Office of Academic Student
Instructional Support
-OASIS-Cheri Tillman, Pat Burns
THE CHALLENGE
• Student persistence is 65 percent after the
first year, less than 50 percent after the
second year of college.
• Less than 40 percent of the students that
begin their freshman year at VSU will
graduate.
• Projected lost revenues to VSU for ten
students who do not persist beyond their
first semester is $326,811.
WHY STUDENTS LEAVE
•
•
•
•
•
Academic difficulty
Adjustment difficulties
Uncertain goals
Weak Commitments
Isolation
The Freshman Year Experience
PRE-ENTRY
ATTRIBUTES
FAMILY
BACKGROUND
INSTITUTIONAL
EXPERIENCES
ACADEMIC
PERFORMANCE
FACULTY/STAFF
INTERACTIONS
OUTCOME
ACADEMIC
INTEGRATION
SKILLS &
ABILITIES
EXTRA-CURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES
PRIOR
SCHOOLING
PEER GROUP
INTERACTIONS
SOCIAL
INTEGRATION
The Freshman Year Experience
“.....it is the education of students, their
social and intellectual growth, that is
the proper goal of retention efforts. It
is essential that we recognize the
centrality of education to the process of
student retention.”
Vincent Tinto - Leaving College
…...OF SPECIAL NOTE…...
…….though the intentions and commitment
with which individuals enter college matter,
what goes on after entry matters more. It is
the daily interaction of the student with
other members of the college in both formal
and informal academic and social domains
that in large measure determine staying or
leaving.
- Vincent Tinto
The Freshman Year Experience
VISION STATEMENT
• The office of Academic Student Instructional
Support (OASIS) will provide an exceptional
educational experience dedicated to achieving
the highest level of excellence within our
academic community. In doing so, we will
advance a philosophy of teamwork and
cooperation throughout VSU.
The Freshman Year Experience
OASIS CORE VALUES
 We will foster an atmosphere for learning that is
non-threatening, encourages creative thinking and
questioning, and respects diversity.
 We will encourage learning communities in which
each individual is potentially both a teacher and
learner.
 As educators, we will maintain the highest
professional standards of teaching excellence.
 We will exemplify professionalism, charity, and
civility in all our working relationships to infuse the
spirit of our work into the university culture.
The Freshman Year Experience
PROGRAM GOAL
The goal of the Freshman Year
Experience is to maximize every
student’s potential to achieve academic
success and to adjust responsibly to the
individual and interpersonal challenges
presented by collegiate life.
The Freshman Year Experience
FYE Program Components
• Freshman Seminar
• Learning Communities & Linked
Courses
• Faculty Advising & Mentoring
• Peer Tutoring
PROGRAMS & ACTIVITIES THAT
ENCOURAGE PERSISTENCE
•
•
•
•
•
Academic skills development
Intrusive advising & mentoring
Frequent contact with faculty & staff
Tutoring and supplemental instruction
Involvement in extracurricular activities
clubs, and organizations
The Freshman Year Experience
Freshman Seminar I
• This course is an introduction to lifelong learning
with emphasis on college study skills.
• Topics include: learning styles, time management,
learning and memory skills, learning from texts
and lecture, note taking, objective and essay
examinations, critical thinking skills, and a
realistic assessment of future employment
opportunities.
The Freshman Year Experience
• Learning
Cohorts
• Learning
Communities
• Career
Paper
The Freshman Year Experience
Freshman Seminar II
• This course is a continuation of Freshman
Seminar I with an emphasis on empowering
students to make responsible choices in
college and life. Includes practical and selfreflective exercises in promoting growth
and change.
The Freshman Year Experience
Freshman Seminar II
Topics:
• Computer and Information Technology
• Career Development
The Freshman Year Experience
Freshman Seminar II
Topics:
• Personal and
Leadership
Development
The Freshman Year Experience
Freshman Seminar II
Topics:
• Service-Learning
Project
• Service-Learning
Journal
HAVEN CHILDREN
Wild Adventures
SERVICE-LEARNING
The Freshman Year Experience
• Advising – Each
faculty member has a
cohort. These students
are advised by that
instructor.
• Mentoring – We take
advising to a higher
level by mentoring our
students.
The Freshman Year Experience
Peer Mentors
• Attends Freshman
Seminar class
• Monitors student
progress
• Coordinates Fall
Explosion activities
• Provides instruction in
study skills
• Develops study groups
• Motivates students
toward academic
success
The Freshman Year Experience
Supplemental Instruction
• SI targets academic
courses which are
lecture classes and
offers regularly
scheduled review
sessions.
SI Objectives
• Increase student skills
in comprehension,
analysis, critical
thinking, and problem
solving.
• Integrate review of
course content with
study skills and
learning strategies.
The Freshman Year Experience
Supplemental Instruction
Why SI Works
• Students learn how to study.
• Students use their study skills on the course content itself.
• Students are involved in their own learning.
The Freshman Year Experience
It Works!
2.5
2.5
Mean GPA
2.0
2.1
1.5
1.0
.5
0.0
LEP 1998
LEP 1999
Year
50
46
40
35
34
33
Percent
30
20
18
14
FYE_VSU
10
6
7
7
0
FYE
VSU
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very Poor
The quality of advice I received from my academic advisor was...
50
College
NOTE: 78 FYE and 48 VSU 1101 students did not identify their major because they had not declared their major, or were undecided.
40
CAS
Percent
Arts & Sciences
CBA
30
Business Admin
COE
20
Education
COA
10
Coll of the Arts
CON
0
Coll of Nursing
Very Good
Good
Fair
Poor
Very Poor
The quality of advice I received from my academic advisor was...
Percent
50
48
40
37
30
32
31
20
17
16
FYE_VSU
10
8
7
4
2
0
Strongly Agree
Neutr al
Agree
FYE
Strongly Disagr ee
Disagree
I enjoyed the freshman seminar (VSU 1101).
VSU
50
48
40
Percent
35
30
32
27
20
23
FYEorVSU
12
10
11
8
4
0
Strongly Agree
Neutral
Agree
FYE
VSU
Strongly Disagree
Disagree
My academic advisor seemed to care about me.