Retention Initiatives
Progress Report
No.
2
A bi-monthly update for the Pace Community on Retention
February 2015
Compiled by Sue Maxam, Adelia Williams and Adèle MacKinlay
OVERVIEW
We are pleased to issue the second bi-monthly
newsletter on the progress of many initiatives
focused on improving the student experience at
Pace. The retention plan’s primary objectives are to
strengthen academic excellence, improve advising,
and enhance the co-curricular experience as part of
an intentional strategy to improve the first year
retention rate.
ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
Teaching Circles: The new Center for Faculty
Development and Teaching Innovation (formerly
CTLT) is hosting a series of events this spring for
faculty and chairs, including the Best Practices
Conference on Friday, February 27 at the White
Plains Graduate Center on Shared Responsibility:
Student- Faculty Engagement. Both students and
faculty will be presenting, and are invited to attend.
Information for all events, including registration is
at: http://www.pace.edu/faculty-center/events.
Late Start Courses: This spring, as part of the
Provost’s Triple Play program designed to help
students “finish in four,” 17 late start courses are
being offered throughout the University: 6 for
Pleasantville, 8 in NYC, and 3 online. Last semester
there were 4 such courses offered, so this
represents a 425% increase!
Weekly Academic Mentoring in Residence Halls
in NYC: In an effort to foster a “culture of study”,
the Division for Student Success and Residential
Life continue partnering to lead Setter Study Nights
in the first year residence halls this spring. (Last fall,
close to 200 students participated in the program).
Tutors from the Tutoring and Writing Centers
provide individual academic support two evenings
a week (one in each hall where first year students
reside) to those in attendance. Additionally,
Advisors and librarians will be brought in at specific
times during the semester.
Setter Study Nights for first-year students in NYC
Extended Library Hours: The Mortola Library in
PLV and the Birnbaum Library in NYC both piloted
extended hours during the last 3 weeks of the
semester with the Mortola Library being open 24
hours and the Birnbaum Library being open until
2:00 a.m. There was significant student attendance
on both campuses, so the libraries will again offer
these extended hours in the spring semester from
April 27 through May 15, 2015.
Tutoring Center Usage: The NYC Tutoring Center
saw a 14% increase in the number of individual
students visiting over last year. The most significant
accomplishment was the Supplemental Reviews
sessions. This greatly helped relieve overcrowding
right before exams, and allowed students to get
more individual attention during regular walk-in
tutoring.
During the Fall 2014 semester the
Tutoring Center in Pleasantville had an overall
increase in student visits for each month, with the
total number of visits being 1539. This represents a
52% increase compared to the Fall of 2013. The
most significant accomplishments were the support
of developmental mathematics and the expansion
of supported courses.
Pace Path for the Spring Semester: As noted in
the December 2014 newsletter, the Pace Path was
rolled out to first year students in the fall through
UNV 101. This spring, the focus is on the following:
(1) continued work on each student’s individual
four year plan and use of e-Portfolio; (2)
opportunities for students to expand professional
competencies
and
intellectual
growth
by
sponsoring programs on career and major
exploration, study abroad, undergraduate research,
civic engagement, honor societies, and internships;
(3) having students write a year end reflective essay;
(4) coaching First Year Advisors to bring all
elements into their individual spring meetings to
encourage progress on the Pace Path; (5) continued
work with the schools and their Pace Path
representative to ensure an effective transition; (6)
piloting the Purdue Passport as a tracking and
monitoring tool; and 7) assessing the fall
experience and plans for the fall and transition of
the Pace Path from pilot to a regular and significant
component of undergraduate education at Pace.
Increased Study Hours: The Fall 2014 data
indicates an overall increase of 10% in first year
student-reported study hours, which was the goal
for the fall 2014 semester. It rose from an average
of 7.72 study hours per week to 8.55 hours, and this
is progress towards our ultimate goal of 17 study
hours per week (the national average).
CO-CURRICULAR EXPERIENCE
You Asked, We Acted: This semester the University
kicked off a six week campaign to highlight the
steps Pace has taken to implement many of our
students’ suggestions for improvement.
The
campaign goal is to ensure students have a greater
voice in determining their college experience.
Students suggested more information on majors,
minors and combined degree programs. We acted
with the Majors Series. The Majors Series highlights
Pace’s various academic programs and related
career opportunities. From requests for online and
remote math placement exams, to more first
semester course choice flexibility, enhanced
financial aid information, and more student
relaxation spaces, we’re listening and acting to
improve our students’ Pace experience. Please get
in
touch
with
any
further
ideas
at
youasked@pace.edu. Students can also share their
feedback through the NSSE survey which opens for
all first year and senior students on February 19th.
We are expecting a high participation rate.
You Asked We Acted Banner
Parent Outreach: In an effort to engage parents,
guardians and families, the Development and
Alumni Relations Office has created an online
“parent community” to help them feel more
connected to each other and the University. To this
end, there is now a monthly parent newsletter
(which has garnered a positive response) as well as
a website for parents and families (that is being
strengthened and formally launched in March
2015).
First Year Interest Groups (FIGs): The Pleasantville
campus offers FIGs, which are themed communities
that bring together first-year students with
university staff and faculty. Each FIG has a
dedicated faculty member and resources to help
connect them to the university. Within the FIG,
students have a chance to connect with peers
interested in that same theme. As part of a
concerted effort to strengthen FIGs, in Fall 2014, a
faculty advisory board, a student committee and
planning committee have all worked to restructure
the FIG selection process, recruit additional faculty
involvement, train staff in programming efforts and
assist in planning for FIGs in Alumni Hall in fall
2015. Highlights include:

Residential Life Programming in NYC: In an
attempt to fully engage and retain residential
students, the NYC campus offered (and assessed)
321 programs in the residence halls for Fall 2014
(versus 317 in Fall 2013). Additionally, a total of
6,028 “individually swiped” residential students
attended programs throughout Fall 2014 (an
increase from 5,739 students in Fall 2013). Lastly,
there were 14 theme floors offered to first year
students this year versus 12 last year.
100% of FIGs have faculty partners, an
increase from 50% in fall 2013

65 FIG programs occurred in the residence
halls in fall 2014

FIGs participated in Week of Welcome for
the first time in fall 2014
Professional Service Standards: One of the most
significant ways in which we can enhance the
student experience is by ensuring that every
interaction with every student is high-quality,
informative and engaging. We are in the process of
developing a strategy to address concerns that lead
to poor student service in key student service areas
throughout the University. Watch this space!
First Gens program in NYC: Launched in Fall
2014, 1stGens is a monthly discussion group for first
generation college students allowing them to meet
with other first generation students and get
connected to academic and professional resources.
First generation students are one of the
populations at Pace (and nationwide) identified as
at higher than average risk of attrition.
A Civility Week flyer of events headed up by the
Civility Collateral in NYC
Coordination of efforts for “at risk” student
populations: A University-wide committee has
been formed to coordinate the programs and
efforts for “at-risk” students. The committee is
working to review all of the current programs
focused on vulnerable populations; conduct
benchmarking of best practices; administer a needs
assessment (from the students’ perspective); and
prepare a set of recommendations for Pace to
address identified challenges.
ACADEMIC ADVISING
1stGens interest flyer in NYC
Transfer Credit Evaluations (TCE) – This semester,
the TCE committee made numerous advances in
working to create a smoother, more efficient and
much more timely TCE process as this has been a
perennial challenge and great source of frustration
for students and staff. These include: (1) creating a
listserv to disseminate important information
regarding TCEs in order to help us better assist our
students; (2) updating the list of credit evaluators
for schools and departments; (3) working with
certain departments on waiving the need for syllabi
for select entry/mid-level course credit approval; (4)
sending an automated courtesy email to notify
advisors of students whose transfer credit
evaluation is incomplete (thereby ensuring advisors
have accurate and timely TCE information to best
advise students); and (5) creating and using a
tutorial on TCEs beginning at Winter 2015
Orientations (and shown during advisement
sessions as needed).
Advising Institute: Pace’s 2nd Annual Advising
Institute was held in January 2015 with over 50
participants. The theme for the day was “Renewing
our Passion by Helping Students Discover Theirs”
and sessions were conducted on the Pace Path,
Study Abroad, Degree Works, and Best Practices.
This is part of the overarching plan to provide
professional development and support for
Academic Advisors.
Advising in the Residence Halls: Due to popular
demand, opportunities for students to receive
advising in their residence halls were offered on
both campuses for one evening during the fall
advisement period. This will continue in this
semester in order to “meet the needs of the
students where they are.”
For feedback or information on how you can
participate in the implementation of the
retention plan, please contact Adelia Williams,
Adèle MacKinlay or Sue Maxam.