17th National Conference on Students in Transition
November 13-15, 2010
Houston, TX
Academic Support for Probationary
Freshmen: The PASS Program
Session 17-CI
Kay Haralson, Associate Professor & Student Success Specialist
Mike Dunn, Advising Coordinator College of Arts and Letters
Susan King, Administrative Assistant
Title III Center for Teaching and Learning
Austin Peay State University, Clarksville, TN
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Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, TN is a
4-year state-supported Liberal Arts institution.
Satellite campus on the Fort Campbell Army Post
Approximate enrollment 11,000
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Title III Grant Award
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November, 2008 APSU was awarded a $2 million
Title III Grant, Strengthening Institutions, from
the Federal Department of Education.
Main focus of the grant is to increase success,
retention, and graduation rates of at-risk students.
One initiative supported by the grant is the
Promoting Academic Student Success (PASS)
program.
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Purpose of the PASS Program
To provide students the academic and personal
support needed for college success
 To complete an assessment of their study skills
and life skills
 To identify strengths and weaknesses of
program participants
 To provide support in areas of weaknesses
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At-risk Students Served by PASS
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Required for students placed on probation during
their freshmen year
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Required for students successfully appealing an
academic suspension
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Recommended for students returning from
academic suspension after setting out a semester
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Students referred to the program by faculty or
advisors
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Characteristics of Students in PASS
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Poorly prepared for higher education
Lack of motivation
Some lack social skills
Some are introverted
Unrealistic grasp of time management
Lack of outside (family, friends) support or encouragement
Unrealistic job and career expectations
Unrealistic goals or lack of goals
Poor money management
Limited involvement in university activities
No established connection to the institution
Work too many hours in an outside job.
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PASS Ambassadors
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Each PASS class is assigned a “PASS Ambassador”, an
upper classmen with a 3.0 GPA or higher, and
demonstrated leadership skills.
PASS Ambassadors
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are trained each semester by Title III staff
create a peer connection to students.
set a good academic example.
reflect good time management skills.
maintain weekly contact with students outside of class.
lead group discussions on success skills.
conduct activities with students to solidify class topics.
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Structure of PASS 0900 Course
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PASS 0900 is a 12-week, non-credit, pass/fail course
Topics addressed in the course include
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Time management
Attitude
Motivation
Anxiety and stress management
Learning styles
Communicating with instructors
Concentration
Memory and selecting main ideas
Information processing
Study aids
Test strategies and self-testing
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Assessment of Students’ Needs
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Academic self-assessment
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Students identify obstacles negatively impacting their
college success in the areas of:
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academic study skills
•
study habits
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major or career uncertainty
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personal, family, or social problems
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time management and organizational skills
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motivation
A post academic self-assessment is given at the end of
the course.
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Learning and Study Strategies Inventory and
Instructional Modules (LASSI)
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*LASSI is both diagnostic and prescriptive and provides
standardized scores and national norms for ten different scales.
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*The ten scale, 80-item LASSI Inventory provides an assessment
of students’ awareness about and use of learning and study
strategies related to skill, will, and self-regulation components of
strategic learning.
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LASSI Inventory Pretest
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Students complete LASSI Instructional Modules
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LASSI Inventory Posttest
*Weinstein, Claire E., David R. Palmer, and Ann C. Shulte. (2002) Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) 2nd Ed. H & H Publishing.
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Program Evaluations by Students
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In Fall 2009
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89% of students completing the evaluation either strongly
agreed or agreed that their PASS class had helped them be more
academically successful.
85% of students completing the evaluation either strongly agreed
or agreed that the LASSI Modules provided them useful
information.
In Spring 2010
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98% of students completing the evaluation either strongly agreed
or agreed that their PASS class had helped them be more
academically successful.
86% of students completing the evaluation either strongly agreed
or agreed that the LASSI Modules provided them useful
information.
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LASSI Modules
PASS students Fall 2009 and Spring 2010 on
average showed a gain in their scores in each
of the areas represented in LASSI.
 For Fall 2009, the largest gains were in the
areas of Study Aids (37%), Self Testing (36%),
and Time Management (33%).
 For Spring 2010, the largest gains were in the
areas of Self Testing (27%), Study Aids (25%),
and Time Management (23%)
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Average Change in Term GPA
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Percent of Students Eligible to
Enroll for the Next Term
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Persistence to Next Semester
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Persistence Rates
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The PASS class was required of freshmen on
academic probation beginning Fall 2009. All
freshmen placed on probation Spring 2009,
returning Fall 2009, had a persistence rate of 55%.
(This included both the students that passed the
course and those that failed the course.)
A comparable group of freshmen placed on
academic probation Spring 2008, returning Fall
2008 had a persistence rate of 52%. (PASS class
had not been implemented at this time.)
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Challenges
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Freshmen who choose not to return after being placed
on probation
Student absenteeism
Student apathy and lack of motivation
Poor study habits engrained over time
Student resistance to required or recommended tutoring
Student denial of existing problems
Student unwillingness to explore solutions
Students working too many hours in outside jobs
Lack of support from family and friends
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Changes for Fall 2010
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Streamline course content
Concentrate on 6 LASSI Modules, discuss in greater
depth
Students complete two activities, a quiz, and a
discussion question on each Module
More group work and interactive class discussion
Increase the proportion of the course grade earned by
class attendance
Tutoring optional, possible study groups held for
students by PASS Ambassadors
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Benefits of PASS Program to Students
and to the University
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Throws a lifeline to students struggling in their transition
from high school to college.
Provides support for nontraditional students returning to
college.
Provides support for post-suspension students.
Gives students a person on campus who is monitoring
and cares about their success.
Improves persistence rates of students at risk for failure.
Goal is to ultimately improve graduation rates of at-risk
students.
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References
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Weinstein, Claire E., David R. Palmer, and
Ann C. Shulte. (2002). Learning and Study
Strategies Inventory (LASSI) 2nd Ed.
Clearwater, FL: H & H Publishing.
Weinstein, Claire E. (2001). Becoming a
Strategic Learner, LASSI Instructional
Modules. Clearwater, FL: H & H Publishing.
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Thank you for your time
and attention!
If you would like to contact us about the PASS Program you
may email Kay at haralsonk@apsu.edu, Mike at
dunnm@apsu.edu, or Susan at kings@apsu.edu.
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