Promoting Student Success
at The University of South
Carolina
Chrissy Coley, Julie Holliday, Katie Lynch, and
Angela Street
National Conference for the First Year
Experience – February 2007
Purpose of this Session
 To discuss the proposal and
implementation of USC’s Student
Success Center, including:
 Relevant literature and data
 SSC’s purpose and resulting
organization and programmatic
initiatives
 Cross-campus partnerships
 Recommendations for campuses
considering this type of program
Literature on High-Performing Institutions
 Student Success in College (2005 AAHE)
Highlights DEEP institutions (Documenting Effective Educational
Practices) from National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)
 Mark routes to student success through acculturation & alignment
 What Works in Student Retention (2004 ACT)
 Learning Support, Academic Advising and Monitoring, First-Year
Programs
 Raising the Graduation Rates of Low-Income College Students (2005
Pell Institute)
 Intentional, intrusive academic advising
 Systems for monitoring student progress and intervention
 Role of Academic and Non-Academic Factors in Improving College
Retention (2004 ACT)
 Academic-Related Skills, Self-Confidence, and Goals
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Additional Research and Institutional
Data Used in Decision-Making
 NSSE – issues of engagement
 CIRP – issues of prior study habits
 College Student Inventory
 Student Satisfaction Inventory
 Institutional retention and graduation rates
 Impact of first year grades
 Impact of living on campus and being Greek
 Impact of maintaining LIFE Scholarship
 Student sub-population data
 Withdrawal data
Goals of Student Success
Initiatives at USC
 Coordinate personalized educational experiences (roadmaps for
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success)
Provide intentional academic and personal support mechanisms
Monitor students’ progress and intervene if problems arise
Create effective communication channels
Analyze campus policies and procedures
Demonstrate USC’s care for students
 The purpose of the Student Success Center is to coordinate a
comprehensive array of resources and initiatives to promote
student success, with the goal of enhancing learning and
satisfaction, as well as retention and graduation rates.
Student Success Center
Organizational Chart
Director
Chrissy Coley
Coordinator of
Academic Success
Initiatives &
Supplemental
Instruction
Julie Holliday
Coordinator of
Academic Success
Initiatives &
Tutoring
Coordinator of
Initiatives for
Special Student
Populations
Nichole Howe
Angela Street
Coordinator of
Early Intervention
Initiatives
Katie Lynch
Supplemental Instruction (SI)
 Established Fall 2005
 Peer assisted study sessions to review course
content and integrate “how-to-learn” with “what-tolearn” (currently have 54 SI leaders)
 Focuses on high risk and historically challenging
courses (30%+ DFW rate)
 Fall 2006 courses include introductory courses in
Biology, Chemistry, Math, History, Psychology,
Philosophy, Accounting, and Economics
 Research indicates that students attending SI earn
higher grades and withdraw at lower rates than nonparticipants
Supplemental Instruction
 Assessment and Promotion
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First Day of Class survey and presentations
Attendance/Frequency of SI visits
Grades and announcing differences to students
SI session observations
End of semester survey
DFW rates
Evaluation to students attend 2+ sessions
Focus Group
Feedback from faculty (formal and information)
Supplemental InstructionOverview of Data
Student Feedback: SI…
 “helps you understand how to
study more effectively for the
tests”
 “provides you with the
opportunity to interact with
students to ask questions”
Faculty Feedback: SI…
 “provides a peer to whom
freshmen students can go with
minimal intimidation.”
(BIOL 101)
 “opens the door for help during
a new set of times” (evening
hours) (PSYC 101)
Fall 2006
 SI participants
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N=2060
Mean GPA: 2.81
 SI non-participants
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N=4695
Mean GPA: 2.64
Tutoring
 Tutoring began January 22, 2007!
 Purpose
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To provide peer facilitated academic support to all USC students.
 One-on-One and small group tutoring services offered in
historically difficult courses (100-300 level).
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Includes:
 Accounting, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Foreign Languages,
Physics, and Computer Science.
 We currently employ 17 tutors.
 Our tutors complete a tutor training program in accordance with
the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA).
 Our goal is to have the tutor training program certified by CRLA
in fall 2007.
Students Tackling Academic Recovery
 STAR
The STAR program is specifically designed for students identified as “scholastically
deficient”, but is open to any student wishing to learn strategies to improve
academic performance.
 Goals of STAR are to help students:
 Assess factors related to academic performance
 Become aware of campus resources
 Participate in learning sessions for relevant topics
 Learn to use the GPD/GPA calculator
 Make an Academic/learning plan
 STAR Workshop
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Students will have the opportunity to assess individual needs, identify resources, and
create a strategic plan to achieve academic success.
Students will be provided with a variety of materials and resources to help them “get
back on track”.
Presentations on time management, study skills and financial aid are also included.
Feedback- Tutoring & STAR
 Tutoring
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“Tutoring in the Student Success Center has been very helpful, and
I like that I can come to the same place to get tutoring in different
subjects.”
“My tutor knows the material well and can explain things to me in a
way I understand.”
 STAR- From Students
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What were the most valuable parts of the STAR Workshop?
 “All the helpful tips from all the presenters, as well as all the
handouts.”
 I liked everything we talked about, especially ways to improve
my GPA.”
 “Identifying obstacles that hindered my grades.”
Early Intervention Initiative
 Established Fall 2005
 Purpose: Connect students struggling with academic success to
additional campus resources before becoming overwhelmed.
These campus resources are designed to help overcome
specific obstacles preventing them from meeting their academic
responsibilities.
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CAR Group
ACE
SI or Tutoring
Out-of-State Mentoring or Transfer Mentoring
 Target population: First Year Students, specifically those
enrolled in University 101 or EN 101/102
First Year Call Center
 Established Fall 2006
 Purpose: Make first-year students feel welcome by informing
them of important upcoming evens, discussing their satisfaction
and challenges, while answering any questions or concerns
they may have
 Completely mobile call center
 Wireless laptops and cell phones to make calls
 Call Center uses 10 trained Sophomore students as callers
 The First Year Call Center boasts a 77% completion rate for the
initial round of calls. Mark of completion includes: conversation
with students, parents or other household member, or voice mail
message
Early Intervention Initiatives:
Overview of Data
 Early Intervention Initiative:
“Thank you for taking the time to talk with me. The help you
provided was wonderful. I really appreciate your words of
wisdom and guidance and don’t know I would have made it
through the semester if you hadn’t contacted me.”
 “I think the process helped a great deal. He continued to
communicate with me (the professor) subsequently and I
think he gained much needed confidence.”
 First Year Call Center
 “Is the First Year Call Center really calling every first year
student? That’s amazing! I wish this was around when I was
starting.”
 Taking the time to reach all first year students just to check in
really shows the care and concern this university has for its
students. Its an impressive accomplishment.
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Special Student Populations
 Transfer Students
 Out of State Students
 Students of Color
 Sophomores
 Students Who Lose Their Scholarships
Special Student Populations
Research and Assessment
 University Retention Committee: Identified a high risk sub-population
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and chose transfer students
Research was done to identify issues and best practices and major
themes were found such as:
 Institutional Connectedness/ Involvement
 Finding friends
 Academic Advising
 Orientation
Over 200 Out of State Students Surveyed
Students chose one or more challenges they face or are facing as an
out of state student
The results indicated:
 Social Networks (Finding Friends and Social Outlets) 80%
 South Carolina (Cultural Adjustment)
68%
 Homesickness
78%
Transfer and Out of State Student
Initiatives
 Mentoring Programs
 Blackboard Communities
 Mixers/Socials
 Success Seminars
 Out of State Student Trips
 Transfer and Out of State Student Success
Guides and Manuals
 Initiatives for Students of Color, Sophomores
and Students Who Lose Scholarships Fall 07
Partnerships Within the Division of
Student Affairs
 Undergraduate Admissions
 Counseling Center/CAR Group (Creating Academic
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Responsibility)
Residential Learning Initiatives
Multicultural Student Affairs
Student Disability Services/Student Assistance
Program
Financial Aid/Satisfactory Academic Progress
Student Involvement & Greek Life
Student Health Services
Orientation and Testing
Career Center
Partnerships With Academic and Other
Administrative Units
 National Resource Center for the First Year
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Experience & University 101
Library
Freshman English
Assistant and Associate Deans
Academic Advisors
Registrar’s Office
Institutional Assessment and Compliance
Center for Teaching Excellence
Retention Committee
Noted Impact of the Student Success
Center at USC
 Faculty and academic administrators are approaching us about
attendance issues and how we can incorporate this effort in
other courses.
 promoting awareness and dialogue
 Parents and academic advisors are contacting us about ways
we can assist their students.
 It is fostering conversations and collaborations between
academic and student affairs units.
 “It is really about how we guide students throughout their
Carolina experience.” (Associate VP for Student Development)
Recommendations for Implementing
New Student Success Initiatives
 Identify and partner with key players and allies –
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involve in the planning process
Take time to dialogue and incorporate different
positions and needs
Be flexible and open – listen and start where you can
Convince faculty and administrators through data
reporting (body of literature, campus research) – use
persuasion, not force
Be aware of the philosophical and logistical
challenges
For Questions or More Information,
Please Contact Us
 Student Success Center
 University of South Carolina
 www.sa.sc.edu/ssc
 [email protected]
 (803) 777-0684