Retention and Completion Plan
Launch
Student Success Steering Team
University Council Student Engagement and Success
UA Retention Champions
March 30, 2015
Introductions and Purpose
•  Purpose:
–  formally launch the campus retention and completion
plan
–  acknowledge our successes and our path ahead
–  look toward the future
•  Introductions:
–  Student Success Steering Team
–  University Council Student Engagement and Success
–  Retention Champions
Schedule Overview
Welcome and Introduc/ons Recogni)on and Acknowledgements 9:25 Opening Speaker: Reten*on, Comple*on and Student Success Tim Renick, Vice-­‐Provost and Vice-­‐President, Georgia State University 10:15
Highlights -­‐ University of Akron Ideas and Successes Poster presenta*ons/ gallery 11:00
Student Success and Best Prac/ce panels Student panel; Faculty and staff panel Op/onal AEernoon Sessions 2:15 Advising, the Student Success Collabora/ve and Reten/on For advisors and advising administrators 3:30 UA Analy/cs Workshop For anyone who would like to aKend to learn more about the Student Success Collabora*ve and UA Analy*cs Focus on Reten/on and Comple/on Retention: 1st to 2nd Year:
First-time, full-time, bachelor’s degree
seeking students on main campus
Fall 2010 to Fall 2011 to Fall 2012 to Fall 2013 to Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013 Fall 2014 ALL Freshmen 71.9% 66.7% 66.4% 73.9% (+7.5 points) Minori/es 60.6% 56.1% 48.8% 63.9% (+15.1 points) African American Males 51.4% 42.9% 40.6% 56.0% (+15.4 points) PELL Eligible 63.6% 61.0% 58.1% 67.5% (+9.4 points) First Genera/on 66.1% 61.7% 57.7% 66.6% (+8.9 points) 2012 66.4% 2013 73.9% 1yr Change +7.5 pts 2009 70.9% 2013 73.9% 4yr Change +3.0 pts 6"yr%Gradua*on%Rate%
First7Time%Full7Time%Bachelor%Degree7Seeking%%
Akron%Campus%Cohorts%
42.0%%
41.0%%
40.0%%
40.2%%
40.6%%
39.6%%
39.0%%
38.0%%
38.0%%
37.0%%
36.0%%
35.0%%
35.3%%
34.0%%
33.0%%
32.0%%
2004%
2007 2008prelim. 1yr Change 40.2% 40.6% +0.4 2004 2008prelim. 4yr Change 35.3% 40.6% +5.3pts 2005%
2006%
2007%
2008prelim.%
Fall 2013 Summit on Retention….to Now
Tinto’s Recommenda/ons Progress Steps Taken Focus efforts on student’s 1st year where most aKri*on occurs ✔ First Reten*on & Comple*on Plan in progress Early Alert ✔ Early Alert Progress Indicators; Help A Zip Mandatory 1st year success course ✔ For pre-­‐majors started Fall 2014 Learning communi*es ✔ Redesigned for Fall 2014 to increase faculty collabora*on, added supports Faculty workshops with a focus on student learning ✔ IT&L workshops Form a small commiKee with broad representa*on with authority to oversee reten*on and comple*on ✔ Student Success Steering Team formed Focus on the classroom March 18 workday; incorporate into reten*on plan 2014 Retention and Completion Plan
Retention & Completion Goals - 2016
•  72% 1st Year retention rate
•  42% 6-Year graduation rate
•  75% job placement rate
•  Develop a strategy to close the achievement
gaps
Rationale for Retention Rate Goal
Rationale for Graduation Rate Goal
Primary Components of the
Completion Plan
•  Best Start and the Right Support
•  Focusing on Completion and Placement
•  Closing Achievement Gaps
Best Start and the Right Support
Goal Progress Pathways for student academic success Restructured advising offices New advising model for pre-­‐majors Revised New Student Orienta*on Model in third year Summer bridge for BS-­‐seeking “at-­‐risk” Move to Fall Challenge First-­‐year student success seminar Fall 2014 Pre-­‐Majors Improved learning communi*es Reten*on Rate: 81% Early alerts Early progress indicators; Help A Zip Alterna*ve forms of credit Need to determine plan Peer mentoring Strong Results Learning assistants Budget concerns Focusing on Completion and
Placement
Goal Progress Zip reten*on scholarships ROI averages above $500,000 Reten*on analy*cs Pilot in progress; BCAS and ENGR in progress Finish in *me Excellent results for Fall 2014 Career placement of graduates Current placement rate: 74% Closing Achievement Gaps
•  Goal: Develop an intentional strategy to reduce
achievement gaps between white and minority
students in retention and completion rates
Focus Areas Under Considera/on: Increase diversity of the student body Create an enrollment strategy to further diversify student populaBon Create a scholarship program for underrepresented students Create a compleBon scholarship for underrepresented students Improve exisBng successful programs dedicated to under-­‐represented students Create addiBonal first-­‐year programs, based on data analysis, for strong support of under-­‐represented groups Increase underrepresented student parBcipaBon in career-­‐relevant learning experiences Improve job/graduate school placement rate in a degree-­‐relevant posiBon six months following graduaBon Progress Highlights:
What have we done since 2013?
Re-structured Pre-Major Advising
Akron Experience: University 101
Redesigned New Student Orientation
Implemented Finish in Time
Improved Learning Communities
Focused on Early Alert Initiatives and Peer
Mentoring
•  Created Zips Retention and Completion
Scholarships
•  Piloted UA Analytics
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New Advising Structure
Retention by Pathway
first-time, full-time, degree seeking students on main campus
Pathway Fall 2011 % Retained to 2012 Fall 2012 % Retained to 2013 Fall 2013 % Retained to 2014 1 Year Reten/on Change Direct Admit College Ready Emergent Preparatory Non-­‐Tradi/onal 81.7% 68.1% 56.4% 53.0% 45.2% 83.3% 64.7% 53.8% 54.5% 34.5% 82.4% 75.3% 63.7% 57.1% 30.3% -­‐ 0.9% +10.6% +9.9% +2.6% -­‐4.2% The Akron Experience: University 101
•  This first-year seminar course is designed to:
–  Orient students to The University of Akron, its traditions and
resources
–  Develop skills for academic and personal success; and
–  Assist in the commitment to an intended major and career
pathway.
•  Standardized Syllabus and Textbook with common
assignments
– 
– 
– 
– 
Group Presentations
First-year Lecture & Common Reading Program
MAP-Works
Service-Learning
•  Increase in enrollment from less than 700 students in
Fall 2013 to more than 1600 in Fall 2014
New Student Orientation:
Three Part Orientation Process
Advising and Registra*on New Roo Weekend The Akron Experience: University 101 Students – AEer a`ending today’s program…. % Agree or Strongly Agree "I feel like The University of Akron is the right fit for me” 93% "I feel more informed about campus resources” 90% Parents – AEer a`ending today’s program % Agree or Strongly Agree "I feel like my student will be supported at UA” 95% "I feel like The University of Akron is the right fit for my student” 92% Learning Communities
•  The Fall 2013 first-year retention rate learning community
participants was 81%.
•  For Fall 2014, 615 first-year students enrolled in a learning
community compared to approximately 471 students in Fall
2013 – 30.5% increase
•  Fall 2014 – First Professional Development Institute
Peer Mentoring
Percent of NEW Full-­‐Time Freshmen Registered for 15+ credits Help A Zip 2014
Fall 2014: 2013-­‐2014 Academic Year: 271 Cases (affec*ng 259 students) ~365 Total Cases 35 73 UA Analytics Overview
•  Predic*ve analy*cs is the analysis of past data paKerns to make predic*ons about the future •  UA is using analy*cs with the intent to improve student performance by taking appropriate ac*on •  Before applying analy*cs to reten*on, data were used to paint a picture of the specifics of “what happened?” Two Major Deliverables
Predictive Workbooks
Advising Platform
Analytics to Advising
• Determine Akron predic*ve model • Gateway courses and grades • Major switching paKerns • Likelihood of gradua*on across majors and more! Advising Pladorm • Monitor and Track Students • Targeted campaigns • Increase advising effec*veness Analy/cs In-time & Real-time Advising
When (before) it is Needed
Because it is Needed
• Isolate students who need help • Major transi*ons • Targeted support • Effec*ve tracking and support to comple*on Targeted Interven/ons and Improved Reten*on/ Gradua*on March 18 Retention Plan Work Day:
New Ideas for Addition to Plan
Idea Detail Math as a Gateway Course •  Need course for 21st century learners •  Truly measure quan*ta*ve reasoning vs. specific algebraic skills Faculty Development •  Training in new/ different pedagogies; peer to peer training Summer Discount Program •  Help students finish in *me •  Specific courses and/or student popula*ons Exit Degrees •  Comprehensive degrees in each college •  For students challenged to complete the specific degree •  E.g., BS in Health Sciences Online Courses/Degree Support •  Scale academic support for students & support for faculty with increase in online courses March 18 Work Day: Moving Ahead
Team Focal Area New Ideas Incorporate missing elements into the plan and execute Academic and Social Support •  Manage exis*ng goals and track progress •  Adjust goals as feedback and assessment comes in Career Development Define specific strategies to execute placement and relevant learning goals Achievement Gaps Outline plan for reducing and eventually elimina*ng achievement gaps Thank you!
Have a great day!
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