June 22, 2012

1. Annual National Association of HBCU Title III Administrators Technical Assistance WorkshopNew Orleans, LANorth Carolina Central UniversityEnhancing Retention and Graduation Rates: Destination . .. Graduation:  Collaborating for Student Success June 22, 2012

2. Agenda • Introduction • University College • Dr. Ontario Wooden, Dean, University College • Centennial Scholars Program and African American Male Initiative • Mr. Jason Dorsette, Director, Centennial Scholars Program & African American Male Initiatives • Faculty Learning Communities • Dr. Kisha Daniels, Assistant Professor, Education Leadership, Research and Technology & Director, Office of Faculty Professional Development

3. NCCU Quick Facts • Founded in 1910 • Located in Durham, NC • Part of the University of North Carolina System • 8,349 Students • 6,412 Undergraduates • 1,937 Graduate/Professional • Ph.D. in Integrated Biosciences

4. NCCU Quick Facts • One of 15 Institutions featured in the SREB study- “Promoting a Culture of Student Success” in 2009 • Enrollment grew steadily from about 5000 in 1998 to 8500 in 2010.

5. NCCU Quick Facts • Consistently ranked in top 12 of all HBCUs public and private • Number 1 Law School in the USA for Women • One of four in 600 institutions focused in the “Beating the Odds” article for initiatives on Student Retention and Success

6. NCCU Mission & 2020 Strategic Plan • NCCU’s mission is to prepare students academically and professionally to become leaders prepared to advance the consciousness of social responsibility in a diverse, global society. • Five priority areas: • Retention and Graduation • Enhancing Academic Distinction and Distinctiveness • Community Engagement • Internal Communications Using QSI • Teaching, Learning and Research

7. University Partners

8. Annual National Association of HBCU Title III Administrators Technical Assistance WorkshopNew Orleans, LAUniversity College Ontario Wooden Dean, University College

9. Purpose- Mission -Vision Purpose – To Ensure a Smooth Transition From High School /Community College to the University and to Ensure Student Success Mission – To Ensure a Successful Transition of first and Second Year Students to the Point That They Become Successful During Their College Matriculation Vision – To Develop and Establish a UC That Will be Recognized Regionally & Nationally for … Success

10. Who Do We Serve? First-year Students Second-year Students Transfer Students

11. Personnel • Two Associate Deans • 13 Academic Advisors • 3 Academic Counselors • 40 Tutors -2 FT, 20 UG, 18G • Training Specialist • Budget Manager • Administrative Assistant

12. Relationships & Partnerships • Summer Bridge Programs –Aspiring Eagles • (Residential Life, First Year Experience, Community Service Learning) • Academic Goal Setting • Learning Communities (Residential Life) • Rigorous Academic Instruction (Center for Faculty Development) • Effective Academic Support (The Writing Studio, Academic Support Center, Student Athlete Sports Services) • Effective Academic Advising • Career Exploration Inventories • Reading Program (Developmental Learning) • Assessment and Evaluation

13. Goals of the University College Goal # 1: Assist students in developing clear set goals as a path toward graduation. Goal #2: Encourage students to create interpersonal relationships. Goal #3: Assure students acquire intellectual and academic mastery of subjects and content in a self-directed learning environment. Goal #4: Facilitate an awareness of diversity and liberal arts values.

14. Goals of the University College Goal #5: Develop civic, social, community and personal responsibility. Goal #6: Create a sense of community and school spirit. Goal #7: PASSPORT Society

15. Core Values of the University College Students are the source of North Carolina Central University’s success. They should always receive the strongest commitment of the staff, faculty and administration. The University College will encourage effort, support and progress in first and second year students. Retention is based on the ability to attract and develop students who reflect the mission, goals, standards and culture of North Carolina Central University. The University College will seek to retain students by providing a positive first and second year experience. Community should be a place where students are nurtured and engaged. The University College promotes a welcoming environment where students have the opportunity to learn from and gain diverse classroom experiences. “Ensuring Student Success” A Title III Funded Program

16. Core Values of the University College University policies and procedures, rules, and regulations will be focused on enabling the success of students. Academic Affairs and Student Affairspersonnel will work cooperatively in a collegiate process.

17. Results • Increased in Tutorial Usage • Improved Relationships with Other Academic Units across Campus • Increased communication about the purpose, mission and goals of the University College • Led efforts to increase Retention Rate from 68% for 2008-2009 to 77.2% for 2009-2010 • The Foundations of Excellence Process • NSSE – Survey of Student Engagement

18. Results • Increase in Face-to-Face Contact with New Freshmen and Transfer Students • Improved Record Keeping • Tutors – Weekly and Monthly Reports • Advisors – Weekly Statistical Analysis • Staff Members – Weekly Reports • Academic Engagement Evaluations • University College’s Service Satisfaction Surveys/Online

19. Annual National Association of HBCU Title III Administrators Technical Assistance WorkshopNew Orleans, LACentennial Scholars Program and African American Male Initiative Jason Dorsette Director, Centennial Scholars Program and African American Initiatives

20. National Overview -The Minorities in Higher Education 2010 Twenty-Fourth Status Report • Enrollment rates for all traditional age (18-19 years old) college students increased from 1988 to 2009 • Minority share of the student body rose from 25 to 30 percent • African Americans rose from 22 to 36 percent

21. Planning and Strategies to Create African American Male Initiative at NCCU • Hired permanent staff • Developed assessment processes • Created brand and marketed initiative • Presented at national conferences Collected Institutional Data Developed Mission/Vision Aligned initiative with NCCU strategic plan Secured program office space Identified and secured external funding

22. AAMI Learning Outcomes • After participating in the AAMI students will: • Apply personal and social strategies to succeed, enjoy the college experience, and become involved in college and community activities. • Locate and apply college resources and support systems and incorporate these into the learning process. • Demonstrate a sense of civic engagement

23. AAMI Learning Outcomes Cont. • Demonstrate a realistic self appraisal and self understanding. • Construct short-term and long-term goals, balancing personal skills, interests, personality, and values. • Construct and monitor weekly/monthly time plans to balance work, school, family, and social activities. • Apply critical and creative thinking skills to identify and solve academic and social problems.

24. Budget Development and Funding Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management (SAEM) granted funds – ( Pilot year) Secured funding from Title III to implement program UNC-System General Administration Grant Lumina Foundation “Black Male Achievement” Grant

25. Partnerships and Collaboration • Emphasis on the development of a Learning Centered Campus • Increase student participation in co-curricular activities • NCCU 2020 Strategic Plan Objective 1.3 • Foster student learning through new programs and experiences • NCCU 2020 Strategic Plan Objective 5.2

26. How to Create/Enhance Similar Programs On Your Campus • Identify a team with a common goal • Gain support from top-down • Include faculty, staff, and administrators • Align initiative with Institution’s Strategic Plan • Identify and secure financial support • Create living learning communities/learning clusters • Provide incentives • Identify and secure commitment from students, faculty, parents/caregivers

27. Annual National Association of HBCU Title III Administrators Technical Assistance WorkshopNew Orleans, LA Faculty Learning Communities to Enhance Student Retention and Graduation Rates Kisha Daniels Assistant Professor, Education Leadership, Research and Technology Director, Office of Faculty Professional Development

28. Overview • Fall 2009 survey revealed high rate of DFW grades in mathematics and science • Faculty Learning Community piloted in summer 2010 • 15 faculty members • 4 facilitators from the School of Education • Year long program • Six-day summer workshop • Three meetings each semester • Classroom observations

29. Overview • Identify and implement strategies faculty would use to reduce the number of DFW grades assigned. • Workshop topics include: • Understanding the Millennial Learner • Utilizing Technology Tools • Teaching Strategies that Support All Learners • Assessment and Evaluation • Diversity

30. Program Goals • Equip STEM, English and Modern Foreign Language faculty to more effectively teach students by aligning their teaching styles with students’ diverse learning styles. • Establish a shared set of department-wide competency standards that students will be required to master in order to be successful in general education and in subsequent courses.

31. Faculty Learning Outcomes • Identify and implement at least three effective approaches to teaching college STEM, English, and Modern Foreign Language courses to promote student success. • Demonstrate a 10% increase in teaching performance ratings. • Demonstrate teaching effectiveness as measured by a reduction in the DFW rates in their courses by 10%.

32. Implementation • Participants divided into groups and assigned a facilitator to work with throughout the academic year • Facilitators required to schedule 3 -4 group sessions per semester • Facilitators required to conduct classroom observations • Participants paid $4,000 for the year • Facilitators paid $10,000 for the year

33. Evaluation • Qualitative and quantitative assessments of both teaching and learning were conducted using: • Pre/post evaluations • Formative evaluations (guide/enhance programmatic agenda) • Summative evaluations (lessons learned)

34. Findings • Facilitators met to discuss findings at the end of year one and found: • Improvements in developing course syllabi • Observation data used to improve teaching • Use of performance activities to act out concepts in a science class • Deeper sensitivity to students • Spending more time with students outside of class

35. Findings • 80% of the faculty utilized 1-3 strategies • About one third revised course syllabi • 53% worked to provide a more interactive learning environment in classrooms • Fall 2010 grades indicate 66.6% of faculty increased pass rates in their classes • The mean DFW rate decreased from 44% to 37% by Spring 2011

36. Instructional Implications • Make your teaching relevant. Millennial students are more likely to perform better when professors connect their lessons to real life; • Explore new teaching methods. Millennials also want assignments that are more creative than the typical 10-page final paper. Millennials seem to be more experiential and exploratory learners, so they really seem to benefit from the personalization and customization of assignments;

37. Instructional Implications Try active learning approaches — such as the use of student response systems and collaborative learning; Service learning; Be engaging and accessible. They’re used to caring adults, as opposed to hierarchical relationships that were more characteristic of other generations;

38. Instructional Implications Make your class multimedia. This is a culture that has been inundated with multimedia and they’re all huge multitaskers, so to just sit and listen to a talking head is often not engaging enough for them.

39. What else are they doing?

40. What will they be expected to do?

41. Are our teaching practices supportive?

42. Are we ready for the Neo-Millennial?

43. Resources The Chronicle of Higher Education explores issues in college teaching and technology in its Technology department. Howe, N. & Strauss, W. (Second Edition). (2007). Millennials Go to College: Strategies for a New Generation on Campus. Great Falls, Va.: Lifecourse Associates. Price, C. (2009). Why Don’t My Students Think I’m Groovy?: The New “R”s for Engaging Millennial Learners. The Teaching Professor, 23. http://pewresearch.org/millennials/

44. Presenters Ontario Wooden Dean, University College owooden@nccu.edu (919) 530-5235 Jason Dorsette Director, Centennial Scholars Program & African American Male Initiative jdorsette@nccu.edu or czp@nccu.edu (919) 530-7814 Kisha Daniels Assistant Professor, Education Leadership, Research and Technology & Director, Office of Faculty Professional Development kdaniels@nccu.edu (919) 530-7690