2009-2010
Student Success Task Force
Report
STUDENT SUCCESS TASK FORCE REPORT
Submitted to:
Ralph Wilcox, Ph.D., Provost and Executive Vice President
Jennifer Meningall, Ed.D., Vice President, Student Affairs
By
Paul J. Dosal, Ph.D., Chair,
The 2009-2010 Student Success Task Force:
April 15, 2010
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Joanne M. Adamchack
William Garrison
Karen Liller
Beatrice Smith
Manish Agrawal
Ginny Gates-Fowler
Thomas Longo
Andrew Smith
Devin Ambron
Linda Gerlich
Manuel Lopez
J. Robert Spatig
Kevin Banks
Andrew Goodrich
Sandy Lovins
Samantha Spedoske
Catherine Batsche
Rod Hale
Jeffrey Mack
Michael Stewart
Michael Bowen
Larry Hall
Patricia Maher
Bob Sullins
Leellen Brigman
Billie Jo Hamilton
Kimberly Mallard
Marcia Taylor
Philip Bryson
Lada Harland
Gary Manka
Egilda Terenzi
Kiki Caruson
Marnie Hauser
Carion Marcelin
Matt Torrence
Jacqui Cash
Amy Haworth
Brandi Matthews
Peter Trakas
Stephen Charles
Kate Hebert
Thomas Miller
Travis Thompson
Velma Clark
Ana Hernandez
Lesley Miller, Jr.
Nick Trivunovich
Katharine Cole
Frank Hernandez
Alicia Monroe
Tracy Tyree
Jerry Collins
Albert Hine
Marvin Moore
Ted Van Vleet
Thora Collymore
Michael Hoad
Michael Moore
Fairfax Vickers
Guy Conway
John Hodgson
Janet Moore
Paulette Walker
Jody Conway
Drema Howard
John Morgan
Dennis Walpole
William Cummings
Eric Hunter
Adrian Nagy
John Wiencek
Nancy Cunningham
Dwayne Isaacs
Cynthia Newhouse Bacheller
Bob Wigden
Tapas Das
Jacob Jackson
Jackie Nelson
Diane Williams
Jose De Jesus
Winston Jones
Dorie Paine
Viancca Williams
Angela Debose
Alan Kent
Rafael Perez
Wallace Wilson
Jennifer Espinola
Carol Kerrigan
Susan Phillips
Naomi Yavneh
Lynda Farris
Brent Lamons
Rick Pollenz
Regina Young Hyatt
Patsy Feliciano
Cayla Lanier
R. Stephen RiCharde
Cheryl Zambroski
Robert Forsythe
Jay Lawrence
Keri Riegler
Trudie Frecker
Barton Lee
Alison Robinson
Valeria Garcia
Lagretta Lenker
Jenifer Schneider
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Table of Contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................................................4
PRIORITIZED SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS for 2010/2011 ...........................7
PRIORITIZED LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2020/2021 ........................16
Recent Efforts to Enhance Student Success ..................................................................................25
Previous Task Forces ........................................................................................................25
Reforms and Initiatives .....................................................................................................26
Recent Achievements .......................................................................................................63
The 2009-10 USF Tampa Student Success Task Force .................................................................68
Student Success Task Force Team Reports...................................................................................77
Team 1 Student Readiness ................................................................................................77
Team 2 Student Support Services and Policies ..................................................................82
Team 3 Access and Affordability.................................................................................... 102
Team 4 Instruction.......................................................................................................... 108
Team 5 Campus Experience ........................................................................................... 122
Team 6 Graduate Experience .......................................................................................... 134
Team 7 Student Experience ............................................................................................ 141
Team 8 Curriculum ........................................................................................................ 148
Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 156
References ................................................................................................................................. 158
Appendix ................................................................................................................................... 161
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On November 5, 2009, Ralph Wilcox, Provost and Executive Vice President, and Jennifer
Meningall, Vice President, Student Affairs, convened a Student Success Task Force (SSTF) and
charged it to:
 “establish goals for USF, 2010/2011 through 2020/2021, framed around policy,
practices, programs, personnel and performance; and
 “Present actionable and prioritized recommendations for radically transforming Student
Success at USF (by April 15, 2010).”
Operational Definition of Student Success
Drs. Wilcox and Meningall also charged the SSTF to develop an operational definition of
student success that would include measureable objectives. The leaders of the eight task force
teams considered definitions utilized at other institutions and adopted the following operational
definition:
The University of South Florida will empower students to succeed through educationally
purposeful activities, initiatives, and accountability measures that will ensure that
students are retained and graduated at higher than predicted rates, with higher degrees
of satisfaction and minimal financial indebtedness, and are employed or enter graduate,
professional, or post-doctoral programs at high rates, having acquired the skills,
knowledge and dispositions to succeed in any of those endeavors they pursue.
Recommendations
To achieve these goals and enhance student success, the Student Success Task Force
identified three fundamental reforms that are prerequisites for the successful implementation of its
short and long term recommendations:
1.
Institutionalize Student Success as a Permanent Priority of USF.
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Soon after the 2009-2010 Student Success Task Force initiated its work, the value of a
university-wide body with broad and deep representation became readily apparent. The scope of
the mission and the charge given to the Task Force also revealed the importance of engaging
student success issues continuously. Relevant data must be collected, analyzed, and applied;
reforms have to be designed, implemented, monitored, and evaluated. To carry out the work of the
Task Force and ensure that the university continues to focus on the means by which it can enhance
student success, the Task Force concluded that the process and a scaled-down structure of the
Student Success Task Force should be institutionalized.
The University should designate a permanent body such as a Council on Student Success,
with broad representation (similar to that of the Student Success Task Force itself), that would
continue the work of identifying means to enhance student success; implement or follow-up on the
recommendations in the Task Force Reports; initiate, suggest, or evaluate research related to
student success; and recommend appropriate actions and activities that will ensure continued
emphasis on student success university-wide.
2.
Integrate student success into the institutional culture of USF.
To succeed in our efforts to enhance student success, an institutional cultural change must
occur, to the extent that all employees recognize that the success of our students is the top priority
of USF. The formation of a Council on Student Success is a necessary but insufficient step toward
creating a learning environment more conducive to and supportive of student success.
The
behavior, attitudes, and values of all administrators, faculty, and staff must also change to
accommodate and promote the renewed emphasis on the success of our undergraduate and
graduate students. Faculty must recognize that they are here to teach and mentor students as well
as conduct research; administrators should recognize that the ultimate goal of their work is to
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ensure the timely progression of our students toward their career and educational goals; staff
should recognize that their work is also critical to ensuring the timely progression of our students
toward their degrees and achievement of their academic goals.
Toward these ends, the university should use every opportunity and every available means
to promote institutional cultural change.
Through lecture series, conferences, symposia,
incentives, accountability measures, training programs, marketing efforts, and more, USF should
create an institutional culture that facilitates and supports student success.
3.
The university should build an institutional research capacity to support
student success initiatives.
The Student Success Task Force recognized that it lacked much of the quantitative and
qualitative data that was required to conduct appropriate analyses to make informed decisions
about where to invest scare resources and prioritize efforts. The development or expansion of
USF’s institutional research capacity is a fundamental prerequisite for the successful
implementation of the recommendations that follow. With additional resources, student success
researchers would conduct the qualitative and quantitative research projects—many of them
identified in the Task Force Report—that are necessary to inform decisions about proposed
changes in policies, assist in the development of new or improved programs and services, and
provide support for other actions and initiatives designed to improve student success.
On these three foundations, the 2009-10 Student Success Task Force is honored to present
prioritized short and long term recommendations framed around policy, practices, programs,
personnel, and performance. To accommodate several recommendations framed around space and
facilities, the team added a sixth category, physical infrastructure.
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PRIORITIZED SHORT TERM RECOMMENDATIONS for 2010/2011
POLICY
1.
Review and Revise Academic Progress Policies to promote student success and
progress toward degree completion.
The university should review and make appropriate revisions to academic progress policies
(i.e., course withdrawal without academic penalty, academic probation and dismissal,
Former Student Returning (FSR) admission, and Academic Renewal) to ensure that those
policies encourage student success and progress toward degree completion. The revised
policies should include:
•
A reduction in the number of courses that students may drop without academic
penalty and the possible extension of the deadline for dropping courses until the
last week of classes for the term but before final exams are taken;
•
A focus on identifying changes that will make it possible for students who are
very close to having the required minimum GPA to continue to make degree
progress more easily as long as they are also making clear progress toward
achieving their required GPA and that would lead to a more timely dismissal of
students who have little or no chance of success; and
•
A focus on identifying changes that would allow the readmission only of those
students with some promise of academic success.
2.
Compose a team (or hire consultants) to evaluate, study, and recommend
means to promote an institutional culture that demands, values, and rewards
the highest levels of service.
USF should take immediate action to improve service quality throughout campus.
Students, faculty, and administrators alike recognize and complain frequently about the
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“USF shuffle,” a popular expression that captures the frustrations experienced by students
and employees as they directed from one office to another to complete processes and
answer questions.
The level of bureaucracy and the difficulties students face in
maneuvering through it cause significant frustration among students, who consider the
administrative procedures ambiguous, punitive and burdensome. One student described the
shuffle: “the aggravation of the red tape and nonsense that springs up unexpectedly to
enroll in a class, etc., has been staggering.”
The immediate steps the university can take to improve the quality of service throughout
campus and eliminate the USF shuffle include but are not limited to:
•
Revamp new employee orientation to include a core component on service;
•
Hire additional IT development staff that can maximize the use of technology
and social media to facilitate service-oriented work and communicate more
effectively with campus constituents, most importantly students;
•
Implement a comprehensive effort to assess the service quality that includes
departmental accountability for responding to results;
•
Identify and remove key barriers for students and employees to navigating USF
business procedures.
PRACTICES
1. Develop a Student Experience Calendar interface to promote greater student
engagement with campus activities.
One of the constant complaints we hear from students is that they are not aware of
what is going on around campus. We propose a Student Experience Calendar. The
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student experience calendar integrates all events that provide students opportunities
to be engaged and connected to the University. The system must also integrate
currently existing USF technologies that promote student programs and events. The
calendar affords a greater opportunity for information sharing amongst students and
university partners
2. Encourage students to check the availability of a major at USF that matches their
personal interests. Students should be expected to consult with an advisor prior to
enrollment to confirm compatibility between their interests and course offerings
and requirements in the major.
3.
Colleges and departments should investigate the causes of low pass rates in
courses with high “D”, “W” and “F” grades to determine the underlying
causes of low success rates and then identify ways to reduce those difficulties.
Possible targets for investigation include:
•
The likelihood that some students are underprepared for the courses and there
may be value in strengthening course prerequisites or more effective placement
testing;
•
Instruction in some of the courses might be inadequate, indicating a need for
changing faculty assignments in these courses, providing faculty development,
or employing instructional methods such as Supplemental Instruction; and/or
•
The possibility that students are making multiple attempts to pass courses for
which they lack the ability, indicating the possible need to restrict further
enrollments after two attempts.
4.
Improve the evaluation process for faculty, adjunct instructors, and graduate
teaching assistants who assist instructors, in particular, providing increased
support for those who teach in the general education curriculum. The
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evaluation process for anyone who interacts with students, i.e., academic
advisors and counselors, should be improved to enhance performance and
service.
5.
Extend office hours and/or expand program offerings that are critical to the
student experience.
As USF transforms into a “primarily residential” campus, extending or expanding
services and programs should become the norm or the cost of doing business.
Services or programs that should be extended or expanded as the residential
community grows include but are not limited to: Living learning communities;
faculty-in-residence programs; Bull Runner services; counseling services; student
health services; weekend activities organized by the Center for Student Involvement
in the Tampa Bay Metropolitan area.
PROGRAMS
1.
Strengthen academic advising services continuously.
• Provide funding and resources to continue filling the targeted number of fulltime advising positions needed to reach adequate staffing as well as for space
modifications to allow for the shift in personnel.
•
Develop a consistent training process for new advisors. To accomplish this, an
advisor training manual is needed which outlines standard expectations for all
USF advisors and a consistent training philosophy with modules for advisors to
master, including a career development component. A mentoring program
between current and new advisors is also recommended. Opportunities for
professional development need to be increased including participation at
professional conferences (NACADA).
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•
Assessment and evaluation of advising units is needed. A systematic plan,
whether created campus-wide or within advising units, should immediately be
established to demonstrate accountability. Regular assessment to determine
whether and to what degree the stated mission, goals, and outcomes are being
met is needed and data collected should include feedback from students and
other affected constituencies.
•
Advising needs to collaborate with the Career Center and Graduate School to
create a consistent training program for all advisors to assist students with
career planning issues and post-baccalaureate opportunities, including doctoral
students preparing for new postdoctoral scholar or faculty positions.
2. Ensure that the annual base budget of the library covers, minimally, annual
increases in online collection costs (online databases, e-book package, on-line
journal subscriptions) and monograph purchases.
The library’s ability to continue to maintain and build upon the level of resources
now available to faculty and students has become, over the last several years,
increasingly unachievable as a result of the library’s stagnant materials budget and
the rising cost of online journal subscriptions, e-book and database packages, and
monographs. Annual budget increases are critical to the sustainment and
development of collections but also necessary to achieve membership in the
Association of Research Libraries (ARL). To become an ARL member, the USF
Libraries must demonstrate an ongoing and increasing budget commitment to
collection building. ARL membership for USF Libraries is one of many important
objectives the university must achieve for membership in the Association of
American Universities (AAU).
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3.
Provide the resources for the development of a student-centered technology
training and multimedia center. This center, located in the library and staffed
with experts in instructional technology, will guide and support students in the
creation of multimedia, video, digital projects in fulfillment of course
objectives.
4.
Collaborate with administrative and student service units on campus to
develop on-the-job training and professional development and funding
resources for assistantships and/or fellowship opportunities for graduate
students.
5. Increase support for successful instruction through the C21TE and the library.
Increased support is critical for successful instruction through the C21TE and the
library, including online workshops and tutorials, more advanced workshops,
sessions on location in departments, organized networking with other faculty,
improved resources on the C21TE and library websites, increased support for
teaching with instructional technologies and online, and support groups and
Institutes for faculty with specific needs, such as advanced online teaching issues,
large group teaching, active learning, basic Blackboard support, and in
collaboration with the library, dealing with intellectual property issues. It is also
necessary to develop an orientation and ongoing training and support for students to
learn instructional technology for Blackboard and other learning tools; and develop
a mandatory distance learning orientation for students
6. Increase resources of the University Experience program to expand UE offerings.
For many students, navigating the system can be overwhelming. The structure and
contents of the University Experience course provides students with pertinent
information related to University resources.
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7.
Strengthen Counseling Center services.
Student demand for counseling services is high and increasing, especially for more
intensive counseling rather than developmental issues. Students currently encounter
a significant delay in scheduling non-emergency counseling due to staffing
shortage. Demand is anticipated to increase with the growing number of residential
students, returning veterans and international students. With adequate staffing,
outreach activities could be conducted to expose a greater number of students to
counseling services and partnerships with other areas such as Learning/Tutoring
Services could further be developed and more workshops delivered. More in-depth
counseling to a greater number of students with more serious needs as well as
emergency counseling situations would be better accommodated. Immediate steps
include:
•
Hire additional Counseling Center staff to reduce the current counselor/student
ratio from 1:3300-4000 ratio to the national average of 1:1950 (approximately
seven new hires).
•
Further analysis of “need” with regard to AD/HD testing, in collaboration with
Student Disability Services.
•
Develop a centralized data point for all student services to promote
programming and referrals.
8. Strengthen Veteran Services.
The Office of Veterans Services is currently serving over 1,000 veteran students.
This has created a work overload for the office’s only certifying official. In light of
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the new G.I. Bill and partnership and recent public relations campaign
acknowledging USF as a “veteran-friendly” campus, USF should anticipate and
prepare for a significant increase in its veteran student population. Immediate steps
include:
•
Hiring two additional full-time employees.
•
Initiate an analysis of current and future space needs.
•
Provide a post-orientation information session for Veteran Students.
•
Engage in more aggressive campus outreach to “educate” advisors and
other offices
9.
Initiate strategies to increase student financial assistance.
The rising costs of higher education are making it increasingly difficult for students
to finance their dreams of earning a post-secondary degree. The university should
do everything possible to provide adequate financial aid to students, particularly
those with limited financial resources. These strategies should include advocating
for financial aid reforms at the state and federal level as well as developing the
resources to allocate more institutional aid to students.
PERSONNEL
1. Expand on-campus job opportunities for students and create a formalized internship
program which develops paid, credit-earning internship opportunities.
Recent research indicates that students leave college primarily due to work demands.
Increased employment opportunities on-campus would alleviate work-related distractions
to student success for those students able to secure on-campus employment. The higher the
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number of employment opportunities, the greater the potential increase in student success.
Similarly, increasing paid, credit-earning internship opportunities would help meet
students’ financial needs while also providing relevant work experience. To facilitate
student access to internships, the university should develop a centralized internship process,
a single place, i.e., the Career Center, where students can inquire about the availability of
internship opportunities.
2. Create a Student Concierge office.
The purpose of this new office is to eliminate the “USF shuffle” and create a one stop
location where students can find information they need to be successful at USF. It will
require an inventory of all programs and services that students need to be successful. A
website can be developed (Virtual FAQ) that directs student to the appropriate offices when
they have questions or concerns. Perhaps students or campus operators can be trained to
answer a FAQ hotline to respond to student inquiries that supports student success and
availing university resources.
3. Designate a person or office to lead a strategic and comprehensive effort to enhance
student success.
Best practices at other institutions have demonstrated that the designation of a single
individual or center to supervise and coordinate student success efforts at all levels is an
effective means of enhancing graduation and retention rates. While the university has or
will soon implement policies, programs, and practices to enhance student success, there is
value to be gained in centralizing efforts and eliminating the silos in which these initiatives
too often operate.
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PERFORMANCE
1.
Repeat the Graduating Student Survey of 2005 to assess if there have been any
changes in the attitudes, perceptions, or satisfactions of graduating students.
2.
Implement an automated exit survey for graduating undergraduate/graduate
students as part of a graduation application package to assess if the attitudes,
perceptions, or satisfactions of graduating students have been met.
3.
Develop and implement an alumni survey to assess attitudes, perceptions, and
satisfaction of alumni.
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
1.
Provide urgently needed physical improvements to buildings and the campus,
focusing on upkeep and maintenance of lighting, cleanliness, obstructed views,
and temperature control.
2.
Commit to classroom improvements, including furnishings, to enhance the
learning environment.
3.
Secure a University work order process to report custodial, facility and
grounds concerns.
PRIORITIZED LONG TERM RECOMMENDATIONS FOR 2020/2021
POLICY
1.
Review registration policies and consider offering “guaranteed” courses.
Students have indicated that they often cannot get into the classes that they need when they
need them.
They will frequently take other classes so that their financial aid is not
jeopardized. Further, certain classes may only be offered once a year. When this is the
case, students may wait months before they can get into the classes that they need. If the
classes happen to be a prerequisite to other classes in the students’ majors, then they are
unable to move forward in their majors and often fill the time with classes outside of their
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majors. To offer the course guarantee to students, the university will also have to develop
the capacity (in terms of faculty resources, physical space, and distance learning) to meet
student demand for classes.
PRACTICES
1.
Reform the University infrastructure to facilitate collaboration between
student service programs.
The University’s current infrastructure does not easily lend itself to a seamless flow of
information for students. While there are many programs designed to promote student
retention, these programs do not interact with each other in a structured or formal manner.
2.
Establish a multi-faceted early warning system to identify students pre- and
post-enrollment who exhibit academic behavior that puts them at risk for degree
progression.
At-risk students need additional guidance and structure in order to attain their career goals.
More intrusive academic advising and course restrictions, tutoring, financial planning
assistance, career counseling, among other services, will contribute to more focused and
reduced degree cost to the student.
3.
Colleges and departments should review their undergraduate and graduate
curricula and identify barriers to timely graduation (i.e., for undergraduate four
years of full-time enrollment) and then work to find ways to eliminate those barriers.
Possible problems that should be investigated include:
•
Lack of availability of required courses because of insufficient faculty;
•
Specific required courses with high failure or withdrawal rates that may indicate
a need for improved instruction or enhanced prerequisites for the courses;
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•
Practices that allow students to continue in programs in which their prior
academic performance indicates little chance of success; and/or
•
Lack of appropriate program/major options for students who progress well into
the upper level work before discovering that they are not sufficiently prepared
to complete the more advanced required work.
4.
Restructure the first two years of college in the form of a University College,
emulating best practices at AAU universities such as the University of Florida.
Bring student academic success under a dean who would oversee general education courses
and advising for all freshmen and sophomore students and including units such as the
Writing Center and the Tutoring and Learning Center. A new category of full-time USF
faculty teaching four courses in a “University College” could be in teaching tracks in their
own departments and evaluated on their teaching.
5.
Develop strategies to help administrative and academic units that serve
students better understand who our constituents are at USF.
The demographic profiles of our students are changing rapidly and we must adapt the
delivery of services and programs to meet the demands of traditional and nontraditional
students.
6.
Centralize and strengthen the advising structure within all colleges.
•
Create a promotion track for advisors similar to the new instructor promotion track.
•
Explore adoption of a more developmental advising model and create a plan for
implementation.
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PROGRAMS
1.
Implement Academic Tracking.
The university should move as quickly as possible to implement the Academic Tracking
program that was designed for implementation nearly five years ago. When implemented,
the system should include resources to provide guaranteed access to classes such that the
university might implement a “Finish in Four” program that will cause students who will
make the necessary commitment to full-time work to graduate in four years. This tracking
system should also be considered for graduate students.
2.
The university should explore additional methods to expand the emphasis on
the development of writing skills for all undergraduate and graduate students.
Models at other large research institutions should be investigated and models that show
promise for improving writing among USF’s students should be adopted.
3.
Develop three- to six-hour long semi-annual training programs for academic
advisors, with program content guided by student feedback.
The goal of these programs should be to improve the service quality of the advisors and to
improve consistency of service. Outside advising experts may be brought in to offer these
programs. Program content may include topics such as identifying students who need
assistance, identifying student needs, customer-service practices, and advising techniques.
4.
Provide the resources necessary for Tutoring and Learning Services to support
student success in high risk courses and the most demanding academic programs.
Decentralized academic support became centralized in Fall 2009 with the opening of the
Learning Commons in the Library, and it has been a tremendous success. However, it is
already stretched to capacity and will require additional funding to maintain and expand its
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services to meet growing student demand. Two crucial grants (STEM and Virtual Learning
Commons) will end within next two years.
Permanent and adequate funding for the
Learning Commons should be provided through a line item in the budget. Additional steps
include:
•
Fund an additional full—time instructor to provide supplemental instruction courses
and increase offerings of REA courses (addressing critical reading/writing skills) and
workshops.
•
Hire an additional 50 tutors at a cost of about $360,000 per year
•
Phase in additional resources and staff in conjunction with enrollment growth and
student needs.
•
Expand tutoring services to include additional disciplines.
•
Expand Learning Commons to an entire floor of library to address immediate space
needs. Unite Writing Lab with tutoring area so that services are on same floor.
•
Create a Learning Center building (preferably part of the proposed Digital Library and
Learning Center) that could house several academic and support services resources for
students.
•
Further analyze supplemental instruction model and, if opt for adoption, create phase-in
plan.
5.
Establish and properly fund additional living learning communities.
The university should identify resources necessary to implement additional living learning
communities that integrate curricular and residential experiences in many fields of interest
to students, similar to those now offered for business, engineering and honors students.
Possible topics include: the arts, sustainability, global village, and community engagement.
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Comparable models that replicate the features of living learning communities should be
developed for students not residing on campus.
6.
The university should provide additional resources to the Career Center to
implement programs and services that incorporate the career development process
early in the undergraduate and graduate experience.
•
Career development needs to be brought back into the classroom. Students are not
“finding” the Career Center until very late in their academic careers, notably in the
latter part of their senior year. This is too late for effective guidance with regard to
career development and post-degree planning.
•
Institute a career-development requirement for students. For undergraduates, this might
entail a requirement of an appointment with a career counselor during the sophomore
year. For graduates, this might entail some kind of structured activities in collaboration
with Career Center to focus on their career needs as well.
7.
Provide additional support to enhance the quality of and quantity of distance
learning courses.
Additional steps to strengthen distance learning programs include:
•
Offer incentives and course release time to convert courses to online;
•
Increase the number of instructional designers and other staff to support
conversions;
•
Invest in instructional technology for use in online course design;
•
Provide resources to establish test proctoring services for both face-to-face and
online students and faculty.
8.
Engage in strategies to increase student financial assistance.
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The university should maintain a constant focus on student financial aid, given the
increasing reliance of students on work and loans to finance their post-secondary education.
Providing adequate financial resources to students requires a long-term commitment to
raising funds for student aid as well as advocating for reforms at the state and national
level.
PERSONNEL
1.
Ensure that more full-time faculty members teach undergraduate students.
There is research showing that students who are taught by large proportions of part-time
faculty are likely to be retained at a lower rate than those taught predominantly by full-time
faculty. The university should commit resources to grow the faculty in areas where parttime instructors teach a large proportion of undergraduate courses. Further, the university
should develop clear expectations in faculty teaching assignments that lead to increased
proportions of undergraduate courses taught by full-time faculty, matching the proportions
found at AAU peer institutions. Substantial progress in this area probably will require
changes in the Tenure and Promotion criteria and other incentive programs to make it more
attractive for faculty to be more involved with undergraduate teaching.
2.
Decrease the student/faculty ratio to enhance the learning environment and
reduce class sizes significantly.
In 2008, the student to faculty ratio at USF was 28 to 1. In comparison to other state
institutions in Florida, USF ranked next to last, ahead of only the University of Central
Florida. Among our peers in the Big East, USF ranked last. Among our national peers,
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USF also ranked last, far behind Rutgers and Cincinnati (14 to 1), as well as the University
of Illinois-Chicago and the University of Alabama-Birmingham (16 to 1).
To enhance student success at USF, the university must make a significant commitment of
resources to reduce the student/faculty ratio at least to the level of our peers.
PERFORMANCE
1.
Institute an entrance and exit graduating undergraduate/graduate student
survey to assess student’s expectations concerning readiness and compile a database
that would assist in the further enhancement of undergraduate/graduate student
readiness.
PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
1.
•
Address urgent structural physical facilities issues.
Improve the dilapidated and outdated physical environment to increase student
satisfaction with USF (for example, Andros Residential Complex, Art studios
Campus Recreation Center, Cooper Hall, Engineering Teaching Auditorium,
Student Health Services, Student Services Building).
•
Review allocation of space for classroom use, especially considering size of room
compared to number of students because of serious overcrowding in many
classrooms.
•
Develop a system to match pedagogy/learning objectives with room type and
establishment of more flexible furniture and classrooms.
•
Improve availability of classrooms and classroom buildings at night and on
weekends with increased technology and maintenance support.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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2.
The University should launch a campaign to create a new state-of-the-art
Digital Library and Learning Center to enhance the quality of student learning on
campus and make a substantial contribution to the intellectual growth and learning of
each student.
The existing library facility, designed and built over thirty years ago, does not currently
meet the needs of USF Tampa students and faculty. The development of a Digital Library
and Learning Center would dramatically transform the institutional culture of USF,
contribute to the centralization of student support services, and provide a tangible symbol
of the university’s commitment to student success.
To realize the goal of a Digital Library and Learning Center, USF should:
•
Form a Project Steering Committee;
•
Engage key sectors of the USF community in a thorough assessment of facilities and
program needs;
•
Bring in an architectural firm to work on concept development and preliminary
drawings for a proposed facility; and
•
Study best practices in the field, including site visits to a few model Learning Centers.
3.
The University should launch a campaign to create a new state-of-the art
Wellness Center that would house the offices of Student Health Services, Counseling
Services, Advocacy Program, and Campus Recreation in one dedicated facility to best
serve students.
Recent research has demonstrated a link between wellness and student success and
retention. For instance, there is increasing evidence that alcohol abuse, mental health
problems (anxiety and depression), and family distress are significant factors which lead to
a student’s leaving school. One report indicated that eight of the top ten health impediments
to academic success were related to mental health and substance abuse issues. Wellness
Centers on campus have become a best practice nationally and the development and
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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funding of such a center on campus would make a substantial contribution to student
success.
RECENT EFFORTS TO ENHANCE STUDENT SUCCESS
Previous Task Forces
The 2009-2010 Student Success Task Force built on and benefited from at least three
previous task forces assigned to study and comment on policies and programs related to Student
Success. In the spring of 2002, a Provost’s Faculty Task Force on Student Retention was formed
under Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs M. David Stamps. The sixteen-member
committee, chaired by Dr. Dwayne Smith, then Chair of the Department of Criminology, was
charged “to review undergraduate student retention programs at the University of South Florida, to
provide recommendations concerning those efforts, and to determine whether any new programs
were warranted.” The Task Force report included six major recommendations, including, most
significantly in terms of the 2009-10 SSTF, a recommendation to “reduce the USF Shuffle.”
In the spring of 2004, a Student Academic Progress and Achievement Group of the
Enrollment Management Action Team prepared “A Proposed Action Plan to Enhance Student
Academic Persistence and Success at the University of South Florida.” This ten-member team, cochaired by Glen Besterfield, USF Undergraduate Council Co-Chair, and Ralph Wilcox, then Vice
Provost, was charged to: “develop recommendations for designing and implementing initiatives to
improve student academic progress at the University of South Florida; and build a student body by
design rather than by chance.” The final report of the Student Academic Progress and
Achievement Group, submitted on May 10, 2004 contained eleven recommendations, including a
call to “secure a USF-wide commitment to improving Year 1 to Year 2 retention rates, as well as
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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4-year and 6-year graduation rates which are among the performance and accountability measures
approved by the Florida Board of Governors.”
In 2007, representatives from Academic Affairs and Student Affairs came together to
“frame the dialogue about student success and to stimulate conversations across all sectors of the
University.” The report drafted by this team called for “a focused dialogue about student success
that includes defining student success that is measurable, describing best practices that contribute
to student success and the identifying stakeholders to deliver the optimum outcomes.” The final
report of this team reiterated the call to eliminate the USF shuffle and added a specific
recommendation to develop a high quality customer service training program for all members of
the USF community who have contact with students.
Reforms and Initiatives
The University of South Florida has made significant progress in enhancing student success
over the past five years, reflecting the commitment of the institution as well as a consensus that has
emerged among administrators, faculty, and staff that student success is and must be a fundamental
expectation of the institution.
Recent initiatives designed wholly or in part to enhance student success at the University of
South Florida include but are not limited to the following new policies, programs, and measures
that have been implemented in the following areas.
•
Admissions – Freshmen
As part of an institutional effort to build a student body by design, the academic profile of entering
USF students has steadily improved. As illustrated in the figure below, the mean SAT scores and
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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GPA of entering students has increased significantly since 2001. Beyond these measurements of
college preparedness, USF freshman admissions decisions now also include consideration of other
factors such as strength of curriculum, completion of required academic units, and notable grade
trends, especially in junior and senior years of high school. Since 2005, USF has steadily increased
its expectations that students seeking admission demonstrate an upward trend in their high school
GPA and successful completion of courses at levels above and beyond the minimum requirements
for admission to the State University System of Florida (i.e., additional courses in math, science,
foreign language, AP, IB, dual enrollment)
Freshmen applicants must earn a minimum of 18 approved units of high school work in the
five core subject areas (English, mathematics, natural science, social science, foreign language) in
addition to three approved academic electives. As shown in the table below, students graduating
from high school in 2011 or later must complete four units of math, including one course above
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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and beyond Algebra II. The most competitive applicants typically complete a minimum of 20
academic units, an average of five per year in grades 9-12.
High School Graduation Year
Subject Area
English
Mathematics
Natural Science
Social Science
Foreign Language
Electives
Total Units
Before 2011
4
3
3
3
2
3
18
2011 or later
4
4
3
3
2
2
18
USF considers SAT or ACT test scores along with GPA and rigor of curriculum in its
admissions decisions. USF arrays its freshman applicants on an eligibility matrix which balances
higher GPAs with lower test scores or, to a lesser extent, higher test scores with lower GPAs.
While the State of Florida has established a minimum sliding scale for admission to one of the
eleven institutions in the State University System of Florida, USF’s admission requirements are
significantly more competitive.
While USF has become more selective in its admissions decisions, it is not as selective as
some of its peer institutions, as shown in the following table:
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Select SUS Peers
Big East
National Peers
•
Percent of Applicants Admitted
2006
Florida Atlantic University
54%
University of Central Florida
52%
Florida State University
59%
University of South Florida
51%
Florida International University
53%
University of Florida
48%
2006
University of Cincinnati
76%
Seton Hall University
77%
DePaul University
71%
University of Louisville
79%
Marquette University
70%
Rutgers University -New Brunswick
58%
St John's University -New York
63%
University of Pittsburgh
53%
University of Connecticut
51%
Syracuse University
51%
University of South Florida
51%
Providence College
48%
Villanova University
43%
West Virginia University
92%
Notre Dame University
27%
Georgetown University
22%
2006
University of Alabama, Birmingham
88%
University of Cincinnati
76%
North Carolina State University
67%
University of Illinois-Chicago
58%
Rutgers University -New Brunswick
58%
University of California-Irvine
60%
University at Buffalo
57%
University of South Florida
51%
Stony Brook University
47%
2007
57%
60%
55%
50%
37%
42%
2007
76%
76%
70%
71%
67%
56%
59%
56%
49%
51%
50%
41%
42%
40%
24%
21%
2007
88%
76%
61%
64%
56%
60%
52%
50%
43%
2008
49%
48%
47%
46%
44%
41%
2008
75%
73%
70%
70%
65%
56%
56%
56%
54%
53%
46%
45%
39%
35%
27%
19%
2008
85%
75%
60%
60%
56%
56%
52%
46%
43%
Admissions – Transfer
Students applying to transfer to USF also face more competitive admission requirements,
intended to assess their preparedness for the academic rigors of a major research university.
Transfer students now must have at least 36 transferable hours in addition to higher GPAs than in
the past. National and institutional data suggest that students who transfer with associate degrees
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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and stronger GPAs are much more likely to succeed academically. Lower level transfer applicants
(students with 36-59 transferrable credit hours) are required to have at least a 3.0 transfer or
postsecondary GPA. Students applying to the pre-nursing program are required to have at least a
3.50 transfer or postsecondary GPA.
Upper level transfer applicants who have earned at least 60 transferrable credit hours but
have not earned an AA degree must have a minimum 2.75 GPA. Beginning in the Summer 2010,
the minimum transfer admission GPA requirement for Tampa is expected to increase to 3.00. In
addition, several programs of study have established higher transfer GPA requirements, as detailed
in the table below.
Programs of Study
Architecture
Athletic Training
Business
Communications
Education
Engineering
Liberal Studies
Mass Communications
Nursing(Florida College System A.S. Degree)
Nursing(60+ credits)
•
GPA
with Florida College
System A.A
3
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
2.5
3
2.75
2.50 - A.S. in Nursing
3.65
Without Florida
College System
A.A.
3
2.75
2.75
2.75
2.75
2.75
3
2.75
Not Applicable
3.65
Advising
USF hired 33 new academic advisors in the last four to five years, including 13 during the
Fall 2009 semester, decreasing the advisor/student ratio from 600:1 five years ago to 390:1.
Although the optimal ratio for institutions like USF is less than 350:1, the addition of new advisors
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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has allowed USF advisors to adopt more proactive and somewhat intrusive advising practices,
including:

Measures designed to ensure that students seek the counsel of academic advisors at key
points in the year.

A hold is placed on first-year registration requiring an advisor appointment prior to
registration.

Students on academic probation, final probation, or dismissal have a hold on their
registration requiring an advising appointment.

A collaborative arrangement between the Transitional Advising Center and the Career
Center assists students in declaring a major.

All students who are identified as off-track towards their major by their college are
given a major hold, and directed to seek re-advising.

Early interventions (and data sharing) are geared toward students on academic
probation and with poor mid-term grades.

Early interventions (and data sharing) are designed to help students retain their Bright
Futures award and other scholarships.

Students who have earned 36 or more credit hours will not be allowed to register for
courses until meeting with an academic advisor to declare a major. Transfer students
who have not declared a major after completing 75 or more credits will not be allowed
to register for courses until meeting with an academic advisor to declare a major.
•
Advocacy Program
The Advocacy Program seeks to empower survivors of crime, violence, or abuse and to
prevent victimization through education and collaboration. By fostering a safe community, the
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Advocacy Program helps to support students’ efforts to learn and be successful in an environment
free from violence and fear.
•
The Advocacy Program received grant funding for a new initiative called REAL
(Relationship Equality Antiviolence League). REAL was developed to provide primary
prevention of relationship and sexual violence on the USF campus. REAL utilizes peer
educators (REAL Men Trainers) who are recruited from male students serving in
leadership roles among our priority target populations such as fraternities, athletics,
ROTC, and international students. By engaging students in this initiative we are helping
them to develop leadership and training skills which will help their personal and
professional development.
•
REAL provides opportunities for students to acquire leadership skills, public speaking
and training skills, and to participate in social activism and social change. The skills
learned in the program training provide skills that will serve the students well in other
activities and roles and will significantly contribute to their personal growth and
success. REAL has also helped to increase campus-wide awareness of the services of
the Advocacy Program and of the issues related to relationship and sexual violence. As
a result, more survivors of violence are seeking services that will promote healing,
retention, and academic success.
•
Athletics Academic Enrichment Program
The opening of a new Athletic Training Center in May 2004 represented a significant
institutional commitment to the education of student-athletes, providing, in addition to strength and
conditioning facilities, an impressive space for academic counseling. The Academic Enrichment
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Center, covering one-fourth of the upper floor in the two-story complex, includes a computer study
lab, a separate study lounge, and a library and office space for counselors and tutors. The mission
of the Academic Enrichment Program is to provide the programs and services necessary to
enhance the total development of the USF student-athlete. The program fosters the cultivation of
skills that allow for the development of potential in the classroom, on the field and for the future.
The program provides a variety of support mechanisms for all student-athletes by way of specific
events and activities designed to promote academic success, athletic success, community service,
career development and personal development. The program focuses on identifying and meeting
the needs and challenges faced by student-athletes through workshops, tutoring and mentoring
made available throughout the academic year. Emphasis is placed on encouraging student-athletes
to take responsibility for their academic careers and for being productive and successful members
of the USF academic community. All first-year students are afforded the opportunity to participate
in the EXCEL program designed to assist all first-year student-athletes with the transition to the
university and to help students adjust to the rigor of the USF academic program. Components of
the program include weekly meetings with an EXCEL counselor, objective based study hall,
tutoring program and ongoing academic advising.
•
Campus Recreation
Campus Recreation is committed to providing opportunities for students to become
physically active and focus on their overall wellbeing so that they can remain alert, function
optimally in the classroom, and maintain balanced lives. Research indicates that students who
participate in campus recreation activities obtain higher GPA’s than those who do not participate.
Studies show that the more a student visits campus recreation centers, the more likely they are to
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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have a higher GPA. Initiatives developed in recent years to support student success include the
following:

Developed a Leadership Education and Development (LEAD) workshop series for all
student employees to help ensure their success in their workplace on campus. Topics
presented include “Balancing an Unbalanced Life,” “Leadership,” “Conflict
Resolution,” and others. The skills taught in this series serve the student well beyond
the Campus Recreation environment.

Actively involved in working with other campus entities to create additional intramural
playfields and expand the recreation and classroom space for our facilities. By
advocating for accessible, adaptable space, Campus Recreation is hoping to expand
offerings of classes, workshops, and activities to maximize learning opportunities

Presented a new series of workshops on fitness, exercise, and wellbeing. A fit and
healthy student is best able to concentrate, learn, and be successful in the classroom.
•
Career Center
The Career Center, which assists students in making informed career decisions, has
enhanced student success efforts by counseling students on their choice of an academic program
that best matches their skills, interests and personal profile. In the fall of 2009, the Career Center
implemented a new Drop-By Career Coaching service, making career counselors available every
Monday and Tuesday (10-12:30) and every Wednesday and Thursday (12:30-3:00) to provide onthe-spot career coaching about how to explore and research career options, industries and projected
labor outlook for career fields. Through individual career counseling and job search coaching
appointments, class room presentations, live webinars, walk-in coaching sessions and outreach
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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activities (i.e. showcases at Orientation, special career events, information sessions, Careers a la
Cart, career fairs, on-campus interviews, etc) the Career Center will have contact with
approximately 15,000 to 20,000 students during an academic year.
•
Center for 21st Century Teaching Excellence
The university has effectively promoted best practices in teaching and technology,
including the development of high quality online courses, through the Center for 21st Century
Teaching Excellence. The Center has several types of support to enhance learning through the use
of technology: one-on-one consultations, approximately 70 workshops per semester for faculty, an
annual faculty intensive institute, and other events and services. Some examples of services in
support of a high quality learning experience for students are:

One-on-one consultations and workshops to help instructors maximize the use of
available instructional technologies and Blackboard to promote learning, retention of
information, and assessment of students.

Highly collaborative work with faculty by the Center’s Media Innovation Team (MIT)
to infuse online instruction with a 21st century culture of teaching and learning that
expands student options for access to a high quality learning experience.

Leading edge instructional design, including production of introductory videos by the
MIT to help online students get to know their instructors at the beginning of the
semester.

Instructions on the use of Elluminate synchronous software for such uses as building
community in online courses and bringing in guests from around the world.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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
Sessions to introduce instructors to electronic surveys to help instructors and their
students to find out if students are learning course content.
•
Class Schedule
In the Fall 2008 semester, the university implemented a new class schedule designed to
enhance student success by optimizing classroom utilization, reducing student schedule conflicts,
and increasing time between classes. In addition, more classes are offered on Friday, which has
been identified as a means of reducing student “diversions” on Thursday nights.
•
Co-Curricular Transcript
The co-curricular transcript is a way to capture the whole student experience at USF. USF
utilizes the co-curricular transcript to capture student data about involvement in student
organizations, community service, and out-of-classroom learning experiences. The system went
live in Spring 2008 and its interface is through Blackboard. Faculty & staff members verify the
students’ involvement after students select programs, services, activities, and awards from a prepopulated list. Students primarily use the co-curricular transcript as a way to verify their
involvement for graduate school admission or employment opportunities.
•
Counseling Center
The Counseling Center strives to develop the intellectual, social, and emotional functioning
of students through outreach, prevention and treatment services. By supporting the psychological
well-being of students and helping them develop the tools to manage stress, find work/life balance,
and perform more effectively in the classroom, we help them achieve their academic goals.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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
Two counselors with an international background have been added to the staff to
provide additional expertise in supporting our increasingly diverse, multi-national
student population. International students face numerous challenges and the support of
a culturally competent therapist helps these students develop skills they need to succeed
at USF.

The Center hired an Addiction Professional to fill a newly created position. This
specialist works with students who present with addiction issues. Research
demonstrates that alcohol is implicated in a large percentage of academic problems and
pre-mature withdrawal from college. This new counselor enhances the Center’s ability
to provide services to this population of students who otherwise may not have the
support they need to remain in school.

The Counseling Center has increased the staffing time of our psychiatrists. By offering
more availability of on-campus psychiatric services, we are reducing the time that
students must spend seeking care off campus. Easy access to psychiatric services
provides students with the medical treatment to ensure their stability and success in
school.

Counseling Center staff has been actively involved in the development of new
initiatives and the refinement of old activities to enhance USF’s response to crises and
emergency. In the post-Virginia Tech era, it is increasingly evident that psychological
outreach and support is essential to help troubled students cope and be successful in a
demanding university environment. Center counselors serve on many university-wide
emergency response committees.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Curriculum
The University has implemented a number of curricular changes designed to enhance
student success, including

Encouraging more students to enroll in The University Experience to help them learn
how to navigate their way through the university.
Approximately 55% of FTIC
students now complete the course;

Limiting the number of online courses students can take during their first year;

Incorporating breakout or discussion groups into lower level math and science courses;

Enrolling no more than 22 students in lower level composition courses, giving each
student ample opportunities to interact with their professors and classmates;

Promoting inquiry-based learning and critical thinking through the new general
education curriculum (Foundations of Knowledge and Learning);

Offering Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REUs) through the Office of
Undergraduate Research, providing interested, motivated students with experienced
faculty mentors, giving students the opportunity to learn through inquiry rather than
being passive recipients of facts and concepts;

Employing more Graduate Assistants and Peer Leaders to provide faculty with
instructional support in the classroom for courses in the general education curriculum.
In the 2009-2010 academic year, the General Education Curriculum funded 19
Graduate Assistants in the Fall (and 12 Undergraduate Peer Leaders), 22 Graduate
Assistants in the Spring (and 12 UG Peer Leaders), and 9 Graduate Assistants in the
Summer.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Distance Learning/Alternative Delivery
The expansion of Distance Learning/Alternative Delivery options has broadened access to
the university learning experience by removing barriers of time and place. Courses are available in
a variety of disciplines and offer alternatives in time, place, format, or delivery systems to extend
educational opportunities throughout the region and beyond. USF students may choose from a
variety of technology options, allowing faculty and students to communicate at the same time or
on a time-delayed basis fitting into the student’s personal schedule. Distance learning courses are
included with on-campus departmental offerings in OASIS and identified by a delivery method
description code. Support for distance learning faculty and students is managed through ECampus.
•
First Generation Access and Pre-Collegiate Programs
The University has developed or expanded programs that help limited income, first
generation students, many of them racial or ethnic minorities, develop the critical skills they need
to succeed in higher education:

College Reach Out Program (CROP): USF participates in this statewide program to
strengthen the educational motivation and preparation of low income and educational
disadvantaged students in grades 8 – 12 representing various cultural backgrounds.
CROP provides tutoring, leadership development, career and personal counseling,
involvement of family, and educational and cultural field trips.

ENLACE Plus: USF has participated in this national program, originally launched by
the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, to encourage and support first generation Latino and
other underrepresented students. ENLACE provides students with academic advisors
and counselors during their first semester at USF, networking experiences within the
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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university and the local community, GRE preparation, and opportunities to tutor or
mentor local high school students.

Freshman Summer Institute: The program provides access to a university education
for promising students from first generation and/or limited income families and
identifies qualified individuals through a review of admission applications, academic
records, and family income as determined by the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA). Students begin their USF experience in a six-week summer session
where they live on campus, complete nine credit hours of coursework, and engage in
activities to introduce them to the student support services offered at USF. Upon
successful completion of the six-week program (minimum 2.0 GPA), students are
granted full admission to the university beginning in the fall term.

Student Support Services Program: SSS is a federally funded two-year retention
program that provides effective academic and personal support for a diverse student
population. Student Support Services participants may not meet all university
admissions criteria, but their high school records and standardized test scores (SAT or
ACT) indicate the potential to succeed in college. The primary goal of the residential
summer program is to ensure that students acquire the necessary college survival skills
which are crucial to academic and personal success. The program has a required, sixweek experience which includes an extensive orientation, an eight to twelve-hour
summer course curriculum, and a series of college survival seminars.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Fraternity & Sorority Life
Recognizing that the student’s undergraduate experience is created by a blend of both
curricular and co-curricular activities the Office of Fraternity & Sorority Life works to provide
opportunities to engage students through a supportive network that is built upon the values of
integrity, leadership, service, and scholarship. To this end, some of the various opportunities USF
provides to enhance student success include:

Provide leadership development to council and chapter leaders each year through the
annual Greek Leadership retreat. This experience is designed to help chapter and
community leaders explore their leadership skills and how those skills develop them as
individuals and leaders.

Provide orientation, member development, and a lens of values congruence to the new
members through the ENLIGHT program for new members to learn more about the
Greek community, but also how as members of this community we subscribe to a set of
standards and values that will prepare us to be more productive citizens of the world.

USF has established a set of minimum standards for programming and initiatives set
forth by the chapters to ensure a well-rounded, values-based experience for individual
members and chapters.

Provide ongoing and intentional advising to students about their personal development
and goals.

The Division of Student Affairs has developed intentional partnerships with various
university departments to develop programming and resources that will support student
success and engagement
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Graduate Certificates
USF now offers graduate level credentials in over 100 concentrated fields of study for both
professional and personal growth. With more than 45 certificates offered either fully or partially
online, graduate certificates are convenient and accessible. The Office of Graduate Certificates
offers support services for students seeking enrollment in a graduate certificate and to faculty
wishing to create or sustain a graduate certificate program. Over 5,000 students have participated
in USF graduate certificate programs.
•
Graduate School
Since 2008, the USF Graduate School has streamlined academic policies and procedures
and enhanced academic support programs for graduate students. The Graduate School now boasts
improved student communications and services with an updated website, new academic
workshops, creation of the “Building a Leader” series, student newsletter, and streamlined
administrative processes for theses and dissertations.
The Graduate School contributes to student success through providing fellowships and
scholarships totaling over 2 million dollars to graduate students and nearly 2000 assistantship
appointments. The Graduate School also provides several interdisciplinary research opportunities
for students such as participation in the student research challenge grants where students work in
teams across college on the signature research areas of USF, through participation in ResearchOne
Week and at national competitions such as the prestigious Oak Ridge National Laboratory Global
Venture Challenge Awards. The Graduate School houses the new School of Global Sustainability
that will serve as a hub for interdisciplinary research and academic programs focused on
sustainability and it now also offers the Master of Arts in Global Sustainability. Also, as students
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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graduate the Graduate School also houses the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs to ensure that
postdoctoral scholars at USF receive a premier academic and research experience.
•
Instructional Technology
Thanks in part to support from the new student technology fee, USF invested significantly
in the technology infrastructure of its instructional spaces and offered additional support to
instructors seeking ways to integrate technology in their instruction.
The most notable
enhancements to instructional technology include:

100% of USF general use classrooms are outfitted with both high speed wire and
wireless Internet connectivity.

99% of USF General Use classrooms are outfitted with instructional technology
containing at minimum, a computer, media player and display.

All classroom PCs are equipped with industry standard operating systems and software,
including specialized instructional tools such as student response system software.

12 classrooms are specially equipped to support video capture, streaming and
videoconferencing applications. Additionally, portable systems are available to support
streaming or videoconferencing from any classroom.

Over 1,000 pieces of portable equipment are available to faculty for teaching and
research including digital cameras and laptops to enhance the instructional experience.
•
Leadership and Civic Engagement
Inherent in higher education is the opportunity to develop students into leaders and active
citizens that will create positive change for our communities. USF has aligned with national trends
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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in higher education by constructing a more formalized leadership development program for the
campus. Another national model was also adopted in 2008 by combining leadership development
with civic engagement initiatives to create the Center for Leadership & Civic Engagement. As the
Division of Student Affairs has designated in its mission statement, the goal is to provide learning
opportunities that “increases [students’] capacity for personal growth, responsible citizenship and
ethical leadership.” Building each student’s capacity for leadership and desire to contribute leads
to greater personal success, as well as deeper connections to his or her campus community, and the
following initiatives of the Center support these objectives:

Certified Student Leader program – leads students through a comprehensive program of
leadership development education (courses, trainings, retreats), practical experience on
campus, mentoring, and deep reflection.

Leadership Studies – the Center Directs this academic program with Undergraduate
Studies to offer a Minor in Leadership Studies.

Leadership Boards – there are over 100 student leadership positions within the Center
that provide intensive and meaningful leadership experiences.

Stampede of Service – the largest service event on campus in celebration of Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day in January. Approximately 3000 students unite and are sent into
the community to offer service to issues such as the environment, care of the elderly,
homelessness, abused women and children, hunger, education, etc.

Alternative Breaks – these service excursions happen over the weekends, spring break,
and summer breaks, and take place in local communities, across the country, and
internationally as well. These intensive experiences give students the opportunity to
learn deeply about social issues, about working in teams, and about creating social
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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change. Over 400 students participate annually and often self-report that the
experiences are among the most impactful of their collegiate experience.

Service Opportunities – through one-time events or ongoing volunteer programs
offered by the Center, USF students engage in well over 100,000 hours of service
annually. The goal of these programs is to create life-long civically engaged students.

Lead Fellows – these selected students are trained to serve as Leadership Development
Consultants to students and organizations across campus. They are equipped with
assessment tools and training modules in order to work with individuals and groups
who would like to improve their leadership knowledge and skills.
•
Learning Commons
In the fall 2008 semester, the Library, Undergraduate Studies, and Information Technology
collaborated in the establishment of the Learning Commons. By consolidating academic success
services and integrating them into the Library, they created a new learning “hub” of campus, a
central location where students can utilize a variety of physical spaces for learning and research,
ranging from active and collaborative to quiet and individuals. Students can also take advantage of
a wide range of learner-centered, learner-driven services and options:

The new ASK in the main lobby, where a knowledgeable staff member is available to
help students and faculty find the right service quickly;

The Reference & Research Desk, where Librarians offer assistance in finding the right
information resources for assignments, and, for future research, offer instruction in how
to find books, articles, etc. the next time;
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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
The Group Work Area, offering stations and dual monitor computers conveniently
arranged for small group work;

The Information Technology Help Desk, offering computing assistance and training;

Learning support services provided by Tutoring & Learning Services:
o The Writing Center, staffed by graduate-level English students available to assist in
the organization, development, grammar, and style of all types of writing
assignments and all stages of the writing process;
o The Tutoring Center, located on the second floor, offering comprehensive learning
support services through individual and small group tutoring in mathematics,
sciences, languages, and many other subjects, as well as study skills workshops, and
credited courses for students interested in further developing their learning, reading,
and writing skills.
In its first year of operation, the Writing Center received over 500 appointments from
undergraduate and graduate students each semester. Over 3000 students utilized the combined
services of the tutoring and writing centers in the 2008-09 academic years.
The Learning
Commons contributed to an increase in fall to spring retention for first-year students of .6%.
Beginning in the fall of 2009, the Learning Commons added new drop-in tutoring centers for Math
(supporting Finite Math and College Algebra), Chemistry (supporting Chemistry 1, 2, and
Chemistry for Today, and STEMS (supporting Calculus-based Science courses).
•
Library
The USF Tampa Library also contributed to Student Success efforts through its facilities,
resources, and support services. For example:
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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
Library instruction sessions to First Year Composition classes increased 44% from
academic year 2007-08 to 2008-09, while instruction sessions to University Experience
classes 42%;

Library increased the delivery of instruction sessions to students in courses across all
disciplines to 516 classes during the 2008/09 academic year, an increase of 4% over the
previous year;

Library added 30 additional laptops (for a total of 60) for student checkout;

3 additional study rooms are made available for student checkout in spring, 2009;

Presentation practice rooms became available for student checkout in fall, 2008;

An additional 27,000 ebooks are added by fall 2009 to an online collection of over
380,000;

Student access on online books, articles, and other resources were enhanced by the
addition of 55 databases which now total 791;

Deployment of new software, “Libguides” enhances student access to online collections
by subject, discipline, and college;

Availability of iPod recording devices and training to support student creation of oral
history interviews across the curriculum;

Increased access to archival collections through Encoded Archival Description finding
aids to materials in Special and Digital Collections;

Greater collaboration with Tutoring and Learning Services and Writing Center staff
results in joint workshops for students on plagiarism, copyright, and research skills as
well as early detection for students facing challenges in the research process.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Marshall Student Center
The mission of the Marshall Student Center is to enrich the quality of student life,
strengthen traditions, and enhance the learning experience by providing exceptional facilities and
services for students and the USF Community.
In August 2008 the new $65 million Student
Center was opened and the new outdoor plaza completed in April 2009. These new, state-of-theart student life facilities have greatly enhanced student life at USF and are contributing to student
success. The welcoming and open student friendly environment of the Center, coupled with the
services offered within the facility (various food service venues, pharmacy, credit union, computer
store, computer lab, etc.), provide various services and a very positive campus experience for
students and help foster their success. The Student Life Tower inside the new Center has provided
increased space for growing Student Affairs departments (Center for Leadership and Civic
Engagement; the Office of Multicultural Affairs; the Offices of Student Activities, Student
Programming, and Student Organizations; the Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life; New Student
Connections; and Student Government), all of which provide involvement and leadership
opportunities for students.
The Center’s expanded meeting rooms and programming space for
student organizations promote involvement and connectivity with the institution.
Increased
student employment opportunities within the new Marshall Student Center also promote
connectivity, personal and professional development, and success and leadership experiences for
students.
•
Multicultural Affairs
The Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) contributes to the University of South Florida’s
goals of student success by engaging students in co-curricular programs and activities. These
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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programs offer students with knowledge and skills necessary to be successful in a global society
and knowledge-based economy.

Research indicates student engagement in campus life is an important indicator of
successful graduation. OMA has emplaced mechanisms for all students, especially
historically underrepresented students, to get involved with campus life through
Multicultural
Cultural
Community
Program,
Safe
Zone
Training
Program,
Multicultural Cultural Community Retreat, Bull’s Eye View, MCC Institute, National
Coalition Building Program, and Freedom Ride. OMA programs are holistic and are
strategically designed to foster academic success, leadership, community services, and
multicultural competency.

OMA provides support services to students of diverse backgrounds through advocacy,
advice, and referral services that guide students to appropriate resources for assistance
and resolution. The Office is a place for students to visit, socialize, network, and access
resources important for their engagement on campus.

For incoming students and for First Year Experience, OMA offers programs and
activities to acclimatize students of diverse backgrounds such as Multicultural
Welcome Week, including events such as: Chat-N-Chew, the Welcome Jam, Right
Connections Unity Festival and the LGBT and Allies Ice Cream Social. To engender
cross cultural interpersonal relations and global cultural experiences, OMA engages
Unity Festival, Salsa & Bhangra Night, the Skate Jam, Holiday Celebrations, and MCC
Awards.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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* OMA has an open door policy and welcomes students of all backgrounds to visit the
Office and take advantage of available intellectual, cultural, and community-based
resources.
•
New Student Connections
In the Fall of 2007, the Division of Student Affairs established the New Student
Connections office to focus on the successful transition, adjustment and connection of first-year
and transfer students to the campus community. The office coordinates programs and mentoring
opportunities to help students form meaningful connections that provide a foundation for success
in their first year and throughout their college experience.
Research shows that early connection and engagement of new students to their campus
community contributes to student success. Since 2007, New Student Connections has intentionally
developed programs that contribute to improved year-to-year retention and time-to-graduation
rates while enhancing the college experience. Initiatives that contribute to student success include:

Hiring two professional staff members, two graduate advisors, and numerous student
leaders to support the office mission;

Relocating the office into the Marshall Student Center to increase visibility and thus,
the level of support provided to new students;

Broadening the scope USF’s Week of Welcome program (fall and spring) to
incorporate an academic focus. Most colleges and academic programs now sponsor an
event during the fall program;

Establishing a first-year mentoring program, in conjunction with research conducted
by Dr. Thomas Miller, which targets those first-year students who are at the greatest
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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risk for leaving the university prior to the start of their second year. Each student is
assigned a staff or peer mentor who communicates on a regular basis university
deadlines and requirements and assist with challenges their students face;

Implementing UConnect, a retention focused academic and social on-line community
for first-year students, which helps to identify students struggling with their transition
and connection to campus;

Developing a comprehensive publication, The Bull Connection, that highlights
university services, engagement opportunities, and academic resources to better prepare
students to begin their collegiate experience;

Providing individual coaching sessions for new students struggling with their transition
and connection to campus;

Establishing national academic honor societies to recognize the academic achievement
of our new students. Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society was re-chartered to
recognize the achievement of our first-year students and Tau Sigma National Honor
Society was established to honor our transfer students;

Starting a transfer student organization that promotes community, assists new
transfer students with developing friendships, and helps develop a deeper connection to
campus;

Launching a support network for our mature, independent, non-traditional transfer
students (MINTS) that promotes community, provides campus resources, and helps
develop friendships with peers.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
The Oracle
The Oracle employs 30-35 students a semester, with eight senior editor positions available.
Students maximize their potential for communication and critical thinking through print media and
online media. They put to practical tests such concepts as the nature of journalistic freedom and
attendant responsibility, techniques of decision-making and critical analysis. The Oracle has a
student-employee retention rate of more than 95 percent from semester to semester.
The Oracle added a video component to its Web site in 2007, leading to more student
participation at the newspaper. In a cooperative effort with Professor Lisa Templeton in the School
of Mass Communications, broadcast students submitted news videos from class assignments to the
Oracle. The videos were made available for viewing on the Oracle’s multimedia site, driving more
traffic to the newspaper’s Web pages and giving students valuable exposure for their work in and
out of the classroom. The relationship is ongoing, and broadcast students still contribute to the
Oracle's multimedia site.
•
Orientation
In the Spring of 2006, USF began a comprehensive overhaul of its new student orientation
programs, making orientation mandatory for all incoming freshmen and transfer students. The
freshman orientation program is a two-day event including separate parent and student programs,
along with a required overnight stay. Beginning in 2007, the university required all transfer
students to participate in a day-long orientation program that includes individual academic
advising appointments and several sessions on the various campus services. Survey feedback from
students and families attending orientation has demonstrated a dramatic improvement in
satisfaction from previous years’ orientation participants.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
The Residential Experience
With the recognition that students who live in residence halls are typically more successful
and connected than those who live off campus, USF requires first year students to live on campus
starting in the Fall of 2009. This policy supports a renewed focus in Housing & Residential
Education on learning and academic initiatives. A full-time staff member was appointed in housing
to focus on academic initiatives and provide programs that complement the academic experience.
Recent initiatives to support student success include:

Support for students struggling in classes through mid-term follow up, mentoring firstyear students at risk for attrition by housing personnel, and study skills programs
specifically targeted for students on probation their second semester at USF;

Increased opportunities for students to interact with faculty outside of the classroom
through Faculty in Residence Program, House Calls program which brings faculty to
the residence halls during the first month of classes, and final review sessions hosted by
faculty in the residence hall classrooms. Beginning Fall 2009, two faculty members live
in our residence halls – Juniper-Poplar and Beta Hall;

Establishment of several Living Learning Communities designed to support students in
both academic and other interests, including Bulls Business Community, Engineering
LLC, Honors LLC, Global Village LLC, and Green LLC;

Recognition programs for outstanding academic achievement;

“Get Smart” week with programs and services focusing on study skills, time
management, and learning strategies.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Student Government

A leadership training and development class for SG Senate members was created and
implemented this fall in cooperation with the Center for Leadership & Civic
Engagement.
The syllabus is based on Emotionally Intelligent Leadership and
embraces learning across three interrelated areas – context, self & others. The course
material is predicated on moral leadership (knowing the difference between right &
wrong and doing right) and personal responsibility.

A mentor-protégé program for SG Senate members was created to aid in new member
retention in Senate. Experienced student senators have been paired with newly elected
senators to help the novice’s navigate the political arena of SG.

An involvement assessment for graduating seniors was completed this past spring to
determine if a student’s involvement experience in SG actually met or exceeded his or
her reason for becoming involved. This survey was based on John Gardner’s research
on involvement. We feel if we can do a better job of matching expectations with
outcomes then the students will be more vested in the institution and their education.
•
Student Health Services
Student Health Services is dedicated to keeping students healthy and well in order to enable
them to function optimally and focus on their academic performance. In addition, we are
committed to educating students about the importance of healthy behavior. By ensuring an
emphasis on wellness and access to rapid treatment of illness, students can minimize their time
away from classroom and studies and focus on their academic success. Some examples of recent
initiatives to enhance the health of the student body:
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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
Opening Bull’s Country Pharmacy for easy access to filling prescriptions without
having to leave campus and disrupt their studies;

Initiation of billing third party health insurance which ensures that students have access
to affordable health care and minimizes increases in the health fee;

Student Health Services has begun to offer training experiences for students, residents,
and fellows from USF Health. This provides role models for students interested in a
career in the health field as well as provides our own trainees opportunities to practice
in their desired field.
•
Student Involvement
The programmatic departments within the Center for Student Involvement strive to provide
a purposeful and positive out-of-class experience for USF students and more than 500 student
organizations. The uniqueness and variety of these programs, services, and activities allows for all
members of the campus community to interact with others and be involved in meaningful ways of
their choosing.
The Center for Student Involvement promotes the growth of student leaders who, in turn,
create the aforementioned programs, services and activities. Within this community, students have
co-curricular experiences which allow them to have practical application of the many in class
experiences they are receiving, thereby enhancing their overall USF experience.
•
Student Ombudsman Program
The Student Ombudsman serves as a neutral third party providing assistance to students
who have University related complaints and/or concerns of a non-legal nature, and a resource for
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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students needing information about University related policies and procedures. The serves we
provide is confidential, impartial, independent and informal.

Don’t Stop…Don’t Drop Program
The Don’t Stop…Don’t Drop Program (DSDD) is an initiative from the Office of the
President to respond to the economic crisis that has beset this country. Realizing this rippling
effect would impact the USF student body, President Genshaft wanted to offer assistance to retain
as man matriculates as possible. The program is administered by professionals in the Office of the
Student Ombudsman. Two programs we have to assist students are the President’s Retention
Grant and the Emergency Fund Program.

President’s Retention Grant
The purpose of the grant is to provide financial support to aid students while they pursue
their educational goals during current economic challenges. The criteria for the program are as
follows:
o
Students must first complete forms in the Office of the Student Ombudsman.
o
All grants are approved by the Office of Financial Aid; therefore, each student must
demonstrate financial need based on Federal guidelines.
o
Students must be enrolled for at least six (6) hours in the present semester.
o
Students must have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or above and be in good academic
standing.
o
Students living on-campus will be given priority for assistance, although this may
not be required given the capacity of housing.
o
The amount of assistance cannot exceed $500.00 per full-time student, or $250.00
per part-time student.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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o
Students must agree to participate in our Don’t Stop…Don’t Drop Success
Program.

Emergency Fund Program
The purpose of the program is to assist students with funds in the fastest means possible. It
is anticipated that funds will be used to assist in the following needs: food, utilities,
transportation/gas, child care, financial aid/tuition, books, housing.
Students must provide
documentation from the source to which the funds are owed. All funds must be disbursed to a
third party for the student’s use. The amount of assistance cannot exceed $250.00 per student.
•
Student Rights and Responsibilities
It has been shown that students who are engaged in behavior that is detrimental to their
health and welfare are statistically more likely to have lower GPAs and are more likely to
withdraw or fail out of school. The Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities believes that
through a model of early intervention, teachable moments, and helping to create a strong
community which values high standards of behavior and community connection, we can assist our
students in continuing their education, and remaining in good academic standing.

We have opportunities for students who have come into conflict with our community
standards to have one-on-one contact with trained professionals who can assist them in
not repeating behaviors and developing skills to address problems that they might be
having in abiding by the policy of the University.

We developed, purchased, or instituted several on-going counseling and intervention
programs and online behavior modification websites that assist students in
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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understanding their behavior related to drugs and alcohol and assist them in modifying
that behavior.

We developed many educational programs focused on restorative justice that allow
student to give back to the individual students and the University when that they have
violated another rights, property or person.

We give a voice to the USF community at large to contribute to upholding the standards
of the institution by having members of the community (faculty, staff and students)
participate on judicial hearing boards.

We help assure the safety of the institutions standards of acceptable behavior and
standards by managing the Prior Conduct process of applying students and assuring that
student who enter institution understand and are able to abide by the standards, rule and
expectations set by the community.
•
Students with Disabilities Services (SDS)

Provides academic accommodations for students with disabilities including extended
time, note taking, electronic texts and course materials, computer technology necessary
to access course materials and negotiation assistance with instructors;

Maintains and reviews all disability documentation for the USF student population;

Provides educational outreach for the USF and Tampa communities related to disability
issues;

Makes appropriate recommendations for course substitutions and waivers based on
disability documentation;

Encourages self-advocacy and self-awareness of disabilities.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Systems & Tracking
USF has implemented systems to enable early interventions and data sharing to students on
academic probation and with poor mid-term grades. Early interventions and data sharing are also
in place to help students retain their Bright Futures award and other scholarships. USF piloted a
comprehensive degree audit system called DegreeWorks in the spring of 2009, in anticipation of a
full launch in the 2010-2011 academic year. Students, faculty, and administrators (academic
advisors, in particular) can access students’ records to track their path to graduation. With
DegreeWorks, students can clearly chart their path to graduation and advisors can use it as a tool to
help students in this process. DegreeWorks can also help administrators identify bottlenecks in the
course scheduling system that could hinder students from progressing. This will allow the
university to proactively add sections of courses to help students stay on track for graduation.

Team Wellness
Team Wellness is a collaborative effort of the Student Health Services, the Counseling
Center, the Advocacy Program, and Campus Recreation. Together these four departments strive to
support and encourage the overall well-being of students so that they can maximize their learning
opportunities, both inside and outside the classroom. As a group, Team Wellness supports a
variety of initiatives to enhance student success. Individually, each unit of Team Wellness has
developed some new initiatives which are outlined below.
In the last year, Team Wellness has created several initiatives to support student success.

An active outreach and education campaign was created to inform the USF community
about the H1N1 virus and methods of preventing the spread of the disease. This active
health promotion effort was designed to minimize the impact of the pandemic on
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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campus and ensure that students don’t lose value educational time due to a preventable
illness.

The Students of Concern Assistance Team (SOCAT) was created to offer support for
distressed students. Through early identification, outreach, and referral, SOCAT strives
to provide the needed resources and support to ensure that vulnerable and at-risk
students can focus on their education and be successful.

The Substance Education and Awareness Team (SEAT) was recently reconvened with
a new membership and a stronger mission statement. SEAT brings together key campus
stakeholders to help coordinate alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention efforts on
campus. Unchecked substance abuse is a significant barrier to student learning and
success. By enhancing alcohol education and prevention efforts, SEAT hopes to
support a healthy environment that will further students’ educational goals.
•
Testing Services
USF Testing Services offers the College Level Educational Placement (CLEP) exams
which with a passing score allow students to test out of a variety of undergraduate courses and get
credit toward their degree. Currently the College Placement Test is offered to help students meet
the state’s CLAS requirements, if they have not exempted via course grades or incoming
SAT/ACT scores.
•
University Scholarships & Financial Aid Services
In 2008-09, USF awarded nearly $344 million in financial aid (scholarships, grants,
waivers, loans, and work study), an increase of $54 million over the previous year. The University
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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of South Florida has traditionally enrolled a higher percentage of limited-income students than its
state and national peers. Given these realities, detailed in the following table, the allocation of
scholarships and financial aid services has been and will remain a critical component of university
efforts to enhance student success.
Percent of Students Receiving Pell Grants
National Peers
Stony Brook U
U Cincinnati
U Illinois at Chicago
U at Buffalo
U Alabama at Birmingham
USF
U California-Irvine
Rutgers U
North Carolina State U
Select SUS Peers
FIU
USF
FAU
FSU
UF
UCF
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
2005-06
2006-07
2007-08
40.9%
24.1%
32.4%
38.4%
29.5%
27.0%
31.5%
23.8%
13.9%
40.9%
24.1%
32.4%
38.4%
29.5%
27.0%
31.5%
25.8%
13.9%
42.8%
28.5%
34.6%
40.4%
33.1%
30.1%
30.2%
26.0%
16.7%
50.5%
28.9%
34.2%
40.8%
33.4%
31.3%
28.8%
28.4%
17.0%
49.3%
38.5%
35.1%
40.8%
30.5%
29.7%
27.4%
25.2%
16.1%
44.8%
38.4%
35.4%
34.1%
30.2%
28.4%
26.4%
24.0%
17.9%
31.5%
27.0%
23.8%
23.8%
22.0%
34.3%
31.5%
27.0%
23.8%
23.8%
22.0%
34.3%
34.5%
30.1%
28.0%
26.3%
24.4%
23.7%
38.1%
31.3%
29.1%
26.1%
24.1%
23.7%
47.5%
29.7%
27.7%
25.7%
22.3%
21.7%
37.1%
28.4%
28.4%
26.1%
22.1%
20.8%
In addition to allocating more financial aid resources, the university has launched a number
of initiatives to enhance its financial aid services:
•
USF implemented its “Don’t Stop, Don’t Drop” program in 2009 to offer students facing
financial difficulties assistance and referrals to university and community resources to
prevent financial challenges from preventing them from completing their degree.
•
University Scholarships and Financial Aid Services created a comprehensive database of
institutional scholarships providing students with the opportunity to search among several
hundred scholarships quickly and easily.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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•
Initiatives to encourage students to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) have resulted in an increase of over 4,400 on time filers for 2009-10, or a 13% in
one year.
•
In conjunction with Undergraduate Studies and Student Affairs, USFAS deployed an online financial literacy course as one part of a three-part pre-matriculation program for
freshmen entering in fall 2009. The goal is to educate freshmen on the basics of financial
planning, minimize the likelihood of encountering financial problems while in college, and
stabilizing student loan borrowing.
•
USF4YOU – Metro Initiatives
USF4YOU offers a variety of services to increase access to educational programs designed
for online learners and working adults. Through USF4YOU, the public can learn about USF’s
graduate certificates, professional master’s degrees, online/distance education, alternative delivery
programs, bachelor’s degree completion options, Osher re-entry scholarship and noncredit
education opportunities. USF4YOU serves online learners and prospective adult/professional
students by offering: pre-admissions advising, program exploration, comprehensive referral
services and support services for online students.
•
USF ECampus Website
The new website acts as a gateway for students taking or who are planning to take online
courses leading to degrees or graduate certificates. As a centralized access point to the many
student support services offered at USF for the online/distance learner, prospective and current
students can find resources necessary to insure successful online student experiences. The studentcentered focus of the ECampus website encourages learners to prosper in the online environment
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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by offering the ability to search the distance learning catalog, speak with an educational consultant
using the online “live chat,” and connect with other online learners by way of social media links to
Twitter and Facebook. Alternative educational opportunities can be found through links to Metro
Initiatives (services for online learners and working adults), Graduate Certificates (graduate level
credentialing) and USF4YOU (directed support services for non-traditional students).
Recent Achievements
These reforms and initiatives have already begun to produce results. In two recent reports
by the Education Trust, USF earned high marks for 1) increasing the graduation rates for
underrepresented minorities, and 2) closing the achievement gap between underrepresented
minorities and majority student populations. The graduation rate for underrepresented minority
students at USF increased 9.4% between 2002 and 2007, placing USF #21 in this important
measurement of student success. As illustrated in the bar graph below, USF fell far below the top
gainers in the country, but the institution ranked ahead of Florida State (25) and the University of
Pittsburgh (24). (Education Trust, Top Gainers, January 2010, www.edtrust.org).
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Top 25 Gainers in Underrepresented Minority Graduation Rates, Public Research Universities, 2002-07
24.7
Eastern Kentucky University (KY)
Savannah State University (GA)
Worcester State College (MA)
Westfield State College (MA)
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania (PA)
Michigan Technological University (MI)
SUNY College at Old Westbury (NY)
Wayne State College (NE)
Georgia State University (GA)
University of Puerto Rico in Ponce (PR)
North Carolina State University at Raleigh (NC)
University of South Florida (FL)
23
21.5
19.6
19
19
18.9
18.5
18.4
17.4
10.6
9.4
9.3
9
Florida State University (FL)
0
5
10
15
20
25
With this high growth rate among underrepresented minorities came an 8% positive change
in the academic achievement gap between underrepresented minorities and their white and Asian
peers. The Education Trust ranked USF among the Top Graduation-Rate Gap Closers in 2010 see
figure below). The six-year graduation rate for underrepresented minorities in 2007 (50.3) was
actually higher than the six-year graduation rate for white and Asian students.
Top Graduation-Rate Gap Closers among Public Research Institutions, 2002-07
20
Eastern Kentucky University (KY)
15.2
University of Montevallo (AL)
10.6
Georgia State University (GA)
10.4
University of South Florida (FL)
8
George Mason University (VA)
6.8
0
5
10
15
20
Despite these notable accomplishments, the university acknowledges shortcomings in some
key indicators of student success. The overall 6-year graduation rate has remained relatively
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 64
steady at about 48%, placing USF behind its peers in the state and country, as detailed in the table
below.
Total University 6-year FTIC Graduation Rate
Select SUS Peers
University of Florida
Florida State University
University of Central Florida
Florida International University
University of South Florida
Florida Atlantic University
Big East
Notre Dame University
Georgetown University
Villanova University
Providence College
Syracuse University
Marquette University
University of Connecticut
University of Pittsburgh
Rutgers University -New Brunswick
DePaul University
Seton Hall University
St John's University -New York
West Virginia University
University of South Florida
University of Cincinnati
University of Louisville
National Peers
University of California-Irvine
Rutgers University -New Brunswick
North Carolina State University
University at Buffalo
Stony Brook University
University of South Florida
University of Illinois-Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Alabama, Birmingham
1998
1999
Cohort
2000
2001
2002
78%
65%
55%
47%
47%
37%
79%
66%
57%
48%
48%
37%
79%
68%
58%
48%
49%
37%
81%
69%
59%
49%
49%
38%
82%
70%
63%
49%
48%
39%
96%
93%
86%
83%
79%
77%
71%
67%
71%
61%
57%
65%
54%
47%
41%
33%
95%
93%
85%
87%
79%
80%
72%
70%
71%
63%
56%
63%
55%
48%
41%
37%
96%
94%
87%
86%
82%
78%
74%
73%
73%
64%
58%
58%
55%
49%
43%
41%
95%
93%
88%
87%
82%
75%
74%
75%
73%
62%
57%
60%
55%
49%
43%
44%
96%
93%
89%
86%
80%
76%
76%
76%
75%
64%
61%
60%
56%
48%
46%
46%
80%
71%
66%
60%
58%
47%
45%
41%
38%
80%
71%
70%
59%
59%
48%
50%
41%
36%
79%
73%
70%
61%
59%
49%
51%
43%
36%
80%
73%
69%
61%
59%
49%
50%
43%
38%
81%
75%
71%
62%
61%
48%
48%
46%
40%
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 65
Hence, while USF has made impressive gains in graduation rates for underrepresented
students, the institution still lags behinds its peers, as illustrated in the following figure.
Recent research indicates that poor and deteriorating economic conditions, combined with
the rising costs of higher education, are compelling more and more students to delay or ultimately
abandon their dreams for earning a higher education degree. According to a report by Public
Agenda, a non-profit organization funded by the bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, 45% of
students enrolled in higher education institutions in the United States work more than twenty hours
per week. Not surprisingly, more than half the students surveyed by Public Agenda reported that
they failed to complete their college degree because “need to work and make money” was the
major reason they left. (Public Agenda, With Their Wholes Lives Ahead of Them,
http://www.publicagenda.org/theirwholelivesaheadofthem)
Corroborating evidence demonstrates that university students in Florida face the same
daunting challenges of meeting the rising costs of higher education. According to the National
Center for Public Policy and Higher Education, in 2000, the average family in Florida had to
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 66
dedicate only 12% of total family income to meet the net costs of attending college (after receiving
financial aid). In 2008, the average family in Florida had to dedicate 18% of total family income
to meet the net costs of attending college. As a result, increasing numbers of students are relying
on loans to finance their higher education. According to the Project on Student Debt, in 1995,
undergraduate students in Florida borrowed an average of $2,968 per year; in 2008, undergraduate
students in Florida borrowed an average of $4,719. Florida college students who graduated in
2007 left school with an average debt of $20,243.
USF has also recognized that far too many students leave the university with relatively low
levels of satisfaction with their overall educational experience at the university. According to the
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) for 2009, first year students gave USF a rating of
3.19 on a 4.0 scale when asked to evaluate their entire educational experience (1=poor; 2=fair;
3=good; 4=excellent).
In contrast, first-year students at AAU institutions rated their entire
educational experience a 3.30, a significant gap that has closed only slightly in the last five years.
An honest assessment of the institutional reforms, initiatives, and investments that have
occurred in the last five to ten years would recognize that while USF has made substantial
improvements in student success, the institution can and must do a better job of promoting student
success. Persistence and graduation rates should be higher; graduating students should leave with
higher levels of satisfaction and lower debt. All administrators, faculty, and staff should recognize
that the timely progression of our students through their chosen fields of study and the completion
of their degrees with the skills, knowledge, and temperament to succeed in graduate or
professional schools or a career.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 67
THE 2009-10 USF TAMPA STUDENT SUCCESS TASK FORCE
In the fall of 2009, Ralph Wilcox, Provost and Executive Vice President, and Jennifer
Meningall, Vice President, Student Affairs, challenged the entire USF community to make the
2009-2010 academic year – The Year of Student Success. Asserting that “Nothing is more
important to our University than the quality of our academic programs,” Provost Wilcox and Vice
President Meningall jointly convened a university-wide Student Success Task Force (SSTF) and
directed it to “explore best practices and strategies for improving our institutional performance and
our students’ experience: from ensuring the students’ preparedness for college, to access and
affordability, retention and progression, knowledge and skill acquisition, graduation rates, and
competitive placement.” (Letter from Provost Ralph Wilcox and Vice President Meningall,
October 23, 2009).
The Provost and Vice President issued a broad call for appointments and nominations to
serve on the Task Force, determined that the Task Force would include representatives from all
units and sectors of USF Tampa. By late October 2009, about 100 people had been nominated or
appointed to serve on the Task Force.
Drs. Wilcox and Meningall appointed Paul Dosal,
Executive Director of ENLACE Florida and Professor of History, to serve as the chair of the Task
Force, with appropriate staff assistance and budgetary support provided to the Task Force. The
Office of Decision Support, directed by Associate Vice President Michael Moore, and Charlene
Herreid from the Division of Student Affairs, provided research support for the Task Force.
At the inaugural meeting of the Student Success Task Force on November 5, 2009, the
Provost presented a comprehensive vision of student success:
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 68
Successful undergraduate and graduate students will enter USF both academically
and personally prepared to complete a rigorous and systematic path of engaged
learning that will enrich their lives and contribute to society’s wellbeing. Along
that path they will engage in educationally purposeful activities and will be
provided the requisite support to ensure their timely progression and attainment
of relevant knowledge, skills and competencies essential to contributing to, and
competing successfully in, the global marketplace of ideas. By fully engaging
with a safe, secure and diverse community of scholars, successful students will
develop a high degree of satisfaction and pride in their USF experience and will
demonstrate optimal levels of persistence and enhanced graduation rates, so
maximizing their opportunities for progression to graduate and professional
programs, enhancing career placement and minimizing their financial
indebtedness through eliminating excess hours and related strategies.
Toward these ends, Drs. Wilcox and Meningall enumerated the charge to the Task Force.
Reporting jointly to the Provost, and Vice President for Student Affairs, the Task Force would:
1. Develop an operational definition of Student Success for USF,
2. Conduct a comprehensive, rigorous and evidence-based institutional assessment through
carefully structured Student Success Teams,
3. Examine best practices at “like” institutions and conduct a performance “gap analysis”,
4. Establish goals for USF, 2010/2011 through 2020/2021, framed around policy, practices,
programs, personnel and performance,
5. Present actionable and prioritized recommendations for radically transforming Student
Success at USF (by April 15, 2010), and
6. Include recommendations on how we most effectively engage the broader USF community
in taking ownership of Student Success.
The goals of the SSTF, as presented to the task force members on November 5, 2009, were
“to achieve institutional behaviors and outcomes consistent with our national peers and to establish
a national model of excellence at USF through:
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 69
•
continuing our commitment to access and diversity
•
renewing our focus on academic attainment
•
improving levels of college preparedness for admitted students through shaping our student
profile
•
enhancing academic progress, graduation rates and time-to-graduation and reducing
disparities
•
reducing excess hours and thus SCH to degree
•
reducing student debt
•
enhancing student and alumni satisfaction
•
improving student progression rates to graduate school
•
improving career placement and competitiveness in the marketplace.”
The Task Force was divided into eight teams, illustrated below:
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Given the size of the Task Force and the scope of its charge, most of the work would be
done in the Teams, varying in size from 8 to 15 members. The Team Leaders (identified along
with the Team members in the Team Reports that follow), set an ambitious schedule of meetings to
carry out their respective charges. The work of all teams was facilitated by a support team that
included the Office of Decision Support and the Division of Student Affairs (see table below).
Dozens of articles and reports, including previous USF Task Force reports and other internal
documents, as well as external reports by national education organizations, informed the work of
the Task Force and were made available to the SSTF through the web.
Student Success Task Force
Support Team
Last Name
First Name
Position
Department
Communication & Marketing Office of Decision Support
Officer
Assistant Director
Office of Decision Support
Cash
Jacqui
Garcia
Valeria
Herreid
Charlene
Director, Planning,
Evaluation, & Assessment
Division of Student Affairs
Moore
Marvin
Office of Decision Support
Moore
Nagy
Reed
Michael
Adrian
Tammy
Thompson
Travis
Bog
Widgen
Assistant Director,
Institutional Effectiveness
Associate Vice President
Special Assistant
Executive Administrative
Specialist
Technology & Systems
Analyst
Executive Administrative
Specialist
Williams
Stephanie
Executive Assistant
Office of the Provost
Goldsmith
Carmen
Special Assistant
Office of Student Affairs
Office of Decision Support
ENLACE Florida
Office of Decision Support
Office of Decision Support
Office of Student Affairs
In addition to these reports and documents, the SSTF also collected some of its own
qualitative and quantitative data through various means.
The Office of Decision Support
organized a student focus group to collect qualitative data; Team 4, Instruction, hosted several
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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faculty focus groups; and Team 6, Graduate Experience, organized two focus groups for graduate
students. The SSTF Chair solicited input from the Black Student Union (BSU) and the Latin
American Student Association (LASA) at a special joint meeting. Finally, Provost Wilcox and
Vice President Meningall held four Campus Forums to engage the broader USF community in a
discussion of student success.
Participants in these meetings identified a few common themes: 1) Institutionalization of
Student Success; 2) Institutional Culture and Service; 3) Access and Affordability; 4) Student
Support Services; and 5) Physical Infrastructure. Given that the opinions expressed in these
meetings do not necessarily provide an accurate reflection of the broader USF community, the
selected comments that follow—which parallel themes that the SSTF analyzed in the course of its
work—must still be used with caution.
Institutionalization of Student Success:
“[There] needs to be more collaboration between student affairs and academic affairs. Also this
needs to happen throughout the year and not just in the first 6 weeks.” [Campus Forum]
“Ensure that the task force work is thoroughly integrated across campus. We need to
operate in a collaborative manner to review our policies practices that impact student
progress.” [Campus Forum]
“To effect change the environment at USF of colleges & departments operating as SILO’s
must be eliminated. Too many people just doing their own thing.” [Campus Forum]
“Cross department collaboration – eliminate the silos – sometimes even those within a
department do not know what are the goals of the department because senior staff do not
inform them of their importance of the goals.” [Campus Forum]
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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“Better communication between student affairs and academic affairs to cross-promote
current opportunities and to create new programs/collaboration to address gaps.”
[Campus Forum]
Institutional Culture and Service:
“‘Shared responsibility’ is an excellent concept, however students are sent from office to
office, building to building in an effort to accomplish one relatively simple task such as
properly filling out a form or understand a process.” [Campus Forum]
“There should be a customer/student service programs that connects the “USF way” how
we can best serve our customers/students. Anyone who supervises or manages employees
should be required to complete a management/supervision review. The customer service
should focus on understanding our customer ->the student.”[Campus Forum]
“Comprehensive customer service training – study the Disney customer service philosophy
& training and apply to USF. Hold employees accountable for their treatment of
students/parents/ peers etc. Teach staff how to remove obstacles, not create them!”
[Campus Forum]
“A well-trained, enthusiastic support staff, campus-wide would create a network of support
for student success. A motivated workforce goes above and beyond to help students, who
are often seen as a distraction, and not the reason for their jobs. Enhanced training,
increased pay etc would help toward this end.” [Campus Forum]
“On my way to this forum two young students came into my office asking to speak to a
dean or anyone in charge of health services. This young couple also happened to be
married, they had a bad experience and felt they were headed poorly.” [Campus Forum]
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Access and Affordability:
“Have a pool of money to make available on campus part-time jobs for anyone who needs
income. They don’t have to be financial aid qualified—jobs would be located in offices
across campus.” [Campus Forum]
“Financial aid for part-time students.” [Campus Forum]
Shift to direct federal student lending. [Campus Forum]
“Minimal indebtedness upon graduation – link 20%-25% of foundation fundraising toward
scholarships and additional grant funding towards financial aid awards.” [Campus Forum]
“If had not done things on my own I would not be graduating – given complete runaround
– no one is helpful – have cried a bucket of tears in that office – just pass you off to
someone else – no one is helpful – tell you all is good and then as classes begin tell you
have no aid – financial aid is a loaded topic for me.” [Student Focus Group]
When LASA and BSU students were asked to identify the top reasons why they might not
graduate on time, most students listed finances as their top concern:
“Finances—not being able to pay for courses or household expenses if going to
school full time.”
Money.
$$$
Student Support:
“Ensure that every major has a professionally trained academic advisor & create a
campus-wide training program to ensure they are all on the same page. Faculty should be
allowed to focus on career advising and not the rules, regulations, policies of things like
ARC, drop/add, registration etc.” [Campus Forum]
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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“[We] need more counselors and advisors that will actually guide you to the classes you
need to stay on track.” [Student meeting]
“Expansion of programs to prepare students for their professional career/life. Example :
workshop/seminars related to budgeting, professional etiquette, ongoing professional
development.” [Campus Forum]
“Teachers/advisors/school need to be military friendly.” [Student meeting]
“Advisors need to be increased, more informed, and more respectful.” [Student meeting]
“Improve student/career counselor ratio. Currently 5000+ to 1.” [Campus Forum]
“Regarding higher degrees of satisfaction, students need more activities they can
participate in on the weekends. They also need to feel that the Marshall Student Center is
actually their student center that is welcoming and usable on the weekends and evenings.
[Campus Forum]
“Students have needed to learn how to work around the system—i.e., going through
professors you may know who are also advisors because a rapport exists and results in
more responsive support/guidance.” [Student Focus Group]
“It was the consensus that students need to be proactive and problem-solve many times on
their own.” [Graduate Student Focus Group]
“I’d like to see us do a better job helping student learn practical life skills – i.e. creating,
managing & following a budget; managing finances; personal wellness(physical, mental &
emotional health); relationships; personal responsibility, etc. Kids quit when they
encounter financial difficulty.” [Campus Forum]
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Physical Infrastructure:
“Students’ selection of university to attend is highly dependent on the facility environment.
Well known issue. A great facility environment also brings great commitment from faculty,
staff & students for success of university. Funding & resource commitments should be
consistent with the expectation.” [Campus Forum]
“Provide funding – move forward with a team Wellness center. Studies have shown these
students who are actually involved with health and wellness provide an outcome of success.
They achieve a higher goal. “Holistic students.” [Campus Forum]
“We have restrooms that are not cleaned and maintained sufficiently. While construction is
everywhere, students who will not utilize the new facility/building being constructed, but go to a
building with a need for maintenance feel they are not important.” [Campus Forum]
“Cooper and SOC are horrible buildings – need to be leveled – something should be done
with those places.” [Student Focus Group]
“High schools have better facilities than Cooper and SOC.” [Student Focus Group]
“A separate Student Union [for graduate students] with ample space for computers,
meeting rooms, conference rooms [would build a sense of community].” [Graduate Student
Focus Group]
Although the Task Force identified many missing data elements in the course of its work,
the members had a wealth of data to inform its analyses. The greater challenge they faced was to
process and analyze this data within a limited time frame.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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STUDENT SUCCESS TASK FORCE TEAM REPORTS
Team 1 Student Readiness
Charge
The Student Readiness Team was charged “to examine the extent to which USF students
were and are prepared for success in their undergraduate studies. The scope of the examination
will include outreach and recruitment policies and programs; admissions policies and procedures;
the application process up to and including enrollment; alignment with high schools and
community colleges; state and national trends and policies.”
The Student Readiness team clarified and elaborated upon this charge, persuaded that
student success begins with readiness. The team decided to explore all avenues of USF’s influence
on the readiness of the incoming students (first time in college, transfer, and graduate students) to
undertake a rigorous journey of academics and scholarship as well as leadership, team work,
communication, and engagement with the global community. The team would provide
recommendations on a set of feasible measures that, in the coming years, would provide significant
impetus to student success in all measures, including those explicitly stated in the USF Strategic
Plan 2007-2012, Section B II (Promoting globally competitive undergraduate, graduate, and
professional programs that support interdisciplinary inquiry, intellectual development, knowledge
and skill acquisition, and student success through a diverse, fully engaged, and learner-centered
campus environment).
The team sought to identify various means of improving readiness for incoming students,
investigate the available means, and recommend plans for enhancement through either direct
means or in collaboration with partner institutions (school districts, community colleges, state
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 77
colleges, and other universities). The team aimed to develop recommendations driven by data, with
sufficient details to allow implementation in near future.
Membership of the Team
Last
Name
Colon
First
Name
Braulio
Das
Tapas
Agrawal
Manish
Collymore
Position
Co-Team
leader
Co-Team
leader
Department
Associate Director
ENLACE Florida
The Provost’s Office
Member
Associate Provost for Policy
Analysis, Planning, and
Performance
Associate Professor
Thora
Member
Immigration Specialist
Gerlich
Linda
Member
Haworth
Amy
Member
Hernandez
Frank
Member
Coordinator of Human
Resource
Associate AD/SWA in
Athletics
Director
Kerrigan
Carol
Member
Assistant Director
Lamons
Brent
Member
Lawrence
Pollenz
Spatig
Jay
Rick
J.Robert
Member
Member
Member
Coordinator of Pre-Ed
Advising
Director
Associate Dean
Director
Walker
Paulette
Member
Director of Undergraduate
Programs and Internships
Department of
Information Systems and
Decision Science,
College of Business
International Services,
International Affairs
E Campus
Athletics-USF
Department of Diversity
and Multicultural
Awareness, USF Student
Government
Student Services and
Advising, College of The
Arts
College of Education
Student Publications
Graduate School
Undergraduate
Admissions
College of Education
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 78
Team 1 divided into four sub-teams:
Sub-Teams
First-time in College(FTIC)
Lower level, Upper level,
and AA Transfers
International
Graduate
Name
Paulette Walker, Chair of sub-team
Jay Lawrence
Robert Spatig
Amy Hayworth
Braulio Colon
Manish Agrawal, Chair of sub-team
Carol Kerrigan
Frank Hernandez
Thora Collymore, Chair of Sub-team
Linda Gerlich
Brent Lamons, Chair of Sub-team
Tapas K. Das
Rick Pollenz
Short-Term Goals:
1.
Require students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Students are often not aware of funds available to them and/or they make a self-
determining decision that they are not eligible for various forms of financial aid. Consequently, if
all students were mandated to complete a FAFSA form, then they could receive accurate and
current information relative to their eligibility for financial aid/scholarship/grant monies.
2.
Emphasize the Total Cost of Attendance:
College costs always include more items than tuition, lodging, and meals. As a result,
many times students find themselves in dire straits because of under-budgeting. If they could be
provided a listing of all costs (i.e., books and supplies, travel home, entertainment), it would enable
them to better prepare financially for college attendance.
3.
Require Students to Enroll in a University Experience (UE) course:
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 79
For many students, navigating the system can be overwhelming.
The structure and
contents of the University Experience course provides students with pertinent information related
to University resources. For these reasons, USF should also develop a separate UE course for
upper level transfer students. Lower-level transfers should be enrolled with the FTICs, and writing
should be incorporated within the UE course.
4.
Disseminate more information about financial aid and scholarship options to the
students, along with detailed information about the costs of housing meal options.
5.
Expand efforts to teach incoming new students (FTICs and Transfers) time
management skills.
6.
Encourage students to use the resources of the Career Center to identify their
personal interests.
7.
Encourage students to check the availability of a major at USF that matches their
personal interests talk with an advisor prior to enrollment to confirm compatibility
between their interests and course offerings and requirements in the major.
8.
Develop online pre-orientation modules for graduate and international students.
9.
Provide mandatory onsite orientation after graduate and international students arrive
on campus.
10.
Provide ‘graduate success workshops’ to existing undergraduates at USF and make
them available online through multi-media platforms.
11.
Provide programmatic pre-orientation to the concentration area (e.g. faculty
distributing syllabi, reading list, etc. to graduate and international students prior to
the student’s arrival)
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 80
12.
Develop a graduate student seminar to orient students to discipline specific resources
and different approaches to inquiry within their field of study.
13.
Encourage formation of student chapters of professional or scholarly societies, for
each graduate degree program, by which special events, lectures and colloquia could
be communicated to students prior to their arrival and during their study at USF.
14.
Be responsive to foreign students’ needs for documents required for visa and passport
applications.
15.
Create social and academic support groups or formalize the existing ones to ensure
that incoming foreign students can get help in adjusting to a new social and academic
environment.
Long-Term Goals
1.
Reform the University infrastructure to facilitate collaboration between student
service programs.
The University’s current infrastructure does not easily lend itself to a seamless flow of
information for students. While there are many programs designed to promote student retention,
these programs do not interact with each other in a structured or formal manner.
2.
Evaluate incoming students based on grades in high school courses that have been
determined by USF to be college-ready, not overall grades.
3.
Require students to include an essay in their application to demonstrate intellectual
curiosity and writing ability. One dimension of such curiosity is the volume and
variety of community service hours.
4.
Implement learning communities in all residence halls.
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 81
5.
Develop 3-to 6-hour long semi-annual training programs for academic advisors, with
program content guided by student feedback.
These programs may include lunch etc. to make it attractive for advisors. Outside advising
experts may be brought in to offer these programs. Program content may include topics such as
identifying students who need assistance, identifying student needs, customer-service practices,
and advising techniques. The goal of these programs should be to improve the service quality of
the advisors and to improve consistency of service.
6.
Institute an entrance and exit student survey to assess students’ expectations
concerning readiness and compile a data base that would assist in the further
enhancement of graduate student readiness.
Team 2 Student Support Services and Policies
Charge
The Student Support Services and Policies team was charged to “examine the efficacy of
student support programs throughout the university, including but not limited to: orientation or
other transitional programs, advising; tutoring; supplemental instruction; and college readiness
programs (FSI, etc.). The team will also review all policies that might facilitate or slow student
progression.”
Given this charge, the team opted to review the CAS Standards (7th Edition-2009) list of 40
“Student Support” areas. This process included clarifying the original charge, in consultation with
other SSTF teams, prioritizing the remaining areas, and then identifying nine support service areas
to focus on, including: Academic Advising, Career Services, Counseling Services, Education
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 82
Abroad, Orientation, Student with Disabilities Services, Testing Services, Tutoring/Learning
Services, and Veterans Services.
Membership of the Team
Last
Name
Jones
First
Name
Winston
Smith
Beatrice
Besterfield Glen
Position
Department
Co-Team
leader
Co-Team
leader (2/7/10
to present)
Director
Student Rights and Responsibilities
Director
Advising and Student Services,
College of Behavioral and
Community Sciences
Co-Team
Leader (11/5/09
to 2/7/10)
Associate Dean
Undergraduate Studies
Office of New Student Connections
Ambron
Devin
Member
Brigman
Leellen
Member
Espinola
Jennifer
Member
Transfer Peer
Advisor Leader
Associate Vice
President
Director
Hauser
Marnie
Member
Director
Jackson
Jacob
Member
Office of Student Affairs
Lanier
Cayla
Member
Mallard
Kimberly
Member
Morgan
John
Member
Phillips
Susan
Member
Student
Assistant
Academic
Advisor
Associate
Director
Academic
Advisor
Psychologist
Robinson
Alison
Member
Director
Application Services
Spedoske
Samantha Member
Coordinator
USF Health & Wellness
Enrollment Planning &
Management
Center for Leadership & Civic
Engagement
Office of Orientation
Honors College
Campus Recreation Center
Academic Support Services,
College of Engineering
Counseling Center
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
Page 83
Team 2 Student Support Services and Policies divided into six sub-teams:
Sub-Teams
Name
Academic Advising
and Career
Services/Internships/CoOp/Student OPS
Marnie Hauser, Chair of sub-team
Jacob Jackson
John Morgan
Counseling Services
John Morgan, Chair of sub-team
Susan Philips
Devin Ambron
Alison Robinson, Chair of Sub-team
Kimberly Mallard
Devin Ambron
Cayla Lanier, Chair of Sub-team
John Morgan, Sami Spedoske
Winston Jones, Chair of Sub-team
Jennifer Espinola
Jacob Jackson
Bea Smith, Chair of sub-team
Leellen Brigman
Susan Philips
Education Abroad
Learning
Assistance/Tutoring
Orientation and Veterans
Services
Students with Disabilities
Services and Testing
Services
Strong and viable student support services in the nine areas reviewed by Team 2 would
contribute strongly to the success of all students. The team identified these nine areas as “high
priorities” based on the student and faculty/staff feedback, a review of current USF practices in
these critical areas, and other pertinent documentation made available to the team by other SSTF
teams. Strengthening USF efforts in these nine critical areas would undoubtedly improve enhance
current efforts to improve student success. .
At the end of this review, the Team recognized that this final report might impress some
readers as simply a “wish-list” of basic needs. However, given the slow (or sometimes nonexistent) growth of institutional resources in these critical areas over the past several years, the
committee concluded that in order to reach a level of meeting or exceeding student needs, these
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areas must first reach a level of adequate staffing and resources. For the most part, all of the areas
reviewed have many solid, innovative ideas as to how to better enhance student success, but they
are either understaffed or lack resources and, therefore, focus their energies primarily on how to
meet the basic needs of their areas.
The following three short-term recommendations apply across all nine service areas
reviewed in this Team 2 report.
Short-Term Goals:
1.
Ensure that core student support areas across campus have good referral information by
building an ethos of collaboration and cross training in core areas of interest (i.e. orientation,
advising, admission, etc.).
An easier flow of information between and among core support areas and offices across the
campus would enhance the quality of services delivered to students. Students would not just be
passed along to another office, but informed about next steps and resources before they go from
one office to another. The creation of a quick reference guide (available both on-line and in
printable version) accessible to all campus offices would facilitate this collaboration and staff to
provide quick and reliable information to students.
2.
Require, as a university standard, that all student support areas prepare annual
reports and conduct periodic program reviews that include bench-marking and consistent
tracking and analysis of student satisfaction and feedback.
In the process of conducting its analyses of Student Support Services and Policies, the
Team found that some units provided evidence of conducting regular assessment activities, while
others had inadequate documentation or none at all. Guidance and training, with appropriate
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resources, would be needed from an assessment unit on campus to facilitate this type of major
institutional change. As part of this annual reporting process, student support staff would review
state, national, and aspirational peers’ models as a means of staying current with best practices.
3.
Develop a centralized referral resource for all student services available on campus to
promote programming and referrals.
Currently, USF houses many offices with qualified professionals offering many
developmental opportunities, but students, faculty, and staff are not always aware of these
opportunities and they do not have a quick and accessible way to view the services available and
how to contact the office or unit offering the service. A central resource reference for offices to
access (perhaps an on-line quick reference A-Z “how-to” up-to-date guide of all available
resources) would facilitate the use and delivery of these services and individual units would spend
less on marketing their activities.
Academic Advising
Short-Term Goals
1.
Provide funding, resources, and physical facilities to further reduce the
student/advisor ratio.
USF has made great strides in improving student/advisor ratios, from 700:1 in 2005 to
420:1 in 2010. With a plan in place to hire 36 advisers over a three-year period (Fall 2009 to Fall
2011) and replace faculty/instructor advisors with full-time professional advisors, the
student/advisor ratio should soon reach 380:1. However, research and best practices demonstrate
that the ideal student/advisor ratio at a large public research university should be less than 350:1.
With a majority of student complaints continuing to focus on limited accessibility to advisors and,
the quality of advising services not meeting students’ expectations, there is little doubt that USF
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will be unable to implement a more intrusive advising model without further reducing the
student/advisor ratio and improving the quality of service provided by advisors to students.
2.
Develop a consistent training process for new advisors.
An advisor training manual is needed which outlines standard expectations for all USF
advisors and a consistent training philosophy, with modules for advisors to master, including a
career development component. A mentoring program between current and new advisors is also
recommended. Opportunities for professional development, including participation at professional
conferences (NACADA) need to be increased and offered more broadly to advisors. A new degree
audit (Degree Works) is scheduled to replace SASS over the next year and there is concern that the
timeline for implementation and proper adaptation to the new system is not reasonable for a
smooth transition in the suggested timeframe.
3.
Assess and evaluate advising units.
USF has collected very little viable data available regarding student satisfaction and
advising. A survey of various advising units revealed insufficient data regarding assessment,
benchmarking, consistent tracking/analysis of student satisfaction feedback, annual reports, etc. A
systematic plan, whether created campus-wide or within advising units, should immediately be
established to demonstrate accountability. Regular assessment to determine whether and to what
degree the stated mission, goals, and outcomes are being met is needed and data collected should
include feedback from students and other affected constituencies.
4.
Facilitate collaboration with the Career Center and Graduate School to create a
consistent and high-quality training program for all advisors.
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Long Term Goals
1.
Centralize the advising structure within all colleges.
2.
Create a promotion track for advisors similar to the new instructor promotion track.
Advisors enjoy no opportunity for career advancement, which may lead to lack of
motivation, early burnout, and high turnover. There is currently very little in place with regard to
an incentive-based reward structure which would reward creating new initiatives, taking on new
responsibilities, etc.
3.
Adopt a more developmental advising model and create a plan for implementation.
To enhance student success USF should shift toward a more nationally recognized
“developmental advising” strategy, which would include more of a “big picture approach” when
working with students rather than “getting them in and getting them out.” To realize those goals
advisors need more expertise in career planning and post-baccalaureate planning. The current
assumption appears too often to be that it is primarily the Career Center’s and Graduate School’s
responsibility to cover these areas with students, when it should be a collaborative effort to assist
students with these important issues/decisions, especially with today’s economic climate.
Career Services/Internships/Co-Op/Student OPS
Short-Term Goals
1.
Analyze crucial staffing needs, develop a strategic plan, and provide resources to hire
additional career counselors.
More career counselors are needed to meet the growing needs of current students and
alumni. Currently, there are only seven career counselors to meet the needs of the entire campus.
Due to staffing limitations, outreach to departments, colleges, and advisors has been drastically
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reduced. Student demand for career services is not currently met with existing staff, resources, or
space.
2.
Initiate a study of facilities and develop a plan to expand the facility.
3.
Career Center, in collaboration with appropriate offices across campus, should
maintain a website listing of internship opportunities and make this database more
readily available to students.
A common complaint from students is the lack of a centralized internship process. There is
currently no one place on campus or on-line where students can inquire about the availability of
internship opportunities. The Career Center would be the obvious place to house this information.
4.
Reinstitute a career development course.
Career development needs to be brought back into the classroom. Students are not
“finding” the Career Center until very late in their academic careers, notably in the latter part of
their senior year. This is too late for effective guidance with regard to career development (and
post-baccalaureate planning).
5.
Conduct a thorough analysis of OPS funding issue, possibly in conjunction with
financial aid and develop a strategy to expand on-campus work opportunities for
students.
There is major student concern over the loss of OPS funding (fewer opportunities for
students to work on campus over past 5 years).
Long-Term Goals
1.
Centralize internships within the Career Center
2.
Institute a career-development requirement for students.
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For undergraduates, this might entail a requirement of an appointment with a career
counselor during the sophomore year. For graduates, this might entail some kind of structured
activities in collaboration with the Career Center to focus on their career needs as well.
Counseling Services
Goals
1.
Expand Counseling Center staffing from current 1:3300-4000 ratio to the national
average of 1:1950 (approximately 7 new hires).
Student demand for counseling services is high and increasing, especially for more
intensive counseling rather than developmental issues. Students currently encounter a significant
delay in scheduling non-emergency counseling due to staffing shortage. Demand is anticipated to
increase with the growing number of residential students, returning veterans and international
students. With adequate staffing, outreach activities could be conducted to expose a greater
number of students to counseling services and partnerships with other areas such as
Learning/Tutoring Services could further be developed and more workshops delivered. More indepth counseling to a greater number of students with more serious needs as well as emergency
counseling situations would be better accommodated.
2.
Collaborate with Student with Disabilities Services in an analysis of “need” with
regard to AD/HD testing.
Due to staffing and budgetary constraints, the Counseling Center can no longer provide the
service of battery of testing required for AD/HD documentation. As a result, students are referred
to an off-campus vendor; in many cases, students cannot afford the cost of this testing. If USF
must continue to “outsource” this type of testing, explore options for students with demonstrated
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financial need who cannot afford to pay for the testing and revise or update the list of reliable,
local outside agencies and post it on-line for students.
Education Abroad
Short-Term Goals
1.
Acquire and implement new software to facilitate communications, programmatic
functions, safety protocols, and assess risk management, etc.
2.
Expand outreach to “recruit” more undergraduate students for study abroad
programs.
Currently, less than 1000 students per year study abroad, less than 2% of the current
undergraduate population. The strategic plan calls for 5% of the undergraduate population to
participate in a study abroad program. Boosting participation rates will require additional office
staff and greater cooperation from departments and colleges. The structure of many curricula does
not currently allow “room” in the program to accommodate a study abroad experience. Currently,
there are no guidelines or policies in place to generate university-wide support of study abroad
programming.
Long-Term Goals
1.
Expand funding opportunities for students desiring to study abroad by working with
the Development Office and colleges to identify, expand, or establish additional study-abroad
scholarship opportunities.
Study abroad opportunities are inaccessible to a large segment of the student populations.
Limited-income students face insurmountable financial barriers to education abroad. Consider
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implementation of an “international student fee” to be used to provide scholarships and financial
aid for students studying abroad, as well as to promote other international academic programming
2.
Education Abroad’s unique programming needs should be given consideration in the
decision-making process with regard to State and University policies that affect students.
Review is needed (possibly a committee) to address concerns regarding areas such as
course scheduling, payment processes, travel rules, financial aid policies, etc. Obstacles in these
areas can hinder a student’s ability to pursue a study abroad opportunity. Study Abroad does not
necessarily “fit” into many of the university’s and State’s current policies, including schedules and
processes. Travel restrictions, payment processes, and financial aid policies, all of which have been
promulgated to accommodate domestic programs, create barriers for students desiring to study
abroad.
Learning Assistance and Tutoring
Short-Term Goals
1.
Establish permanent funding for the Learning Commons through a line item in the
budget.
Decentralized academic support became centralized in Fall 2009 with the opening of the
Learning Commons in the Library, but it ran out of funding during first three months of operation.
2.
Hire 50 tutors at a cost of approximately $360,000 per year.
Since the Learning Commons opened, the hours of support provided to students has tripled without
additional support staff.
3.
Allocate funding to replace grants for STEM tutoring center and Virtual Learning
Commons. These two crucial grants are due to end within two years.
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4.
Fund a full-time instructor to coordinate adjuncts, prepare curriculum and teach
REA courses.
USF will now teach remediation courses formerly taught by HCC.
5.
Collaborate with the Counseling Center, SDS, and Testing Services to determine
responsibilities and ownership of test prep workshops, diagnosing test anxiety and disorders,
and offering workshops related to academic success and skills.
6.
Expand Learning Commons to an entire floor of the library and combine the Writing
Lab with the tutoring area so that services are on same floor.
The Learning Commons has already outgrown the physical space allotted to it. Space is
already an issue. More individual tutoring spaces, presentation practice rooms, quiet study areas
and study group rooms are needed. The centers cannot advertise services too aggressively because
they cannot accommodate walk-ins.
7.
Further analyze supplemental instruction model and, if opted for adoption, develop a
phase-in plan.
Long Term Goals
1.
Phase in additional resources and staff in conjunction with enrollment growth and
student needs.
2.
Expand tutoring services to include additional disciplines.
3.
Create a Learning Center building that could house several academic and support
services resources for students, including classrooms for workshops and courses and possibly
TRAC advising and First Year student support programs.
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Orientation
Short-Term Goals
1.
Provide adequate staff support to the Orientation Office.
The current office manager position, crucial to everyday functions, needs to be reclassified
and funded; a position dedicated to Transfer Orientation is also needed as well as an additional
graduate assistant position.
2.
Stabilize or reduce the costs of on-campus rental and service fees.
Scheduling space on campus for new student orientations is a challenge every year.
Cooperation varies across campus with regard to working with Orientation to secure space for
sessions. Consistent charges are needed for on-campus services such as rentals and food. The state
only allows a set orientation fee of $35, yet the expenses for the use of on-campus services
increases about 7% per year. If rental fees went down or stayed the same, no increase would be
needed in orientation charge, which would financially assist students as well as assist the
Orientation Office in creating a reliable budget. Further analysis and discussion of the stateimposed $35 orientation fee limit is required.
3.
Form a standing committee comprised of Orientation “partners” (Admissions/New
Student Connections/Orientation) to communicate and collaborate on issues relevant to the
new student/orientation process.
4.
Give new transfer students the option of meeting with an advisor and registering
prior to attending campus orientation.
Transfer students are unable to register until they attend a campus orientation. Because
some transfer orientation dates are not scheduled until after registration has already begun,
students scheduled for these later sessions feel somewhat at a disadvantage when registering. In
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some cases, due to the large number of attendees at some sessions, students may be unable to
secure quality time for advising at the time of orientation; some must return for a follow-up
appointment. Under the new policy, a transfer student would still be required to register for
campus orientation first. Advising would also still be a component of the transfer orientation
session but would then be optional for those students who have already met with an advisor and
registered.
Long Term Goals
1.
Develop a tiered process for recognizing and retaining student leaders involved in the
orientation process.
Currently, there is high turnover, especially with transfer orientation team leaders, as many
do not hold that position until their senior year. As a result, resources are drained to recruit and
train “new” team leaders every year. New leadership opportunities should be offered to students
who assist with orientation.
2.
Expand the space of the Orientation Office to accommodate an increase in personnel.
Student with Disabilities Services (SDS)
Short Term Goals
1.
Provide two lines of funding to SDS: an operating budget and an accommodations
budget to provide legally mandated services.
SDS consistently runs a deficit due to having only one operating budget. A separate line of
funding is desperately needed to pay for legally mandated services. Most offices of this type have
two separate lines of funding: an operating budget and an accommodations budget to pay for
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legally mandated services (over $70,000 per semester spent on this service alone). The appropriate
budget area would need to work with the SDS director to document and analyze current funding
situation to clarify how this new funding approach might be implemented.
2.
Coordinate with the Bookstore and Library to address issue of new textbooks and
visual materials.
New textbooks need to have accessible electronic versions and films, and other “visual”
materials in the library need to be closed captioned or subtitled. Countless hours could be saved by
adopting the practice of requesting SDS-friendly materials when purchasing new books or study
items via the bookstore or the library. Recommendations should be disseminated to the campus
community on the importance of this practice and/or to consider “requiring” that all new materials
be SDS-friendly.
3.
Appoint SDS liaisons in all advising areas, departments, and campus offices who serve
SDS students.
Student services would be enhanced by the development of a stronger connection to other
campus offices and faculty. Liaisons should be identified in all advising areas, departments, and
other campus offices serving SDS students. A route list and periodic meetings should be routinely
used to disseminate SDS information to the campus community.
4.
Form a committee with the Counseling Center and Learning Commons to assess the
demand for psychological testing and determine responsibilities and ownership of this area.
Testing can be upwards to $1,000 and many students do not seek service because they
cannot afford to get the appropriate documentation. This testing is currently outsourced. If the
consensus is to continue to outsource this testing, the list of testers in the area should be updated
immediately and posted.
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5.
Provide SDS with space to administer final exams, possibly in conjunction with
support of a higher-level office and space and Testing Services.
Space for administering final exams to 300 to 400 students each semester is consistently a
difficult challenge. Although the Testing Services office has ideal space for many exams to be
proctored at once, SDS has not been given permission to utilize that space. As a result, SDS either
has to pay for space or rely on space in residence halls to proctor exams as most other space on
campus is allotted to classes. Having to focus on thwarting cheating is sometimes a result of not
having an ideal space for proctoring exams.
Long Term Goals
1.
Analyze current space and equipment needs and submit proposal for space
enhancement and purchase of additional equipment.
SDS office space is not sufficient and equipment is out of date. SDS has relied on Student
Government donations to purchase new equipment over the last few years.
2.
Hire additional staff if the number of students being served continues to increase.
The influx of recent veterans, some of whom are coming in with conditions such as PTSD
and hearing impairments from combat duty, is already beginning to suggest a new trend of
students who will be requesting accommodations through SDS.
Testing Services
Short Term Goals
1.
Clarify the role of Testing Services for the campus community.
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Restructured a few years ago, the current role of Testing Services is to administer tests both
to USF students and non-students. However, students often go to Testing Services looking for
advice and information about other testing-related issues, such as which tests to register for, pretesting resources, test preparation materials, or explanations about tests and the uses of results.
The office currently refers students to other places, such as the Bookstore, Learning Commons,
advising, or websites, for assistance with these test-related issues. The current assumption is that
students should arrive at the Testing Services office ready to register, as it is not their
responsibility to assist students with testing-related questions/concerns. If a current USF student
has a testing-related question, Testing Services often refers the student to leave and seek answers
from his/her academic advisor. However, academic advisors are not necessarily aware of this
expectation nor do they have the appropriate training/background/expertise to address testingrelated questions. Testing Services refers external customers to the bookstore or to seek their own
answers on-line. If Testing Services is to remain an auxiliary unit whose only role is to administer
tests, we recommend relocating the office to a more appropriate location on campus to
accommodate off-campus visitors. (Off-campus test-takers with reservations are sometimes late for
their tests due to having to park sometimes as far away as the Sun Dome.) However, if a decision
is made for Testing Services to function as a student support services unit, the office needs to
assume more of a role in actively providing testing resources to students rather than referring them
to other offices on campus.
2.
Testing Services should resume responsibility of the input of test scores into Banner
for current students.
Testing Services no longer inputs test scores into Banner for current students; this task has
yet to be clearly assigned to another area and is currently the responsibility of the Office of
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Undergraduate Studies. This is an on-going issue for both students and departments, as sometimes
students’ ability to register or a decision related to admission to a limited access program or
graduation certification is contingent upon a test score being posted promptly.
3.
Explore the feasibility of Testing Services collaborating with the Counseling Center to
offer workshops needed by test-takers and with the Learning Commons to address tutoring
and study skill types of issues also needed by test-takers.
4.
Draft a Memorandum of Understanding with Students with Disabilities Services to
block final exam weeks in the Testing Center each semester to accommodate SDS’s need for
space to administer final exams.
During the rest of the year, Testing Services should allow SDS and other offices that are in
need of appropriate testing space to reserve space on a first come/first serve basis when calendar
indicates that space is available.
Long Term Goals
1.
Develop a plan for Testing Services to function more as a student support service
area, working in collaboration with other units on campus as appropriate.
Veterans Services
Short Term Goals
1.
Hire additional staff to enhance services to veteran students.
The Office of Veterans Services is currently serving over 1,000 veteran students. This has
created a work overload for the office’s only certifying official. In light of the new G.I. Bill and
partnership and recent public relations campaign acknowledging USF as a “veteran-friendly”
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campus, USF should anticipate and prepare for a significant increase in its veteran student
population. At the moment, the office lacks the basic data on veterans that it needs to evaluate and
improve its services. At least two additional hires are necessary. An additional certifying official
is needed in order to process educational benefits in a timely manner. The second employee would
expand outreach capacity by assisting in the planning and implementation of new programs,
events, and support activities. This individual would manage campus mentorship and student
success programs that target veterans. Both new hires would also assist in the planning of
community veteran activities and programs.
2.
Assess the adequacy of space and develop a proposal aligned with anticipated growth
in veteran students’ demand for services.
3.
Provide a post-orientation information session for Veteran Students.
The session should include Veterans Affairs representatives, Student Veterans Association,
Veterans Services office staff and veteran student workers in a session that provides in-depth
benefit information to students.
4.
Extend campus outreach more aggressively to “educate” advisors and other offices
who also serve Veteran Students as to what they need to know to best serve this student
population.
5.
Provide better training for staff as well as new student workers to ensure that
incoming veterans receive consistent information.
Long Term Goals
1.
Move Veterans Services into a larger, more appropriate new space on campus.
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Veterans Services does not currently have enough offices to support the addition of future
staff members. In addition, there is no space for veterans to work, study and socialize.
2.
Reevaluate current USF practice of limiting amount of military credit for
baccalaureate degree credit.
Feedback from incoming veteran students is negative regarding USF’s current transfer
articulation policies with regard to military credit. USF is much more conservative than other
universities with larger populations of veteran students. ACE guide recommendations for credit are
not always recognized.
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Team 3 Access and Affordability
Charge
Affordability is a critical factor that determines whether a student progresses toward a
college degree.
The team will examine the extent to which national, state, and institutional
financial aid facilitates student persistence and success. The scope of the analysis will include but
not be limited to the rising costs of higher education; national, state, and institutional financial aid
programs and policies; and student borrowing and indebtedness.
Membership of the Team
Last Name
Hamilton
First
Billie Jo
Co-Team leader
Title
Director
Trivunovich
Nick
Co-Team leader
Controller
Newhouse
Bacheller
Bryson
Cynthia
Member
Philip
Member
Student & Employer
Relations Coordinator
Coordinator
De Jesus
Jose
Member
Senator
Mack
Jeffrey
Member
Miller, Jr.
Lesley
Member
Assistant Vice
President
Director
Vickers
Fairfax
Member
Director of Quality &
Accountability
Zambroski
Cheryl
Member
Associate Professor
and Interim Dean for
Academics
Department
University
Scholarships &
Financial Aid
Services
University
Controllers Office
Career Center
Students with
Disabilities Services
College of Arts &
Sciences
Auxiliary Services
Office of the Student
Ombudsman
Student Affairs
Shared Services
Center
College of Nursing,
Undergraduate
Program
The Team functioned as a single unit during the information review and evaluation
sessions. Once the team settled on a set of recommendations, each committee member assumed
the task of preparing a formal statement on a particular recommendation.
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The team spent
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significant time reviewing data already compiled by University Scholarships & Financial Aid
Services (USFAS) as well as National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) data from fifteen
peer and aspirational institutions to determine the extent to which any unique institutional
characteristics made it less affordable for prospective and current students. The USFAS also
compiled data comparing USF to the University of Florida, Florida State University, and the
University of Central Florida. The review indicated that USF enrolls the highest percentage of Pell
Grant recipients and the lowest percentage of Bright Futures recipients. We have the lowest
graduation rate of the four institutions and our graduates leave with the highest average debt, as
detailed in the table below.
Name
FSU
UCF
UF
USF
Average Debt
of Graduates
2007
Graduation Graduation
Rate in 4
Rate in 6
years
Years
Percent of Pell
Grant Recipients
2006-2007
Percentage of
Bright Futures
recipients
$13,855
46
68
25%
58.10%
$13,373
33
58
21%
49.30%
$14,988
57
80
22%
68.10%
$18,517
20
46
2%
35.00%
Upon completing the review of the institutional data, the team began evaluating the
recommendations taking into account that: 1) costs for students will continue to increase; 2)
increases in financial aid funds are limited and not adequate to cover increased costs; and 3) the
most effective way to reduce costs may be to shorten the time to degree.
The final recommendations of the Team fell into three distinct categories:
1. Initiatives to contain costs and provide increased payment options;
2. Academic policies that enable and encourage degree progress; and
3. Student financial literacy educational programs.
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Short Term Goals
1.
Advocate, in collaboration with USF Governmental Relations and the Student
Government Association, for the expansion of Bright Futures eligibility for the summer
semester for students completing at least 24 credit hours during the fall and spring
semesters.
Bright Futures recipients are eligible for 132 credit hours of assistance during fall and
spring semesters. If a student desires to enroll in the summer in order to accelerate degree
progress, he or she should be allowed to use his or her Bright Futures in that endeavor. This
proposal is cost neutral on a per student basis; however, it would increase expenditures in the first
year of implementation. With funding available year round, students who desire to complete their
degrees at an accelerated pace would have the opportunity for funding during the summer. The
likely outcome would be an increase in the number of students graduating in four years.
2.
Expand on-campus job opportunities for students and create a formalized internship
program which develops paid, credit-earning internship opportunities.
Recent and compelling evidence indicates that students leave college primarily due to work
demands (Habley & McClanahan, What Works in Student Retention, 2004; Public Agenda, With
Their Wholes Lives Ahead of Them, 2010). Increased employment opportunities on-campus would
alleviate work-related distractions to student success for those students able to secure on-campus
employment.
The higher the number of employment opportunities, the greater the potential
increase in student success. Similarly, increasing paid, credit-earning internship opportunities
would help meet student’s financial needs while also providing relevant work experience. Besides
increasing students’ engagement in their learning experience, this will enhance our students’
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competitiveness. If international internship opportunities were also increased, we would be able to
increase our students’ competitiveness in the global market.
4.
Require all students to take the Financial Literacy 101 course currently required of
all incoming freshman.
This course instructs students on vitally important information on managing their finances
during their tenure at USF and after they graduate. The areas of instruction are budgeting, credit
cards, debit cards, bank selection, account management, and identity theft. A review of the postcompletion survey of freshmen taking the course provides a compelling rationale for this
recommendation. 93% of respondents, for example, indicated that it was a good course; 83%
indicated they would recommend it to their friends; and 82% indicated they learned a lot from the
course.
5.
Limit the number of course withdrawals to reduce the time it takes for a student to
graduate and reduce the actual cost of the degree.
Students should be permitted no more than two course drops as a lower level student and
two as an upper level student. Exceptions would be made in cases of emergency or illness.
6.
Investigate variable cost meal plan options that promote value for resident students.
Particular attention should be directed to mandatory meal plans and the costs associated
with expanding the number of available options.
7.
Enhance efforts to minimize the cost of textbooks.
Encourage support and compliance with USF Regulation 3.029 and determine the viability
of additional measures to minimize the cost of textbooks, including textbook rental programs,
library reserve programs, reduction of expensive “bundled” materials, and the encouragement of
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publishers to develop electronic textbooks. The implementation of such programs to address
textbook affordability should be frequently communicated to the USF Community.
8.
Determine the viability of providing an installment payment plan for USF students
and the positive/negative impact such a plan may have for both the student and the
University.
9.
Require all transfer students attend a financial aid session at orientation.
Long Term Goals
1.
Review registration policies and consider offering “guaranteed” courses.
The University needs to evaluate the unmet demand for certain classes and determine how
it can best accommodate students’ needs. Students have indicated that they often cannot get into
the classes that they need when they need them. They will frequently take other classes so that
their financial aid is not jeopardized. Further, certain classes may only be offered once a year.
When this is the case, students may wait months before they can get into the classes that they need.
If the classes happen to be prerequisites to other classes in the students’ majors, then they are
unable to move forward in their majors and often fill the time with classes outside of their majors.
2.
Establish a multi-faceted early warning system to identify students who exhibit
academic behavior that puts them at risk for degree progression.
Students who are at risk need additional guidance and structure in order to successfully
attain their career goals.
More intrusive academic advising and course restrictions, tutoring,
financial planning assistance, and career counseling, among other services, would contribute to
more focus and reduced degree cost to the student.
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The first step in implementing this recommendation would require the university to
develop the capacity to engage in deep, on-going data collection and analysis of the factors that
contribute to student success. These include, but are not limited to: 1) course completion rates; 2)
grade point average in major courses; 3) excess loan debt for grade level attained; 4) mid-term
grade review (currently freshmen, but extend to transfer students); 5) success in freshman math
and English courses (must be completed before junior level); 6) and review of course enrollment
patterns for transfer students.
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Team 4 Instruction
Charge
Examine the efficacy of instructional methods, support systems for faculty, learning
technology, classroom facilities, library resources, and learning outcomes at the undergraduate
level.
Membership of the Team
Last
Name
Garrison
First
Name
William
RiCharde
R. Stephen
Williams
Diane
Bowen
Position
Department
Dean
USF Libraries
Assistant Vice President
Michael
Co-Team
Leader
Co-Team
Leader
Co-Team
Leader
Member
Caruson
Kiki
Member
Associate Professor and
Research Administration
Faculty Fellow
Cummings
William
Member
Associate Professor
Institutional Effectiveness
and Assessment
Center for 21st Century
Teaching Excellence
Department of Management,
College of Business
Government and
International Affairs &
Office of Research and
Innovation
Department of History
Cunningham Nancy
Member
GatesFowler
Perez
Ginny
Member
Rafael
Member
Stewart
Michael
Member
Torrence
Matt
Member
Walpole
Dennis
Member
Director of Academic
Services
Library Assistant of
Media Resources
Associate Dean of
Academic Affairs
Associate Dean for
Educator Preparation
Library Assistant of
Reference & Instruction
Faculty
Director of Educational
Technologies
Senior Director
Instructor
Libraries
Libraries
College of Engineering
College of Education
Libraries
Information Technology
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Team 4 divided into one sub-team focused on Library Resources:
Sub-Teams
Library Resources
Name
Bill Garrison
Ginny Gate-Fowler
Matt Torrence
Nancy Cunningham
The Instruction Team held four faculty focus groups to determine faculty perceptions of
our present support system for faculty in their instructional role. Participants were invited to make
recommendations for future improvements needed in order for faculty to contribute to student
success. Thirty–four faculty members from all USF-Tampa colleges participated in the focus
groups, which were led by Instruction Team faculty members and the Senior Director of the Center
for 21st Century Teaching Excellence. The discussions were recorded, transcribed in full, and
summarized. The concerns of participants were incorporated into the recommendations for short
and long term goals and topics requiring further analysis.
Short Term Goals
1.
Increase support for successful instruction through the C21TE and the library.
Instructional support should include online workshops and tutorials, more advanced
workshops, sessions on location in departments, organized networking with other faculty,
improved resources on the C21TE and library websites, increased support for teaching with
instructional technologies and online, and support groups and institutes for faculty with specific
needs, such as advanced online teaching issues, large group teaching, active learning, basic
Blackboard support, and in collaboration with the library, dealing with intellectual property issues.
With additional support the C21TE could develop an orientation and ongoing training and support
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for students to learn instructional technology for Blackboard and other learning tools; as well as
develop a mandatory distance learning orientation for students.
2.
Hire a consulting firm to provide an inventory and assessment of all classroom space
in relation to pedagogy requirements and course content.
3.
Institutionalize the work of the task force in the Provost's Office with the creation of
an Associate Vice President (or similar) position to bridge academic and student affairs, or
find another way to continue the work of the task force.
4.
Develop a process to redesign courses with high DWF rates.
5.
Improve the evaluation process for, and increase the availability and support of,
faculty, adjunct instructors, and graduate teaching assistants who assist instructors, in
particular, providing increased support for those who teach in the general education
curriculum.
6.
Develop policies for administration of USF’s distance learning program, including
issues such as enrollment caps and TA support related to enrollment, and course standards
(ECampus).
7.
Increase faculty support to strengthen quality of distance learning courses, including
incentives and course release time to convert courses to online; increase the number of
instructional designers and other staff to support conversions, invest in instructional
technology for use in online course design; provide resources to establish test proctoring
services for both face-to-face and online students and faculty.
8.
Provide urgently needed physical improvements such as lighting, cleanliness,
obstructed views, upkeep/maintenance, and temperature control.
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Long Term Goals
1.
Restructure the first two years of college in the form of a University College,
emulating best practices at AAU universities such as the University of Florida.
Bring student academic success under a dean who would oversee general education courses
and advising for all freshmen and sophomore students and including units such as the Writing
Center and the Tutoring and Learning Center. A new category of full-time USF faculty teaching
four courses in a “University College” could be in teaching tracks in their own departments and
evaluated on their teaching.
Research and best practices at other institutions have demonstrated that a University
College structure can significantly enhance the prospects for student success.
The evidence
supporting a University College structure includes:
•
Students have greater opportunities to engage the university experience as active
participants in their own growth. The environment may become an active and intense
stimulus that not only affords opportunities for change-inducing encounters but can also
require a student to respond. (Pascarella, E. & Terenzini, P. (1991). How College Affects
Students, 1991).
•
The greater students' involvement or integration in the life of the college the greater the
likelihood that they will persist, as numerous researchers have pointed out (e.g., Astin,
1984; Mallette & Cabrera, 1991; Nora, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980; Terenzini &
Pascarella, 1977).
•
The greater students' involvement in the life of the college, especially its academic life, the
greater their acquisition of knowledge and development of skills. (Astin, 1984, 1993;
Friedlander, 1980; Parker & Schmidt, 1982; Ory & Braskamp, 1988; Pascarella &
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Terenzini, 1991). Students who report higher levels of contact with peers and faculty also
demonstrate higher levels of learning gained over the course of their stay in college.
Engagement, both inside and outside the classroom, appears to be especially important to
student development (Endo & Harpel, 1982; Astin, 1993). In other words, high levels of
involvement prove to be an independent predictor of learning gain.
•
There is a direct relationship between the quality of student effort and the extent of student
learning (Pace, 1984; Ory & Braskamp, 1988; Kaufman & Creamer, 1991). Quite simply,
the more students invest in learning activities, that is, the higher their level of effort, the
more students learn.
2.
Decrease student/faculty ratio and significantly decrease class sizes.
3.
Formalize support for teaching as part of the academic infrastructure.
The university can support teaching more effectively by such measures as 1) providing
incentives and/or release time for new faculty to focus on enhancing their teaching skills when
they first arrive at USF, possibly in a cohort experience, 2) providing a parallel teaching sabbatical
that would resemble the research sabbatical, 3) designing a system where senior faculty rotate
through the teaching of upper-level undergraduate courses, rather than teaching only graduatelevel courses.
4.
Develop a process to redesign courses with high DWF rates.
5.
Address urgent Structural Physical Facilities issues, including:
a.
Improve the dilapidated and outdated physical environment to increase student
satisfaction with USF (for example, Cooper Hall, ENA 105, and Art studios and
classrooms)
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b.
Review allocation of space for classroom use, especially considering size of room
compared to number of students because of serious overcrowding in many
classrooms
c.
Develop a system to match pedagogy/learning objectives with room type and
establishment of more flexible furniture and classrooms
d.
Improve availability of classrooms and classroom buildings at night and on
weekends with increased technology and maintenance support
6.
Develop a new system for student evaluation of instruction.
7.
Develop a proactive, institutional research program.
8.
Provide increased incentives and support for faculty to increase their repertoire of
teaching proficiencies in order to reach students with a variety of types of pedagogies, styles
of teaching, and instructional technologies.
This action step needs to be coordinated with increased support for the C21TE and the library to
provide opportunities for faculty to grow in their capacity to provide transformative learning
experiences for students.
Library
The Library sub-group of Team 4 has taken the part of the original charge, “library
resources,” and made it more comprehensive and relevant to analyze the role of the USF Libraries
in enhancing student success.
If we define “Student Success” as the timely completion of course objectives (graduation
and retention rates) defined by faculty as each student moves through an academic program,
library services and collections represent the foundation on which the university builds
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opportunities for students to succeed. If “Student Success” also means “academic achievement
through knowledge, communication, and critical thinking acquisition,” then access to appropriate
resource collections and delivery of library services must keep pace with academic program
development, student learning styles, and faculty research agendas.
Library services, collections, and facilities make up three critical pillars of the USF student
success story. Part of the success story is the student’s ability to access, evaluate, and select
resources critically, use them effectively to fulfill course requirements, and understand the ethical
and legal issues surrounding the use of information. This occurs as the result of information
literacy instruction delivered by librarians in partnership with faculty. Just-in-time research
services, interlibrary loan, document delivery, and expanded library hours also support student
success through timely access to appropriate resources. Finally, access to a library facility that
effectively supports study, research, group learning, and access to collections is critical to both on
and off campus students succeeding in their fulfillment of course and program requirements.
USF student success is thwarted when library collections are not commensurate with the
growth and development of academic programs, services which teach students how to access,
select, and evaluate resources are not delivered when needed, and library facilities are inadequate
for study, research and access to the collections.
The library facility was designed and built over thirty years ago. While it continues to
support functions such as housing collections, providing study space and access to library services,
it does this at an inadequate level to meet the current needs of USF Tampa students and faculty.
Despite the development of a Learning Commons to centralize many learner support services (i.e.,
Writing Center, Tutoring, etc.), and the provision of new minor PECO funds to add new seating
and study spaces, the library building is limited by its size (not sufficient for 46,000 students),
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design, an aging infrastructure of climate control, limited electricity and data delivery, and spaces
not conducive to today’s vibrant, 24/7 learning and research environment.
Short Term Goals
1.
Fund the development of and provide ongoing support to a student-centered
technology training and multimedia center.
The library’s ability to continue to maintain and build upon the level of resources now
available to faculty and students has become, over the last several years, increasingly unachievable
as a result of the library’s stagnant materials budget and the rising cost of online journal
subscriptions, e-book and database packages, and monographs.
Annual budget increases are
critical to the sustainment and development of collections but also necessary to achieve
membership in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL).
To become an ARL member, the
USF Libraries must demonstrate an ongoing and increasing budget commitment to collection
building. ARL membership for USF Libraries is one of many important objectives the university
must achieve for membership in the Association of American Universities (AAU).
2.
Expand institutional support and funding to increase the library’s ability to educate
faculty and graduate students about the benefits of peer-review, open-access journal
publishing, deploy more open-access journals, and assist faculty and graduate students in the
creation and sustainment of scholarly publishing using this model.
The rising cost of online collections can be in part tied to the rising subscription costs paid
to corporate publishers of online journals. Once authors (i.e., faculty members) hand over rights to
their intellectual work to journal publishers, the library must buy access rights back in order for
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students and faculty to have access to the journal content.
The online, open-access journal
publishing model avoids this and contributes to the library’s ability to control the rising cost of
journal access. Supporting the library’s increased role in creation and deployment of peer-review,
open-access journals positively impacts the library’s budget and sustains faculty and graduate
student scholarly publishing.
3.
Fund new positions to meet student needs for instruction and research support.
The delivery of library services such as collection development, library instruction, and
research support, to the colleges and specific segments of the student population is very uneven.
Past budget reductions and recent retirements have left the library unable to deliver disciplinespecific services evenly to both undergraduate and graduates.
Compared to other AAU/ARL
member libraries which are commensurate with our campus size, the USF Tampa Library falls
behind in the number of librarians needed to deliver adequate instruction and research support to
students.
Research support is needed from librarians for the academically prepared student
expected to do research as in the Honors College as well as students who are academically
challenged.
Programs such as the Freshman Summer Institute and the Student Support Services
Program need an embedded librarian who will work closely with students before their official
admittance to USF to assure their academic success. Suggested positions include:
a. Undergraduate Studies librarian focused on supporting the needs of undergraduates in the
attainment of information literacy skills
b. A new librarian embedded in the Honors College to deliver direct services such as
information literacy, research and scholarly publishing support
c. A new librarian position for the new College of Behavioral & Community Sciences
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d. A new librarian position for E-campus to develop and coordinate all online library services
to distance education students
4.
Fund the development of a student-centered technology training and multimedia
center.
This center, located in the library and staffed with experts in instructional technology,
would guide and support students in the creation of multimedia, video, digital projects in
fulfillment of course objectives. Students do not currently have adequate access to technology
training, and support for multimedia production and digital resource creation. The vast majority of
students are on their own when it comes to learning about appropriate technologies and digital
resources to use in the development of course projects and assignments.
Simply stated, there is
no “C21TE” for students at USF. Individual colleges have attempted to remedy this through the
creation of services for their own students such as “Laptop Lounge” initiative in the College of
Education.
According to a student guide developed by EDUCAUSE, “Student Guide to
Evaluating Information Technology on Campus” students should inquire at potential campuses
they are considering by asking the question, “Does the school have multimedia labs you can use to
work on projects? Is there help available?”
5.
Implement a Copyright/E-reserve program to support access annually to the
Copyright Clearance Center’s Annual Copyright License to cover the use of content in ereserves, course packets, and provide “check & go” copyright permissions.
One of the obstacles to student success is the rising cost of textbooks and course packets.
In 2008, the Florida legislature passed a bill which requires state universities to adopt policies and
practices to minimize the cost of textbooks.
The library recently surveyed faculty to determine
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textbook use and gauge awareness about textbook alternatives. Of the 424 respondents, 74%
agreed that they would be interested in supplementing existing course materials with online
content. The survey also demonstrated, however, that instructors are uncertain whether they can
add content licensed by the Library, how they would add content, and whether they are meeting
copyright requirements with their course reserve materials. To assist faculty and lower costs to the
students, the library should hire a Copyright/E-reserves staff person to educate faculty about
copyright compliance, implementation of online course readings in Blackboard, and coordinate
permissions.
Students benefit by the low cost of faculty-driven, online course reading packets
within Blackboard which replace high cost publisher textbooks and “Pro-Copy” produced course
packets.
Long Term Goals:
The University should make a major commitment to and investment in student success by
launching a campaign to create a new library facility that will enhance the quality of student
learning on campus and make a substantial contribution to the intellectual growth and learning of
each student.
1.
Build a new digital library and learning center on campus.
The existing facilities on campus do not meet the needs of today’s students. USF does not
have enough collaborative learning spaces on campus nor does it have a building which
accommodates the study patterns and needs of its students. The new facility, a state of the art
Digital Library and Learning Center could perhaps be located close to the Marshall Center or
located adjacent to the existing library. This facility would not house traditional library materials
(i.e., books and bound periodicals). It could house some or all of the following units and services:
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•
The student tutoring and learning services
•
The IT help desk
•
The IT repair shop
•
The Center for 21st Century Teaching Excellence
•
As many computing labs as are necessary
•
The Learning Commons (including the Writing Center)
•
Some academic advising for undergraduates
•
Digital production laboratories
The development of a Digital Library and Learning Center represents a bold and ambitious
long-term project that would radically transform the institutional culture of USF, contribute to the
centralization of student support services, and provide a tangible symbol of the university’s
commitment to student success. The new facility should also include features that will enhance
learning, including:
•
State-of-the-art video and multimedia production equipment/laboratories
•
Computing equipment with capacities to run specialized software (e.g., CAD, SAS,
SPSS, etc.)
•
State-of-the-art classrooms for teaching/tutoring/training
•
Virtual reality and visualization areas/equipment
•
Video streaming capabilities (including all of the existing media in the current Library)
•
Group and collaborative study spaces
To realize the goal of a Digital Library and Learning Center, USF should:
A. Form a Project Steering Committee to develop a plan for a state-of-the-art Digital Library
and Learning Center at USF Tampa.
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B. Study best practices in the field, including site visits to a few model Learning Centers (e.g.,
University of British Columbia, University of Georgia, Georgia State, Emory, Washington
University)
C. Engage key sectors of the USF community in a thorough assessment of facilities and
program needs
D. Bring in an architectural firm to work on concept development and preliminary drawings
for a proposed facility
2.
Renovate the existing library structure.
At the same time the university moves forward with plans to create a new facility, the
existing structure should be renovated. The renovations of the existing library facility should
include:
•
Comfortable and mobile seating appropriate to the study/research task, sufficient, and
student-centered
•
Learning/research & study spaces specifically designed for individual and group study,
graduate student designated areas, increased collaboration among students and between
students and faculty, quiet and low noise areas
•
Power/Electricity Sufficient to support current and future technology needs
•
Climate control to preserve collections and provide a comfortable environment for
study and research
•
Installation of compact shelving on the entire lower level of the Library to free up space
on the upper floors Service centers appropriate to deliver student success services (i.e.,
Writing Center, Tutoring) to also include advising and technology/multimedia training
•
A state-of-the-art Special Collections reading room and stacks
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•
Construction of new or renovation of existing study carrels specifically for graduate
students and faculty
•
Construction of seminar rooms especially for graduate seminars
•
Renovation of space on the 5th & 6th floors for graduate students and faculty only
(lounge, study areas for smaller groups, etc.)
•
Reconfiguration of the stack areas with better lighting
•
Expansion of staff area on lower level for Academic Resources personnel
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Team 5 Campus Experience
Charge
Among institutional conditions linked to persistence and satisfaction are systems,
processes, practices, and procedures.
These factors include such activities as registration, paying
student bills, getting medical attention, obtaining housing, securing meal plans, parking passes,
etc. The team will examine all policies and procedures that require aspects of student life for
students to be ready to study, work, be involved and live on campus.
Membership of the Team
Last
Name
Lovins
First
Name
Sandy
Tyree
Tracy
Clark
Debose
Frecker
Hebert
Position
Department
Associate Vice
President
Associate Vice
President
Manager
University Registrar
Associate Vice
President
Division of Human Resource
Velma
Angela
Trudie
Co-Team
Leader
Co-Team
Leader
Member
Member
Member
Kate
Member
Associate University
Controller
University Controller’s Office
Member
Dean
Facility Manager
Assistant Vice
President for Wellness
Chief
Assistant Vice
President
Associate Professor
Housing and Residential
Education
Marshall Student Center
Student Affairs
Hernandez Ana
Isaacs
Kent
Dwayne
Alan
Member
Member
Longo
Mack
Thomas
Jeffrey
Member
Member
Miller
Thomas
Member
Paine
Dorie
Member
Terenzi
Egilda
Member
Wigden
Bob
Member
Student Affairs
Student Financial Services
Office of the Registrar
Administrative Services
University Police
Auxiliary Services
Department of Psychological &
Social Foundations, College of
Education
Director
Housing & Residential
Education
Director of Clinical and Student Health Services
Medical Services
Executive Assistant
Student Affairs
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The team worked as a committee of the whole throughout our process, meeting six times
for a total of nine hours in addition to sharing and reading materials in-between meetings. The
team defined the “campus experience” as any transaction a student has with the University. With
significant time spent on customer service, the team also considered issues of business processes,
information and communication, facilities and campus ecology, and student financial concerns.
Below you will find a summary of our discussions informed by a review of USF policies and
available assessment data as well as literature on research and best practices in these areas.
The Team discussed at length the institutional culture and service orientation of the USF
community and how it impacts the campus experience and prospects for student success. The
limited data reviewed by the team, including anecdotal information collected as part of the work of
this Task Force, make it clear that this area demands urgent attention! For just a glimpse of
students’ experiences, we encourage reading the open-ended questions on the 2009 National
Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE).
The poor institutional culture and service orientation of USF is not a new issue to USF. A
campaign developed by the A&P Council in the 1980s focused on civility with a slogan “U R
USF.” More recently a committee focusing on ways to improve the quality of service across
campus produced a Standards of Quality Service document. Regrettably, even given all of these
efforts, there is still a common sense that the University does not place a high priority on the
quality of services we provide to all constituents and stakeholders, most namely students. Indeed,
students need to feel that they matter! A student responding to a specific concern on the NSSE
concluded with an alarming statement: “Not that it matters to anyone because that is the general
feel you get from USF, that you don’t matter.” That is unacceptable and unfortunately, not
seemingly all that uncommon. To put it simply, the perceived culture is too often described as
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impersonal, uncaring, and unfriendly. While it is difficult to serve 40,000-plus students, students
need to perceive employees (faculty, staff and administrators) as knowledgeable, helpful,
respectful, professional, and caring.
As we think about a redefined culture, strong emphasis must be placed on a value for
collaboration and shared leadership that breaks down the walls of the silos that have been securely
in place for some time.
Students do not experience the University in the compartments of
divisions and departments into which we divide ourselves. We are one USF to them. The silo
effect is further reinforced by the challenges with funding, as there is little sense of shared
stewardship that suggests a unified approach to providing the optimal experience for students.
From students’ perspectives, they pay tuition and fees to one university and we need to provide a
seamless experience that fully integrates and addresses their needs in and out of the classroom.
One component of providing better service to students and other stakeholders is to focus on
employee satisfaction. We can’t accomplish this goal of redefining the culture of USF if we don’t
recognize a few of the difficult realities within our campus community. Some who have worked at
USF describe a sort of “civil service” mentality that suggests an expectation to remain employed
regardless of performance. Such expectations can lead to mediocre work or the maintenance of the
status quo because there are neither incentives nor expectations for higher productivity nor
consequences for low productivity. Moreover, the realities of challenges presented by these tough
economic times, including the lack of raises for several years, have certainly impacted morale and
contentment.
We must invest in our employees and value their sense of satisfaction and fulfillment.
Creating a better environment to boost employee morale is just one means of producing a higher
quality of service. We want people to enjoy their jobs and look forward to coming to work every
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day. Instilling a strong sense of pride in and passion for one’s work is a step toward improving the
climate for all members of our campus community.
One opportunity to improve employee investment in their work is to help them gain a
stronger sense of how their job tasks and responsibilities are unique to the environment in which
they work. For example, providing fiscal or business services at a university is and should be
different than how similar services might be delivered at a corporation, government agency, or
non-profit organization. We need to help employees better understand today’s students, with
special recognition given to the diversity of USF students. Helping staff understand how current
students differ from a generation (or more) ago might encourage them to approach their work
differently.
For example, the Millennial generation, as today’s traditional age students are
frequently referred to, are accustomed to receiving information in sound bytes, frequently
processing large quantities of information and becoming used to rapid responses – all afforded by
their comfort and familiarity with technology. While it can be hard to keep up with the changing
nature of students, quality service requires contemporary approaches to our work.
Equally important to building the knowledge capacity of our employees is a focus on the
universal truth that how we treat each other matters. The team questioned the degree to which
USF communicates that civility and respect matter. Can we set an expectation that people express
a sense of warmth and friendliness in their general demeanor and approach to one another? What
feelings do we want to engender, regardless of whether one spends 30 minutes or 30 years on
campus? How do our messages reflect our values around this aspect of campus culture?
To this end, the team expressed concerns about the number of different messages and
slogans used to convey the priorities and goals of the University. While the committee fully
endorsed the “Unstoppable” theme used for the comprehensive fund raising effort, that same
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language could also convey the value attached to student success: Students are Unstoppable at
USF! Recognizing that a single slogan or motto might be diluted if used too frequently, an
alternative would be to create a slogan that emphasizes the importance of student-centeredness and
service quality that is communicated through multiple modes. Two examples to illustrate this idea
include “We provide service you can Bullieve in!” or “We Here For U!” Using language that
allows students to see themselves as a priority is of utmost importance.
Another component of messaging is related to how employees convey undesirable
information to students. State law, University policies, solid business practices, and unpleasant
realities often require a frontline staff person to give an answer that makes a student unhappy.
This is unavoidable. However, staff needs to learn how to consistently say “no” in a way that also
offers alternatives and/or provides explanation for the response. And, more effort needs to be
placed in communicating appropriate expectations for students such that the “no” is not a surprise,
even if not the preferred response. For example, students frequently take out their dissatisfaction
about tuition increases and unexpected fees on the staff in the Cashiers Office. Emphasis needs to
be placed on helping the Cashier staff be fully equipped to explain a bill, support a fee, etc. while
also more widely educating students about anticipated changes to their bill.
Finally, the Team noted that front-line service positions are frequently held by student
employees or those in some of our lowest pay grades. The questions were asked: “Do we get what
we train for?” Do we get what we pay for?” Few on the Team were aware of any standard
training provided to student employees who staff the front desks of offices across campus.
Moreover, there was a common impression that full-time employees hired to staff reception areas
are often not trained or competent in their ability to troubleshoot the complex problems that
students bring to them.
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Business Process Review: The “USF shuffle” is a common term used by students about
being directed from one office to another to complete processes and answer questions. The level
of bureaucracy and the difficulties students face in maneuvering through it cause significant
frustration among students, who consider the administrative procedures ambiguous, punitive and
burdensome. The problem is extensive, although there is insufficient data to capture the magnitude
of the problem or its impact on student success. Nevertheless, USF should take immediate action
to improve service quality throughout campus. One student stated it simply, “The aggravation of
the red tape and nonsense that springs up unexpectedly to enroll in a class, etc has been
staggering” (NSSE, 2009). Another student commented, “Most offices only offer up a sliver of the
information needed to do anything on campus (sign up for something, meet requirements, meet
people, etc.) so you must be determined and, at times, wander the whole campus for a single
answer” (NSSE, 2009). With the comfort and dependence on technology by today’s students,
determining how to better leverage technology as the first level of service to students would allow
for frontline staff to focus on students’ more complex needs and questions in face-to-face
interactions.
The challenges with business processes extend beyond a direct impact on students. There
are secondary effects of employees’ frustration with getting business done that inevitably impacts
students (as well as the employees themselves). It might be thought of as a “trickle down” or
ripple effect. Staff can’t reasonably be expected to help students navigate the bureaucracy if they
experience daily frustrations with bureaucracy themselves. A review of business processes cannot
be limited to frontline service areas for students.
Information and Communication: Students have complained that they have difficulties
navigating through the USF website to access information. Because students utilize the website as
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a primary source for information and problem solving, this perception presents serious concerns
relevant to student success efforts. Students want information at their fingertips through multiple
media. USF should better utilize innovations in technology and social media as forums for
communicating information that students want and need. MoBull is a great example of reaching
students where they are most accessible.
Student Work and Finances: Research has demonstrated that students who work on
campus have greater likelihood for success while working off campus is likely to interfere with
progress toward a degree. A large percentage of USF students must work to help support their
college education. Students have indicated an interest in better campus employment opportunities
at competitive wages to replace their off-campus jobs. Unfortunately, many of our students have
to work one or more jobs to pay their livelihood bills and/or support family, let alone pay for their
education.
A student’s comment from the NSSE (2009) illustrates this desire, “USF was great,
but frustrated by the lack of opportunity for student employment and feel it severely affected my
grades, having to get off campus employment, that did not always work with my school schedule.”
Students have expressed serious concerns about the increasing costs of a higher education
at USF. For some, the unexpected tuition and fee increases have placed a hardship that creates
great frustration when they otherwise thought they had a plan to finance their education. They also
expressed frustration about the “nickel-and-diming” they experience with various assessments of
fees. One student illustrated his/her extreme frustration with this example, “Why am I forced to
pay $.25 for extra tomatoes on a sandwich at the business building deli but the price is not lowered
if I request no lettuce?” (NSSE, 2009).
Facilities and Campus Ecology: Students appreciate the cleanliness of the new Marshall
Student Center and lament dirty bathrooms, broken elevators, and aging residence halls and
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classrooms.
While it is almost impossible to avoid deferred maintenance or old buildings,
attending to the cleanliness and working order of facilities is a must!
Short Term Goals
Institutional Culture and Service Orientation:
1.
Revamp new employee orientation to include a core component on service, setting
expectations from day one on campus.
2.
Require employees to wear USF nametags.
3.
Make Fridays USF Pride days allowing more casual dress if wearing green and gold.
4.
Identify new and innovative approaches to staff recognition and reward.
5.
Create University 411 as a one-stop on-line, phone and/or in-person service to answer
questions and help direct students to the right office on the first attempt.
6.
Enhance the awareness of and services provided by the Office of the Ombudsman to
reach a wider net of students with consideration for the impact on increase demand on
offices frequently involved in the problem solving processes.
7.
Think more intentionally about how we educate students to better understand
expectations, policies, etc. in an effort to lower frustration, negativity, disappointment and
surprise.
8.
Create mechanisms for obtaining data and input from students on a regular, on-going
basis (e.g. web-based student panel).
9.
Expand and institutionalize expectations for University traditions to be celebrated
more widely across campus (e.g. Homecoming, opening of fall and spring semesters,
Commencement)
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10.
Create a service motto that is succinct, easily memorized, inclusive, and sustainable to
brand our value placed on quality service.
11.
Profile examples of strong customer service in internal and external communication
media to reinforce positive messaging and give examples of our high value placed on top
quality service.
Business Process Review
12.
Hire additional IT development staff that can maximize technological solutions that
can facilitate service-oriented work and information in a timely fashion.
13.
Consider new opportunities for automation and on-line business processes.
14.
Fund the single-bill initiative to better facilitate student payment.
Information and Communication
15.
Set mandatory standards for answering phones and greeting guests.
16.
Review and revise the university message played when putting callers on hold to
reflect the value of students and their success at USF.
17.
Better utilize current (and future) technology and social media for communication
with campus constituents, most importantly students.
18.
Create a messaging campaign that highlights the positive examples of students
transacting with the university.
19.
Think creatively about how the implementation of a new portal can enhance students’
access to information and streamline business processes.
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Student Work and Finances
20.
Actively develop new work opportunities on campus for students.
21.
Enhance what is offered by Career Services to provide better connections to off-
campus work opportunities (perhaps without cost to students to access the database).
22.
Evaluate and address ways in which students experience being “nickel-and-dimed.”
23.
Develop a system approach to helping students understand and prepare for increases
in tuition and fees.
Facilities and Campus Ecology
24.
Secure a University work order process to report custodial, facility and grounds
concerns.
Long Term Goals
Institutional Culture and Service Orientation
1.
Engage the services of an external consulting firm who specializes in transformation
management and culture redesign to conduct a comprehensive audit of service at USF (and
respond accordingly).
2.
Identify opportunities to convey a consistent message identifying civility, respect,
friendliness and service as top priorities across the university.
3.
Develop a strategic reorientation of current staff to infuse a service mentality.
4.
Implement a comprehensive effort to assess the service quality that includes
departmental accountability for responding to results.
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5.
Systemize expectations for service quality in position descriptions, performance
evaluations, merit pay structures, etc.
6.
Design rewards and recognition program that encourages desired organizational
behaviors.
7.
Create campus-wide student employee training program on providing high quality
frontline service.
8.
Assess classification and pay structures to ensure that we are compensating for the
level of cognitive complexity required to solve problems students frequently bring to the
frontline staff in service departments.
Business Process Review
9.
Compose a team (or hire consultants expert in business process redesign) dedicated to
evaluate, study and determine key barriers for students and employees to navigating USF
business processes.
Information and Communication
11.
Mandate consistency for the University website.
12.
Create a University webmaster office to create and maintain a consistent website.
13.
Review the navigability and availability of information on the website, especially from
the lens of what is intuitive to a student.
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Student Work and Finances
14.
Revise the pay structure for student employment to be competitive with the off-
campus workforce.
15.
Research to determine who is most at-risk for departing the university due to a need
to work off-campus and more intentionally connect these students to on-campus
employment.
16.
Create more sources of financial support, including the need for financial aid for
part-time students.
Facilities and Campus Ecology
17.
Evaluate the pay, continuing education and training, and reward structures
for custodial and maintenance staff.
18.
Balance priorities for building new facilities to add necessary new space with
investing in older facilities that compromise the student experience.
19.
Dedicate funds to upgrade current facilities and furnishings.
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Team 6 Graduate Experience
Charge
Examine all aspects of the student graduate school experience, including time to degree,
curriculum, program offerings, financial aid, career planning, and placement.
Membership of the Team
The Graduate Experience Task Force, comprised of the following representatives, met as a
whole throughout the process.
Last
Name
Liller
First
Name
Karen
Monroe
Alicia
Charles
Stephen
Co-Team
Leader
Member
Conway
Garcia
Guy
Valeria
Member
Member
Hale
Rod
Member
Hall
Larry
Member
Harland
Lada
Member
Hine
Albert
Member
Lee
Barton
Member
Lenker
Lagretta
Member
Trakas
Peter
Member
Van Vleet
Ted
Member
Position
Co-Team
Leader
Dean and Associate Vice
President for Research &
Innovation
Vice Dean for Educational
Affairs
UME Curriculum
Coordinator and the
Academic Services
Administrator
Assistant Vice President
Assistant Director
Coordinator for Graduate
student Success
Chair and Professor
Academic Program
Specialist
Associate Dean and
Professor
Associate Dean and
Professor
Senior Director
Assistant Director of
Development
Associate Dean
Department
Graduation School
College of Medicine
Office of Educational
Affairs, College of
Medicine
Student Affairs
Office of Decision
Support
Graduate School
Department of Computer
Science and Engineering
Graduate School
College of Marine Science
College of the Arts
USF ECampus/Metro
Initiatives
Corporate Relations, USF
Foundation
College of Marine Science
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The mission of the Graduate School is to serve as the hub of university leadership for
graduate education producing present-day and future global leaders—one student at a time. With
the Colleges, Programs, and Office of Research and Innovation, graduate students are a formidable
force throughout the USF system. There are nearly 10,000 graduate students at USF enrolled in
over 130 masters and 43 doctoral programs. Several graduate students are enrolled as non-degree
students and many participate in certificate programs.
The Graduate School at USF serves
graduate students from application through graduation and as alumni.
We provide several
fellowships and graduate student awards, totaling over 2 million per year.
The major units of the Graduate School include Finance and Accounting, Graduate Student
Success (largely fellowships and awards), Academics (graduate catalogue, course processing,
academic policies), Admissions (all admission and related activities of domestic and international
graduate students), Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (serves as an administrative and academic center
of excellence for postdoctoral scholars), and the new School of Global Sustainability (virtualbased School focused on creative educational offerings in sustainability, collaborative research,
and other opportunities to work with local, state, national, and our global partners in sustainability
efforts). The Graduate School partners with the Office of Research and Innovation in expanding
and enhancing research and funding opportunities for graduate students. The School collaborates
with each academic college and the Graduate Council, Graduate Coordinators and Program
Directors, Graduate Assistants United, and the Graduate Certificate Office.
To facilitate the development of short-term and long-term goals, the team conducted a
Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threats (SWOT) Analysis.
The analysis clearly showed
many strengths, but also a few significant weaknesses, such as low stipends for students and lack
of career planning. The team identified many threats to furthering the graduate mission, especially
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in times of increased competition from other universities and the lack of enthusiasm by the state
legislature for additional graduate support and approval of graduate academic programs.
The time-to-degree indicators for graduate students are strong. Master’s students generally
complete their programs in less than two-three years and doctoral students in approximately six
years. These rates are as good as or better than national averages. The College of Education is
making a concerted effort to strengthen their doctoral time to degree. The graduate school
curriculum is varied and plentiful, with over 130 masters and 40 doctoral programs as well as
several certificate offerings.
The Graduate School has been very successful in meeting the
financial needs of graduate students by working directly with students in the preparation of grant
and fellowship applications, instituting the interdisciplinary graduate student research challenge
grant program, providing students an interactive funding database on the Graduate School website,
working with the Provost to provide colleges additional funding for teaching assistant positions
and with the Office of Research and Innovation to top-up student stipends, and to offer new and
enhanced fellowships to enhance student success and graduation rates.
The team identified a few weaknesses in the graduate school experience. The curriculum
and degree programs could be further developed, particularly in the area of interdisciplinary degree
programs. Program offerings could be more innovative to accommodate differences in learners
and more online offerings should be provided. While financial aid has been adequate, it could be
enhanced.
Career planning for graduate students requires more attention, along with better
tracking of alumni.
In this time of change, there are definitely opportunities for innovation. With new funds
being allocated for graduate education, the Graduation School has already launched innovative
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initiatives, including the Building a Leader Series, workshops, and a revamped website with
funding opportunities.
The threats to the graduate experience come from several sources, including competition
from several online graduate programs offered at other universities; new residency requirements;
the rising costs of higher education and the increasing challenges of providing adequate financial
aid; and the possibility that the new Florida College System (formerly community colleges) could
develop new graduate programs in the near future.
The group developed metrics that would quantitatively allow it to determine student
success in terms of the graduate experience.
This led the group to consider these in our
recommendations (i.e. graduate assistantships), but also to think more holistically in terms of the
best overall direction for graduate education.
To develop its recommendations, the team
developed the following list of metrics:
• Time to Degree
• Student Awards
• Success in Program-GPA
• Proficient with New Technology
• Number of Graduates
• Number of Enrolled Master’s and Doctoral
Students
• Number of Fellowships-both internal and
external
•
•
•
•
•
Diversity Indicators
Student Job Placement
Number of Assistantships
Alumni Activity of Graduate Students
Number of Student Publications
Number/types of entrepreneurial activities of
students
In deliberating means to enhance graduate student success, the team identified a critical
need to build faculty involvement with graduate students and the Graduate School. While the
Graduate School can and has taken the lead in many aspects of graduate education, a missing link
is the connection of the Graduate School to faculty and how departments/colleges can partner with
the Graduate School in a more interactive and visible way. Faculty ownership of issues pertaining
to graduate education is extremely important and necessary for us to meet our goals.
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To further inform the work of the Graduate Experience Team, which included three
doctoral students, Dr. Liller conducted a preliminary focus group discussion with the leaders of the
Graduate and Professional Student Council (GPSC) to gauge their input for how graduate students
can become more successful at USF. From the four master’s students who participated, several
themes emerged:
1) Students rate their academic programs as good;
2) Students had no sense of overall community at USF although most had this in their
programs;
3) Student amenities at USF were rated highly;
4) Students volunteer mostly with their programs/departments;
5) To build a sense of USF community faculty need to promote graduate programs and the
success of their students more; and
6) There needs to be the formation of a separate student union or other space on campus
just for graduate students containing computers, meeting rooms, conference rooms, and a large
snack area, and hopefully someday a separate Graduate School Building could be built.
A second graduate student focus group was subsequently organized, utilizing a modified
version of the Focus Group Guide that had been developed for undergraduate students. Through
the assistance of the President of the Graduate and Professional Student Council, a call was sent
for students to meet with Dr. Liller for another focus group. Seven students participated in this
focus group: three male, four females, and 50% minority, representing the Colleges of Arts and
Science, Medicine, and Nursing. Several overall themes emerged, including
1) The need for enhanced communication from the university to graduate students;
2) The need for a mechanism for students to converse with one another (not face book);
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3) A need for the university to include graduate students in all efforts;
4) A need for faculty to be better mentors; and
5) The importance of informing graduate students about USF events and activities.
Based on these findings, the team’s analyses, including national, state, and institutional
surveys and materials, especially from the Council of Graduate Schools, the Graduate Experience
Team developed the following list of recommendations.
Short Term Goals
1.
Form a faculty graduate school advisory committee to foster student success (i.e.
Becoming a Leader Series) and build collegiality and interdisciplinary relationships.
The links between the Graduate School, faculty, and departments and colleges should be
strengthened in a more interactive and visible way.
This could be accomplished by having
colleges appoint a Faculty Liaison to serve on the new Graduate Faculty Advisory Group. By
engaging faculty more directly, the Graduate School will promote faculty involvement with
graduate students and the Graduate School to the extent that faculty assume ownership of issues
pertaining to graduate education. This will require a cultural change on campus so that the
mentoring of graduate students from admission through graduation is a top priority for the faculty
and colleges/schools and that graduate students feel part of USF as academic citizens and
representative partners in fulfilling the university’s vision and strategic goals. Examples of issues
that the Faculty Advisory group could address include better communication/mentoring activities
with students; enhanced funding; increasing research/creative awards, peer-reviewed publications
and professional presentations; review of curricula with recommendations for enhancements;
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increased degree completion rates; building graduate portfolios; and becoming proficient with
technology.
2.
The Graduate School and Colleges should partner with the Career Center in the
development of professional development opportunities for graduate students.
3.
Strengthen communication venues for graduate students so they can communicate
with one another easily to build interdisciplinary relationships leading to research, service,
and teaching opportunities—i.e. Blackboard Organization Site, Blogs.
4.
Identify administrative/student service units on campus where the needs and concerns
of graduate students are considered and incorporated into planning efforts.
5.
Collaborate with administrative and student service units on campus to develop
graduate assistantships and/or fellowship opportunities for graduate students that include
incorporating issues pertinent to graduate education and opportunities for students to
mentor future graduate students.
Long Term Goals
1.
Collaborate with the planning group that will redesign areas in the library to
accommodate graduate students only.
2.
Build a comprehensive mentoring program with Colleges to improve communication
between and among units.
4.
Develop new funding mechanisms and other incentives for students to enhance
research and creative activities.
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Team 7 Student Experience
Charge
Examine the out of classroom experience and perceptions of USF held by current and
former students to identify academic and non-academic areas in which USF can do more to
facilitate student success. The scope of work will include, but not be limited to residential life,
health services, athletics, parking and transportation services, international affairs, enrollment
management dining services, bookstore, Marshall Student Center, campus activities and events,
diversity, and multiculturalism.
Membership of the Team
Last Name
First
Banks
Kevin
Hoad
Michael
Taylor
Marcia
Adamchack Joanne M.
Position
CoTeam
Leader
CoTeam
Leader
CoTeam
Leader
Member
Assistant Vice
President/Dean of
Students
Vice President
Department
Student Affairs
University Communications &
Marketing
Director
International Services,
International Affairs
Associate General
Counsel
Interim Director
Office of the General Counsel
Feliciano
Patsy
Member
The Office of Diversity and Equal
Opportunity
College of Business
Athletics-USF
Forsythe
Haworth
Robert
Amy
Member
Member
Hunter
Lopez
Eric
Manual
Member
Member
Dean
Associate AD/SWA
in Athletics
Director
Director
Manka
Gary
Member
Director
Campus Recreation Center
Parking and Transportation
Services
Student Government
Marcelin
Matthews
Riegler
Carion
Brandi
Keri
Member
Member
Member
Student Assistant
Assistant Director
Director
Graduate School
Housing & Residential Education
New Student Connections
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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Williams
Viancca
Member
Coordinator
Young
Hyatt
Regina
Member
Associate Dean
Office of Fraternity and Sorority
life
Office of the Dean for Students
The Student Experience team met several times as a whole and then sub-divided into
committees to collect data and analyze specific topics. The team reassembled to discuss the work
of the subcommittees and prepare final recommendations. The student experience at USF cannot
be easily categorized or summarized. The diversity of experiences our students have out of the
classroom is extraordinarily broad due to the diversity of the student populations we serve. As we
consider the “state of the student experience” at USF, we suggest that the experience could best be
analyzed using a student population approach. We asked for departmental information that might
shed light on how they worked with the following student populations: residential students,
international students, commuter students, first year students, veteran students, transfer students,
graduate students, students from diverse populations, students with disabilities, first generation
students, and student athletes. The reports from the departments indicated that there may in fact be
little emphasis upon the diversity of the student populations served and rather a focus on the
delivery of services and programs that are more generally focused on all students. It was clear from
an analysis of the departmental feedback, student feedback from a variety of surveys, and an
alumni survey that much more could and should be done to improve the student experience at
USF.
Short Term Goals:
In support of the current recommendation to institutionalize the SSTF, we recommend the
formation of a permanent subcommittee of the SSTF to be titled the Student Experience
subcommittee.
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Similar to defining Student Success as a foundation for our work, the Student Experience
subcommittee can further define the “student experience” and what that means at USF. This
subcommittee should institutionalize the collaboration between the Student Experience, Campus
Experience, and the Graduate Experience subcommittees to identify common language around the
undergraduate and graduate student experiences and impediments to student success.
1.
Conduct an inventory of Academic Department programming experiences that
connect the student to the university and provide experiential learning opportunities through
service, i.e., College of Education’s Children Festival.
2.
Extend office hours and/or expand program offerings that are critical to the student
experience.
As USF transforms into a “primarily residential” campus, extending or expanding services
and programs should become the norm or the cost of doing business. Services or programs that
should be extended or expanded as the residential community grows include but are not limited to:
Living learning communities; faculty-in-residence programs; Bull Runner services; counseling
services; student health services; weekend activities organized by the Center for Student
Involvement in the Tampa Bay Metropolitan area.
4.
Repeat the Alumni Survey of 2005 (for seniors only) to assess if there have been any
changes in the attitudes, perceptions, or satisfactions of graduating students.
5.
Conduct a campus climate survey for students to develop purposeful strategies to
continue to educate our students to be global leaders.
Diversity continues to emerge as a Point of Pride at USF. While there have been efforts to
assess faculty and staff perceptions of diversity and multiculturalism at USF, there needs to be a
2009-2010 Student Success Task Force
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similar effort on behalf of students. Additional strategies to integrate diversity and multiculturalism
initiatives are essential to prepare students to be global leaders include:
a. Intentional collaborations and funding to support programs that bring domestic students
and international students together to learn about different cultures
b. Funding to develop partnerships with community organizations that can assist
international students in their transition to USF.
c. Integrating INTO program into USF and supporting offices that must provide direct
services and programs for these students, i.e., International Student Services,
Multicultural Affairs, Center for Leadership and Civic Engagement, etc.
d. Expansion of Service Abroad opportunities to educate and sensitize students about
humanitarian efforts at home and abroad
6.
USF should launch an aggressive campaign to market and brand the identity of the
student experience to increase understanding and promote student success.
Promoting a sense of identity and a lifelong commitment to the university is essential to
enhancing the student experience at USF. Branding and marketing has the potential to create a
stronger sense of community and strengthen our campus traditions. We recommend the following
projects continue to support this effort:
a.
Branding of Bulls Country (off campus) USF flags from I-75 to I-275
b.
Branding of Bulls Country with University flags on campus that can be changed
according to special events on campus, such as Week of Welcome, Family Weekend,
Homecoming, and Commencement
c.
Continuing to promote the existing themes introduced to students during new
student orientation about the student experience. These themes include: traditions, athletics
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& wellness, culture & the arts, and student involvement. Similar efforts can be utilized to
promote the graduate student experience during the graduate student orientation.
7.
Develop a Student Experience Calendar Interface.
One of the constant complaints we hear from students is that they are not aware of what is
going on around campus. An up-to-date, easily accessible, student experience calendar would
integrate all events that provide students opportunities to be engaged and connected to the
University. The system must also integrate currently existing USF technologies that promote
student programs and events. The calendar affords a greater opportunity for information sharing
among students and university partners.
8.
Strengthen the Summer Success program with more funding to engage students
beyond the classroom experience.
There has been an increased effort to encourage FTIC students to enroll and reside on
campus to become better prepared academically for the fall semester. Unfortunately, there has
been little support to engage these students in meaningful ways that creates a sense of belonging
beyond the classroom.
Long Term Goals
1.
Develop strategies to help administrative and academic units that serve students
better understand who our constituents are at USF.
The demographic profiles of our students are changing rapidly and we must adapt the
delivery of services and programs to meet the demands of traditional and nontraditional students.
2.
Designate a “Community Hour” for USF.
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The purpose of this is to allow time in the schedule for faculty, staff, and students to come
together for major meetings, notable lectures, university-wide celebrations, etc. This will require a
group to review the academic calendar to determine the possible time frames for this community
hour designation.
3.
Create a Student Concierge office.
The purpose of this new office is to eliminate the “USF shuffle” and create a one stop
location where students can find information they need to be successful at USF. It will require an
inventory of all programs and services that students need to be successful at USF. A website can
be developed (Virtual FAQ) that directs student to the appropriate offices when they have
questions or concerns. Perhaps students or campus operators can be trained to answer a FAQ
hotline to respond to student inquiries that supports student success and availing university
resources.
4.
Provide additional resources to student retention initiatives.
There are many student retention initiatives related to the student experience that are
currently in existence yet not adequately funded. They are referred to as “A+ ideas with Cfunding.” These initiatives, to be more broadly successful, need additional resources. The list of
initiatives that merit additional resources to promote student success includes but is not limited to:
a. Mentoring programs,
5.
b.
UConnect on-line Student and Family Communication Network
c.
Commuter and transfer student programs
d.
University Experience – Mandatory for all FTIC students
Provide funding for the development of a Wellness Center, Wellness Education, and
Wellness Programming.
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There is a developing body of literature looking at the link between mental health and
substance abuse and student success and retention. For instance, there is increasing evidence that
alcohol abuse, mental health problems (anxiety and depression), and family distress are significant
factors which lead to a student’s leaving school. One report indicated that eight of the top ten
health impediments to academic success were related to mental health and substance abuse issues.
A new Wellness Center on campus would house the offices of Student Health Services,
Counseling Services, Advocacy Program, and Campus Recreation in one dedicated facility to best
serve students. This has become a best practice nationally and, while our recent CITF efforts
started in this direction, we have modified this concept due to funding challenges.
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Team 8 Curriculum
Charge
Examine all aspects of the undergraduate curriculum to identify areas of improvement,
including academic programs, scheduling, classroom facilities, and other issues that may impede
students’ progress.
Membership of the Team
Last
Name
Sullins
First
Name
Bob
Hodgson
John
Batsche
Position
Department
Dean
Undergraduate studies
Professor
Department of Economics
Catherine
Co-Team
Leader
Co-Team
Leader
Member
Associate Dean
Cole
Katharine
Member
Assistant Dean
Conway
Jody
Member
Director
Farris
Lynda
Member
Assistant Director
Florida Mental Health
Institute
College of Arts and
Sciences
Transitional Advising
Center
Central Office Space
Howard
Maher
Drema
Patricia
Member
Member
Director
Director
Nelson
Jackie
Member
Director
Schneider
Jenifer
Member
Smith
Member
Wiencek
Wilson
Andrew M.
(Drew)
John
Wallace
Associate Professor and
Coordinator for Advanced
Graduate Programs in Teaching
Assistant Libran for Reference
Member
Member
Dean
Director
Yavneh
Collins
Naomi
Jerry
Member
Member
Associate Dean
Director
Goodrich
Moore
Andrew
Janet
Member
Member
Graduate Student
Associate Dean
Career Center
Tutoring and Learning
Services
Undergraduate Program,
College of Business
Department of Childhood
Education and Literacy
Studies
Libraries
College of Engineering
School of Art and Art
History
Honors College
College of University
Relations
Undergraduate Studies
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Team 8, working as a “committee of the whole” throughout its deliberations, identified a
number of curricular areas that appeared to present barriers to undergraduate student success. One
issue that stood out for all members was the large number of “high risk” courses, especially in
math and the sciences, which blocked student access to progress early in the first years of the
curriculum. The difficulties encountered in math delay progress for students in all majors.
A
closely related issue was the presence of “killer” courses in the upper levels of certain programs
that had a high rate of “D”, “W” and “F” grades blocking student progress and often forcing a
change of major late in the students’ programs. Another issue is the lack of sufficient and timely
course offerings in certain high-demand programs such that students could not be expected to
graduate in four years. A number of popular programs have very few if any related options to
allow students to move to easily if they become ineligible or cannot continue in their “first choice”
program academically. Last, too few courses, especially at the lower level, are taught by full-time
faculty.
Issues that are more tangentially related to the curriculum include outdated policies that
present barriers and the limited availability of supplemental support services. First, a number of
academic policies have clear implications for student success and progress toward degree
completion. These policies should be reviewed in comparison with peer institutions and
appropriate changes should be implemented when needed. Those policy areas include course
withdrawal, probation and dismissal, former student returning, and academic renewal. Second,
USF currently is not able to provide adequate supplemental support services.
For example,
limited resources make it impossible for the Career Center to provide assistance to all students who
need help choosing a career and declaring a major in a timely manner. Similarly, Tutoring and
Learning Services is unable to provide support to more than a fraction of the students who are
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struggling with math, chemistry, writing and many course areas that are critical to student
progress. Academic advising resources have been growing so that the student/advisor ratio is
closer to that of institutional peers.
However, the number of advisors is still too low to provide ongoing, proactive advising
that would require students to work with academic advisors when they might not do so on their
own initiative.
The long-term delay in the implementation of Tracking has been a significant
disappointment as plans to provide a system-supported means of interventional advising for all
students have been thwarted. Based on models that currently exist at USF, it appears that Living
and Learning Communities can make a significant difference in student retention and success, but
the few programs in place now serve only a small number of undergraduate students.
Short Term Goals:
1. Institutionalize Student Success as a Permanent Priority of USF.
The university should designate a permanent body such as a Council on Student Success,
that would continue the work of identifying means to enhance student success; implement or
follow-up on the recommendations in the Task Force Reports; initiate, suggest, or evaluate
research related to student success; and recommend appropriate actions and activities that will
ensure continued emphasis on student success university-wide.
2. Revise the policies on course withdrawal without academic penalty.
The university should review the current academic withdrawal policy to encourage student
success and eliminate multiple course withdrawals that delay graduation and create excess hours.
The recommended changes should include a reduction in the number of courses that students may
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drop without academic penalty, and the extension of the deadline for dropping courses until the
last week of classes for the term but before final exams are taken.
3. Revise current policies on academic probation and dismissal.
The university should review the current policies addressing academic probation and
dismissal with a focus on identification of changes that (1) will make it possible for students who
are close to meeting the required minimum GPA to continue to make degree progress as long as
they are also making clear progress toward achieving their required GPA and (2) would lead to a
more timely dismissal of students who have little or no chance of success.
4. Revise policies on Former Student Returning (FSR) and Academic Renewal Policies so
that only students showing some promise of academic success are readmitted.
The university should review the current policies addressing the readmission of former
students, especially those whose prior academic record is unsatisfactory, and the academic renewal
policies to identify changes that would allow the readmission only of those with some promise of
academic success (perhaps considered in conjunction with the review of the academic probation
and dismissal policies).
Medium Term Goals:
1.
The university should build an Institutional Research capacity focused on student
success that would conduct the qualitative and quantitative research necessary to inform
decisions about proposed changes in policies, assist in the development of new or improved
programs and services, and provide support for other actions and initiatives designed to
improve student success.
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2.
Colleges and departments should review their undergraduate curricula and identify
barriers to timely graduation (i.e., four years of full-time enrollment) and then work to find
ways to eliminate those barriers.
Possible problems that should be investigated include:
(a)
Lack of availability of required courses such that students cannot complete program
requirements in four or five years suggesting a need for additional faculty to provide
courses on a timely basis or a need to limit enrollment in the programs;
(b)
Specific required courses with high failure or withdrawal rates that may indicate a
need for improved instruction or enhanced prerequisites for the courses;
(c)
Practices that allow students to continue in programs in which their prior academic
performance indicates little chance of success; and/or
(d)
Lack of appropriate program/major options for students who progress well into the
upper level work before discovering that they are not sufficiently prepared to complete
the more advanced required work.
3.
Colleges and departments should investigate the causes of low pass rates in courses
with high “D”, “W” and “F” grades to determine the underlying causes of low success rates
and then identify ways to reduce those difficulties.
Possible targets for investigation include:
(a)
The likelihood that some students are underprepared for the courses and there may
be value in strengthening course prerequisites or more effective placement testing;
(b)
Instruction in some of the courses might be inadequate, indicating a need for
changing faculty assignments in these courses, providing faculty development, or
employing instructional methods such as Supplemental Instruction; and/or
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(c)
The possibility that students are making multiple attempts to pass courses for which
they lack the ability, indicating the possible need to restrict further enrollments after two
attempts.
Long Term Goals
1.
Ensure that more full-time faculty teach undergraduate students
There is research showing that students who are taught by large proportions of part-time
faculty are likely to be retained at a lower rate than those taught predominantly by full-time
faculty. A study of data compiled from the Faculty Survey of Student Engagement for 2004
uncovered compelling evidence that part-time faculty are “underperforming in their delivery of
undergraduate instruction. Part-time faculty interact with students less frequently, use active and
collaborative techniques less often, spend less time preparing for class, and have lower academic
expectations than their tenured and tenure-track peers.” (Paul Umbach, “How Effective Are They?
Exploring the Impact of Contingent Faculty on Undergraduate Education.” The Review of Higher
Education. 30, 2 (Winter, 2007): 110). In a similar study, researchers concluded that students
taking an "adjunct-heavy" course schedule in their first semester are less likely to persist into their
second year. (Eric Bettinger, Bridget Terry Long, (2005) “Help or Hinder? Adjunct Professors and
Student Outcomes,” 2005). The research suggests that, in general, over-reliance on part-time
faculty adversely affects graduation rates. (Ronald Ehrenberg and Liang Zhang, “Do Tenured and
Tenure-Track Faculty Matter?” Journal of Human Resources XL(3) (2005): 647-659).
The university should commit resources to grow the faculty in areas where part-time
faculty members teach a large proportion of undergraduate courses. Further, the university should
develop clear expectations in faculty teaching assignments that lead to increased proportions of
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undergraduate courses taught by full-time faculty, matching the proportions found at AAU peer
institutions. Substantial progress in this area probably will require changes in the Tenure and
Promotion criteria and other incentive programs to make it more attractive for faculty to be more
involved with undergraduate teaching.
2.
Implement Academic Tracking
The university should move as quickly as possible to implement the Academic Tracking
program that was designed for implementation nearly five years ago. When implemented, the
university should provide faculty resources to provide guaranteed access to classes such that the
university might implement a “Finish in Four” program.
3.
Provide the resources necessary for Tutoring and Learning Services to support
student success in high risk courses and the most demanding academic programs.
Those resources should be adequate to allow expansion of tutoring in additional disciplines beyond
those now available and so that they might serve all of the students encountering difficulties in the
targeted areas.
4.
The university should provide additional resources to the Career Center to implement
programs and services that incorporate the career development process early in the
undergraduate experience.
Possible avenues include credit and non-credit courses in career development, perhaps
offered in tandem with University Experience courses, for all undeclared or undecided students
entering the university. Research has demonstrated that career indecision among students, and
delays in choosing a major are significant factors in a student’s decision to withdraw from college.
Students lacking a stable career goal and who are undecided in their major are also likely to
display low self-esteem and inadequate educational self-efficacy. (E. Hull-Blanks, E., et al.,
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“Career goals and retention-related factors among college freshman,” Journal of Career
Development, 32 (1) (2005): 16-30).
Research on the value of career development courses revealed that the dysfunctional career
thoughts of 158 racially and ethnically diverse college freshmen were significantly reduced
following a 6-week, 1-credit-hour career development course. The most dramatic decreases
occurred among freshmen with the highest level of dysfunctional career thinking, and these
reductions in dysfunctional career thinking occurred irrespective of students' gender or
race/ethnicity. (D.S. Osborn, D. S., D.K. Howard, and S.J. Leierer, “The Effect of a Career
Development Course on the Dysfunctional Career Thoughts of Racially and Ethnically Diverse
College Freshmen,” The Career Development Quarterly, 55 (2007): 365–77.
5.
Establish additional Living Learning Communities.
The university should identify resources necessary to implement additional Living and
Learning communities that integrate curricular and residential experiences in many fields of
interest to students, similar to those now offered for Business, Engineering and Honors students.
Possible topics include: The Arts, Sustainability, Global Village, and Community Engagement.
Comparable models that replicate the features of Living Learning Communities should be
developed for students not residing on campus.
6.
Identify Features of Distinction in all Academic Programs.
Every academic department and program should identify the distinctive features and
strengths of those programs that they might use to inform students about why they should be proud
to be a part of that program (i.e., why should students pursue that program at USF rather than a
different program or a different institution). That information might be used to recruit excellent
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students but would then be useful in retaining students because they would gain experiences that
will reinforce their academic and career goals through distinctive learning opportunities.
7.
The university should explore additional methods to expand the emphasis on the
development of writing skills for all undergraduate students.
Models at other large research institutions should be investigated and models that show
promise for improving writing among USF’s undergraduate students should be adopted.
8.
The university should promote the use of undergraduate certificates to engage
students in interdisciplinary, theme-driven, team-based curricular options that complement
their discipline based curricula.
These certificate programs might be developed to emphasize the strategic themes of the
university such as global studies, sustainable and healthy communities, community engagement or
others.
CONCLUSIONS
The 2009-2010 Student Success Task Force completed a five-month study of student
success efforts at USF-Tampa and developed about 250 short- and long-term recommendations.
The costs associated with the implementation of these recommendations vary significantly, from
reforms of policies or practices that require few, if any additional commitments of resources, to
physical construction projects that will require substantial new investments. The Task Force chose
not to shy away from making recommendations that might not be financially feasible in the current
economic and fiscal climate. The Task Force was encouraged to “dream big” and therefore issued
recommendations regardless of the high price tags that might be attached to them. In any case, the
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SSTF was not in a position to predict long-term economic and fiscal developments. The Task
Force therefore chose to adopt a positive and optimistic approach, convinced that it was
appropriate and necessary to issue certain recommendations about the best practices that USF
should adopt, regardless of the cost.
The fundamental prerequisites for the successful implementation of the short and long term
recommendations bear repeating here. These prerequisites are:
1.
Institutionalize student success as a permanent priority of USF.
2.
Integrate student success into the institutional culture of USF.
3.
Build an institutional research capacity to support student success initiatives.
The University of South Florida, by appointing this Task Force, has already demonstrated a
commitment to enhancing student success throughout the campus, at the undergraduate and
graduate levels. The institution can and must do everything possible so that all students have the
opportunity to succeed in their educational objectives. Even then, we must recognize that students
share a responsibility for their own success. Students are ultimately responsible for taking the
initiative to succeed in the major or program of their choosing; they must make critical decisions
about how best to finance their education; they must figure out how best to maneuver through a
university bureaucracy, as students must do at every institution of higher education.
However, administrators, faculty, and staff can facilitate their progress by eliminating or
reducing unnecessary or unwelcome barriers to student success. USF has made great strides in
enhancing student success and will continue to do so, provided that the institution retains a
university-wide commitment to student success and maintains a focus on creating an institutional
culture and environment in which students are expected and able to succeed.
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Student Success Task Force
Report
APPENDIX
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