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Gayle Fenton, Special Assistant to the Vice Provost for Student Success
Terre H. Allen, Director, Faculty Center for Professional Development
Timothy G. Plax, Director, Hauth Center for Communication Skills
Patricia Kearney, Editor, Communication Education
12th National Conference on Students in Transition
Nov. 6, 2005
Costa Mesa, CA
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How do we define student success?
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Organize and deliver educational programs
that enable students to …
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
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Stay in school,
Successfully graduate,
In a timely manner,
With a highly valued degree.
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M1: Most of our students graduate.
Do your faculty know their
institution’s graduation rate?
Do your faculty know how their
institution compares with the
national graduation rate?
Overall graduation rates
nationally = 56.9%
Rates: U.S. News & World Report,
2005
Do your faculty know their
college’s graduation rate?
Do your faculty know their
department’s graduation rate?
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M2: Students who fail to graduate lack
the motivation to do so.

Most college students are highly motivated to
succeed.

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70% of students nationally indicate that they expect to
earn a bachelor’s degree or higher (NCES, 2003).
What about our students’ intentions?


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90% of CSULB students expect to complete their bachelor’s
degree.
48% intend to earn both bachelor’s and master’s degrees.
18% intend to earn a doctorate or professional degree.
And yet, national student graduation rates hover
around 50%.
Platt, based on 2004 freshman data
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M3: Starting at a community college is a
good way to ensure degree completion.

What is the best route to degree
completion?

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The best route is a direct one.
58% who begin a 4-year institution complete.
Only 10% who begin at a 2-year institution
complete (NCES, 2003).
CSULB new junior transfer students 4-year
completion rate = 61.5%.
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M4: Most of our students know how to
succeed in school.

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How many hours per week do your students report
studying or preparing for classes?
Does your campus have these data?
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 - 5 hours
6 - 10 hours
11 - 15 hours
16 - 20 hours
20+ hours
Samuelson, Fall 2004,
Academic Advising Center
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M5: Working students make the best
students.
 How many hours per week do your students work off campus?
 Do your faculty know?
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 - 5 hours 6 - 10 hours
11 - 15
hours
16 - 20
hours
20+ hours
 Completion rates are significantly reduced for students who
•Work off-campus more than 20 hours per week.
•Attend school part time (Tinto, 2004).
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M6: Most of our freshmen have the skills to
succeed.

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How many of your entering students require
remediation?
Do your faculty understand their students?
100
80
60
40
20
0
2001
2002
2003
2004
2001-2004 FTF Cohort - Novack
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M7: Remediating students is a waste
of our resources.

What are the odds of students graduating
who require remediation?

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With remediation, students increase their odds of
graduating: 4 in 10 will graduate.
These odds are comparable to those not
requiring remediation.
However, taking remedial courses increases
time-to-degree completion.
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M8: Men are more likely to graduate
than women.

CSULB enrolled 2,653 FTF students in
1997.
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Females = 63%.
Males = 37%.
Of the 1,681 FTF females enrolled, 44%
graduated.
Of the 972 FTF males enrolled, 36%
graduated.
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Why are fewer men enrolling and
graduating?
Males Graduated,
353
Males, Did Not
Graduate, 619
Females
Graduated, 751
Females, Did Not
Graduate, 930
1997 FTF 6-Yr Graduation Rate -- Novack
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M9: Ethnic background is no longer a
major factor in student success.

How does race or ethnicity affect the odds of graduating?
Latino
U.S. Overall Rates
CSULB Rates
Asian
African
American
Integrated Postsecondary
Ed Data System Grad Rate
Survey, 2003.
White
0
20
40
60
80
100
Based on 6-yr graduation
rates for full-time regularly
admitted FTF 1998 -- Novack
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M10: Students who transfer enroll in
more prestigious institutions.

How many of our students transfer to Research 1
institutions?
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How many transfer to another CSU?
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About 4%.
How many transfer to a community college?
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Less than 1%.
About 17%.
How many total students transfer prior to degree
completion?
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Approximately 33%.
1997 Freshman Cohort – Novak, 2005
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What is your SSLI?
How literate are your
faculty about Student
Success?
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Are we accomplishing our mission?
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What constitutes student success?
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Student retention rates.
Graduation rates.
Time to completion.
Value of degree.
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Who is responsible for student
success?
We All Are….
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