Interventions for Under-prepared First-Year
Students at a Four-Year University
Jennifer Cárdenas, M.S., Director of New Student Programs
Liane Gough, M.S., Coordinator of Academic Support Program
Portland State University
University Statistics
Student Profile
Urban institution with 25,000 students
Affiliation: Oregon University System
Number of academic programs: 120+
Clubs and organizations: 280+
Academic calendar: quarter system
Mission: grow to 35,000 by 2012
76% of students are undergraduates
Average age of undergraduates: 25.5
45% men, 55% women
5% of students are international
82.7% of students are from Oregon
60% of new students arrive with 30+
credit hours
• Admissions, Records and Registration (ARR)
• Undergraduate Advising & Support Center (UASC)
The Admissions Process
• Admissions requirements
– In 2004, the GPA requirement for freshman increased from
2.5 to 3.0
• Freshman Class- Fall 2006
– Average HS GPA is 3.21
– Average HS SAT score is 1010
• Faculty Special Admissions Review Committee
– Required on-site writing sample, personal statement of
goals, 2 letters of recommendation, HS transcripts
The Academic Support Program
• History (prior to 2004)
• Goals
• Demographics (2004-present)
(PSU general
student population)
2004-05
Students Served
25
First Generation
College Students
2005-06
2006-07
25
24 +
28%
28%
58%
Students of Color
44% (19)
44% (25)
79% (27)
NonNative/Resident
Alien
16% (5)
12% (4)
8% (3)
ASP Program Design
2004-current
•
Required attendance at New Student Orientation
•
Case management / Referral to appropriate campus
resources
•
“Navigating PSU” online workshop (2006-current)
•
Two-credit “College Success” course (for most at-risk
cohort) using Becoming a Master Student text
•
Registration holds
Theoretical Framework
• Seven Principles for Good Practice (Chickering & Gamson,
1987).
• Co-curricular involvement (Astin, 1984).
• Navigating bureaucracy (Godwin & Markham, 1996).
• First-generation students (Terenzini, Springer, Yeager,
Pascarella, & Nora,1996).
Freshman to Sophomore Retention
Credit Hour Completion
First Year Cumulative GPA
Institutional Challenges
• Minimal Institutional Commitment To
Retention
• No Centralized FYE Office
• Few Developmental Courses Offered
• No Entering/Exiting Student Surveys
Implications & Future Planningthis is a work in-progress!
• Administration & interpretation of Noel-Levitz “College
Student Inventory”
• Two term “College Success” course for most at-risk cohort (4
credits total) using On Course text
• Academic workshops (time management, stress reduction,
test & note-taking, writing, motivation, test anxiety, etc)
• Student Satisfaction Survey at end of 2nd term of enrollment
Questions?
Jennifer Cárdenas, M.S.
Director of New Student Programs
[email protected]
503-725-5504 or 800-547-8887 x5504
Liane Gough, M.S.
Coordinator of Academic Support Program
[email protected]
503-725-9549 or 800-547-8887 x9549