Back for the First Time: Transforming
Academic Probationary Students
PRESENTED BY:
SCHERRAYN GARCIA
UNIVERSITY OF THE VIRGIN ISLANDS
NACADA ANNUAL CONFERENCE
MINNEAPOLIS, MN
OCTOBER 10, 2014
Fast Facts:

Public 4-year institution

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU)

2 Campuses separated by 40 miles of water

Total Population is 2,500 students

95% Minority

812 - Average SAT score (Math and English
Combined) for incoming freshmen (2013)

97% Admit Rate

The only post-secondary institution within the US
Virgin Islands’ territory.
WHY NOT?
Academic
Probation
Rates
Introduction
Many postsecondary institutions are investing millions of
dollars in student support services to ensure students improve
their academic performances and attain their postsecondary degrees; yet the rate at which students are
placed on academic probation remains alarming.
While the intent of establishing an “academic probation”
policy is to promote student success, increase retention and
graduation rates; academic probation often times deter
students from returning to their respective institutions.
Unintended Outcomes of
Academic Probation Policy

Academic probation status reduces the chances that
some students return to school for their second year,
although most complete their first year (Fletcher, J.M. and
Tokmouline, M., 2010).

Lindo, J. Nicholas S., and Phillip, O. (2010) found that when
students are placed on academic probation it doubles
the probability “that male students will leave school and
doubles the probability that students who performed
better in high school will also leave school” (p.112).
Academic Probation’s Effect on
Graduation Rates
A probation analysis report was conducted at the LaGuardia
Community College by Jeffery Weintraub in 2012. He
analyzed the persistence and graduation rates of over 6,000
students and found that 9.1 % of students placed on
probation graduated as compared to 26.6% of non-probation
students.
30
20
10
0
Probation
Students
Non-Probation
Students
Academic Probation’s Effect on
Retention Rates

Nearly 25% of all college students will be on
academic probation at some point in their
college careers and roughly 50% of these
probationary students will voluntarily drop
out (Damashek, 2003)

What does this means in financial loss for
institutions nationally?
Economic Consequence of
Academic Probation
11,097,77
9
FT Student
Enrolled
(2012)
$19,339
(2012)
Average
Cost
Tuition,
Room, &
Board
$19,339
2,774,444
25%
Academic
Probation
X
1,387,222
50% Drops
out
$26,827,486,258
Financial Loss
Number of students enrolled is reflective of full-time undergraduate students at
private and public institutions. Full-time student enrollment and average cost
were based on the 2011-2012 data provided by the National Center for
Educational Statistics.
What is Academic
Probation?
 Academic
probation is primarily a
system that is intended to warn
students who are enrolled (part-time or
full-time) at any given university to
improve their academic standing in
order to remain at the university. If a
student does not meet Satisfactory
Academic Progress (SAP) he or she will
be placed on academic probation.
University of the Virgin Islands’ (UVI)
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
Total Credits
Attempted
Percent Rate For
Minimum Credits
Passed
Minimum Cumulative
and/or Semester GPA
12-29
50%
1.70
30-44
60%
1.80
45 and above
70%
2.00
UVI Academic Probation
Progression Stages
Probation I/
Warning
Probation II
Suspension
• Cause: 1st Occurrence where a
student did not meet the SAP
• Max credit load is reduced and
student can not participate in
extracurricular activiites.
• Cause: 2nd occurrence where student did
not meet the SAP
• Max credit load is reduced to p/t and
student can not participate in extracurricular
activiites.
• Cause: 3rd occurrence where student did
not meet the SAP
• Student is suspended for one semester.
Academic
Probation
Progression
Probation I/
Warning
Probation II
Suspension
Financial Aid
Probation
Progression
Probation
Suspension (NO Aid)
Response to Academic
Probation
When students are on probation they are met with
strict standards that mandate they must meet SAP or
be subjected to the loss of financial aid and
suspension from the university. At this time the
students are given three options:
1.
Enroll the following semester improve their GPA
and possibly get off probation.
2.
Enroll the following semester fail, and risk the loss
of financial aid and being placed on academic
suspension
3.
Do not return return the following semester.
Theoretical Explanation for
Probationary Students Responses
The decision to voluntarily drop out of college can be best
explained by the Benabou and Tirole’s (2000) model of agents’
responses to performance standards. The model explains that
when an agent is met with performance standards he or she has
three options. In the case of students who are on probation:
•
If the agent (student) attempts option (1) he incurs cost and high
benefit;
•
If he attempts option (2) he will then incur cost and gain no
benefit;
•
If he attempts option (3) he will not incur cost and will not gain any
benefit. This then becomes discouraging to students. Some
students opt for option 3 and decide not to risk further cost
(emotional, psycological, and/or economical) to their
circumstance.
Lindo, J. Nicholas S., and Phillip, O. (2010)
Compounded Challenges
of Probationary Students

Benabou and Tirole’s (2000) model of agent response to a
performance standards also states that the agents (students)
who choose option 1 (remain at the institution), are motivated
to meet the performance standards and increase their
academic performances (Lindo et al. 2010).

However these students are met with myriad of issues that are
compounded which weighs heavily on their efforts during their
probationary period. Issak, Graves, and Mayers (2006) found
that students on academic probation identified more areas of
difficulty than did students not on probation. As challenges
compound, they may have an increasing negative impact on
a student‘s academic success.
Consequences Probationary
Students Experience
Emotional
Shame
Hurt
Embarrassment
Psychological
Academic
Decreased
Academic
Confidence
Loss of
Opportunities
Loss of Financial
Aid
Anger
Reduction in
Self-Esteem
Frustration
Depression
Delayed
Graduation
Anxiety
Drop out
Now that I am on academic
probation and have lost my
financial aid, is there any
hope for my overall success?
Let’s hear directly from one
student.
(The student within the video granted the presenter
permission to include video in presentation for NACADA
members viewing only. Please do not download the video.)
Working with Students on
Probation who have lost their
Financial Aid
1)
What are some strategies you or your institution
have implemented in an effort to ensure students
who are placed on academic
probation/suspension return to the institution the
subsequent semester?
2)
What strategies have you or your institution
developed to assist students who were placed on
probation and/or lost their financial aid?
3)
What strategies would you propose are the most
effective in working with students on academic
probation?
Academic Recovery Strategies
• Assist students in creating a written plan of action to get off
probation and regain their financial aid.
• Be sure to provide consistent and frequent follow-up.
• Provide a “wrap-around” approach of service delivery for students
who are on suspension and have garnered an approval of appeal
via the suspension committee.
• Fail Grade Forgiveness Policy: Students who fail their courses and
have repeated them will have their transcript wiped clean of the
initial grade of “F”. Students must obtain a “C” or higher in their
subsequent attempt of the courses they fail. See page 3 of Jefferey
Weintraub “Analysis of Students Placed on Probation” report at www.lagcc.cuny.edu
Please contact LaGuardia Community College for more information on the use and
implementation of this policy.*
• Establish funding (special grant) for students who are on probation,
who have lost their financial aid and have demonstrated academic
improvement.
Institutional Next Steps
Investigate the dynamics of academic probation on your student
population.
•
What are the academic probation rates for your
institution?
•
Which student is more likely to be on probation or
suspension? Develop a profile.
•
What are the factors that contribute to poor academic
success?
•
What are the trends that occur within the dynamics of
academic probation?
•
What can your institution do to reduce our probation rates
and prevent the occurrence of students being placed on
academic probation?
•Are these strategies, programs, and services working?
References
Benabou, R. and Tirole, J. (2000). “Self-Confidence and Social Interactions.”
National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper 7585
Damashek R. (2003). “Support programs for students on academic probation.”
Department of Education Reports, Descriptive. 2003;141:18.
Fletcher, J.M. and Tokmouline, M. (2010). “The Effects of Academic Probation on
College Success: Lending Students a Hand or Kicking Them While They Are
Down?” THEOP Working Paper
Giner, S. and Kelly-Reid (2013). Enrollment in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall
2012; Financial Statistics, Fiscal Year 2012; Graduation Rates, Selected
Cohorts, 2004-09; and Employees in Postsecondary Institutions, Fall 2012:
NCES Department of Education
Isaak, M. I., Graves, K. M., & Mayers, B. O. (2006-2007). Academic, motivational,
and emotional problems identified by college students in academic
jeopardy. J. Coll. Stu. Retention, 8, 171-183.
References
Lindo, J. Nicholas S., and Phillip, O. (2010). Ability, Gebder, and
Performance Standards: Evidence from Academic Probation
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 2(2)
National Center for Educational Statistics 2011-2012.
http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=76
Scherrayn Garcia, MSW
sphilli1@uvi.edu
340-692-4274
Thank you for your
Participation!!!!