BEYOND THE CLASSROOM REPORT
2013-2014
DIVISION OF UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY
Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 2
Mission .......................................................................................................................................................... 2
Methodology................................................................................................................................................. 2
Program Learning Outcomes ........................................................................................................................ 3
Division of University Affairs ......................................................................................................................... 3
Ethics and Values .......................................................................................................................................... 3
Retention of First-Year Students................................................................................................................... 4
Key Performance Indicators .......................................................................................................................... 5
Saliency of Program Learning Outcomes ...................................................................................................... 6
Our Engagement Model .............................................................................................................................. 10
Our Shared Values: The SFA Way Honor Code ........................................................................................... 12
ACE Workshops ........................................................................................................................................... 16
Week of Reflection...................................................................................................................................... 17
2013 Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Conference ................................................................................... 18
Freshman Leadership Academy .................................................................................................................. 19
Skills and Qualities Desired by Employers .................................................................................................. 20
The Pine Log………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….24
Health Clinic…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..26
Career Services………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27
Closing the Loop…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….28
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Introduction
The Division of University Affairs at Stephen F. Austin State University (SFASU) is composed of
nineteen departments, including: Campus Recreation, Divisional Operations, Office of the Dean of
Student Affairs, Counseling Services, Career Services, Testing Services, Disability Services, Health
Services, Veterans’ Resource Center, Student Rights and Responsibilities, Multicultural Affairs,
Orientation Programs, Student Affairs Programs, Student Services, Residence Life, Baker Pattillo
Student Center, Student Publications, University Police and the Office of the Vice President for
University Affairs.
Mission
The Division of University Affairs supports SFA's academic mission by providing our students with
co-curricular and extracurricular PROGRAMS that create opportunities for students to engage in
active and high-impact learning; we design and produce ACTIVITIES that strengthen students'
connections to the university and to each other; we provide targeted SERVICES that support our
students' pursuit of their personal and academic goals, and we develop and maintain the
FACILITIES necessary to fulfill this mission.
Methodology
Data are collected through various means throughout the Division of University Affairs. These
include surveys, focus groups, and rubric analyses of artifacts of learning, pre T test/post T test and
mixed methods projects. All programs are required to develop and test learning outcomes, and
each major program is required to assess these learning outcomes each year. Additionally, all
departments must assess all programs at least once every three years.
All learning outcomes are derived by and connected to the mission of University Affairs and of
Stephen F. Austin State University. This mission is further articulated through nine program
learning outcomes. These are: Citizenship, Communication, Cultural Competence, Ethics and
Values, Leadership, Life Skills, Self Knowledge, Scholarship & Inquiry, and Wellness. These have
been developed to express the kind of knowledge and skill our programs are meant to develop.
The division has also advanced four Key Performance Indicators. These are measured in all areas.
These performance indicators are driven from the mission of university affairs and help to
determine the effectiveness of the division’s programs in meeting this mission. These include
measuring students’ commitment to persistence, awareness of resources, commitment to diversity
and awareness of co-curricular learning.
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Program Learning Outcomes
Division of University Affairs
Communication
Citizenship
Cultural Competence
Ethics and Values
Leadership
Life Skills
Self-Knowledge
Scholarship & Inquiry
Wellness
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Students gain skills to help them to communicate effectively and
professionally, using written, oral, and artistic means, as well as current
technology. Students learn to listen actively and effectively, to read with
comprehension, to evaluate ideas, and to form meaningful interpersonal
relationships.
Through civic engagement, community service and classroom
experiences, students acquire a contextually rich understanding of
complex issues and increased sense of social responsibility. Students are
prepared for the challenges and opportunities of a democratic society,
and to fulfill their duties as citizens of the state, nation, and world.
By interacting with others who are different from themselves, students
gain an increased appreciation for diversity and attain valuable skills for
success in a pluralistic society. Beyond tolerance, students increase their
understanding of the beliefs, values and worldviews of others.
Students define, refine and clarify their values, learn to keep congruence
between these beliefs and their actions and to balance their personal
interests with the interests of others and of society as a whole.
Through a variety of experiences, students will learn to maximize their
own individualized talents and skills to collaborate with others and to
motivate them toward a common goal.
From maintaining and balancing a budget to effectively managing one's
time, students learn to build strategies for leading a productive life in
college, in graduate school, in their career and beyond.
Through experiences and reflection, students discover a sense of
purpose, gain the ability to realistically appraise themselves enhance
self-esteem and to become increasingly independent and
interdependent. These skills are useful in picking a career and in helping
the student to set and meet both educational and personal goals.
A broad-based educational foundation allows student to think critically,
creatively and independently and to experience intellectual growth.
Students become committed to better understanding and to advancing
the knowledge of their chosen field they are prepared for the rigors of
graduate study, for their careers, and for lifelong learning.
Students learn to practice healthy behavior to attain a satisfying and
productive lifestyle, learning to balance their physical, emotional and
spiritual well-being with the demands of their life as a student and
beyond.
Retention of First-Year Students
In the University’s Strategic Plan 2013: Preparing for the Future, a goal was established to have
first-year retention at 70% by Fall of 2012 (Initiative 3: Strategy 3). This was a very bold goal. At
the time, the university’s retention rate was approximately 63%. In the fall of 2013, we have finally
reached the 70% goal. While many factors contributed to this change, it is clear that raising
admission standards has made a significant impact. It should not be overlooked, however, that
raising admission standards tends to impact whether a student may be unable to continue based on
poor academic performance. It does not impact whether students want to stay at the university
when they have that chance. Many programs and services of the Division of University Affairs have
significantly impacted the engagement of students within the university, and, by extension have
impacted the first-time/full-time retention rate.
Retention of First-Time/Full-Time Students
72
70
68
66
64
62
60
Column1
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2010-11
2011-12
2012-13
2013-14
64.1
63.4
67.3
70
Key Performance Indicators
Questions related to our Key Performance Indicators are embedded in each Campus Labs survey.
This produces data from a wide variety of students who answer these questions in a number of
different contexts. Last year, more than 3,750 students responded to these questions. The
tremendous diversity within surveys makes duplication less likely. Additionally, there are at least
1,000 unique respondents which can produce a confidence level of 97%.
5
4.8
4.7
4.6
4.8
4.8
4.7
4.7
4.6
4.71
4.6
4.5
Indicator #4
4.4
4.3
4.33
4.3
4.2
4.2
4.1
Indicator #3
Indicator #2
4.1
Indicator #1
4
3.8
3.6
2010-2011




2011-2012
2012-2013
2013-2014
Indicator # 1: I am committed to completing my degree at SFA.
Indicator #2: It's important to interact with others who are different from me such as
those of different ethnicities, cultural backgrounds, or abilities.
Indicator #3: When I have questions about SFA, I am usually able to easily resolve
them or find someone to help me find the answer.
Indicator #4: I have gained skills through student organizations, activities, and other
cocurricular experiences that have helped me to understand what I am learning in
the classroom.
Analysis: The dramatic drop in indicator three is the most disconcerting element of our Key
Performance indicators project. This indicator, however, is still relatively high. Indicator four,
which is related to how aware students are of what they are learning in co-curricular programs all
decreased slightly (continuing a three-year downward trend). While possible explanations are
highly speculative, it is interesting to note that this drop co-occurred with a more than a 33%
decrease in Peer Involvement Advising sessions. The Involvement Center is a key resource in
informing students about programs that can assist them and frames cocurricular experiences as
learning opportunities rather than just ways to spend ones time after class.
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Saliency of Program Learning Outcomes
The nine program outcomes were established in 2008 and have been measured each year on the
Beyond the Classroom survey. This year, 1,202 students completed the survey. The figures
represent the mean score for the statements below.
Respondents:
1,320 students in 2014
1,202 students in 2013
1,187 students in 2012
1,027 students in 2011
1,089 students in 2010
1,161 students in 2009
“Participating in co-curricular activities
has given me skills that I can use
throughout my life.”
“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I feel that I am better
at evaluating information to determine
what I believe.”
“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I believe that I better
understand the cultures of others.”
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“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I feel better able to
communicate my thoughts and ideas to
others.”
“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I pay closer attention
to important issues facing my community,
the nation or the world.”
“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I more carefully
consider the ethical implications of the
decisions I make.” *
“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I feel more capable of
leading others.”
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“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I better understand
my individual strengths and weaknesses.”
“As a result of participating in cocurricular activities, I feel that I am better
prepared to maintain a healthy lifestyle.”
*This question was reworded in 2012.
Analysis: Nearly all of our saliency measures were relatively unchanged this year with the exception
of two. Ethics was considerably up (+.18) and wellness was somewhat down (-.11). Ethics is still
slightly down from two years ago. Last year we focused on creating an SFA Way pledge that was
used by Student Government Association. This year we are broadening that to all sponsored student
organizations in student affairs. It will be interesting to see if this measure improves. Wellness is
down .36 percent since 2012. It is hard to know to what this can be attributed, but it will be
important to make staff across the division aware that we need to find ways to demonstrate learning
in wellness across our programs.
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Three-Year Trends
5
4.5
Life Skills
4
Scholarship
3.5
Cultural Competency
3
Communication
2.5
Citizenship
2
Ethics
1.5
Leadership
1
Self Knowledge
0.5
Wellness
0
2012
2013
2014
Relative Position of Learning Outcomes
4.1
Life Skills
4
Scholarship
3.9
Cultural
Communication
3.8
Citizenship
Ethics
3.7
Leadership
Self-Knowledge
3.6
Wellness
3.5
2014
Analysis: This year, we appear to have had an overall drop-off in the level at which students are aware
they are learning from co-curricular programs. However, the relative position of the learning outcomes
appears to be very similar to recent years. Next year, we should focus on helping to bolster students’
understanding of what they are learning in programs. Additionally, while rephrasing the question
related to ethics seems to make a difference, ethics would still be the lowest area of saliency in our
learning outcomes. We need to continue to stress ethical issues in our programs.
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Our Engagement Model
We have expanded our engagement model to capture engagement as a precursor to involvement,
cognizant of the ways that these developmentally progress. For a student to become a leader, they
must first become involved. For them to become involved, they must have become engaged
through an awareness of a program and some sort of peripheral contact. The model below aligns
data from the Beyond the Classroom survey to demonstrate our effectiveness in this key area.
As we move forward, we would like to increase the number of students who identify as involved
and as leaders.
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-
A popular cheer at athletics events is “Give
‘em the axe, big ‘Jacks!” Two years ago, we
took that cheer quite literally and gave
nearly 2,400 axe handles to our first-year
students. Additionally, we started a new
tradition of allowing students the
opportunity to run out with the team at
football games carrying their axe handles.
DROP IN PIA Sessions
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Personalizing an axe handle has long been a
tradition on our campus. We believed that
by giving students an axe handle we could
connect them to the university’s history but
also allow them to personalize the
experience to reflect their own personality
and values.
This section looks at the impact that these
axe handles have on the engagement of our
students.
Our Shared Values: The SFA Way Honor Code
A key resource in improving students’ awareness of ethical considerations is The SFA Way. For the
past two years, we have measured the number of students who can correctly identify the “five root
principles” of The SFA Way. We also looked at how involvement in various student organizations
related to knowledge about our honor code.
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Non-cognitive Factors in Student Success
One of the primary factors we believe to be salient in
student success is Locus of Control, which refers to
the extent to which individuals believe they can affect
the factors that lead to their success. Students with
an internal locus of control believe that their hard
work, skills and abilities will lead to success.
Students with an external locus of control tend to
ascribe success to luck, fate or powerful others.
Locus of Control was assessed asking students to rate
their agreement with the question, “One of the most
important factors in success is good luck.”
Agreement with this statement would tend to
indicate an external locus of control, whereas
disagreement would tend to indicate a more external
locus of control.
The data were analyzed by ethnicity and
some trends were apparent. There appears
to be a strong connection between ethnicity
and locus of control.
For example, African American students
were 9% higher than White students and 4%
higher than Hispanic students in their
likelihood to agree or strongly agree with the
statement that luck was an important factor
in success. Hispanic students were 5%
higher than White students in their
agreement.
One interesting note is that the percentage of
students whose answer indicates an
externalized locus of control increased from
17% last year to 20% this year. This is
surprising given the impact of raised
admission standards has had on any number
of other outcomes for first-year students.
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Family Support
Mean
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Family cares
how I do in
school
Family is
encouraging me
Family expects
me to fail
Adequate
financial support
from family
White
3.92
3.9
1.37
2.79
African American
3.94
3.86
1.38
2.55
Hispanic
3.82
3.79
1.6
2.69
Commitment
Mean
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Likely to transfer
Not really sure why
I'm attending SFA
Confident I can
graduate
White
1.7
1.13
3.75
African American
1.9
1.14
3.84
Hispanic
1.91
1.17
3.69
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Involvement
Mean
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Intend to get
involved
Want to be a
leader
Expect to learn
from
involvement
Best to wait to
get involved
White
3.49
3.01
3.5
2.78
African American
3.5
3.14
3.58
3.08
Hispanic
3.52
3.2
3.55
3.01
Academics
Mean
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Certain of major
choice
Fail to turn in
assignments in
HS
Procrastinate
Expect to make
As and Bs
White
3.52
1.51
2.12
3.62
African American
3.49
1.72
2.11
3.66
Hispanic
3.57
1.66
2.08
3.68
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ACE Workshops
In response to the challenges faced by first-generation students, we developed a program called,
“Achieving College Excellence” (ACE). First-year students are recruited during orientation. Each
year, between 350 and 450 students attend. There are workshops on ACEing College Reading,
ACEing College Math and ACEing College Study Skills. Additionally, we have a presentation on
Making Success a Choice (intended to combat external locus of control), and we invite a faculty
member who has overcome significant odds to achieve their education as a keynote speaker.
This program is assessed by sending a survey to students who sign up for the program and to
students who follow through and attend. We selected a cohort of students who indicated that
neither parent had completed college and who could be verified as having completed the pre-test,
attended the program and completed the post-test (N=17). A paired t-test was used to compare
their answers before and after the educational intervention.
The program seems to be effective in changing mindsets and increasing motivation. The data below
demonstrate that the program makes an impact in a short period of time. We selected a cohort of
students who could be verified as having completed the pre-test, attended the program and
completed the post-test (N=50). A paired t-test was used to compare their answers before and after
the educational intervention.
First-Generation Students
PRE
29% neither parent had completed a two-year
degree or higher.
POST
25% neither parent had completed a two-year
degree or higher.
I am confident that my study skills will be sufficient for succeeding in college.
Pre
Post
3.72
4.31
Significance P=0.00
Confidence 95%
I am confident that my reading skills will be sufficient for succeeding in college.
Pre
Post
4.21
4.43
Significance P=0.06
Confidence 90%
I am capable of succeeding in college.
Pre
4.68
Page | 16
Post
4.88
Significance P=0.031
Confidence 95%
Week of Reflection
The Week of Reflection is an annual program that encourages students to think about what they are
learning at SFA and how it is changing them. Through interactive events and an annual keynote
address from a prominent public figure, students are challenged to think beyond consumerist
notions of what education is for. Additionally, the program is intended to spark a joy for learning
that can be a catalyst for internal motivation for learning and provide an antidote for external
notions of locus of control. Students receive a reflection guide at each event to help prompt their
learning. This past year, 92% of the students who attended events during the Week of Reflection
and who responded to our survey said that they had taken time to read and think about our
reflection questions.
The program includes six Learning and Development outcomes…






Participants will think about what they’ve learned and how it is changing them.
Participants will indicate that the program made them think about their learning in a new
way.
Participants will express an increased commitment to their personal goals.
Participants will express an increased commitment to their educational goals.
Participants will express an increased desire to learn from their classes.
Participants will express an increased desire to learn from their cocurricular experiences.
Results
Learning and Development Outcome
The participant will think about
what they’ve learned and how it is
changing them.
The participant will indicate that the
program made them think about
their learning in a new way.
The participant will express an
increased commitment to their
personal goals.
The participant will express an
increased commitment to their
educational goals.
The participant will express an
increased desire to learn from their
classes.
The participant will express an
increased desire to learn from their
cocurricular experiences.
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Mean in 2013
3.72
Mean in 2014
3.69
3.44
3.67
3.77
3.72
3.87
3.69
3.59
3.46
3.74
3.62
Qualitative Data
• The program taught me that there is a lot to look at deep under the surface of everything
that may come my way.
• I learned that it is good to take time and reflect on your life. It prepares you for your future
and allows you to make changes for the better!
• I work so hard that I get lost in “busy.” Sitting back and seeing how much I have
accomplished makes me tear up.
2013 Omicron Delta Kappa Leadership Conference
Each year, the SFA Circle of Omicron Delta Kappa puts on the Fall Leadership Conference. This is a
key element in the common intellectual theme. Last year, the theme was “Civility and The SFA
Way.” More than 100 students attended the conference.
Learning and Development Outcome
I learned something at this event
which will improve my leadership
skills.
Mean
4.51
Events like this one make me want to
get more involved or stay involved
on campus.
What I learned from this event
connects to what I am learning or
expect to learn in my classes.
4.40
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4.14
Please provide details of what you learned that relates to improved leadership skills:
 Andrew Slack (keynote speaker) inspired me to lead with more love.
 Being courageous, and be willing to step up, take the lead and make a difference.
 I feel like I was able to see my strengths together with my future goals. I realize why I want to do
what I want to do, because of my strengths.
 I learned about my five strengths that I received when taking the strengths quiz. I believe that
this event readdressed my strengths and motivated me more to offset my strengths even more.
 I learned that what I thought were my flaws are actually my strengths and how to use them to
the best of my ability.
Freshman Leadership Academy
The Freshman Leadership Academy expanded to four sections of SFA 101 this year. Since the
program’s inception in 2004 as a student leadership retreat, it has grown each year. The class
planned and executed a high-impact project. They studied the issue of the plight of Rroma people
in Romania, raised $2500 to start a jobs program for children preparing to leave the orphanages.
Learning and Development Outcome
I have gained skills that will help me lead others more effectively.
I have made at least one friend in this class whom I plan to stay
connected with afterwards.
I know more about resources available to me as a student at SFA.
I had the opportunity to put my leadership skills into practice.
I have learned about my own individual leadership style.
I better understand how to be an ethical leader.
I am committed to The SFA Way.
I have discussed concepts from the class with someone unrelated to the
class (parents, friends from home, SFA students who not in the class).
Page | 19
Mean
4.28
4.63
4.22
4.13
4.15
4.12
4.38
4.06
Skills and Qualities Desired by Employers
Each year, the National Association of Colleges
and Employers (NACE) conducts a “Job Outlook
Survey” asking employers to rank the skills they
find most desirable when hiring college graduates.
This year, in the Beyond the Classroom survey, we
asked involved students if they were learning these
skills, and if so, if they were learning them from
their classes or through cocurricular programs.
Of the 1,202 students who completed the Beyond the
Classroom report, 710 (59%) reported that they had
participated in a student organization in the previous
year. This group’s responses were analyzed as to whether or
not they had gained the skills employers most desired
in the NACE survey.
In the past, students’ experiences outside of the
classroom were often referred to as “extra-curricular”
programs. The results make a strong case for the newer
term, “cocurricular” for these experiences. In many cases,
students are as likely (if not more likely) to gain the skills
that employers value most through their cocurricular
experiences.
NACE Skills Desired by Employers/Source
Work in Teams
Class
Cocurricular
Not at all
68.15
Class
63.7
51.3
4.54
Page | 20
Verbally Communicate
Cocurricular
Not at all
53.98
6.11
Solve Problems
Class
Cocurricular
Not at all
Obtain/Process Info
Class
Cocurricular
85.83
73.7
46.2
33.89
4.07
Plan/Prioritize Work
Class
Not at all
Cocurricular
Not at all
3.15
Analyze Data
Class
Cocurricular
Not at all
82.87
76.67
44.91
24.26
7.59
4.81
Knowledge of Job
Class
Cocurricula
Not at all
74.35
Computer Proficiency
Class
Cocurricular
69.35
32.96
24.91
10.19
Write/Edit Reports
Class
Cocurricular
Not at all
22.87
19.07
Sell/Influence Others
Class
50.65
81.02
Page | 21
Not at all
Cocurricular
Not at all
49.17
18.8
9.44
Page | 22
Analysis: In a time in which confidence in higher education is often waning, two observations
jump out from this data. First, students strongly communicate that they are gaining the skills that
employers say they want the most. There is also a clear, direct relationship between level of
involvement and attaining these skills. More students who are involved say they are gaining these
skill from their involvements outside of the classroom than students in general, and a greater
percentage of student leaders say they are gaining these skills compared to both involved students
and students in general.
This direct relationship makes a strong case for the role of cocurricular involvement in the learning
and development of students in college.
Page | 23
During the past few years, readership of The Pine Log has dropped precipitously. Along with that
finding has come a decrease in the numbers of students who believe the publication is relevant to
them. As a result, this fall The Pine Log will move to once-weekly publication with an increased
emphasis on original content stories posted to a re-designed and re-energized web site. To drive
readers to the publication, a social media editor is being added to the staff. Among the
responsibilities of this position is utilizing various forms of social media to convince the campus
community of the newspaper's relevance to their daily lives. A new program utilizing members of
campus organizations to help distribute The Pine Log to the campus community is also in the
works.
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Readership of The Pine Log
100
50
0
2009
2010
2011
Read All/Most
2012
2013
2014
Read Occasionally
On a positive note, students who do regularly read The Pine Log say that it makes them more
informed about what is going on at the university and slightly less than half say that it makes them
engage more actively in events and programs on campus. Nearly a third of students say that it also
informs them of national and international issues.
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
82.59
28.98
10.37
Know more about what's going
on at SFA
More actively engage in campus
events/programs
Know more about national and
international issues
Know more about what's going on at SFA
More actively engage in campus events/programs
Know more about national and international issues
Page | 25
Analysis: Last year, the Health Clinic began billing student insurance. Students who were not insured
continued to be seen in the Health Clinic. We were concerned that students might mistakenly believe
that if they did not have insurance that they would not receive care in the Health Clinic. We are pleased
that the percentage of students who visited the health clinic rose.
Page | 26
Career Services
Career Services exists to empower students and alumni to achieve life-long career success. We
fulfill this mission through individualized assistance, diverse career development programs, and
collaboration with both internal and external partners concentrated on career goal achievements.
Page | 27






In the 2012-2013 Beyond the Classroom report, we published data that demonstrated that
readership of The Pine Log student newspaper was declining. In response, the Office of Student
Publications employed a number of strategies to improve. The newspaper was reduced from
twice weekly to once per week. Additionally, emphasis was placed on improving the online and
social media presence of the paper. Data published in this year’s Beyond the Classroom report
demonstrate that this approach is working and should continue to develop in the coming year.
For many years we have collected data on the percentage of students who engage in
cocurricular opportunities. We have identified a concern that we lacked capacity to increase the
number of involved students. In response, we created a new sponsored student organization
called, “Purple Haze Association.” This organization was designed to take as many students as
desired to participate. In the second year of existence, the organization now has more than 300
active members.
In the 2011-2012 Beyond the Classroom report, we reported a first-time, full-time retention rate
of 63.4%. The Freshman Leadership Academy provides a significant means of engagement and
provides first-year students with high impact experiences. Research has demonstrated that
participation in high-impact experiences tends to lead to greater persistence. In response, we
nearly doubled the size of Freshman Leadership Academy from two sections with a total of 46
students in 2012 to four sections with a total of 83 in 2013. The impact of this growth on
retention of participants will continue to be studied this year.
Each year Campus Recreation sends a user satisfaction survey to all students as well as faculty,
staff and alumni members. The survey focuses on a wide variety of items from programs
offered to the cleanliness of the facility. A resounding response was noticed in regards to
patron satisfaction of facility hours. After looking deeper into the specific comments it was
determined that the previous opening time of noon on Saturdays seemed to be the main issue.
After looking at the pros and cons of changing the time, it was decided that a test period would
be used to see if more participation occurred and if positive feedback would follow. Following
the change of opening the facility at 10a, we noticed a significant increase of patrons using the
gym from 10 a.m. to noon. We have since made the change permanent and have worked to
find other creative ways to work within our budget while providing extra hours to our
constituents.
Club Sports added leadership workshop opportunities because of the amount of students who
responded to their survey that said leadership was a primary motivation for joining sport clubs.
An important institutional goal has been to improve the persistence of first-year students.
Internal research has shown that the retention of historically under-represented groups has
been significantly below that of other students. In response, the Office of Multicultural Affairs
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created the AxCel Mentorship program last year. More than 100 students participated as
mentees and 20 students served as mentors.
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