UMKC Goals:
Current
Baseline
By 2015 By 2020
Retention 69.2% 80% 85%
Graduation 47.5% 50% 55%

80,0%
75,0%
70,0%
65,0%
76,4%
74,0% 74,9%
73,8%
71,9%
70,9%
66,9%
69,9%
68,0% 68,1%
69,9%
68,4%
66,5%
66,9%
66,5%
64,2%
73,2%
70,6%
71,3% 70,7%
69,2%
65,4%
60,0%
2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011
UMKC UMKC (excl. Prof.)

50,0%
47,2%
46,2%
47,5%
45,0%
46,0%
45,0%
42,9%
43,7% 43.5%
40,0%
35,0%
41,9%
1999
41,6%
2000
42,7%
38,2%
2001
39,5%
40,5% 40,3%
2002
37,4%
2003
UMKC
2004 2005 2006
UMKC (Excl. Prof.)

 According to the US Census for the Kansas City Metropolitan
Area, the population demographics will change from 2000 to
2040 (assuming same migration rates as in 1990-2000):
• Total white population will have increased by 4.1%
• Total black population will have increased by 60.3%
• Total Hispanic population will have increased by 839.2%
 By 2030, Missouri and Kansas will be 50/50 states:
50% will be people of color.
Source: Dr. Steve Murdock, former director of the
US Census Bureau, Kansas City MSA analysis, 2006

where ethnicity is known
100%
90%
0%
12%
1%
10%
1%
9%
1%
19%
1%
8%
1%
18%
1%
8%
1%
0%
7%
1%
80%
70%
60%
20%
19%
23%
22%
4%
2%
4%
3%
6%
5%
2%
3% 7%
4%
4%
7%
7%
4%
50%
40%
30%
20%
62% 62%
60%
62%
52% 52%
10%
0%
Fall 2007 (842) Fall 2008 (934) Fall 2009 (940) Fall 2010 (1070) Fall 2011 (1106) Fall 2012 (1085)
American Indian / Alaska Native
Asian
Asian (Underrepresented)*
Black / African American
Hispanic / Latino
Multiple Race / Ethnicity*
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific
Islander*
Non-Resident International
White
* For Fall 2009, the US Dept. of
Education introduced a new ethnicity/racial model for collecting and reporting student data.
UMKC also introduced the "Asian
(Underrepresented)" category .
All counts are self-reported.

 National initiative to increase the access and success rates of low income students and underrepresented minority students. Overall goal is to halve the gaps in these rates.
 The data indicate several key success indicators.
Students are more likely to be retained if they:
• enroll in at least 12 hours per semester and 24 hours per year
• successfully complete at least 80% of their hours
• enroll in and successfully complete a college-level math and a college-level English course during their first year

100,0%
90,0%
80,0%
70,0%
60,0%
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
Percentage of FS11 FTC Students Retained to Sp12: completed vs. not completed 12 Hours in their first semester
99,2%
95,3% 94,5%
76,0%
72,1%
67,3%
64,9%
Completed 12 Hours Did Not Complete 12 Hours
Low-Income
Non-LI
URM
Non-URM
9

Percentage of FS10 FTC Students Retained to FS11: completed vs. not completed 24 Hours in their first year
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
100,0%
90,0%
80,0%
70,0%
60,0%
55,6%
Completed 24 Hours Did Not Complete 24 Hours
Low-Income
Non-LI
URM
Non-URM
10

Percentage of FS11 FTC Students Retained to Sp12: completed vs. not completed 80% Hours in their first semester
98,2%
94,4% 93,4% 100,0%
90,0%
80,0%
70,0%
60,0%
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
Completed 80% Hours
68,0%
61,0%
Did Not Complete 80%
Hours
Low-Income
Non-LI
URM
Non-URM
11

100,0%
90,0%
80,0%
70,0%
60,0%
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
Percentage of FS11 FTC Students Retained to FS12: completed vs. not completed 80% Hours in their first year
91,0%
85,0%
89,2%
Completed 80% Hours
68,9%
57,4%
Did Not Complete 80%
Hours
Low-Income
Non-LI
URM
Non-URM
12

Percentage of FS11 FTC Students Retained to FS12:
Successfully completed vs. not completed College-Level Math their first year
100,0%
90,0%
80,0%
70,0%
60,0%
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
87,4%
88,5%
81,4%
82,5%
68,0%
62,7%
73,3%
61,7%
50,8%
40,0%
34,5%
45,9%
48,5%
84,9%
Successfully
Completed Math
Did Not Successfully
Complete Math
Did Not Take Math Transferred Math In
Low-Income
Non-LI
URM
Non-URM
13

Percentage of FS11 FTC Students Retained to FS12:
Successfully completed vs. not completed College-Level English their first year
60,0%
50,0%
40,0%
30,0%
20,0%
10,0%
0,0%
100,0%
90,0%
80,0%
70,0%
81,3%
69,3%
77,7%
72,4%
21,7%
52,3%
17,5%
71,4%
69,8%
37,5%
86,7%
50,0%
81,3%
66,7%
Successfully Completed
English
Did Not Successfully
Complete English
Did Not Take English Transferred English In
Low-Income
Non-LI
URM
Non-URM
14

 Research conducted by Steve Robbins, Vice President of ACT, shows that Academic and Non-Academic Factors together play an important role in student retention.
 Top 5 factors effecting retention are:
• Academic-Related Skills: level of time management skills, study skills, and study habits.
• Self-Confidence: level of confidence in being successful in the academic environment.
• Academic Goals: level of commitment to obtain a college degree.
• Commitment to Institution: level of confidence in and satisfaction with institutional choice.
• Social Support: level of social support a student feels the institution provides.

• Successful retention planning requires close collaboration between all areas of the university.
• The most successful retention strategies are those that:
• Focus on students’ engagement with the institution
• Increase level of academic competence and confidence
• Create social supports and inclusive academic environments
• Include high levels of faculty-student interaction
• Programs that provide opportunities to develop students’ academic and non-academic factors include:
– Bridge programs
– Living Learning Communities
– First Year Experience
– Orientation
– Supplemental Instruction
– Early Warning System
– Academic Advising

The mission of the Student Success Center is to provide
,
, and
services that promote students’
in support of our retention and graduation goals and to
of our students now and in the future.
Offices include: Academic Support and Mentoring, UMKC Central,
University College, Writing Studio, Welcome Center, Career Services,
SEARCH, MindBody Connection, International Student Affairs, International
Academic Programs, and Med School Advising for Students in Years 1 and 2.

 Home for undergraduates “in transition”: Deciding students; students changing majors; transfer students
 Advisors specializing in cross-college advising, working closely with career services and academic units to assist students in exploring options and making decisions
 Will help coordinate cross-college academic support programs and initiatives
 Goal: Choice of major, help students move to academic unit and succeed in chosen major

 SI model was developed at UMKC in 1973 and is grounded in cognitive science research:
• Learning is a continuous and active process
• New knowledge must be tied to existing knowledge
• Students should utilize several styles and strategies to increase their level of learning
 SI helps students fully engage in and understand how they learn so they can successfully master course content.
 Students who regularly attend SI earn a half to a full letter grade better than students who do not attend SI.


• Drop-in tutoring is available is available for students enrolled in Math courses (pre-Algebra through
Calculus II and Statistics), as well as Chemistry, Biology,
General Physics, Political Science, and English.
• The Coaching Program offers one-on-one tutoring to students in the program on a wide range of subjects.

 Piloted Spring 2009, Major Maps provide current and prospective students with a four-year completion guide for each undergraduate major.
 Designed to assist students in planning for courses and major requirements, ultimately freeing up advising time to allow for more career exploration and professional development.
 Used in conjunction with Degree Audit Reports to gauge where a student is in his or her program.

 Piloted Fall 2009, UFirst is designed to assist with students’ academic and social transition to college and to connect them with the support services they may need to be academically successful.
 Utilized feedback from students and intervention by faculty, academic advisors, and student support staff.
 Starting Fall 2011, switched to a BlackBoard module to provide better access for faculty input on academic behavior.

 The Coaching Program provides an environment of accountability to help students be successful
 Serves incoming freshmen on trial admission through Peer
Mentoring & engaging programming
• Peer Coaches meet with students weekly to help them transition to UMKC
• The Peer Coaches help them develop time management, study skills, & adapt to their new social setting
 Serves current students who are on contract with the Financial
Aid Office for not meeting Satisfactory Academic Progress by matching them one-on-one with a Coach
 Serves any student who needs development in the areas of time management, money management, study skills, or learning strategies

 Institutional Research provides analysis of courses with high rates of students earning D, F, or W grades.
 These lists can be used as a starting point to review courses and implement strategies to promote increased student success.
 The current Math Course redesign has met with great success, including the fact that College Algebra is no longer on the high DFW rate list.

 Advising is one of the most important structured activities for students to interact with faculty and staff
 Task Force reviewed student survey data and conducted inventory of best practices, including the current Advisors Forum
 Recommendations include:
• Develop Comprehensive Advisor Training Program
• Implement electronic advising notes system
• Staffing realignment and assessment program

 When we know something is important, make it mandatory:
• Orientation for Transfers as well as Freshmen
• Class attendance
• Supplemental Instruction
• Advising