStart (New Student Program)
Welcome to campus →
Academic orientation →
Connection to peers and to
academic support
First-year Success
Orientation course →
Learning Community →
Academic support services
Math Initiatives
• “Mathematics for Success” Pilot Course
(Winter, 2007)
– Special developmental course to prepare students
to achieve mathematics competency
– 25 students enrolled
– 4 credits: 4 hours in class, 4 hours in lab
– Uses direct instruction and EnableMath software
– Team taught by DCE math instructor and Math
Corp teacher from Detroit Public Schools
Math Initiatives
MAT 0993 Enhancements
• Increased intervention of teaching assistants
with students in the Math Lab
• Workshop sessions with developmental math
instructor to review for examinations
• Enhanced training of teaching assistants on
developmental mathematics issues
• Improvements being developed for Fall, 2007 –
Hybrid computer plus face-to-face format to
enhance student-instructor interaction
Assessments for current semester underway
Policy Changes
BOG-approved Withdrawal Policy
Changes – Implemented Fall, 2006
GOALS: Students withdraw sooner, improved
customer service, better tracking for financial aid
• Eliminated unofficial withdrawal (X grade)
• On-line withdrawal process initiated:
increased convenience and efficiency
Policy Changes
Withdrawal Policy Impact
Undergraduate
Grade
F2005
F2006
% Change
7,000
5,012
-28%
Official
withdrawal
3,682
5,190
41%
Incomplete
1,176
938
-20%
Failure or
unofficial
withdrawal
Policy Changes
Withdrawal Policy Impact
Graduate
Grade
F2005
F2006
% Change
363
215
-41%
Official
withdrawal
255
455
78%
Incomplete
489
495
-1%
Failure or
unofficial
withdrawal
Summary
• President’s Faculty Task
Force on Retention in place
and active
• Retention initiatives for Fall,
2006 implemented
• Initial results show positive
impacts on retention from
Fall, 2006 to Winter, 2007
Questions ?