Undergraduate Student Success and Retention

1. Undergraduate Student Success and Retention Board of Governors Update May, 2007

2. Purpose To update the Board of Governors on student success and retention initiatives implemented Fall, 2006

3. Strategic Vision • What We Teach • Meaningful up-to-date curricula, based on carefully articulated learning outcomes • How We Teach • Teachers use best practices in their teaching • Enrichment • Students engage outside the classroom in a campus environment that encourages academic success • Student Support • Services and programs geared to enhance student success

4. Guiding Principle SUCCESS Responsibility SUPPORT

5. Initiatives – F06 • President’s Faculty Task Force on Retention • Early Intervention – Advising and Support • Learning Communities • Orientation and iStart • Math Initiatives • Policy Changes

6. President’s Faculty Task Force on Retention Charge Make recommendations to the university in Fall, 2007. Co-Chairs: Dr. Joseph Dunbar, Physiology, School of Medicine Dr. Lisa Rapport, Psychology, Liberal Arts and Sciences Develop recommendations to achieve substantial increase in student retention and graduation rates overall and for particular sub-groups of students. Consider faculty issues, policy issues, programmatic changes, and other ideas as appropriate.

7. President’s Faculty Task Force on Retention Organization • College/school retention committees appointed to look at actions that can be taken at the college/school level • Liaison Committee (13 members representing all schools and colleges and the Academic Senate) • Coordinates the suggestions and input from the faculty, schools/colleges, and Advisory Committee • Develop the final report • Advisory Committee (21 members – faculty volunteers) • Central resource for generating ideas about problems and potential solutions. Develop specific program, policy, and action plan suggestions

8. Early Intervention – Advising and Comerica Academic Success Center Outreach • First-time students June and July, 06 - Newly admitted first-time students received personalized invitations from advisors to come and meet with them during Orientation and to set up individual appointments to discuss their academic plan at WSU • positive response from students and parents

9. Early Intervention – Advising and Comerica Academic Success Center Outreach • Students on Academic Probation WayneREACH – For students who fall below a 2.0 GPA after their first term (Started June, 2006) • Complete Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ) • WayneREACH checklist (along with MSLQ) pinpoints problem areas • Special Advising sessions: study issues, course selection

10. Early Intervention – Advising and Comerica Academic Success Center Early Academic Assessment(Midterm notification by faculty to students regarding academic concerns: Homework, Exams/Quizzes, Lab work, participation, Attendance) Enhanced the existing EAA program for Fall, 2006, in several ways: • 390 FTIAC students with EAA notices received follow-up messages in October to see their academic advisors • Free Blackboard course: Success 101 put on line for EAA students • Student survey

11. EAA Survey Results

12. EAA Survey Results

13. EAA Survey Results

14. Early Intervention – Advising and Comerica Academic Success Center SUCCESS 101 Results for Pilot Program – Fall, 2006 • Blackboard site includes modules on: test-taking, reading skills, time management, concentration, note-taking, writing skills, vocabulary, memory skills, professional exam review, problem solving skills • 4029 hits to Blackboard site • 508 individual students • 80% explored site beyond one contact

15. Learning Communities What are Learning Communities? “…communities organized along curricular lines, common career interests, avocational interests, residential living areas, and so on. These can be used to build a sense of group identity, cohesiveness, and uniqueness; to encourage continuity and the integration of diverse curricular and co-curricular experiences; and to counteract the isolation that many students feel.” Astin, 1985, “Achieving Educational Excellence”

16. Learning Communities Vision for WSU Learning Communities To support Wayne State University’s commitment to student learning and retention, the Learning Community Initiative seeks to enhance our undergraduates’ experience by providing all interested students dynamic, focused communities in which students, staff, and faculty learn and grow together.

17. Learning Communities All programs that are denoted as learning communities must address the following: • having clearly delineated academic and social goals • involving faculty and academic staff • having a well thought-out plan to assess the achievement of both the academic and social goals • having the support of the responsible administrative unit(s) and a plan for sustainability

18. Learning Communities What’s new this year? • Expanded learning community concept to include a variety of programs 2005: 12 LC’s (Approx. 950 students) 2006: 16 LC’s (Approx. 1500 students) 2007: 21 LC’s (Approx. 1800 students) • Introduced peer mentors for student learning teams of 15-20 students 2006: (37 peer mentors) • Expanded faculty participation in learning communities 2006: Faculty and staff coordinators in every LC • All LC’s have clearly delineated student learning outcomes and an assessment plan – assessments to be implemented at the end of Winter, 2007

19. Learning Communities Fall 2006 – Winter 2007 Retention

20. Learning Communities Learning Communities Fall 2006 – Winter 2007 Retention (Cont’d)

21. Orientation and iStart Continuum Approach – All students: full time, part time, residential, commuting Orientation Testing → Advising → Registration iStart (New Student Program) Welcome to campus → Academic orientation → Connection to peers and to academic support First-year Success Orientation course → Learning Community → Academic support services

22. Math Initiatives • “Mathematics for Success” Pilot Course (Winter, 2007) • Special developmental course to prepare students to achieve mathematics competency • 25 students enrolled • 4 credits: 4 hours in class, 4 hours in lab • Uses direct instruction and EnableMath software • Team taught by DCE math instructor and Math Corp teacher from Detroit Public Schools

23. Math Initiatives MAT 0993 Enhancements • Increased intervention of teaching assistants with students in the Math Lab • Workshop sessions with developmental math instructor to review for examinations • Enhanced training of teaching assistants on developmental mathematics issues • Improvements being developed for Fall, 2007 – Hybrid computer plus face-to-face format to enhance student-instructor interaction Assessments for current semester underway

24. Policy Changes BOG-approved Withdrawal Policy Changes – Implemented Fall, 2006 GOALS:Students withdraw sooner, improved customer service, better tracking for financial aid • Eliminated unofficial withdrawal (X grade) • On-line withdrawal process initiated: increased convenience and efficiency

25. Policy Changes Withdrawal Policy Impact Undergraduate

26. Policy Changes Withdrawal Policy Impact Graduate

27. Summary • President’s Faculty Task Force on Retention in place and active • Retention initiatives for Fall, 2006 implemented • Initial results show positive impacts on retention from Fall, 2006 to Winter, 2007

28. Questions ?