UWG Retention & Graduation:
Using Data to Inform Planning
Presentation to PAC (01/22/2010)
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
1
UWG & Comparator Institutions: Second
Year Retention Rates (Fall 2006)
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
2
UWG & Comparator Institutions: Six-Year
Graduation Rates (Fall 2002 Cohort)
Aspirationals (Median)
63%
Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania
59%
SUNY College at Oswego
57%
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
56%
Central Washington University
55%
East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania
54%
Kutztown University of Pennsylvania
53%
University of Central Missouri
51%
Southeast Missouri State University
51%
Minnesota State University-Mankato
51%
Bridgewater State College
51%
California University of Pennsylvania
50%
Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
44%
Salem State College
43%
Saginaw Valley State University
38%
University of Central Oklahoma
36%
Jacksonville State University
33%
University of West Georgia
Northeastern State University
Southeastern Louisiana University
32%
30%
28%
0% & Graduation
10%
20%
30%
Retention
Presentation
to
PAC
40%
50%
60%
70%
3
On A Closer Look
• Need for introspection
• A critical examination of UWG data
suggest that the graduation and retention
problems begin within the first two years
• Second- and third-year retention rates
reveal a lot of information
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
4
Trends in UWG Retention &
Graduation Rates
Fall
1998
MEAN
Fall
1999
Fall
2000
Fall
2001
Fall
2002
Fall
2003
Fall
2004
Fall
2005
Fall
2006
Fall
2007
Fall
2008
SATV
478
486
494
502
506
508
508
515
507
508
509
SATM
474
476
487
497
502
500
498
506
501
502
501
HSGPA
2.79
2.86
2.96
2.98
2.98
2.96
2.97
3.01
3.00
3.09
3.03
First Year
N=
1666
1598
1657
1557
1625
1728
1701
1653
1700
1793
1988
Second
-Year
Fall
1085
1058
1155
1131
1127
1240
1203
1163
1238
1345
1452
65% 66% 70% 73% 69% 72% 71% 70% 73% 75% 73%
ThirdYear
Fall
788 775
861
829
813
920
879
921
917
1022
47% 49% 52% 53% 50% 53% 52% 56% 54% 57%
Graduation
N=
157
139
183
184
177
208
198
207
Rate
4 yr
9%
9%
11%
12%
11%
12%
12%
13%
N=
394
401
470
469
417
507
474
5 yr
24%
25%
28%
30%
26%
29%
28%
N=
488
498
566
565
513
627
6 yr 29% 31% 34% 36% 32% 36%
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
5
Percent of First-Time Freshmen with
First-Term GPA<2.00
2002 Cohort
35
32
25
30
25
20
14
15
13
10
5
0
UWG
Georgia
Southern
Kennesaw
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
Valdosta
6
Summary Grades Distribution in
Core Courses (Fall 2005-2009)
80
70
69
68
72
69
Percent
ABC
72
Percent
DFW+
60
50
40
32
31
31
30
28
28
20
10
0
Fall
2005
Fall
2006
Fall
2007
Fall
2008
Fall
2009
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
7
Foundations of Excellence (FOE)
Report
Identified five courses as problem areas in
2005:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
ENGL 1101
MATH 1111
POLS 1101
COMM 1110
PSYC 1101
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
8
How has UWG performed since 2005 in the 5
Core Courses Identified (DFW Rates)?
Fall 2005
Fall 2006
40
35 36 35 35
32
35
25
20
Fall 2008
Fall 2009
45
42 41 41 42
45
30
Fall 2007
25
22 21
18 19
38
32
30
27
36
33
31
29
22 23
15
10
5
0
COMM
1110
ENGL 1101 MATH 1111 POLS 1101
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
PSYC 1101
9
Percent D-F-W Grades in F.O.E.
Courses by Ethnicity
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
10
Percent D-F-W Grades in F.O.E.
Courses by Gender
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
11
UWG Freshmen Success Rate
60
50
42.7
43.3
AY 2006
AY 2007
50.4
51.7
AY 2008
AY 2009
40
30
20
10
0
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
12
Average Time-to-Degree of UWG
Students (# Semesters)
14
12.4
12.2
12.2
12.3
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
AY 2006
AY 2007
AY 2008
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
AY 2009
13
Four Major Areas of Concern
A. Comprehensive Campus Philosophy of the First
Year (F.O.E)
B. Out-of-Class Support (Academic & NonAcademic)
C. In-Class Support (Pedagogical approaches to
first-year teaching; best practices, etc.)
D. Policy Considerations, such as how institutional
policies create barriers to progression
(administrative withdrawal; liberal retake policy; unlimited
no. of withdrawals; holds on registration for non-academic
reasons, etc.)
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
14
Group Questions
• How can we get campus-wide buy-in and
commitment to these areas?
• What are the particular areas that we want to
tackle?
• What do we need to study more?
• What are the specific things we want to
implement?
Retention & Graduation Presentation to
PAC
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